POLICIES OF THE ASSOCIATE ADVISORY COUNCIL
Revised October 23, 2008
Article 1 – Name and Location
The name of this council will be “Associate Advisory Council”. The principal office of the Associate Advisory Council shall be within the office of the Wisconsin Builders Association®.
Article 2 – Jurisdiction
This Associate Advisory Council shall be limited to associate members in good standing of the Wisconsin Builders Association® and operate within the Wisconsin Builders Association® bylaws. It shall have the right and duty to operate for the benefit of all associate members of the Wisconsin Builders Association®.
Article 3 – Board Composition
A. The Advisory Council shall be composed of at least one member from each Local HBA. Additional members may be named by the following guideline: 75-150 Local members, add one (1) council member; 151-400 Local members, add two (2) council members; 401-799 Local members, add three (3) council members; 800 and up, add four (4) council members. Associates with memberships in more than one Local are to be considered as a member in only one – their primary Local. Council associates and alternates are to be named by the Local HBA Executive Officer, the Local Board of Directors or the Local associate organization. Members should be established by the date of the WBA Convention.
B. Honorary Members – Associates not named to the Advisory Council may be added to the Advisory Council at the request of the Local HBA and voted in by a majority of the Advisory Council, provided they are an honorary member at the State level and have served at least ten (10) consecutive years on the Council. This 10-year term will comprise of a combination of six (6) years as a primary Local member and/or four (4) years as alternate. The 10-year term also allows for excused absences only. Members can be “grandfathered” in by Council vote. Honorary membership in the Council does not carry with it the privilege of voting (unless the voting member(s) and alternate(s) are not present), or hold office.
C. Attendance – Members of the Associate Advisory Council are required to attend three (3) out of four (4) Council meetings per year. Excused absences are allowed and clarified as an absence in which the WBA staff member for the Advisory Council has been notified prior to a Council meeting of his/her non-attendance. However, a member must be present for at least one meeting per calendar year.
D. Non-member Attendance – All other associates attending WBA Board of Directors meetings, other associate guests, and honorary members are encouraged to attend the Advisory Council meetings without voting privileges.
Article 4 – Objectives
The Advisory Council, in representing the associate membership as a group, entertaining suggestions or grievances presented by an associate member, shall be advisory to the Wisconsin Builders Association® Board of Directors. The WBA Board of Directors’ agendas are to be reviewed at the Advisory Council meetings and actions voted on in an orderly manner. These actions are to be accurately presented at the WBA Board of Directors meeting through the President of the Advisory Council. In his/her absence, the President-Elect or First Vice-President may present the report. Associate Area Vice Presidents are to attend Associate Advisory Council meetings and are to follow up on local homebuilder associations in their area to maintain membership in this Council and to encourage each local association’s Executive Officer to select a member to represent their local association on the Associate Advisory Board. Every member of the Advisory Council will take an active role in his/her Local HBA in order to increase the Associate ‘voice’ for the betterment of the association and industry as a whole.
The Associate Advisory Council shall have the following three (3) standing subcommittees:
1. Communications – responsible for submitting content for communication venues such as WBA website and WBA newsletter, and creating and maintaining a sponsorship program. Members of this subcommittee shall be members of a Joint Task Force with members of the WBA Membership Committee to create and maintain a statewide member-to-member program.
2. Designations & Training – responsible for offering Certified Graduate Associate (CGA) courses and other training classes for associate members. Members of this subcommittee shall be members of a Joint Task Force with members of the WBA Education Committee and other WBA committees to offer these courses.
3. Leadership & Recognition – responsible for offering networking opportunities, awards programs, and associate member appointment recommendations to Senior Officers for Associate positions at WBA & NAHB. This committee is also responsible for Policy Review.
Article 5 – Meetings
To accomplish the Advisory Council objectives, the Council will meet quarterly on the same day, but prior to the WBA Board of Directors meeting. Special meetings may be called at the decision of the President.
