SOUTH TEXAS JUSTICES OF THE PEACE AND CONSTABLES ASSOCIATION, INC.
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
NAME
The Name of the association shall be SOUTH TEXAS JUSTICES OF THE PEACE AND CONSTABLES ASSOCATION, INC.
ARTICLE II
MEMBERS
Section 1.
Any person who holds the office of Justice of the Peace or Constable and any person serving as a Deputy Constable or Deputy Clerk or Clerk in the office of any Justice of the Peace or Constable in the State of Texas shall be eligible for regular membership.
Section 2.
Any person may be elected an associate member by the Board of Directors of the association upon payment of a fee to be set by the board, and shall be eligible to vote.
Section 3.
Any person who held the office of Justice of the Peace or Constable and any person that served as Deputy Constable, Deputy clerk or Clerk in the office, became a regular lifetime member of this association, but no longer holds any of the above named offices, shall perpetually have a vote in the transaction of the business thereof, including holding elected office or an appointed committee chair, If the person has not violated Article XVIII (Cancellation of membership) of the Constitution and by-laws of this association.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Section 1.
This association shall have the following officers, whose powers and duties shall be as hereinafter set forth, to wit: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Judge Advocate, Sergeant-at-Arms, Chaplain and Parliamentarian, each of whom must be a Justice of the Peace, Constable or who has served as a Justice of the Peace, or Constable.
Section 1A.
This associations’ Founder / Charter President Constable Charlie Campos Jr. (Ret.) shall also be an officer and member of the Board of Directors, each of whom;
1. Is currently serving as Justice of the Peace or Constable,
2. Or has served as Justice of the Peace or Constable.
Section 2.
South Texas shall be divided into six (6) districts, each of which shall be represented by a director who resides therein, who shall serve for a term of one (1) year and may be re-elected for additional terms.
Section 3.
District boundary lines shall be established by the Board of Directors. The boundary lines may be re-drawn from time to time by the Board of Directors and must be approved by members of the association.
ARTICLE IV
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1.
The Board of Directors shall consist of the paid members of officers and District Directors each of whom has served as or is currently Justice of the Peace or Constable plus a Deputy Constable and Court Clerk who shall serve for a term of one (1) year and may be re-elected or re-appointed for additional terms.
Section 2.
The Immediate Past-President shall also be a member of the Board of Directors but shall vacate his or her office at the end of one (1) year.
Section 3.
This associations’ Founder and Charter President shall also be an officer and member of the Board of Directors.
Section 4.
When any member of the Board of Directors ceases to qualify for membership, he or she shall automatically vacate his or her office. A vacancy of President may be filled by two-thirds majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Section 5.
A Majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The Board of Directors shall have the management and control of the association and shall transact all business thereof, subject only to such limitations and directions as may be prescribed by the vote of the regular members of the association.
ARTICLE V
DUTIES OF PRESIDENT
Section 1.
The President shall be chairman of the Board of Directors and shall preside at all meeting of the general membership of the association and of the Board of Directors thereof.
Section 2.
The President shall sign all membership cards and certificates.
Section 3.
The President shall sign all checks and vouchers, if the Association Secretary or the Association Treasurer is not available to do so.
Section 4.
The President may call a meeting of the general membership and/or Board of Directors at such times and places as he or she may deem proper.
Section 5.
The President, with the consent of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors, shall appoint a duly qualified member to fill any vacancy on the Board of Directors. A vacancy in a District Director’s office shall be filled by a member that resides in the district.
Section 6.
The President shall perform all other duties pertaining to his or her office.
ARTICLE VI
DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT
Section 1.
In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall preside over all meetings.
ARTICLE VII
DUTIES OF SECRETARY
Section 1.
The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings.
Section 2.
The Secretary shall keep the records, books, minutes of any meeting or hearings, and reports of the associations business.
Section 3.
At least sixty days prior to the business session of each annual conference, the Secretary shall mail to each member a notice setting forth the date of such business session and the names and address of the chairman/chairperson of the constitution and by-laws committee advising that all resolutions to amend or add to the constitution and by-laws shall be delivered or mailed to such chairman/chairperson not less than thirty (30) days prior to the date of such business session.
ARTICLE VIII
DUTIES OF TREASURER
Section 1.
The Treasurer shall make a monthly report to the President of all cash on hand, all expenses, all receipts and disbursements, including a list of the assets and liabilities of the association.
Section 2.
The Treasurer shall pay all bills from the funds of the association, and shall prepare all checks and vouchers and shall countersign with the secretary or after the president if the secretary is not available to do so.
Section 3.
The Treasurer shall keep a compete record of all membership fees, all conference registration fees collected, and all such fees that are due and unpaid, and shall file any and all proper reports required by law or under these by-laws.
Section 4.
The Treasurer shall prepare all membership cards and countersign same after President.
Section 5.
The Treasurer shall be under a surety bond to the association, in the amount to be determined by the Board, and the premium on such bond to be paid by the association.
ARTICLE IX
DUTIES OF THE JUDGE ADVOCATE
Section 1.
The Judge Advocate of the association shall act for and in behalf of the association in all legal matters referred to him or her by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE X
DUTIES OF THE SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
Section 1.
The Sergeant-at-Arms shall maintain order at all meetings and shall assist the President by carrying out all necessary errands and by securing necessary equipment.
ARTICLE XI
DUTIES OF THE PARLIAMENTARIAN
Section 1.
The Parliamentarian shall advise the President in all matters of advice on the constitution and by-laws of the association and on any other matters of procedure as may become necessary.
ARTICLE XII
DUTIES OF THE CHAPLAIN
Section 1.
