"""Bylaws of Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue

ARTICLE I-NAME

Section 1:
This organization shall be known as the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue (also known as SAR). A non-profit public benefit corporation. It is a consolidation of the search and rescue teams known as:
A. Air Squadron
B. Four-Wheel Patrol/ORV
C. Mounted Posse
D. Underwater Search and Recovery
E. Special Forces
F. Coastal SAR Operations
G. Mendocino County Youth Search and Rescue (MYSAR)
H. Logistical Support

In order to create a new team, that team must have four (4) members (in good standing) who are active in SAR.

ARTICLE II – Objectives and Purposes

Section 1:
The Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue will be comprised of volunteer citizenry. SAR will provide and assist the Sheriff of Mendocino County with manpower in the event of any active call out.

Section 2:
The Mendocino County Search and Rescue Unit shall have management responsibilities of all;
A. Training
B. Funding
C. Fund Raising
D. Rules
E. Regulations, and
F. Equipment

Section 3:
The Sheriff or his duly appointed representative shall be the authorizing authority regarding utilization of the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue.

ARTICLE III- Membership

Section 1:
In accordance with Article I, any person who is a United States citizen and has not been convicted of a serious crime or any serious misdemeanor conviction (will be taken on a case by case basis), shall be considered eligible to submit an application for membership into the Mendocino county Sheriff`s Search and Rescue. Any person between the ages of 14-18 shall be considered for placement in MYSAR.

Each member shall be entitled to one (1) vote on each matter submitted for vote at the general meetings and/or at their individual team meetings.

Section 2:
Persons desiring membership shall submit the official completed membership application form to any member of the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue, which will be submitted to the Sheriff`s Department for approval.

Section 3:

In order to be a member in good standing, the individual must:

A. Be in compliance with SAR by-laws which take precedence over any prior or exiting specific unit bylaws.

B. Attend a minimum of four (4) Board, General Membership, or Team meetings each year.

C. In order to be placed on the active call-out list, must maintain a current first-aid and C.P.R. certificate. This is a membership requirement.

D. Participate in one (1) mock search or one (1) training session, or one (1) actual search and rescue each calendar year and one (1) community service activity.

E. Members who are no longer in good standing will be dropped from the roster and may be required to submit a new application in accordance with Section 1. Any member who cannot comply with any of the above requirements will have membership status reviewed by the Commander and submitted to the Board of Directors, if necessary. A letter shall be sent to the member stating the reason for being deleted from the roster, with instructions on how to re-apply for SAR, if desired.

F. Each team, in order to retain their good standing status, shall update their roster of active members by January of each year and identify their Board Member.

Section 4:

No person, member or officer of the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue, will identify or represent himself or herself as a deputy sheriff or peace officer unless he or she is presently employed by the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Office, California Highway Patrol, a police department or other law enforcement agency as a deputy sheriff or peace officer.

Section 5:
Dues for the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue

A. Dues will be set by the Board of Directors

B. Notice of proposed levy of dues and/or initiation fee must be announced at a regular scheduled membership meeting at least one(1) month prior to the meeting of the actual vote, and

C. A new member shall have his/her annual dues carried over to the subsequent calendar year if he/she is approved for SAR membership after October 1 of the current year.

ARTICLE IV-Meetings

Section 1:

This organization shall meet monthly. The meeting place, date, and time shall be set by the Board of Directors. Special meetings of the Board may be called by a member of the Board, the officers, or such other persons. Special meetings of the members may be called by 5 per cent or more of the general membership.

ARTICLE V-Officers and Board of Directors

Section 1: Officers

A. A simple majority of the members present at the November general meeting shall elect the following: Commander, Vice-Commander, Secretary, and Treasurer.

B. Nominations for Executive Officers shall take place in September, Elections shall take place in November, and the officers will assume office in January.

Section 2: Board of Directors

A. Shall consist of the Executive Officers and one (1) voting member and one (1) alternate elected or appointed from each of the auxiliary Teams, plus a SAR Cordinator designated by the Sheriff.

B. The executive officers will not have a vote on the Board of Directors unless they are also a representative from their team, except the Commander who shall vote in case of a tie.

C. Each member shall serve faithfully and carry out the responsibilities assigned him/her. Each Director`s term on the Board shall be as long as his/her individual team votes him/her into office. A Board member must be a member in good standing in SAR for a period of one(1) year, abide by these by-laws, report accurately to their individual teams all business and activities that occur during Board meetings.

D. Shall meet at the call of the Commander or at the call of three (3) Board members, the Sheriff, or his duly appointed representative.

E. Shall conduct no business unless a simple majority of the full board is present.

F. No Board or Executive Officer may vote at any meeting by Proxy.

G. Shall have the authority to reprimand, suspend, or terminate any member in violation of these by-laws. Termination of any member will take a simple majority vote of the full Board. All actions taken, or decisions made, at any meeting of the Board shall be reported to the membership at the next meeting.