Article 6 – Fiscal Year
The fiscal year will coincide with the fiscal year of the WBA.
Article 7 – Officers
The following officers shall be elected by the Advisory Council and shall hold office for a term of one (1) year. They shall be ineligible for re-election to the same office for the next succeeding term. The President, President-Elect, and First Vice-President cannot all be from the same Local. The three elected officers shall be required to attend three out of four meetings per year and each shall be allowed one excused absence.
A. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Advisory Council and be official spokesperson for said council. He/she shall appoint all committees, request committee persons for reports, and perform all other duties usual to such office. He/she shall chair the Designations & Training Subcommittee.
B. The President-Elect shall, in the absence of the President or at his/her direction, perform all of the duties of President. He/she will succeed the President at the end of his/her term. He/she shall chair the Leadership Subcommittee.
C. The First Vice-President shall, in the absence of the President-Elect or at his/her direction, perform all of the duties of the President-Elect. He/she will succeed the President-Elect at the end of his/her term. He/she shall chair the Communications Subcommittee.
D. The Immediate Past President of the Advisory Council shall be the Strategic Plan Monitor for the Associate Advisory Council’s interests in the WBA Strategic Plan.
The following Senior Officers shall be appointed to the Advisory Council and shall hold office for a term of one (1) year.
E. Associate Vice President
F. Associate Advisor to Senior Officers
Article 8 – Elections
A. The Advisory Council President shall appoint a nominating committee to prepare a list of candidates (one or more) for nomination for election of First Vice-President and NAHB Associate of the Year. This committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect, First Vice-President, and three (3) members of the Council. No Local may have more than one member on the nominating committee with the exception of Associate Vice President and/or Associate Advisor to Senior Officers. The nomination committee will assure that all candidates give their consent to serve as an officer.
B. Vacancies – In the event a vacancy occurs due to resignation, death, or otherwise, the nominating committee will:
1. In the case of the President, recommend the President-Elect fill the balance of the President’s term plus his/her own term as President; the First Vice-President fill the balance of the President-Elect’s term plus her/her own term as President-Elect; and nominate a First Vice-President from Council members to fill the unexpired term plus a term as First Vice-President.
2. In the case of President-Elect, recommend the First Vice-President fill the balance of the President-Elect’s term plus his/her own term as President-Elect; and nominate a First Vice-President from Council members to fill the unexpired term plus a term as First Vice-President.
3. In the case of First Vice-President, nominate a Council member to fill the unexpired term.
4. These nominations will be voted on by the entire Council membership.
C. Member Tenure – Appointed members of the Associate Advisory Council are to serve a two (2) year term. They may be reappointed to additional terms at the discretion of the Local HBA. In the event of non-attendance, the President has the authority to request a qualified replacement from the Local HBA. A roster of Council members shall be reviewed annually at the State Convention.
Article 9 – Meeting Notices
The executive staff of WBA shall mail all meeting notices plus other data such as minutes and special notices to Council members and honorary members at the request of the President. All associate WBA Directors shall be invited to every Associate Advisory Council meeting.
Article 10 – Policy Change Notices
A. Policy amendments may be made through the Leadership Subcommittee, then published and mailed to all Associate Advisory Council members thirty (30) days prior to voting. All policies are to be reviewed on an annual basis at least sixty (60) days prior to the WBA Convention by the Leadership Subcommittee. This subcommittee will be chaired by the First Vice-President with a maximum of eight (8) members.
B. Voting shall be done at the appropriate meeting, and a 2/3 majority of voting members present is required for enactment. Roll call attendance sheets specifying members by Local shall be completed to help determine quorum.
Article 11 – Code of Ethics
The Associate Advisory Council shall operate under the Code of Ethics established by the WBA Bylaws.
Article 12 – Rules of Procedure
Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the procedures of all meetings of the Associate Advisory Council.
