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Boundaries for Officership.
We had a little bit of an issue with this years elections. A member was nominated for Captain. This member has all the qualifications for the position. He was even a past officer within the company (Lieutenant). The body found a loop hole for this member to not be able to run because of were he lives. Our bylaws state that to be eligible to hold office you must live within our initial response area. It was later found that he is within our "initial" barley but he is.
He has moved to the edge of our territory since the last time he held office. After elections the President started a Bylaw committee to study and update our bylaws. I am on that committee and I am sure this will be our first order of business. What I am looking for is some input on how other companies draw the boundaries if even at all.
He has moved to the edge of our territory since the last time he held office. After elections the President started a Bylaw committee to study and update our bylaws. I am on that committee and I am sure this will be our first order of business. What I am looking for is some input on how other companies draw the boundaries if even at all.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by kenny goines on
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If this person is truly qualified to hold an officer position, then why should it matter what area of the district he lives in? I guess I don,t fully understand. I have come to learn that we do things alot differently here in the south. I also totally disagree with officers being elected by the firefighters. That ius good way to cause lots of friction within the department. The chief should be the one who picks his officers, that way he knows he will be able to trust them and stand together with them on any issues that may arise within the department.
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Permalink Reply by Rescue601 on
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Well you would have to clarify the difference between your district boundaries and your initial response area. If he lives in your district and not the initial response area then I don't see the problem.
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Permalink Reply by Chief 29 on
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Some more clarification on this:
Our bylaws were written to allow for them to be interpreted different ways. What put this situation in question is that lets say maybe ten years ago or so were he lives now it would have been our call with two other companies assisting. Making it our call Initially. In the past few years some boundaries were changed due to mutual aid agreements and so on. Now If someone would report a structure fire at his address we would be on the initial dispatch as an assisting company. That is were the loop hole is. It would not be considered "our call" but we are on the initial dispatch.
I am just wondering if other companies have set boundaries such as maybe a certain distance from the station or something like that as requirements to hold a line office.
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Permalink Reply by Art "ChiefReason" Goodrich on
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Lose the boundary requirements.
If they are a member and they would otherwise qualify to hold office, where they live within the fire district should not be factor.
By laws should clear the confusion; not add to it.
If you want to limit membership or more importantly the quality of your officer core, then require everyone to live within two blocks of the fire station to be a member.
The line should reach around the block!
By laws such as you described was "an axe to grind" years ago. They have no place in modern day.
If you want your agency regarded as professional, then create by laws that reflect that.
TCSS.
Art
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I agree with you . In this day and age with diminishing volunteering we should welcome all that are willing to help no matter where they reside. Our bylaws are definitely out dated and everyone knows it. That is the reason the committee was set up.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
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I agree with Art - if a person is a full member in good standing in your department, he/she should be entitled to all benefits and possibilities associated with membership.
Our by-laws allow anyone who lives within the fire district boundaries to become a member. They also allow non-residents or persons living outside the boundaries to join if they work in town, or they live closer to our department than the one that covers their property. Members are members with no caveats.
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