OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES
OF
CINCINNATI MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION
The purpose of this document is to provide operational guidance.
1. ORGANIZATION
See By-Laws.
2. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
Active Member:
See By-Laws.
Associate Member:
See By-Laws.
Membership Meetings:
See By-Laws
Membership Dues:
- Dues may be paid for multiple years.
- Dues paid at, or after the October Membership Meeting shall cover the remaining part of the current year and the following year.
- Dues paid, and accepted shall entitle full privileges of active membership.
- Dues paid with a check that is returned from a financial institution as having insufficient funds, shall immediately forfeit active membership.
- A CMERA membership card shall be issued upon payment of dues.
3. OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES
President:
- Shall call, set the time and place, and prepare the agenda for Executive Committee, Governing Board and Membership Meetings.
- Shall represent CMERA in all public and official matters.
- Shall present Policy Committee recommendations to the Governing Board.
- Shall be responsible for renewal of the corporation’s Certificate of Continued Existence with the State of Ohio every five (5) years starting in 2010.
- Shall provide an annual report summarizing CMERA’s accomplishments,
- major activities and financial status.
- Shall obtain all records from his/her predecessor, maintain a copy of all new documents he/she receives or creates, and pass all of these records on to his/her successor.
- Shall attend all Executive Committee, Governing Board and Membership Meetings.
- Shall notify a member of the Executive Committee if circumstances prevent attendance.
Vice President:
- Shall attend all Executive Committee, Governing Board and Membership Meetings.
- Shall notify a member of the Executive Committee if circumstances prevent attendance.
- Shall attend the regular meetings and Committee meetings of the Retirement System of the City of Cincinnati Board of Trustees, and advise the President or the Executive Committee of any concerns, as well as any recommendations.
Treasurer:
- Shall be a member of the Finance Committee.
- Shall report the financial status of CMERA at all Executive Committee, Governing Board and Membership Meetings.
- Shall present an annual budget proposal by November 1st of each year for the Executive Committee’s review and approval.
- Shall be responsible for reserving a location, providing refreshments and coordinating supporting tasks for Membership Meetings.
- Shall assume the responsibilities of the Presidency in the absence of the President and Vice President.
- Shall review the amount of bonding coverage annually.
- Shall obtain all records from his/her predecessor, maintain a copy of all new documents he/she receives or creates, and pass all of these records on to his/her successor.
- Shall attend all Executive Committee, Governing Board and Membership Meetings.
- Shall notify a member of the Executive Committee if circumstances prevent attendance.
- Shall receive and deposit all dues and contributions and make payment of all bills in a timely manner.
- Shall insure that CMERA’s tax exempt status is maintained.
Secretary:
- Shall be a member of the Communications Committee.
- Shall assume the responsibilities of the Presidency in the absence of the President,
- Vice President and Treasurer.
- Shall maintain a term limitations chart for all Officers and Directors.
- Shall maintain a committee assignment chart, including names, chairperson and starting date of all committee members.
- Shall obtain all records from his/her predecessor, maintain a copy of all new documents he/she receives or creates, and pass all of these records on to his/her successor.
- Shall attend all Executive Committee, Governing Board and Membership Meetings.
- Shall notify a member of the Executive Committee if circumstances prevent attendance.
- Shall maintain documents for historical purposes, including the President’s annual report, committees’ annual reports, newsletters, meeting minutes and audio files, directory of the Governing Board with term dates, directory of committee members with term dates, financial records and other important correspondence.
Immediate Past President:
- Shall serve as the parliamentarian at all meetings.
Sergeant at Arms:
- Shall be involved in Administrative functions as assigned by the President
4.TERMS AND LIMITATIONS
See By-Laws.
5.BONDING AND AUDITING
Coverage for each bonded position shall be a minimum of $5,000.
6. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
- Shall be required to have at least three (3) Executive Committee members present at any meeting to conduct official business.
