Conference
Membership
Public Relations & Historian
Legislation
Education, Training & Recruitment
Ethical Practices
Citizen Member Advisory
Recognition & Awards
Ways & Means
Professional Certification Board
Audit
Nominating

• Section II: Special committees may be appointed by the President when in the best interest of the Society, with the approval of the Executive Board.

Article VII – Amendments
• Section I: This Constitution and Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of active members present in any meeting of the organization. Members shall receive notification and a copy of the proposed changes at least thirty (30) day prior to the meeting.
• Section II: The Constitution and Bylaws shall be reviewed every 5 years, at a minimum, by the Executive Board or a designated committee.

BYLAWS PREAMBLE
These Bylaws are an amplification of the Delaware Recreation and Parks Society Constitution of April 27, 2005, as amended. All articles, section numbers, and heading are those of the Constitution, and for this reason, there may be gaps in the numbering of the articles of these Bylaws. All terms not defined therein shall have the definitions given to them in the Constitution.

Article I – Membership
• Section I: Membership in the Society shall be designated as follows: Active Associate Student Contributing Friend Honorary Lifetime Retired Professional The membership fees in each category for the next year’s membership shall be determined annually prior to the approval of the annual budget. The dues structure shall be recommended by the Executive Board and approved by a majority of those present at the meeting when the vote is taken. New members accepted into membership during the months of July through December shall be assessed dues of one-half the annual rate for the balance of the calendar year; late renewals will pay the full rate.
• Section II: Active Membership is open to all persons whose primary occupation in the State of Delaware is in the fields of recreation, parks, natural, historical and cultural resources, environmental education and interpretation, and conservation. Active members in good standing shall have the right to vote, hold office, chair or serve on committees.
• Section III: Retired Professional Membership is open to all persons whose primary occupation was in the fields of recreation, parks, natural, historical and cultural resources, environmental education and interpretation, and conservation in an executive, supervisory, or leadership capacity. Retired professionals shall have all privileges of active membership.
• Section IV: Associate Membership is open to all persons involved in professionally planned leisure time activities in the fields of recreation, parks, natural, cultural and historical resources, environmental education and interpretation, and conservation in the State of Delaware who are: a. Employed on a part-time basis; or b. Citizens who show interest in the objectives of the Society or are serving on boards, commissions, institutions, agencies, and advisory councils. All Associate members are eligible to vote and serve as committee members.
• Section V: Student Membership is open to all persons who are: a. Students enrolled in a recognized parks and recreation or related degree program, college or university; or b. High school students whose activities and curriculum indicate career interest in the fields of recreation, parks, natural, historical and cultural resources, environmental education and interpretation, and conservation.
• Section VI: Contributing Membership is open to all individuals or organizations including commercial concerns who wish to maintain liaison with the Society.
• Section VII: Friend Membership is open to citizens or professionals who wish to show their support for the objectives of the Society.
• Section VIII: Honorary Lifetime Membership may be conferred upon any person who has made important contributions toward the advancement and development in the fields of recreation, parks, natural, historical and cultural resources, environmental education and interpretation, and conservation. Nominees will be submitted to and/or selected by the Recognition and Awards Committee.
• Section IX: All applications for membership shall be submitted on an official membership form accompanied by membership dues. The membership chair shall review the application for completeness.
• Section X: All dues shall by payable to the Society Treasurer by January 31st of the year of membership. The membership year is the calendar year. Any member who fails to submit annual dues by January 31st of the year of membership shall automatically be removed from the membership rolls of the Society, but will be restored to full membership upon payment of the dues in full for the current year. During the period of suspension, the person shall forfeit all rights and privileges of membership.

Article II – Sections
• Section I: An Affiliate Section shall be a group of members who have a common interest or who engage in a special field of recreation, parks, natural, historical and cultural resources, environmental education and interpretation, and conservation such as government to include city, county, and state; hospitals, industry, schools, parks, armed forces, citizens, students, and other agencies. Sections must have a minimum of five members.
• Section II: Sections shall determine their own officers and may meet as frequently as they wish at the time and place of their choosing. Section Chairs shall preside at these meetings.
• Section III: Section activities may be financed by the Society upon approval of the Executive Board. Funds accrued by the Section shall be a part of the treasury of the Society. Expenditures are reserved to the respective Section, unless determined defunct by the Executive Board.
• Section IV: Sections may be established by the Executive Board upon written request of at least five prospective Section members. Sections may be abolished by the Executive Board upon written request of fifty-one percent (51%) of the members of the Section or by petition of the Society membership bearing signatures of fifty-one percent (51%) of the active membership. The Executive Board shall act on all requests and petition within thirty (30) days of receipt.
• Section V: The Constitution and Bylaws governing each Section must be approved by the Executive Board.
• Section VI: The occupational specialty of the Section, as provided for in the Section’s Constitution and Bylaws, shall be considered acceptable criterion for membership in the Society as specified in Article I, Sections I-VIII, Membership of these Bylaws.

