DISTRICT 11NR SAMPLE DIVISION STANDING RULES

	Sections indicated by an ‘*’ preceding the section number are mandatory and must be included as written in any proposed standing rules (though they need not have the same section number).  They represent existing Coast Guard and Auxiliary policies.  Other sections may be altered, expanded or changed, or new sections may be added, to meet local requirements.  The Legal Office would be pleased to review your proposed Standing Rules in draft and advise you of any suggested changes.

STANDING RULES OF DIVISION ____
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AUXILIARY
ELEVENTH DISTRICT NORTHERN REGION

Adopted _________________ [date]

ARTICLE I – NAME

	1.1	The name of this organization shall be DIVISION ________, ELEVENTH DISTRICT NORTHERN REGION, UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AUXILIARY, hereinafter referred to as the Division.

ARTICLE II -- LIMITATIONS OF STANDING RULES

	*2.1	Any provision in these Standing Rules which is in conflict with the current edition of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Manual, COMDTINST M16790.1 (Series),  and all amendments and additions thereto, hereinafter referred to as the “Manual”, Commandant or District Instructions and Notices, the National Board Standing Rules, and/or the District Standing Rules, shall be null and void.

	*2.2	These standing rules are supplementary to the policies and procedures established for the formation, operation, membership, election or appointment of officers and disestablishment of the Division by the Manual or other appropriate Auxiliary requirements.

	*2.3	Nothing in these rules shall authorize the Division to take any action inconsistent with or not authorized by the Manual or other policies of the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.

ARTICLE III -- ORGANIZATION

	*3.1	The Composition and purpose of the Division shall be as set forth in the Manual.

	*3.2	The duties of the elected and appointed staff officers shall be as designated in the Manual and in any District Instructions.

ARTICLE IV -- MEETINGS

	4.1	The frequency, day, time and location of meetings shall be established by a majority vote of the Division Board, provided a quorum is present, and shall remain fixed as such in ensuing years until duly changed by a majority vote of the Division Board.  Meetings may be a combined Board and Staff or the Board and Staff may each meet separately at the discretion of the Division Commander.

	4.2	Special meetings may be called by the Division Commander by notifying all members at least ____ days in advance of such meeting, specifying the date, time, location and purpose.
 
	*4.3	Unless otherwise provided in the Manual or these Standing Rules, all business shall be conducted at meetings in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, as last revised.

ARTICLE V - VOTING

	*5.1	A majority of the Division Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting of the Division.
 
	*5.2	Unless a greater number than a majority for specific action is required by these Standing Rules or by the Manual, a majority of the votes actually cast by members present and voting can carry a motion, provided a quorum is present.  Blank votes or abstentions do not count in the total for determining the number of votes cast.  One of the voting members must be the Division Commander or Division Vice Commander

	*5.3	Each member of the Division Board present shall have one (1) vote.

	*5.4	Proxy and absentee voting shall not be permitted.

	*5.5	Voting on routine matters shall normally be by voice unless otherwise requested by a member of the Division Board or as provided in these Standing Rules or by the Manual.

	*5.6	A closed ballot may be requested by any member of the Division Board and the request shall be honored without discussion.

	*5.7	In the absence of a Flotilla Commander from a Division Board meeting, the Vice Flotilla Commander may vote and act for the Flotilla.  In the absence of the Flotilla Commander and Vice Flotilla Commander, the Immediate Past Flotilla Commander may vote and act for the Flotilla.  If the Flotilla Commander, Vice Flotilla Commander and Immediate Past Flotilla Commander are unable to attend, any other member of the Flotilla Staff designated by the Flotilla Commander in writing may represent but not vote on matters coming before the Division Board.  This designation must be made known to the Division Board at the beginning of such meeting and shall be recorded in the formal record or minutes of the meeting

	5.8	When no meeting of the Division Board is scheduled, emergency matters requiring the vote of the Division Board may be submitted by mail or telephone, and the voting thereon may be by mail or telephone at the discretion of the Division Commander and the District Commodore.

	*5.9	No mail or telephone votes are permitted at any regular meeting of the Division Board.  Elections may not be held by mail or telephone.

ARTICLE VI - ELECTION OF OFFICERS

	*6.1	The Division shall hold an annual election of officers for the ensuing year, usually at the ___________ meeting, but prior to the 20th of November and after the District elections.

	6.2	The Division Commander shall appoint a Nominating Committee at the regular meeting of the Division in the month of ____________ of each year.  The Nominating Committee shall select a nominee for each elective Division office to be filled for the ensuing year and determine that their selectees are willing to serve if elected.  The Committee shall meet no later than __________ and report its nominations to the Division Commander within __________ days thereafter.  The Committee shall also report its nominations at the next regular Division meeting.  The nominations of this Committee shall also be reported to the Division Board in any written notice sent to the members prior to the regular meeting in ___________.  The Committee nominations shall not preclude other nominations from the floor at the meeting at which the election is held.  Such additional nominations shall be encouraged by the Division Commander.