- Shall be required to have at least three (3) Executive Committee members participate and vote, to conduct official business via e-mail and/or telephone, when the President determines that the business justifies prompt consideration and resolution, for which a timely meeting is not practical. See Appendix A for E-Mail/Telephone Procedure.
- Shall approve the agenda for all Membership Meetings.
- Shall review and approve/disapprove the annual budget proposal submitted by the Treasurer.
- Shall review the recommendations of all Committees.
- May remove Directors from office by a simple majority vote for three (3) consecutive absences from Governing Board meetings or for inappropriate conduct.
7. DIRECTORS
- Shall attend and participate in all Governing Board and Membership Meetings.
- Shall notify a member of the Governing Board if circumstances prevent attendance.
8. ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS
See By-Laws.
9. GOVERNING BOARD
- Shall be required to have at least one half (1/2) plus one (1) of the filled Board positions present at any meeting to conduct official business
- Shall be required to have at least one half (1/2) plus one (1) of the filled Board positions participate and vote, to conduct official business via e-mail and/or telephone, when the President determines that the business justifies prompt consideration and resolution, for which a timely meeting is not practical. See Appendix A for E-mail/Telephone Procedure.
- Shall hold meetings not less than two (2) times a year, with such meetings generally being held one (1) month prior to the required Membership Meetings.
- Shall review for approval/disapproval by majority vote the Nominating Committee’s recommendations for candidates.
- Shall review for approval/disapproval by majority vote CMERA’s annual dues based on the Financial Committee’s recommendation.
- Shall review for approval/disapproval the Policy Committee’s recommendations for changes or amendments to the Constitution, By-Laws or Operational Guidelines. Any changes require an affirmative vote of at least ten (10) members of the Governing Board.
10. COMMITTEES
Standing Committees and their responsibilities shall be: Nominating Committee:
- To seek candidates from Active Members to fill any current or pending Executive Committee or Director vacancies, using CMERA’s communication resources.
- To document the candidates’ qualifications for the office or position.
- To present the names of all candidates for scheduled elections to the Governing Board no later than July 15th.
- To prepare the election ballot and include it in the Fall newsletter with instructions to mail the ballot so it is received by the day prior to that October Membership Meeting, or to return the ballot on the day of and prior to the meeting.
- To count all ballots expeditiously and announce the results at that meeting.
- To retain all returned ballots until the next election.
- To prepare a summary report of the election results and present it to the Governing Board.
Policy Committee:
- To develop and/or review all policy positions relating to the Constitution, By-Laws, and Operational Guidelines in collaboration with other Committees, and to present such to the President or Executive Committee.
- To maintain a library of CMERA’s policies.
- To insure that CMERA’s purposes, policies, and activities are consistent with the Constitution, By-Laws, and Operational Guidelines.
- To convene no less than once every five (5) years, beginning in 2017, for the purpose of reviewing and developing recommendations pertaining to the Constitution, By-Laws, and Operational Guidelines.
Membership Committee:
- To communicate with all new retirees, whenever possible, regarding CMERA.
- To develop creative and cost effective ways to encourage Associate Members to become Active Members of CMERA.
- To notify Active Members that CMERA membership will expire if their annual dues are not paid.
- To maintain a master electronic spreadsheet of all current retirees and beneficiaries.
- To promote on going membership at general meetings.
- To establish and maintain contact as appropriate with other organizations that support similar objectives to CMERA (e.g. Unions, CODE, AARP).
Finance Committee:
- To work with the Treasurer in the preparation of the one-year, projected budget.
- To recommend to the President no later than January 15th of each year, any changes in procedures, expenditures or practices to maximize cost effective spending.
- To review the status of membership dues every two years starting in 2017 and make recommendations to the President or the Executive Committee regarding any changes that may be required.
- To prepare a per member cost breakdown for each budget line item.
- To insure that an annual audit is conducted by members other than those serving on the Executive Committee, and that the results are reported to the Governing Board.