Article III – Duties of the Officers
• Section I: The duties of the officers and the immediate Past-President shall be those common to the office held and described hereinafter.
• Section II: The President shall act as presiding officer at both the Executive Board meetings and Society meetings. He/She shall appoint or dissolve all committees and shall appoint all Special Committee Chairs, and Standing Committee Chairs. These appointments shall be made with the advice and consent of the Executive Board.
• Section III: The President-Elect shall act in the absence of the President and shall coordinate the programs of the Society and its Sections; this includes planning the programs for all of the general membership meetings, as well as serving as chairperson of the Conference Planning Committee. If the office of the President is determined to be permanently vacant by the Executive Board, the President-Elect shall succeed to the office of the President for the remainder of the unexpired term and assume the duties of the President as described in Article II, Section II.
• Section IV: The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping an accurate record of the business of the organization including minutes of the Executive Board and regular Society meetings and for sending proper notices of all meetings to those who should receive them. The Secretary is also responsible for general archiving and/or recordkeeping during their term. The Secretary shall perform other appropriate duties assigned by the President or the Executive Board.
• Section V: The Treasurer shall receive and hold funds of the Society and shall disburse funds only as authorized by the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall have all records of the Society funds audited by a committee appointed by the Executive Board during the month after the Annual Conference for the previous year. The Audit committee will present its report to the membership.
• Section VI: All checks for disbursement of Society funds shall bear the signatures of the Treasurer and President or President-Elect. In an emergency or vacancy, the Executive Board shall have the power to designate alternate signatures.
• Section VII: The immediate Past-President shall be the Chair of the Nominating Committee and serve as the Parliamentarian for the Society.

Article IV – Duties of the Executive Board
• Section I: The Executive Board shall be the governing body of the Society. It shall act on all policy matters including finance, legislation, and public relations and offer a proper hearing for disciplinary action against any member.
• Section II: Five members shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Board for the purpose of conducting Society business.
• Section III: The Executive Board shall act to fill all elected vacancies. Vacancies are to be filled by a majority vote of the Executive Board at a meeting where a quorum exists and with the approval of the general membership at a regular meeting.
• Section IV: The Executive Board shall establish annually a depository of the funds of the Society at a location convenient to the Treasurer.
• Section V: Any member at a regular or special meeting may make recommendations to the Executive Board. Such recommendations having been approved by majority vote at any meeting of the Society where a quorum is present will be acted upon by the Executive Board at its next regular meeting.
• Section VI: The Membership Committee shall elect by a favorable majority vote, those new applicants and membership renewals that involve category changes who meet the qualifications of this Society. The Executive Board shall review and approve any requests for category changes.
• Section VII: All meetings of the Executive Board are to be open to the membership. The President may call Executive Sessions of the Executive Board as he/she sees fit. The Executive Board shall meet at the call of the President, however, at least quarterly. Minutes of all meetings shall be made available to the membership.
• Section VIII: Officers and Executive Board Members may be removed from office by written notification after missing two consecutive, or three non-consecutive meetings during any 12-month term unless excused in advance by the President. All excused absences shall be approved by the Executive Board at the meeting the Officer or Executive Board Member has been excused from attending. Vacancies shall be filled in accordance with Article IV, Section III of these Bylaws. Officers and Executive Board Members who have been removed from office may submit a written appeal to the Board within one week of being notified of their removal requesting an Executive Session Appeal Hearing.