The Chaplain shall give the Invocation at each meeting, and perform either duties deemed appropriate.
ARTICLE XIII
DUTIES OF THE FOUNDER AND CHARTER PRESIDENT
Section 1.
The Founder and Charter President shall be an advisory member and shall have a vote in the transaction of the business thereof.
ARTICLE XIV
DUES
Section 1.
Regular membership dues shall be set, from time to time, by two-thirds majority vote of the membership present at the annual conference.
Section 2.
Lifetime membership dues for regular members shall be set from time to time by the Board of Directors.
Section 3.
The fiscal year of the association shall be a 12-month period from January to December as determined by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XV
MEMBERSHIP CARDS
Section 1.
Regular membership cards and certificates shall be issued to all regular members and honorary members whose dues are current.
Section 2.
Honorary membership cards shall be evidence only of such member’s financial or personal efforts in support of the proper administration of Justice and Law and Order and their interest in the work of the association.
ARTICLE XVI
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Section 1.
The location of each annual conference shall be determined by the vote of the membership one year prior to the respective annual conference.
Section 2.
The date of the annual conference is to be fixed within the limits determined by the vote of the membership at the previous annual conference and by the host to the conference, who shall give the President and Secretary-Treasurer at least six (6) months notice of such date.
ARTICLE XVII
ANNUAL ELECTION
Section 1.
The election of Officers and District Directors shall be held during each annual conference.
Section 2.
Nominations for the office of Vice-President shall be so regulated as to provide for the election of a Constable one year and a Justice of the Peace the Next year, et cetera.
Section 3.
Any regular paid member or life member may be nominated for office or director by a regular member from the floor.
Section 4.
The association members, at the annual conference business meeting, shall elect a duly qualified Deputy Constable and a Court Clerk to serve as directors of the association.
ARTICLE XVIII
CANCELLATION OF MEMBERSHIP
The Board of Directors may cancel the membership and call in the membership card of any member who has been convicted of moral turpitude or has been guilty of conduct unbecoming to a member of this association
ARTICLE XIV
COMMITTEES
Section 1.
The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee, a Constitution and by-laws Committee, a Constables Legislative Committee, a Justices of the Peace Legislative Committee, an Auditing Committee, a Resolutions Committee, and such other committees as he/she may deem proper, as soon as tractable after his/her election. The President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be ex-officio members of named committees.
Section 2.
The President shall vote only to break a tie vote of said committees. Nominating Committee shall consist of all past Presidents.
Section 3.
Any appointed member of any committee provided for in this article may be removed by the existing President with the approval of two-thirds of the Board of Directors of the Association, without cause.
Section 4.
At any meeting of any committee provided for in this article, if any member is unable to attend, he/she may designate any member to attend in his/her place and said member shall have the same voting rights as the absent member.
Section 5.
Each committee provided for in this article shall make a report to the membership at our annual conference business session prior to the election of officers and directors.
ARTICLE XX
DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS ON DISSOLUTION
Section 1.
In the event the South Texas Justices of the Peace and Constables Association, Inc. should cease to exist, all funds of the association on deposit in any bank or on hand shall go to a charitable organization or charitable organizations selected by the current Board of Directors and approved by the existing members of the association at the time of dissolution.
ARTICLE XXI
AMENDEMENTS
Section 1.
No amendments or additions to the constitution and by-laws of the association shall be made except by the vote of the regular paid members or life members at the annual conference. Any such changes or additions may be made by majority vote upon a resolution delivered or mailed to the chairman/chairperson of the Constitution and by-Laws Committee no less than thirty days prior to the date of the business session of the annual conference and reported favorable by such committee, otherwise any such amendment or addition may be made only by a two-thirds majority vote of those at such business session.
Section 2.
Any board member who fails to attend more than one meeting during their terms, will be removed from the board.
ARTICLE XXII
APPROVAL OF CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
The Constitution and By-Laws of the South Texas Justices of the Peace and Constables Association, Inc. were approved in San Antonio, Texas September 25, 1993.
Constitution and By-Laws
Approved: September 25, 1993 – San Antonio, Texas
Amended: October 4, 2003 – South Padre, Texas
Amended: October 2, 2004 – Boerne, Texas
Amended: October 20, 2004 – Corpus Christi, Texas
Amended: October 31, 2013 – South Padre Island, Texas
The following nominations were presented and approved;
Officers
President Const. Gene Mayers Guadalupe County 830-372-8916
Vice President Judge George Solis Willacy County 956-689-3381
Secretary Judge Luz Paiz Jim Wells County 361-384-2486
Treasurer Judge Lilia Salinas Duval County 361-279-6218
Sgt at Arms Const. Rudy Caceres Nueces County 361-888-0503
Judge Advocate Judge Bobby Gonzalez Nueces County 361-767-5205
Parliamentarian Judge Sallie Gonzalez Cameron County 956-427-8057
Chaplin Const. Mathew Marshall (Rt.) Bexar County
Founder/Charter President Constable Charlie Campos Jr. (Ret.)
Directors
District 1 Judge Jerry L Collins Kendall County 830-249-8404
District 2 Const. Robert I Jahns Guadalupe County 830-372-4223
District 3 Judge Benito Canales Duval County 361-394-6011
District 4 Judge George Solis Willacy County 956-689-3381
District 5 Const. Ruben Reyes Webb County 956-718-8613
District 6 Judge Steven T Kennedy Uvalde County 830-278-3921
Representative Chief Deputy Robert Cisneros Nueces County 361-888-0503
Court Clerk Pat Garcia Cameron County 956-427-857
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully Submitted,
Luz M. Paiz
Secretary