Construction Industry Council

of Houston, Texas

 

By-Laws

 

Article I.            Name and Purpose

 

The name of the organization shall be Construction Industry Council, as incorporated under the laws of the State of Texas on October 8, 1968.

 

The purpose of purposes for organizing are: Associating together of the various organizations of the construction industry to study and advise the Mayor and City Council of the City of Houston and any of its departments or committees in the area of codification or recodification of the City’s requirements, ordinances, licensed, franchises or other controls over the construction of buildings, dwellings, houses, and other structures above or below ground, in the corporate limits of the City of Houston or under the jurisdiction of the City of Houston.

 

Article II.            Membership

 

Membership applications may be received from associations which either professionally, financially, or managerially are responsible for the quality of building construction and the life safety of the occupants and the general public from risks associated with man-made structures.

 

Applications for membership shall be submitted to the Membership Committee.  It shall be the duty of the Membership Committee to investigate each applicant and make a recommendation for acceptance or rejection of each applicant.

 

Applications for membership shall be voted on at the next regular meeting of the council.  A rejected applicant may not renew application within one year from date of rejection.

 

Any member organization whose dues are in arrears more than ninety days may be dropped from membership.  The Board may, however, at its discretion, reinstate such member upon payments of all arrears.

 

Any member accused in writing by another member of improper practices or acts injurious to the interests of the Council shall have the opportunity to answer the charge in writing.  Both the charge and the answer shall be submitted to the Board, who shall vote on the suspension or expulsion of the member. Two -thirds of the whole Board of Delegates shall be necessary to suspend or expel from membership.

 

Article III.            Dues

 

The Board of Delegates shall fix an annual dues for each member covering the fiscal year.  Said dues payable within 30 days of notification by mail.

 

Article IV.            Officers

 

General - The officers of the Council shall be a president, one or more vice presidents (the number thereof to be determined by the Board of Delegates), a treasurer, and a secretary, and such assistant treasurers, assistant secretaries or other officers as may be elected by the Board of Delegates.

 

Section 2.            President - The president shall be the principal executive officer of the Council and shall in general supervise and control all of the business and affairs of the Council. The president shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Delegates. The president shall sign, with the secretary or an assistant secretary, instruments which the Board of Delegates has authorized to be executed; and in general, shall perform all duties incident to the office of president, including the appointment of committees as requested by the Board or as deemed appropriate to carry out the functions of the Council, and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Delegates from time to time. All committee chairs appointed by the president shall be a delegate or an alternate.

 

Section 3.            Vice President - In the absence of the president or in the event of the president’s inability or refusal to act, the vice president shall perform the duties of the president, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the president. Any vice president shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the president or by the Board of Delegates.

 

Section 4.            Secretary  - The secretary shall: (a) keep the minutes of the Board of Delegates meetings in one or more books provided for that purpose; (b) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these By-Laws; (c) be custodian of the Council records; (d) keep a register of the post office address of each board delegate and association; (e) in general perform all duties incident to the office of secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the Board of Delegates or by the president.

 

Section 5.            Treasurer - The treasurer shall: (a) have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the Council, receive and give receipts for moneys due and payable to the Council from any source whatsoever, and deposit all such moneys in the name of the Council in such banks or other repositories as shall be selected by Board of Delegates; (b) initiate the payment of all authorized bills by checks which shall require the signature of;  the treasurer; (c) Any expenditures greater than $250.00 must be approved by council and all income and expenditures are to be reported to council; (d) in general perform all the duties incident to the office of treasurer and such other duties as form time to time may be assigned by the Board of Delegates.

 

Section 6.            Compensation - All the officers and delegates shall serve without salary or other monetary consideration.

 

Article V.            Board of Delegates.

 

Section 1.            Board - The business and affairs of the Council shall be managed by a Board of Delegates.

 

Delegates and Alternates -

(a) Each member organization shall select one delegate and at least one alternate delegate to represent such member on the Board of Delegates.

(b) Such delegate or alternate shall serve for such period of time as designated by the member, providing the member remains in good standing with the Council.

(c) Both the delegate and alternate may attend Board meetings and participate in all discussions and actions of the Board except that in matters calling for a vote, only one vote shall be cast by each member.  The vote will be cast by the delegate if present, or in the delegate’s absence, by the alternate.

(d) The responsibility of notifying the secretary of the Council of their currently designated delegate and alternate shall lie with each member.

(e) No person shall be the designated delegate or alternate for more than one member association.

 

Annual Meeting - An annual meeting of the Board shall be held during the month of November of each year.

 

Regular Meetings - Meetings of the Board of Delegates shall be held at the time and place they may direct from time to time.

 

Special Meetings - Special meetings of the Board of Delegates may be called by or at the request of the president or any three delegates.  Notice of the call of special meeting shall be in writing and delivered for transmission to each of the delegates not later than during the third day immediately preceding the day for which such meeting is called.  Such notices shall state the purpose of the meeting, and only such business shall be acted upon at the special meeting.  Notice of any special meeting may be waived in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice.  Attendance of a delegate at a special meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such special meeting, except where a delegate attends a meeting for the express purpose of objection to the transaction of any business.

 

Quorum - When requested by a delegate, a majority of the number of delegates shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.  The act of the majority of the delegates present at a meeting shall be the act of the Board of Delegates.

 

Power to Elect Officers - The officers of the Council shall be elected annually by the Board of Delegates and take office on January 1. Each officer shall hold office until his successor shall have been duly elected and installed, or until a vacancy has been declared. An officer will be selected from the board of delegates.

 

Removal of Officers - Any officer or agent elected or appointed by the Board of Delegates may be removed by the Board of Delegates whenever in its judgement the best interests of the Council would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the person so removed.

 

Vacancy - A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, removal, or otherwise, shall be filled by a delegate elected by the Board of Delegates at the next regular meeting, for the unexpired portion of the term.

 

Article VI.            Standing Committees

 

Section 1.            Membership Committee - This committee of a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 delegates or alternates shall be responsible for reviewing applications for membership and making recommendations on such applications to the Board, in accordance with Article II.

 

Section 2.            Nominating Committee - This committee will consist of the last three active past-presidents with the immediate past-president acting as chairman.  This committee will make its report at the October meeting with election of officers at the November annual meeting.

 

Article VII.            Voting Procedure

 

Voting on any question or in any election may be voice vote or show of hands unless the presiding officer shall order, or any board delegate shall demand, that voting be by written ballot.  Each delegate shall have one vote.  In the absence of the delegate, the alternate may cast one vote.

 

Motions pertaining to codes, code amendments or other code related issues, including recommendations to the City of Houston, shall be automatically tabled until the next regular business meeting.  The text of such motions shall be published and distributed in the meeting minutes to afford opportunity for review.

 

Any delegate may request that a 2/3 majority be required to pass any motion.  Such a request must be made immediately after the subject motion has been made and seconded.

 

To the extent applicable, Robert’s Rules of Order, 10th edition as published by Perseus Publishing Company shall govern the conduct of and procedure at all board meetings.

 

Article VIII.       Fiscal Year

 

The fiscal year of the Council shall begin on the first day of January in each year and end on the last day of December in each year.

 

Article IX.            Amendment of By-Laws

 

The By-Laws may be amended by the Board of Delegates at any annual meeting of the Board, or, if notice of proposal to amend these By-Laws and the respect in which proposed to be amended, is given in any call of a special meeting of the board, at such special meeting.  These By-Laws must be approved by a 2/3 majority vote of delegates present at a meeting where a quorum is satisfied.

 

 

 

END OF BY-LAWS