The Vermont Assessors and Listers Association’s mission is to advocate for the recognition of Listers and Assessors as qualified property valuation authorities throughout Vermont.
The Vermont Assessors and Listers Association’s vision is to continue the advancement of fair and equitable property assessment standards through continuing education and member support for all property valuation professionals, in conjunction with advocating for fair and equitable taxation practices as it relates to property assessment.
Link to PDF of By-Laws
VERMONT ASSESSORS AND LISTERS ASSOCIATION
BYLAWS AND CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I
Name and Objectives
Section 1. Name: The name of the association shall be the Vermont Assessors and Listers Association, hereinafter called the Association.
Section 2. Objectives: The objectives of this Association shall be to improve the standards of assessment practice through education to Listers and Assessors; to provide a clearing house for the collection of information relating to assessment practice; to help educate the tax-paying public on the true nature and importance of the work performed by the assessing officers; and to disseminate the ideas and opinions of the Association to the appropriate policy making bodies.
ARTICLE II
Membership and Dues
Section 1. Regular Member: Any individual directly affiliated with a Municipality within the State of Vermont and that have any or all of their duties directly related to property valuation benefiting said Municipality. Regular Members shall have voting rights but in no case shall any regular member receive more than one vote.
Section 2. Other Members: Any individual or organization not qualified as a Regular Member under Article II Section 1. Other Members shall not have voting rights
Section 3. Dues: Annual dues shall be set by the Board and shall run from July 1st through June 30th.
Section 4. Fiscal Year: The fiscal year of the Association shall be from July 1st through June 30th.
ARTICLE III
Board of Directors
Section 1. Board of Directors: The Board of Directors, hereinafter called the Board, shall consist of the President, Vice President, 1 Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, one representative and one alternate from each county in the state of Vermont, to be elected by the individual county at the Annual Conference, with each county having one vote on the Board. All members of the Board shall be regular members.
Section 2. Governing Body: The governing body of the Association shall be the Board.
Section 3. Officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected by the membership at the Annual Conference and shall be a regular voting member of the Board.
Section 4. Reimbursement: Board Officers and Committee Members of the Association may submit invoices for actual expense reimbursement in fulfilling the requirements of their elected position.
Section 5. Past President: A past president shall be appointed by the President and shall be a voting member of the Board.
Section 6. Terms of Office: All terms of office shall run from the close of an Annual Conference to the close of the next Annual Conference.
Section 7. Quorum: For the purposes of transacting official business, a quorum shall consist of at a minimum, 7 voting members of the Board of Directors one of which is, at a minimum, the President or Vice President.
Section 7a. Proxy Votes: For the purposes of reaching a quorum in Section 7 of these by-laws, one (1) Proxy votes shall count as a member being present for that meeting only. This Proxy must contain the signature of the member offering the Proxy and the date of the meeting for which the Proxy is valid.
Section 8. Vacancy in Office: When a vacancy on the Board occurs for the office of the Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer during the fiscal year the President shall appoint any regular member in good standing to fill the vacancy, who shall serve until the close of the next Annual Conference, excepting when a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the Vice President shall immediately succeed thereto.
In the event of a vacancy in the positions of both President and Vice President the past president as defined hereinto, if available, may resume the roll of president for the purposes of holding a directors meeting for the purposes of voting a new president. Should the past president be unwilling or unavailable a directors meeting shall be called at the request of at least 3 members of the Board of Directors for the purposes of Electing a President.
In the event of a vacancy in the position of County Representative, the Alternate County Representative shall assume the position of County Representative. In the event that either position otherwise becomes vacant the President may appoint a regular member, recommended by the county members if possible, to assume the role of County Representative and/or Alternate County Representative.
ARTICLE IV
Duties of the Officers
Section 1. President: The President shall be the chair of the Board and shall preside at all meetings of regular members held for the purpose of transacting Association business; shall appoint all committees, either on own initiative or at the request of the Board; and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board. The President shall be a de facto member of all committees.
