CONSTITUTION OF THE OHIO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE
(as amended 9/20/84)
ARTICLE I
NAME
This organization shall be known as THE OHIO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSES
Section 1.
The purpose of this organization shall be the improvement of municipal government and administration and the promotion of the general welfare of the cities and villages of this State by appropriate means, including but not limited to the following:
(a) the maintenance of a central bureau of information and research for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of municipal information;
(b) the fostering of conferences of municipal officials, schools and short courses for the discussion and study of municipal problems and techniques involved in their solution; the rendering of such special and general services as may be deemed advisable; the publication and circulation of an official magazine and such bulletins and reports on municipal government as may be compiled from time to time; and
(c) the securing of the cooperation of universities and institutions of higher learning in furnishing the services of members of the faculty and students in assembling and analyzing information concerning municipal government and in the conduct of schools and short courses in the field of municipal administration.
(d) the securing of harmony of action among the municipalities of Ohio and other agencies of government in all matters which affect the citizens of Ohio in creating the awareness of all levels of government of the problems of municipal government in Ohio by presenting the facts and experiences upon which to formulate sound municipal policies.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.
Any city or village of Ohio by proper action of its legislative body, and the payment of the annual dues prescribed in Article IV, may become a member of The Ohio Municipal League.
Section 2.
Each city and village holding membership in The Ohio Municipal League shall be equally privileged with every other city and village holding membership therein in its voice and vote in the election of officers and upon any proposition presented for discussion or decision at any meeting of the members.
Section 3.
Such other classes of membership may be established as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine, but such membership shall carry no voting privileges.
ARTICLE IV
DUES
Section 1.
The annual dues for each class of membership shall be prescribed by the Board of Trustees. No change in the dues schedule shall become effective until it has been announced at the annual meeting. Membership dues shall be payable annually in advance at the beginning of The Ohio Municipal League's fiscal year; provided that the membership dues of any city or village becoming a member of The Ohio Municipal League after the beginning of such fiscal year, shall for the first such year be prorated upon a quarterly basis. (Section 1 Amended 9-26-69)
Section 2.
A member whose dues have not been paid by June 15th in any year shall cease to be in good standing. No representative of any member not in good standing shall be eligible to hold office or serve as a member of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall from time to time adopt and amend such regulations as it shall deem advisable concerning the cancellation of membership, discontinuance of services and reinstatement of members not in good standing. (Section 2 added 10-1-54)
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
Section 1.
The officers of The Ohio Municipal League shall be a president, a first vice-president, a second vice-president, chosen by the Board of Trustees from its membership; and a Director who shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees and who shall be the Secretary and Treasurer of The Ohio Municipal League.
Section 2. - DUTIES
It shall be the duty of the Board of Trustees to hold and control the property and manage the lawful business of The Ohio Municipal League, and to submit an annual report to its members. The duties of all other officers shall be those prescribed by this Constitution and By-Laws, or customarily incident to such office, or designated by the Board of Trustees.
Section 3. - BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Board of Trustees shall consist of all past presidents of the League as long as they are municipal officials, and twenty-eight (28) trustees elected for a term of two (2) years each; not less than one of whom shall be the mayor of a city or village; not less than one of whom shall be a city manager; not less than one of whom shall be a fiscal officer or finance director; not less than one of whom shall be a solicitor or director of law; and not less than one of whom shall be a member of a municipal legislative body, other than Mayor. Provision shall be made by the Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the Director, for the establishment of geographical districts not less than nine (9) in number, each of which shall be entitled to the representation of at least one member of the Board of Trustees. Until such districts are so established each of the following districts shall be entitled to be represented on the Board of Trustees by a trustee elected from such district:
DISTRICT 1 - Lucas, Williams, Fulton, Defiance, Henry, Paulding, Wood, and Putnam Counties.
DISTRICT 2 - Ottawa, Sandusky, Erie, Seneca, Huron, Wyandot, Crawford, and Richland Counties.
DISTRICT 3 - Cuyahoga, Lorain, Medina, Summit, Wayne, Ashland, Stark, and Holmes Counties.
DISTRICT 4 - Lake, Ashtabula, Geauga, Trumbull, Portage, Mahoning, Columbiana, and Carroll Counties.
DISTRICT 5 - Jefferson, Harrison, Belmont, Monroe, Tuscarawas, Coshocton, Muskingum, and Guernsey Counties.
DISTRICT 6 - Fairfield, Perry, Morgan, Noble, Athens, Washington, Meigs, and Gallia Counties.
DISTRICT 7 - Marion, Morrow, Union, Knox, Delaware, Licking, Franklin, and Madison Counties.
DISTRICT 8 - Van Wert, Allen, Hancock, Hardin, Logan, Mercer, Auglaize, and Shelby Counties.
DISTRICT 9 - Darke, Miami, Champaign, Preble, Montgomery, Clark, Green, and Butler Counties.
DISTRICT 10 - Fayette, Warren, Clinton, Hamilton, Clermont, Highland, Brown and Adams Counties.
DISTRICT 11 - Pickaway, Ross, Hocking, Vinton, Pike, Jackson, Scioto, and Lawrence Counties.