Communications Committee:
- To develop and recommend to the President or the Executive Committee cost effective means to communicate annually with CMERA Membership.
- To establish and maintain a CMERA web page and a CMERA e-mail message service (CMERA-QT).
- To recommend to the President a “Web-Master” to be responsible for maintaining the web page.
- To maintain CMERA’s domain name.
- To seek the most cost effective printing and mailing process.
- To work with the President regarding composing, editing and mailing of any newsletter or other communications to the Membership.
- To issue newsletters not less than two (2) times a year with such publications generally being mailed approximately three (3) weeks prior to the required Membership Meetings.
- To recommend to the Executive Committee, for each newsletter to be issued, whether it shall be sent to all Active and Associate Members, to Active Members only, or to some other recommended distribution list. To develop a budget and recommend to the President or the Executive Committee social activities to promote the well-being and camaraderie of the Membership.
- To make recommendations pertaining to U. S. Postal Services to maximize the cost effectiveness of all CMERA communications.
Awards Committee:
- To create as appropriate, and recommend to the President or the Executive Committee, the establishment of Awards recognizing efforts furthering the purpose of CMERA.
- To develop the guidelines for each Award, such as criteria for nominations, and the selection process.
- To prepare as appropriate, Award Announcements with pertinent criteria and arrange for their communication to the Membership to solicit nominations.
- To receive and evaluate nominations and present Award recommendations to the Executive Committee for approval.
- To make arrangements for the Awards and presentations.
- To annually review the process for each Award.
- To maintain the annual Norb Miller Award, established in 2005.
11. ELECTIONS
See By-Laws.
12. AMENDMENTS
See By-Laws.
13. REIMBURSEMENTS
- Necessary expenses incurred by Officers, Directors and others for CMERA-related services must be pre-approved by the President or Vice-President. Reimbursements shall be paid for pre-approved expenses, by submitting a receipt to the Treasurer for payment.
- Reimbursements shall not be for single expenses of less than $5.00.
14. SPECIAL MEETINGS
See By-Laws.
15. OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES
See By- Laws.
16. INDEMNIFICATION
See By-Laws.
17. CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY
See By-Laws.
18. DISSOLUTION
See By- Laws.
APPENDIX A
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE E-MAIL/TELEPHONE PROCEDURE
The President may, whenever he/she determines it necessary or expedient, conduct official Executive Committee business via telephone or email instead of in a meeting of the Committee. In such a case, the following shall apply:
- When the e-mail/telephone voting process is used, the President shall transmit the issue/question to all Executive Committee members.
- The President shall instruct Executive Committee members to respond with their comments by e-mail “Reply All”, or by telephone, within a specified period of time.
- When the President determines the issue/question is ready for a vote, he/she shall instruct the Executive Committee members to respond with their votes by e-mail “Reply All”, or by telephone, within a specified period of time.
- The President shall send a tally of how each member voted to all Executive Committee members indicting the results.
- The results of the vote shall be reported at the next Executive Committee Meeting and entered into the minutes.
GOVERNING BOARD E-MAIL/TELEPHONE PROCEDURE
The President may, whenever he/she determines it necessary or expedient, conduct official Governing Board business via telephone or email instead of in a meeting of the Board. In such a case, the following shall apply:
- When the e-mail/telephone voting process is used, the President shall transmit the issue/question to all Governing Board members and Associate Directors.
- The President shall instruct the Governing Board members and Associate Directors to respond with their comments by e-mail “Reply All”, or by telephone, within a specified period of time.
- When the President determines the issue/question is ready for a vote, he/she shall instruct the Governing Board members to respond with their votes by e-mail “Reply All”, or by telephone, within a specified period of time. Associate Directors shall not vote. The President shall send a tally of how each member voted to all Governing Board members and Associate Directors indicting the results.
- The results of the vote shall be reported at the next Governing Board Meeting and entered into the minutes.
Revised/Approved by the Governing Board on the 17th day of April, 2020