Article V – Duties of the Standing Committees
• Section I: Duly appointed committees shall make appropriate recommendations to the Executive Board, which shall take final action. A majority of Committee members present shall constitute a quorum.
• Section II: Conference: This committee shall prepare and arrange the Annual Parks and Recreation Conference and Awards Program.
• Section III: Membership: It shall be the duty of the Membership Committee to encourage qualified persons in the various fields of recreation, parks, natural, historical and cultural resources, environmental education and interpretation, conservation to apply for membership.
• Section IV: Public Relations and Historian: This committee shall promote the aims and objectives of the Society through the media. This committee shall also prepare and distribute a quarterly newsletter to the Membership and shall maintain the Society website.
• Section V: Legislation: This committee shall deal with all legislation relating to or affecting this Society and the recreation, parks, natural, historical and cultural resources, environmental education and interpretation, and conservation professionals and make recommendations to the Executive Board that will guide policy decisions and public statements in these areas.
• Section VI: Education, Training and Recruitment: This committee shall develop and execute a plan that will encourage individuals to consider a career in recreation and parks. This committee shall be responsible for annually developing a minimum of two workshops and/or training sessions for technical and professional development.
• Section VII: Ethical Practices: This committee shall hear all cases referred to it by the Executive Board concerning professional ethics and grievances and shall make its findings, conclusions and recommendations to the Executive Board. Decisions shall be concurred by a majority vote provided there is a quorum present. The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint the members of this committee and shall declare what constitutes a quorum. The Committee shall distribute a Code of Ethics to guide the practices of the members of this Society. At the request of the Executive Board, this Committee will review and make recommended revisions to the Code of Ethics.
• Section VIII: Recognition and Awards: This committee shall solicit and recruit nominees from all areas for awards and act as a subcommittee to the Conference Planning Committee by planning the Awards Program. The committee shall make recommendations to the Executive Board concerning awards, incentives and recognition to individuals and/or groups in the recreation, parks, natural, historical and cultural resources, environmental education and interpretation, and conservation fields. Candidates for Honorary Membership shall also be considered by this committee. All such awards shall be made in the name of the State Society and with the approval of the Executive Board.
• Section IX: Citizens Advisory: This committee shall concern itself with matters of State and long-term importance to the field and to interpret the needs, the opportunities, and the means whereby the recreation, parks, natural, historical and cultural resources, environmental education and interpretation, and conservation potentials of the State can be realized.
• Section X: Ways and Means: This committee shall develop and coordinate special events and activities that will financially benefit the Society, independent of or as directed by the Executive Board.
• Section XI: Professional Certification Board: The Society shall maintain a National Recreation and Park Association approved Professional Certification Plan which shall be administered by a Professional Certification Board as provided for in the approved plan and accepted by the membership. The Professional Certification Board will serve as the administrative and examining body for the Delaware Certification Plan. It shall be composed of no less than three (preferably five) members appointed by the President with approval of the Executive Board. The Board shall have the right to organize by electing its own presiding officers and by establishing rules of procedure and bylaws subject to the limitation of the Plan. All receipts from the plan shall be deposited with the Treasurer of the Delaware Recreation and Parks Society and shall only be expended on order of the Professional Certification Board and for the purpose of the Plan, based on a budget prepared at the beginning of each fiscal year. The Delaware Recreation & Park Society Professional Certification Board may amend this plan at its own discretion with concurrence by the National Recreation & Park Association Certification Board and the Delaware Recreation & Park Society Executive Board.
• Section XII: Audit: This committee shall perform an audit according to the guidelines set forth in Article III, Section V of the Bylaws.

Article VI – Nominating and Election Procedure
• Section I: The immediate Past-President shall be the Nominating Committee Chair and coordinate with the Executive Board to prepare a slate of officers. The slate will be created by the Nominating Committee and from nominations made by members at the last general membership meeting of the year. No nomination shall be accepted without the consent of the candidate.
• Section II: The immediate Past-President shall then prepare a ballot containing the names of the candidates and the office for which they are nominated, and mail it to each member entitled to vote, no later than thirty (30) days prior to the Conference and Awards Program (which is considered the Annual Meeting). Ballots must be received by the Past-President no later than ten (10) days prior to the Annual Meeting.
• Section III: The immediate Past-President, with the assistance of the President-Elect, shall then open, count, and rule on the validity of all ballots received. The person receiving the highest number of votes for each office and member At-Large positions shall be declared elected and the immediate Past-President shall contact the nominees with the election results and report the results to the membership at the Annual Meeting. The newly elected officers and At-Large Executive Board Members shall be inducted into office at the Annual Meeting by taking the Oath of Office. The outgoing Past-President shall lead the Oath and induct the new Officers and Board Members as his/her last official duty.
• Section IV: In case of a tie vote, the Executive Board shall decide by a majority vote which of the candidates with a tie vote shall be elected.