Nominations of trustees shall be made by a nominating committee of seven (7) members to be appointed by the President; additional nominations may be made from the floor. The vote shall be by written ballot in each case where more than one person is nominated for any office to be filled. (Section 3 amended 9-22-61, 9-26-69, 9-20-84)
SECTION 4. - MEETINGS OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
The Board of Trustees shall meet not less than 15 days prior to January 1, for the purpose of organizing, selecting its officers for the ensuing year, approving the budget for the ensuing year, and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before it. Thereafter the Board of Trustees shall meet not less than four times in each calendar year, one of which meetings shall be held at the same time of the annual meeting of The Ohio Municipal League. Special meetings of the board may be called by the President, the Director or by any three trustees upon three days' written notice mailed to each member of the Board stating the purpose or purpose of such meeting. The presence of eleven members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board and the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present, but in no event less than nine affirmative votes, shall be required for the adoption of any motion or resolution by the board. (Section 4. amended 10-1-54 and 9-22-61 and 9-26-69)
SECTION 5. - QUALIFICATION - TERM - VACANCY
Each member of the Board of Trustees and each officer of The Ohio Municipal League, with the exception of the Director, shall be at all times during his term of office a qualified official of a member city or village. The terms of office of the President and the Vice-President shall be one (1) year, commencing on the first day of January next following the meeting at which selected and until a successor has been chosen and qualified. There shall be no automatic progression in office and no such officer shall be eligible to succeed himself, except if he shall be filling the unexpired term of his predecessor in such office. A vacancy shall occur in any office of the League in the event that the person holding that office resigns, ceases to be an official or employee of a member city or village, or ceases to occupy the municipal position he held when elected or appointed as an officer, or if the officer misses three consecutive meetings of the Board in any fiscal year of the League, unless such absences shall be excused by the Board, and the reasons therefore entered in the proceedings of the Board. All vacancies on the Board of Trustees and in the office of the President or Vice-President shall be filled by the remaining members of said Board, and each person so elected or appointed shall serve for the unexpired term of the person in whose stead he is elected. In the absence of the President at any meeting, the Board of Trustees shall appoint one of its members to perform the duties of President during that meeting or until the President shall appear.
(Section 5. amended 10-1-54)
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS
Section 1. - ANNUAL
The annual meeting of The Ohio Municipal League shall be held at a time and a place to be designated by the Board of Trustees.
Section 2. - SPECIAL
Special meetings of the League, other than as provided in Article X, may be called by the President, by the Board of Trustees, or by not less than any twenty-five (25) city or village members upon ten (10) days written notice mailed to each member of the League stating the purpose or purposes of such meeting, and no other subject shall be there considered.
Section 3. -QUORUM
The presence of representatives from twenty percent (20%) of the member cities and villages shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of The Ohio Municipal League.
ARTICLE VII
VOTING
Except when otherwise provided all voting in meetings of The Ohio Municipal League shall be viva voce unless a roll call is demanded by the representatives of three or more city or village members, in which case the representatives of each member city or village in good standing shall cast collectively one vote. A majority of the votes cast shall be necessary for a decision.
ARTICLE VIII
DIRECTOR
Section 1. The Director shall manage the affairs of the League under the general direction of the Board of Trustees, and he shall appoint the various employees of the League to the positions and at the compensation set forth in the approved budget, and shall be responsible for the proper and efficient conduct of the work of the League. He shall keep accurate records and accounts of all the transactions of the League, and his accounts shall be audited at the end of each fiscal year by a competent accountant or accountants to be selected by the Board of Trustees. The Director shall submit an annual report to the Board of Trustees and he shall prepare an annual budget covering the estimated receipts and disbursements of the League and this budget shall be submitted to the Board of Trustees for its approval. He shall cause accurate minutes to be kept of all meetings of the League and of the Board of Trustees. He shall conduct the correspondence of the League; shall mail notices of meetings to all members; shall collect and receive all moneys due to the League and shall keep an accurate account thereof; shall exercise the usual functions of treasurer, shall publish the official publication of the League; and shall be paid a salary to be fixed by the Board of Trustees. The Director shall furnish a satisfactory surety bond in an amount to be fixed by the Board of Trustees, and the premium on this bond shall be paid out of the fund of the League.
ARTICLE IX
COMMITTEES
Section 1. - APPOINTMENT
The President shall appoint such committees as may be deemed necessary for the proper conduct of the work of the League.
Section 2. - TENURE
All appointments to committees, unless continued, shall terminate at the next annual meeting of the League.
Section 3. - EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
The President and the Director shall be ex-officio members of all committees of the League.
Section 4. - EXPENDITURESM
No committee shall create any financial liability for the League, unless authorized by the Director and unless a specific appropriation has been made for such an expenditure.
Section 5. - REPORTS
It shall be the duty of the chairman of each appointed committee of the League to prepare a written report, with the aid or approval of the other members of his committee, and of any employee of the League who is assigned to such committee by the Director covering the work done or conclusions reached by the committee.
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS
Section 1.
The Constitution and By-Laws of The Ohio Municipal League may be amended at any meeting called in accordance with this Constitution by a two-thirds vote of all the member cities and villages, provided that a majority vote of the member cities and villages represented at any such meeting, a quorum being present, shall be sufficient if notice of the proposed amendment and the language of such proposal shall have been mailed to each member city and village not less than thirty days prior to such meeting.