Section 2. Vice President: The Vice President shall exercise all the powers of the President during the President’s absence or inability to act and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board. The Vice President shall be a de facto member of all committees.
Section 3. Secretary: The Secretary shall give notice and keep minutes of all meetings; have custody of the records of the Association and its seal; and shall attest all necessary instruments.
Section 4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be the chief financial agent of the Association and shall exercise such authority and perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Board; shall have custody of all funds, securities, and legal instruments of the Association; and shall be responsible for their safe keeping. To this end, subject to the approval of the Board, the Treasurer may determine the place and manner of depositing and safe keeping of such funds, securities and legal instruments.
ARTICLE V
Funds
Section 1. Disbursement: It shall be the duty of the Board to prescribe the method for handling receipts and disbursing the funds of the Association. A budget shall be approved annually by the Board no later than 15 days past the onset of the coming fiscal year.
Section 2. Bonds: The Treasurer and any other officer, agent or employee of the Association who may be designated by the Board may be required to furnish a bond in such amount and with such securities as the Board shall approve. The cost of said bond shall be paid by the Association and the securities shall be deposited and kept as the Board may direct.
Section 3. Audit: Within 60 days following the close of the fiscal year, the Treasurer shall submit to the Board all financial records of the Association. A three-member auditing committee shall be appointed by the President. The auditing committee will examine all financial Records and submit a written report of its findings to the Board at the second meeting of the new fiscal year.
ARTICLE VI
Meetings
Section 1. Meeting structure: Meetings may be held in person or via electronic methods as needed.
Section 2. Annual Conference: The Annual Conference shall be held during each fiscal year following a fourteen (14) day written notice to the members of the Association.
Section 3. Board Meetings: Meetings of the Board shall be held upon the call of the President or upon request in writing by any five (5) members of the Board. At least five (5) day notice shall be given to all members of the Board. Notices may be given by telephone, by mail or e-mail and sent to the member’s last known address.
Section 4. Agenda: An item on the agenda at the Annual Conference shall be the election of Officers, County Representatives and Alternate County Representatives to the Board.
Section 5. County and/or Regional Satellite Chapters: Any county or region of the state may form a satellite chapter of the Association. Such chapter shall be guided by the Bylaws and Constitution of the parent Association. The county director or directors of such chapter shall be chair or co-chair. The objectives of any such chapter shall be the same objectives as those of the Association, except the objective “to disseminate ideas and opinions to the appropriate policy making bodies”. This objective shall be met through the Board of Directors of the Association. Satellite Chapters shall be reimbursed for expenses previously approved by the President.
ARTICLE VII
Elections
Section 1. Holding elections: The manner of holding elections including forms to be used, the method of voting, the counting of ballots, and the rules of procedure pertaining thereto, shall be prescribed by the Board.
ARTICLE VIII
Amendments
Section 1. How to amend: Bylaws and Constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the regular members in good standing, present and voting at an Annual Conference or at a special meeting duly warned for such purpose, where notice of any proposed amendment shall have been sent to all regular members not less than fifteen (15) days prior to any such meeting.
Section 2. How to propose: Amendments may be proposed either by initiatory petition signed by not less than ten (10) regular members or by resolution of the Board. Such petitions or resolutions shall be placed in the hands of the President or Secretary, who shall, within the time hereinbefore prescribed, notify all regular members that such proposed amendments shall be voted at the next Annual Conference.
ARTICLE IX
Legislative Policy
Section 1. Policy Proposals: The Board of Directors may, from time to time, during the legislative session adopt VALA proposals consistent with VALA policies, excepting where specific legislation emerges at the State level where urgency is essential, the VALA Legislative Committee shall be permitted to engage the Legislature in a manner consistent with the VALA Mission and Vision Statements.
ARTICLE X
Dissolution
Section 1. Dissolution: In the event that this association is dissolved, it’s assets will be distributed to properly designated education and/or charitable organizations operating in a manner consistent with the Association. In no case, shall any assets revert to members or any other person(s), but shall be used for nonprofit, educational, or charitable purposes.