The name of the organization is the Sarasota Community Organizations Active in Disaster (Sarasota COAD). Sarasota COAD is a member of the Florida Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (FLVOAD). The jurisdiction is the County of Sarasota, State of Florida.

II.    Mission

Sarasota COAD is a humanitarian association of organizations which may be active in all phases of disaster. Its mission is to foster effective, streamlined service delivery to people affected by disaster, while eliminating unnecessary duplication of effort, through cooperation in the four phases of a disaster: preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation.

III.   Overview

Sarasota COAD is not a competing or exclusionary organization. Sarasota COAD is intended to be a network for organizations active in disaster. Each Sarasota COAD member organization will maintain its own identity and independence while closely collaborating with other Sarasota COAD member organizations.

Sarasota COAD accomplishes its mission by adhering to the following principles:

Cooperation: Foster cooperation among Sarasota COAD member organizations at all levels and in all phases  of disaster

Coordination: Coordinate the development of Sarasota COAD policies and procedures, and, the implementation of services among Sarasota COAD member organizations. Sarasota COAD may also provide links to national and international disaster relief organizations. Sarasota COAD serves as advocate and liaison between member organizations and the FLVOAD.

Communication: Exchange and disseminate information among Sarasota COAD member organizations and the public, as well as local, state and federal agencies, in conjunction with the individual Sarasota COAD members.

Collaboration: Work together to achieve specific goals and to undertake specific projects at disaster sites and form partnerships during the disaster response.

• Education - providing training and increasing awareness and preparedness in each organization.
• Leadership Development - giving volunteer leaders training and support so as to build an effective COAD organization.
• Mitigation - supporting the efforts of federal, state, and local agencies and governments and supporting appropriate legislation.
• Convening Mechanisms – coordinating and supporting seminars, meetings, board meetings, regional conferences, training programs, and local conferences.
• Outreach - encouraging the formation of and giving guidance to state and regional voluntary organizations active in disaster relief.

IV.   Membership

A. Categories of Membership

1. Voting Partner – If an organization meets all of the following criteria, they are eligible for the Voting Partner category of membership. Only one official representative may be a voting member representing their organization.

• Local, State or Federal government organizations and organizations with voluntary memberships and constituencies, which are not-for-profit, that is those qualified under the IRS Code as 501c3 and businesses that provide services in Sarasota County.
• Organizations that should have a disaster response program or are in the process of developing one.
• Organizations that should have a policy for commitment of resources to meet the needs of people affected by disaster without discrimination.

2. Non-voting Partner - The Non-Voting Partner category of membership may be granted to organizations, government agencies, faith based organizations, or businesses with disaster planning and operations responsibilities or capabilities that have a disaster response program and policy for commitment of resources to meet the needs of people affected by disaster without discrimination.

B. Conditions of Membership

• Meet the membership criteria of the Sarasota COAD.
• Agree with the mission of the Sarasota COAD.
• Have a representative at all Sarasota COAD meetings.

C. Membership Application Procedures

1. The Sarasota COAD will identify, and invite to participate, organizations needed to meet the Sarasota COAD mission and emergency response, recovery and mitigation operations as defined in the Health and Human Services Annex.
 
2. All Voting and Non-Voting Partner eligible organizations are welcome.

3. Organizations requesting membership will apply by letter to the Sarasota COAD describing their intended commitment to the Sarasota COAD. Candidate organizations are encouraged to attend the meetings while their application is pending.

4. The Sarasota COAD Executive Committee will determine the category of eligibility of the candidate organization using the Sarasota COAD bylaws and present the application for discussion at the next business meeting of the full membership.
 
5. All recognized partner organizations will vote after the application is presented and discussed to extend or deny an offer of membership to the candidate organization.

D. Responsibilities of Membership:

1. The leadership of each member organization must be committed to sending knowledgeable and authoritative representatives to the Sarasota COAD meetings.
 
2. All Partners must have access to the resources of their organization to serve the needs of disaster victims.

3. The leadership of a Voting Partner member organization shall designate the primary representative and one alternate representative in a letter to the Sarasota COAD Chair. Changes are made no later than thirty days prior to the next business meeting.

4. The representative of a Voting Partner organization who misses 50% of the meetings in a twelve-month period shall receive a reminder letter from the Sarasota COAD Chair. A copy of the reminder letter shall be sent simultaneously to the leadership of the organization and the Board of Directors of the member organization.

5. The reminder letter shall state the importance of each organization's participation and shall request a statement as to the intentions of the representative as well as that of their organization to actively participate in the future.

6. If the organization or the representative fails to respond to the reminder letter within thirty days or accumulates two additional unexcused absences in the next twelve-month period, the Sarasota COAD staff shall recommend to the COAD through the Executive Committee to reduce or terminate the status of the organization.