	6.3	Additional nominations of those eligible for the offices of Division Commander or Division Vice Commander may be made upon petition signed by two (2) incumbent members of the Division Board other than the petitioner.  Such petition shall be mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested or hand delivered to the Division Commander at least fourteen (14) days prior to the election meeting.  The petition shall be accompanied by a written statement signed by the nominee to the effect that, if elected, the candidate will serve in the office to which nominated.  The Division Commander shall promptly notify all members of the Division Board and all other candidates, of such additional nomination.  Notice shall be in person, telephone or by mail, provided that such telephone notification is followed by written notification to all members of the Division Board.

	6.4	The Division Board may direct the Division Commander to dispense with the appointment of a Nominating Committee in that specific year.  This is possible by motion duly enacted with an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of those present, with a quorum present.  In this event, the Division Commander shall not appoint a Nominating Committee in that specific year, and all nominations to fill elective Division offices for the ensuing year shall be made by petition as set forth above or by nominations from the floor.

	*6.5	The election of officers shall be by written ballot unless only one member is nominated to each elective office, in which event the Secretary may be directed by a voice vote to cast a single ballot on behalf of the members.

	*6.6	To be elected, a candidate must receive a majority vote of the voting Board members in attendance.  If after two (2) successive ballots there are more than two candidates for an office and no candidate receives a sufficient number of votes for election, the candidate receiving the least number of votes shall be dropped from the next succeeding ballots until only two candidates remain.  In the event of three (3) succeeding tie votes, the moderator shall place all ballots cast on the third vote into a container, blindly select one ballot from the container, have the ballots minus the withdrawn ballot counted and announce the winner.

	*6.7	All notices of any election meeting shall be given to the District Commodore at least fifteen (15) days prior to the election meeting.

	*6.8	Election of officers shall be so organized that if the Division Commander is a candidate for office or is unavailable to so act, then the liaison for the District Commodore or the Immediate Past Commander shall act as moderator.

	*6.9	Upon completion of the election, all ballots shall be destroyed by the moderator without revealing the count of any closed ballot.

ARTICLE VII - REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

	*7.1	Any elected Division officer may be recommended for removal from the office to which elected by an affirmative vote of three-quarters (3/4) of the Division Board.  A full and fair hearing shall be first conducted by the Division Board with the accused and the accuser present, provided written notice of the meeting and the charges is sent ten (10) days in advance to all those entitled to vote, including the District Commodore.  Recommendation for removal may only be for cause which brings discredit upon the Coast Guard or the Coast Guard Auxiliary and is to be addressed to the District Commander through the District Commodore and Director of Auxiliary.

ARTICLE VIII - FINANCES
	*8.1	The annual Division dues shall be such sum of money as may be fixed by a majority vote at a regular or special meeting of the Division Board, at which seven (7) days prior written notice of the meeting and intent were given, and shall remain fixed at such sum in ensuing years until otherwise duly changed by the Division Board.

	*8.2	The annual dues, including Division, District and National, shall be levied on each member on a calendar year basis and shall be payable on such date as determined by each Flotilla for the following calendar year.  First year dues for new members may be prorated as determined by District policy.

	*8.3	No member who is separated from the Auxiliary by reason of resignation, or otherwise, shall be entitled to refund of dues paid.

	*8.4	The Division Finance Officer shall be the custodian of all Division funds.  With the consent of the Division Commander, the Finance Officer shall establish an account with a federally insured banking institution in a location convenient to the Finance Officer.

	*8.5	All Division funds, other than small cash sums in the process of collection, shall be deposited in this account which shall be known as “U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Division ___” or “USCGAUX, Division ___”.  All withdrawals there from shall be by check only.

	8.6	The Division Commander, or the Division Vice Commander when acting in the absence of the Division Commander, is authorized to approve payment of all routine obligations as set forth in a budget approved by the Division Board.  Routine obligations include those incurred by the Division in connection with carrying out officially adopted policy of the Division and payments within the limits of the budget.  These include, but are not limited to, the following:

	Purchase and engraving of authorized awards;
  	Publishing costs of a Division newsletter and/or notices;
  	Purchase of public education and training materials;
  	Purchase of flags, pennants and Auxiliary uniform accessories;
  	Bills for Division functions;
  	District and National Dues; 
	An annual expense fund provided to reimburse the Division Commander and Vice Commander for expenses incurred in the course of Division business; and
  	Any other expenditure authorized by the Division Board.

	8.7	The Division Commander, or if the Division Commander is unavailable, the Division Vice Commander, may authorize emergency expenditures not exceeding a total of ____________ ($____) dollars in any one (1) calendar month and direct the Finance Officer to pay them.  A full report of such emergency expenditure shall be made to the Division at its next regular or special meeting

	8.8	All other obligations, regardless of amount, will be considered as special obligations.  Authorization to incur special obligations and requests for the appropriation of Division funds must be submitted to the Division Board for approval by duly filed and considered motions, except as otherwise provided in these Rules.

