Bylaws

CONSTITUTION OF THE SOUTH PUGET SOUND PHARMACY ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE I. (TITLE)

Section 1. This association shall be called the South Puget Sound Pharmacy Association; a Washington State non-profit corporation referred to as SPSPA

ARTICLE II. (PURPOSE)

Section 1. The purpose of the SPSPA is:

1. a) To provide a setting for pharmacy professionals to network and share ideas

 

1. b) To further promote the involvement of pharmacy professionals in direct patient care settings

 

1. c) To maximize the impact of the pharmacist’s contribution within the healthcare community

 

1. d) To provide a platform for continuing education

ARTICLE III. (MEMBERSHIP)

Section 1. The classifications of the membership in SPSPA shall consist of Pharmacist, Pharmacy Resident, Pharmacy Student, and Pharmacy Technician.

Section 2. Active membership. The following are eligible to become active members of SPSPA: All individuals who have earned a degree in pharmacy; student pharmacists enrolled in an accredited college or school of pharmacy; pharmacy technician students enrolled in an accredited Pharmacy Technician Training Program or a WA Board of Pharmacy approved on-the-job training site; individuals, licensed as pharmacy technicians or pharmacy assistants in Washington or employed as technicians or assistants in a federal facility. Only active members in good standing may vote and hold office. Qualified active members may vote in person at meetings or by ballot via mail, fax, or e-mail as authorized by the By-Laws.

ARTICLE IV (GOVERNING BODY)

Section 1. The Governing Body of the South Puget Sound Pharmacy Association shall consist of its President, President-elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and board members. The Governing Body must meet a minimum of one (1) time a year. Each member of the Governing Body must attend 50% of said meetings and 50% of Association meetings unless he/she has a valid excuse authorized by a member of the governing body. The Governing Body may appoint an active member to fill a vacancy on the Board of Managers.

Section 2. Officers of the Association shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 3. All officers shall be elected biannually, by ballot as authorized in the By-Laws by vote of the members of the Association eligible to vote, with announcement of the vote made at the next meeting or by publication. The Secretary may be selected from among the student pharmacist members as specified in the By-Laws.

Section 4. The Board of managers shall consist of seven (7) members, as follows: four (4) pharmacists, one (1) technician representative; one (1) student pharmacist and the immediate past President shall be an ex officio member of the Governing Body. In the event the immediate past President is unable to serve, the Governing Body may appoint another past President to fulfill the remainder of the term. Pharmacist and technician board members are elected for one (1) two-year term and no Board member may serve more than two (2) consecutive two-year terms.  Student pharmacist Board member are appointed by the Governing Body as specified in the By-Laws.

Section 5. The President-elect shall be elected for a one-year term. The President-elect may serve no more than one (1) consecutive one (1) year term. The President-elect shall succeed to the office of President following his or her term of office. Should the President resign or otherwise vacate his or her office, the President-elect shall immediately become President for the remainder of the President’s term, and the President-elect shall remain President during the following term. The Governing Body shall fill any vacancy in the office of President-elect by appointment of a member of the Association to serve as President-elect for the remainder of the term. Such an appointee may run for election to President-elect for the following year.

Section 6. With the exception of the student pharmacist Board member and appointments to fill vacancies, the term of office for members of the Governing Body shall begin on January 1 of the year following their election. The term of office for student pharmacist Board members shall begin at the start of the academic year at University of Washington.

Section 7. In the conduct of business, Robert’s Rules of Parliamentary Procedure shall apply.

Article V (DUTIES OF OFFICERS)

Section 1. The duties of the President shall be to preside at all meetings of the general membership and Governing Body and together with the Treasurer conduct the affairs of the Association in accordance with its Constitution, By-Laws, and the policies as laid down by the Governing Body. Power to enter into contracts on behalf of the Association, and to appoint a Corporate Agent as required by State of Washington non-profit corporation rules, shall be vested in the President; but all such contracts and appointments shall be subject to ratification by the Governing Body.

Section 2. The President-elect shall assume the duties of the President in his/her absence.

Section 3. The Secretary:

1. a) shall keep minutes of all the proceedings of the Association and the Governing Body;

 

1. b) shall turn over within thirty (30) days of the qualification of the appointed successor, all records and documents

 

1. c) shall, in coordination with the Treasurer and/or other officers, assure timely filing of records and documents; such reports and other non-financial filings with state, local, or federal agencies as shall be required by law.

Section 4. The Treasurer:

1. a) shall collect all moneys for the Association and shall be bonded in such sum as the Governing Body shall direct;

 

1. b) shall have charge of and be personally responsible for all funds of the Association and shall be in charge of the Association’s office and activities under the direction of the Governing Body;

 

1. c) shall be authorized to disperse moneys in the manner provided by the By-Laws;

 

1. d) shall annually, and at other times upon request of the Governing Body, report the state of the treasury;

 

1. e) shall turn over within ninety (90) days of the qualification of the appointed successor, all moneys, records, and documents;

 

1. f) shall keep Association moneys in a separate account with Sound Credit Union in the name of the South Puget Sound Pharmacy Association and sign off checks as the Treasurer. Other officers or personnel of the Association may also be authorized by the Governing Body to sign checks.

 

1. g) shall ensure that the Association has filed such tax returns or financial reports with state, local, or federal agencies as are required by law.

 

1. h) shall, in coordination with the Secretary or other officers, maintain records of the membership status of Association members;

 

1. i) may, with approval of the Governing Body, be assisted by one or more volunteer members of the Association in the performance of his or her duties.