Article VII – Meetings
• Section I: At least four (4) regular meetings of the Society shall be held each year; one in each calendar quarter. The Conference and Awards Program will be considered as the Annual Meeting. Special meetings shall be called by the President upon receiving the request of ten (10) active members, or as needed.
• Section II: Sections may meet as frequently as they wish and at time and places of their choosing. Section meetings shall be presided over by the Section Chair or his/her designee.
• Section III: At least fifteen percent (15%) of the voting members must be present at a general meeting in order to constitute a quorum.
• Section IV: The Executive Board must have the approval of the general membership to: adopt resolutions; adopt annual and special budgets; authorize expenditures of Society funds which are not provided for in the budget; confirm appointments to fill elected vacancies.

Article VIII – Affiliation
• Section I: The Society will be an affiliate of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and may affiliate with other agencies and/or organizations having similar or related objectives by a majority vote of the eligible membership that are present and voting.

Article IX – Mid-Atlantic Regional Council Representation (NRPA)
• Section I: Representation: The President shall appoint, with approval of the Executive Board, representative(s) to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council/NRPA in accordance with the policies for such representation as established by MARC/NRPA and as follows: One Active member – three-year term One citizen from the Associate membership – three-year term President – for term of office When membership exceeds two hundred, one Active and one Associate member will be added for MARC representation. For every additional one hundred members, MARC membership shall subsequently increase by one Active and one Associate member.
• Section II: Purpose and Duties: This delegation shall serve as the liaison between the Association with the MARC/NRPA, and furthermore shall serve as representative and spokesperson as authorized by the Executive Board at all meetings and functions of the MARC/NRPA. The delegate(s) shall submit to the Executive Board reports and copies of the proceedings of all functions attended in behalf of the Society and the Regional Council.
• Section III: Qualification: Candidates for appointment as MARC representatives shall: be a Delaware Recreation and Parks Society member in good standing and should attend all Executive Board meetings. Candidates should have full knowledge of the Society, which shall be demonstrated through service as an officer, a member of the Executive Board and/or the Chair of a standing committee on the Society level; have the time and willingness to devote to the meetings and functions of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council; be registered through the current registration plan of the Society and furthermore, it is preferable that the candidate have a working knowledge of the National Recreation and Park Association.
• Section IV: Assumption and Term of Office: Delegates shall serve a term of three years and, if more than one delegate, these shall be overlapping terms. The appointment shall take place in conjunction with the annual elections of the Society.
• Section V: Vacancy: Should a vacancy occur, the President, with approval of the Executive Board, shall be empowered to appoint an interim representative who shall complete the unexpired term, and who meets all the required criteria per Section III of this Article.

Article X – Personnel
• Section I: By majority vote of the Executive Board, paid personnel may be appointed to execute the policies and to carry out the business of the Society.
• Section II: The Executive Board shall prescribe the duties and shall fix the compensation of such individuals who will be responsible to the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall approve all personnel policies and administrative guidelines by majority vote.

Article XI – Publications
• Section I: Bulletins, reports and other publications may be published as authorized by the Executive Board.
• Section II: All Society documents, letterheads and other literature shall bear the phrase, “An affiliate of the National Recreation and Park Association”.

Article XII – Nondiscrimination
• Section I The Delaware Recreation and Parks Society shall not discriminate in any manner against any person or persons by reason of race, color, gender, national origin, marital status, religious or political affiliations, disability, sexual orientation or age.

Adopted: 1967 Revised: July 1, 1969 January 1, 1971 January 24, 1974 January 1, 1976 November 17, 1976 January 19, 1977 December 1, 1977 April 17, 1982 July 24, 1991 December 1, 1995 April 27, 2005

OATH OF OFFICE
Will you kindly raise you right hand and repeat after me: “I do solemnly swear / to support and uphold / the Constitution of the United State of America / the Constitution of the State of Delaware / and the Constitution and Bylaws / of the Delaware Recreation and Parks Society; / I do further solemnly swear / that I will faithfully / impartially and justly / perform all the duties of the office / to which I have been duly elected / to the very best of my ability.” On behalf of the Delaware Recreation and Parks Society, I do hereby declare these officers are duly and officially installed.