E. Termination of Membership – An organization’s membership may be terminated by the following:

1. Voluntary - Submission of a letter of separation to the Executive Committee.

2. Non-Voluntary - Consistent failure to meet the conditions and responsibilities of membership.

Membership may be terminated at any time for any reason by a four-fifths vote of the Sarasota COAD membership in attendance at any meeting.

V.    Meetings

The meetings of the Sarasota COAD shall be guided by the Democratic Rules of Order, (Francis, Seventh Ed.) except as otherwise provided for in these bylaws. Sarasota COAD will operate in the sunshine philosophy. All meetings are open to the public.

A. Business Meetings

1. Business meetings of the membership as a whole will be held a minimum of six times a year on a schedule set by the Sarasota COAD.

2. Adequate notice shall be sent to all members prior to any business meeting.

3. The representative has voice for and votes for their organization at business meetings. Other representatives from the same organization have voice, when recognized by, and, at the discretion of the Chair. The intent is to encourage a reasonable exchange of ideas without a monopoly by multiple representatives of a single organization.

B. Emergency Meetings

1. Emergency meetings to meet the needs of disaster events (or drills) can be called at any time by the Executive Committee or the Chair with minimal notice.

2. Conference calling is an option for emergency meetings to facilitate the work of the Sarasota COAD.

3. Emergency meetings are open to members and those agencies with specific responsibilities that concern Sarasota COAD members.

C. Committee Meetings

1. Committee meetings are open to members and those agencies with specific responsibilities that concern Sarasota COAD members.

2. Technical advisors may attend committee meetings at the request of the Chair.

VI.   Officer Positions and Executive Committee

A. Officer and Executive Committee positions must be filled by a Voting Partner representative. These individuals must be recommended by the leadership of the Partner Organization. Individuals, not organizations, are elected. Any member of the Sarasota COAD may nominate an Executive Committee member. Nominations must be seconded to be accepted. Nominated members will have their Board of Directors advised of their interest.

B. The Chair of the Sarasota COAD will be appointed by the Community Alliance of Sarasota County, pending Sarasota COAD approval.

C. Each officer shall serve a two-year term. Some positions may not serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office as prescribed herein.

D. Election of officers shall take place during the fourth calendar quarter of the year, with the term of office beginning at the next regular or special meeting. During the first year, officers shall take office immediately upon election.

E. Vacancies in any office may be filled by majority vote of the members of the Steering Committee at any regular or special meeting. Officers so elected shall serve out the remainder of that term.

F. Officers are elected by the membership of the Sarasota COAD. One single agency is not limited to holding only one leadership position. The Executive Committee consists of the following:

Chair (may not serve more than two consecutive terms)

• Function: Preside at meetings, acts as spokesperson and represents Sarasota COAD, delegate tasks as pertains to Sarasota COAD business, convene business meetings and provide leadership. Chair will nominate standing committee chairs that must be voted on by the Executive Committee. Every effort will be made to include a broad diverse representation for each position.

First and Second Vice-Chairs (may not serve more than two consecutive terms)

• Function: Exercise the authority and fulfill the duties of the Chair in the absence of that Officer and fulfill such other duties as assigned by the Executive Committee or the Chair

Standing Committee Chairs (may serve more than two consecutive terms)

• Function: Presides at Committee meetings, acts as spokesperson and represents the Committee as pertains to Sarasota COAD business, convenes meetings and provides leadership.

Sarasota County Emergency Management (may serve more than two consecutive terms)

• Function: Provides the perspective of Emergency Management on any issues brought before the committee.

At-large Members (may serve more than two consecutive terms)

• Function: Represents voting partners. Up to three at-large members may be elected to the Executive Committee at the discretion of the membership

G. When a position is vacated, the Chair shall call for nominations and an election at the next business meeting of the full membership.

VII.   Ad hoc Committees

Ad hoc committees may be appointed at the discretion of the Chair.

VIII.  Voting

A. Each partner organization is entitled to one vote.
B. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.
C. Members present at a properly noticed meeting shall constitute a quorum to do business.
D. All voting, except as otherwise provided for in these bylaws, shall pass by simple majority vote.
E. All votes (formal or consensus reached) will be recorded in the meeting minutes.
F. An individual may represent more than one organization however that individual has one vote regardless of the number of organizations they represent.

IX.    Health and Human Services (HHS) Support to Sarasota COAD

Staff for the SCOAD will be provided by Sarasota County Health and Human Services Business Center. HHS staff will be assigned to provide support to Standing Committee Chairs, Strike Team Leaders or Ad-Hoc Committee Chairs. Staff will be responsible for maintaining organizational records, making notifications, and keeping summaries of meetings.

X.     Amendments

1. Amendments to these bylaws may be made by a two-thirds majority vote. Amendments must be moved and seconded at a properly noticed business or special meeting to be voted on at the following business meeting.
2. Members must be notified of changes to these bylaws at least 14 calendar days prior to a vote.