Section 3:
Below are the titles of the Executive Officers and their functions:

A. Commander
1. Shall preside over the Board meetings as well as all general meetings or events.

2. He/She shall appoint committees and committee Chairpersons for special and particular purposes.

3. Administer various duties requested of him/her by members of the governing body.

4. Serves a protem Commander the Special Forces.

B. Vice-Commander
1. In the absence or disability of the Commander, such duties of this office shall fall upon the Vice Commander, who shall preside over a meeting during the absence of the Commander.

C. Secretary
1. Shall record all minutes of general meetings and Board of Director meetings.

2. Shall keep an up-to-date roster of all members.

3. Individual Team leaders shall have the responsibility of maintaining and updating the rosters of the individual teams and present the information annually to the Secretary.

4. Shall answer all correspondence

5. Perform any other duties assigned to him/her by the Commander.

6. All records will be made available for inspection upon request by a member or authorized agency.

D. Treasurer
1. Shall receive all monies for membership fees and dues, and any other receipts due Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue.

2. Shall keep up-to-date accounting of all money activities.

3. Shall maintain a balanced bookkeeping system in accordance with all good accounting practices.

4. Shall be the assigned agent for filing for the non-profit corporation profit status.

5. All records will be made available for inspection upon request by a member or authorized agency.

6. Shall deposit all monies in the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue Account.

7. Is authorized to pay any SAR Bills up to two hundred fifty ($250.00) dollars with the approval of the Commander (or acting Commander). All checks in excess of two hundred fifty ($250.00) shall have the approval of the Board of Directors.
8. All checks drawn on the SAR Account shall be signed by any two (2) of the designated officers (Commander, Vice-Commander, Secretary, and Treasurer).

9. Shall present a financial report at each meeting and at the Board of Directors meeting.

10. The financial report shall be presented to the membership each year at the January meeting will be accompanied by an audit report conducted by an audit team appointed by the Commander.

Section 4:
The Board is the general governing body of the organization and shall have the authority to reprimand, suspend, or terminate any member in violation of these bylaws. It shall see to the duties that are generally performed by each team. Termination of any member will take a simple majority vote of the full Board.

All actions taken, or decisions made, at any meeting of the Board of Directors shall be reported to the membership at the next regular meeting.

ARTICLE VI: Ownership of Property

Section 1:
Title and ownership of all property and assets of Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue shall be vested in the name of the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue.

Section 2:
All badges, I.D. cards, and other items that may associate a person as a member of the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue shall be surrendered to any member whenever any member, for any reason, ceases to be a member of the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue.

Section 3:
The sale, exchange, or transfer of any property of SAR may be approved by the Board of Directors and reported to the membership at the next general meetings.

ARTICLE VII: Demonstration or Support

Section 1:
No demonstration or support shall ever be made by the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue on behalf of any objective or purpose deemed to be political, religious, or to advance any private or commercial interest.

ARTICLE VIII- Amendments to the Constitutional Bylaws

Section 1:
Proposed amendments to the Constitutional Bylaws may be made at any meeting of the Board of Directors. Amendments to the Bylaws require a majority vote of the full membership present. Written notice of the intention to submit for vote of a proposed amendment to the Constitutional Bylaws shall be at least thirty (30) days prior to the next meeting or shall be brought before the General meeting at least two(2) meetings prior to the meeting voting on the proposed amendment.

ARTICLE IX- Specific Group Minimum Requirements

Section I:
Each Teams basic list of requirements will be made part of the Search and Rescues SOP (Standard Operating Procedures). Compliance with the team`s requirements will be considered as a basis for call outs.

ARTICLE X- Chain of Command

Section 1:
Each member is expected to use the chain of command that exists for each team.
Every team within the Mendocino County Sheriff`s Search and Rescue is represented by one (1) elected officer or one (1) elected alternate that sits on the Board of Directors. If information needs to be passed, good or bad, up the chainof command,then the member is require to direct the concern or information to their board member. If the SAR member after relating the information to their board member does not receive the desire results, then he/she can direct the information to the Vice-Commander. Again, if the member remains unfulfilled in the action taken, he/she can direct their concern/information to the Commander.

The Commander at that time will review the information/concern and issue a written notice to the member regarding what was done with the information, or what action was taken.

If the member remains unfulfilled at that time, he/she will request a meeting with the SAR Cordinator through the Commander. The Commander will set up a meeting with the member and the SAR Cordinator as soon as the SAR Cordinator`s schedule permits. The Commander will not attend this meeting unless directed to do so by the member or the SAR Cordinator.

The Sheriff will have the final determination as to the disposition of the information/ concern.

Section 2:
A Search and Rescue member may be terminated at any time by the sheriff or his designee.
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