	8.9	The Division Board may, upon motion duly made and carried, set aside funds from the general funds to enable committee chairpersons of Division functions to carry out the committee’s responsibilities.  The Division Commander may authorize payment of bills from these funds.  When the fund is depleted, no further bills may be authorized for payment without prior approval of the Division Board.

	8.10	All disbursements of Division funds shall be by check signed by the Finance Officer and/or the Division Commander.  

	*8.11	The Finance Officer shall render a financial report at each regular meeting of the Division.  The financial report shall include all receipts and expenditures since the last rendering of a financial report and the balance of funds remaining as of the day preceding the day of the meeting.  Any emergency expenditures authorized by the Division Commander, included in the reported expenditures, shall be so designated in the report.

	8.12	The chairperson of any duly appointed committee where Division funds are involved will furnish the Division Finance Officer with a monthly statement of the financial transactions of the committee.  The chairperson will transfer to the Division Finance Officer, within thirty (30) days after completion of the committee’s activities, the balance of all monies received along with a completed committee financial statement.

	8.13	The Division may provide by a duly enacted motion that the Finance Officer post a bond in favor of the Division in such amount as the division may determine.  All costs for such bond shall be paid by the Division.

	*8.14	Upon the appointment of a new Finance Officer, the retiring Finance Officer shall promptly deliver all Division funds, books and records to the new Finance Officer.

	8.15	The funds, book and records of the Division shall be examined by the Audit Committee yearly and upon the appointment of a new Finance Officer.

ARTICLE IX - CONTRACTS
	*9.1	All licenses and agreements for the use of real property as well as contracts for the expenditure of Division funds as may be authorized by a vote of the Division Board, shall be approved by the District Staff Officer-Legal or an attorney appointed from the National Legal Affairs staff, before signing, and shall be signed by the Division Commander, or the District Commodore in the absence of the Division Commander.

ARTICLE X - COMMITTEES

	10.1	Standing committees and special committees consisting of any number of members may be appointed by the Division Commander.  The Division Commander shall designate the chairperson of each such committee and outline the objectives to be accomplished unless such are otherwise prescribed.  Individuals may be appointed as one-person committees if desired.

	10.2	The Division Commander shall appoint an Audit Committee at or before the regular meeting of the Division in the month of [_________] in each year.  This Committee shall examine and audit the financial books and records of the Division Finance Officer and Materials Officer within three (3) months of the new year and shall report their findings at the next regular meeting of the Division.

	10.3	The Division Commander shall appoint a Budget Committee at or before the regular meeting of the Division Board in the month of January of each year.  This Committee shall prepare a budget with the assistance of the Division Finance Officer and the Division Materials Officer and submit the budget to the Division Board for approval within the first three (3) months of the new year. 

	10.4	The Division Commander is empowered to appoint an Awards Committee to review and make recommendations to the Division Board for the recognition of individuals and groups for special recognition by the Division, District or the United States Coast Guard.

	10.5	The Division Commander is empowered to appoint a Past Commanders Committee composed of all Past Division Commanders and Past Division Vice Commanders who are currently active.  The chairperson shall be the Immediate Past Division Commander.  If the IPDC is unable to serve, the Division Commander will appoint any Past Division Commander as the chairperson.  The primary duty of this Committee shall be to consider all Auxiliary matters that are referred to it by the Division Commander and other matters that are of interest to the Division.  The committee shall make written recommendations concerning such matters directly to the Division Commander.  

	*10.6	The Division Commander shall be an ex officio member of all committees.

ARTICLE XI - PROCEDURE FOR RELIEF OF OFFICERS

	*11.1	It will be the duty of each elected and appointed officer, at the end of the terms of office, to deliver to the successor, all current materials, supplies and records pertaining to the office.  The officer being relieved shall assist in effectuating an orderly transfer of the administrative function of the office, including, but not limited to, the briefing of the successor on the procedures to be followed and the forms to be completed and submitted.

ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS

	*12.1	These Standing Rules may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Division Board at which fourteen (14) days’ prior written notice of the meeting and proposed amendment were given, by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members, provided a quorum is present.

	*12.2	Amendments shall become effective upon approval of the District Commodore unless the amendment provides for a later effective date, in which event the amendment shall become effective upon the date provided or upon the approval of the District Commodore, whichever date is later.

ARTICLE XIII - APPROVAL

These Standing Rules were adopted on the ___day of ____________, 200__, by a majority vote of the Division Board and become effective upon approval by the District Commodore.

____________________________                    _________________
	Division Commander	Date

____________________________                    _________________
            Division Secretary	Date

____________________________                    _________________
      District Staff Officer-Legal	Date

____________________________                    _________________
           Director of Auxiliary	Date

____________________________                    _________________
          District Commodore	Date