Section 5. The Governing Body:

1. a) shall set the time and place of the annual meeting and such additional business or

educational meetings as deemed consistent with the purposes of the Association.

 

1. b) shall act for the Association during the interim between meetings,

 

1. c) shall determine policies not at variance with the Constitution and By-Laws and not contrary to the will of the Association as expressed at its last meeting

 

1. d) shall direct the activities of the Association through the President and the Treasurer.

 

1. e) Four (4) members of the Governing Body shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VI (BY-LAWS)

Section 1. This association may establish for its government and regulate such By-Laws not in conflict with the Constitution as may be found proper and desirable.

ARTICLE VII (AMENDMENTS)

Section 1. Every proposition to amend this Constitution shall be provided to each active member at least ten (10) days prior to the vote. Said proposition(s) to amend shall be read to the members attending and said proposition(s), changes, and amendments shall be voted upon at the annual meeting, or by mail or e-mail ballot as specified in the By-Laws. It shall require a two-thirds majority of the eligible members voting to pass the amendments and become a part of the constitution.

SPSPA BY-LAWS

BY-LAWS OF THE SOUTH PUGET SOUND PHARMACY ASSOCIATION AS ORIGINALLY

ADOPTED JULY 30, 2015

ARTICLE I – MEETINGS

Section 1. Business meetings shall be held at least annually at such time and place as may be determined by the Governing Body.

Section 2. The Governing Body shall meet at such time and place as it may determine; four (4) members shall constitute a quorum. Either the President, or three (3) Board members may call a meeting at any time on thirty (30) days notice to the other officers and Board

ARTICLE II – GOVERNING BODY

Section 1. The Governing Body shall have the authority to set the schedule for membership dues. They shall be set at a figure that will provide sufficient funds to maintain the Association in a fiscally sound position.

Section 2. The Governing Body shall have the authority to establish fees to be charged for attendance at educational meetings or for receipt of other services offered by the Association, and for establishing charges to third parties who wish to advertise or promote appropriate items of interest to Association members.

Section 3. The Governing Body shall have the authority to submit propositions of major importance to the entire eligible voting membership of the Association for its decision by ballot via mail, fax, or e-mail, if the Board believes such action to be in the best interests of the Association.

ARTICLE III – PRESIDENT

Section 1. The President shall appoint such committees and a chairman for each, as are proper for the conduct of Association business and considerations of matters to come before the Association. Such committees may include, but not be limited to, Audit, Nominating, Continuing Education, and Communications.

Section 2. The President shall oversee, directly or through the work of a designated committee chair, the establishment and maintenance of such communications media as authorized by the Governing Body, which may include, but not be limited to, a newsletter, broadcast fax or e-mail, and/or a website.

Section 3. The President, or a designee, shall have authority to sign such contracts with other associations or parties as authorized by the Governing Body.

Section 4. Subject to authorization by the Governing Body, the President shall have authority to retain services of staff to carry out the operations of the Association, and to appoint a Corporate Agent to oversee filings with the Washington Secretary of State

ARTICLE IV – MONEYS AND ACCOUNTS

Section 1. No moneys shall be disbursed except in accordance with a budget adopted by the Governing Body. The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of all sums received, with date, amount, for what purpose, and from whom, and shall keep detailed and systematic books of accounts for all receipts and disbursements.

ARTICLE V – ELECTIONS AND VOTING

Section 1. Voting for officers and Board members may be conducted by mail, fax, or e-mail ballot, and it shall be done at such time as to enable ballots to be collected, validated, and tabulated at the December Board Meeting.

Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall submit names for each position to be filled on the Board and for the officer positions.

Section 3. The Nominating Committee must have selected nominees for the positions to be filled by October 1. Ballots may be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed in prior to the December meeting or turned in at the December Board Meeting. The results will be announced at the December Board Meeting. In the event that no meeting is scheduled for December, the results will be announced by mail or e-mail in December. The new officers will take office on January 1.

Section 4. By October 15, the Association shall mail, fax, or e-mail to each active member of the Association a ballot listing the positions and nominees for board members and office as outlined in Sections 2 and 3 of this Article. Mail ballots, to be valid, must be received in the Association post office box and must bear a postmark of at least three (3) days prior to the December Board Meeting. Ballots may be turned in at the December Board Meeting.

Section 5. The ballots will be opened and counted by the Nominating Committee prior to or at the December Board Meeting, at the discretion of the Governing Body.

Section 6. In the event of a tie vote, a revote will be had between the two final candidates.

Section 7. Selection of the student pharmacist Board member(s) shall be completed by the Governing Body at the May or June meeting from among nominees from WSU or UW with the stipulation that the student be residing in the South Puget Sound Area during his or her term. Student pharmacist Board members are appointed for a 1-year term.

ARTICLE VI – FISCAL AND OPERATING YEAR

Section 1. The fiscal and operating year of the Association shall begin annually on January 1 and end on December 31 of the same year.

ARTICLE VII- AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments to these By-Laws shall be presented to the Governing Body at a regularly-scheduled meeting; Provided, that notice of such proposed amendments shall have been distributed to the Governing Body at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting. The proposed Amendments may be adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Governing Body at a subsequent regularly-scheduled meeting. Following adoption by the Governing Body, such Amendments shall be provided to the Active Membership, and unless one-third (1/3) of the membership shall return a ballot indicating objection within 30 days, the adopted Amendments shall become incorporated.