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ORANJ

The Organization of Residents Associations of New Jersey

The Organization of Residents Associations of New Jersey

Bylaws

Article I – Name

Section 1

The name of this organization shall be the ORGANIZATION OF RESIDENTS ASSOCIATIONS OF NEW JERSEY (ORANJ). Herein it is referred to as the Organization.

Article II – Purpose

Section 1

The purpose of this Organization is to work for the well-being of all Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) including:

  1. To share information among Residents Associations on matters of interest and concern.
  2. To monitor, to seek to influence and promote the enactment and enforcement of laws and regulations which pertain to Continuing Care Retirement Communities.
  3. To survey and report findings to all CCRC members on selected procedures developed in member CCRCs across the state that affect the safety, well-being and best practices in their communities.

Article III – Membership

Section 1

  1. Every Resident Association of a Continuing Care Retirement Community certified by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs shall be eligible to be a member of this organization and shall be a member by paying the annual dues.
  2. Every member Resident Association shall have one vote on all matters calling for a vote. Votes shall be cast by the President of the respective associations or by the designated representative.
  3. The member associations of the Continuing Care Retirement Communities shall be divided into geographical districts. The assignments may be changed at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

Section 2

Annual dues for the following calendar year shall be proposed by the Executive Committee and voted on by the Delegates at the October meeting. The fiscal year shall be from November 1 through October 31 of the following year.

Article IV – Officers

Section 1

The officers of the Organization shall be a President, a Vice President from each regional district, a Secretary and a Treasurer or a Secretary/Treasurer. The officers shall serve for a period of two years and may be re-elected. The President may be re-elected for not more than one additional term.

Section 2

The election and the installation of officers shall take place at the regularly scheduled October meeting in odd numbered calendar years for all officers.

Section 3

  1. The President shall preside at all regular meetings of the Organization and of the Executive Committee. In the absence of the President, a Regional Vice President shall preside as President.
  2. The President, with the consent of the Executive Committee, shall appoint all committee members and their Chairpersons other than the Nominating Committee.
  3. The Vice Presidents shall maintain contact with the member associations of the Continuing Care Retirement Communities in their respective districts toward the goal of enabling the Organization of Residents Associations of New Jersey to better serve their interests. In addition, they shall seek to inform nonmember associations of CCRCs in their districts of the purpose of the Organization of Residents Associations and invite them into Membership.
  4. The Secretary shall take the minutes at all regular Executive and semi-annual meetings and deal with all correspondence. The Treasurer shall deal with all financial transactions pertaining to the business of the Organization. If there is only a Secretary/Treasurer, then that person shall assume both responsibilities.

Section 4

  1. In the absence or inability of the President to serve, the Vice-Presidents shall appoint one of their number to perform the duties of the President.
  2. In the event that any office other than that of President becomes vacant, the President, with the consent of the Executive Committee, shall designate a person to fill that office until the next election.

Article V – Committees

Section 1

  1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the Organization, the committee chairpersons, and the Immediate Past President. All these members shall have a vote at all meetings of the Executive Committee. The President may appoint a non-voting chairperson of an ad hoc committee to be a temporary nonvoting member of the Executive Committee, but only for the duration of the ad hoc committee.
  2. The Executive Committee shall have the power to act between regular meetings of the Organization and shall report all such actions at the next regular meeting of the Organization. The President with the approval of the Executive Committee shall prepare the agenda for each meeting of the Organization.
  3. When determining a quorum for the Executive Committee meetings, Past Presidents shall not be included in any count.

Section 2

  1. Committees shall be established by the Executive Committee and may be dissolved, replaced, or reorganized by that committee.
  2. The President may appoint an ad hoc committee and chairperson with the consent of the Executive Committee to examine a particular topic or conduct a survey. The chairperson shall report progress to every regular meeting of the Executive Committee.
  3. With the consent of the Executive Committee, the President may appoint a person who does not reside in a Continuing Care Retirement Community to fill a vacated Standing Committee chair position on an interim basis, without voting rights, until a CCRC resident member of ORANJ petitions for the position and is approved by the Executive Committee.

Section 3

  1. A Nominating Committee of three members shall be appointed by the Executive Committee by June 1 of any year in which an election is necessary. One member shall be designated chairperson.
  2. The committee shall nominate all officers. Suggestions for candidates shall be submitted in writing to the Nominating Committee by July 1.
  3. At least thirty days before the October regular meeting the Nominating Committee shall notify the Secretary of the slate of candidates.
  4. Additional nominations for officers may be made from the floor at the October regular meeting with the consent of the nominee.

Article VI – Meetings

Section 1

  1. There shall be at least two regular meetings of the members of the Organization each year, one in April and the other in October. These meetings shall normally be held on the third Wednesday of these months and shall be called to order at 10:00 a.m. The Executive Committee has the authority to change the date and time of these meetings. Special meetings may be called at any time at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
  2. A quorum at an Organization meeting shall consist of a designated representative present from fifty per cent of the member CCRCs. At a committee meeting, a quorum shall consist of at least fifty per cent of a committee membership. (See Article IX)

Article VII – Parliamentary Authority

Section 1

All business shall be conducted according to these bylaws. Any procedure not covered shall be governed by the current version of Robert’s Rules of Order, as interpreted by the President.

Article VIII – Amendments

Section 1

These bylaws may be amended by the Organization at any regular meeting by a two thirds vote of the voting representatives present, providing the proposed amendments have been presented in writing to the Presidents of all member associations of the Continuing Care Retirement Communities at least thirty days before a regularly scheduled meeting of the Organization.

Article IX – Definitions

1. Designated representative (see Article III Section 1b)

This representative shall be designated by the President of the CCRC prior to the meeting or by common consent by those members of a CCRC in attendance at the meeting.

2. Quorum (see Articles V and VI)

A quorum is the number of members who must be present in order to conduct the business of the committee.

3. Geographical Districts (see Article III)

These districts shall be identified by listing the named associations (CCRCs) within the named district as belonging to that district.

4. Slate (see Article V)

A slate is the list of candidates selected by the Nominating Committee who have accepted nomination.

As approved by the Executive Committee on February 19, 2003.
As approved by the Spring Meeting, April 16, 2003.
As amended and approved by the Spring Meeting, April 21, 2004.
As amended and approved by the Fall Meeting, October 20, 2004.
As amended and approved by the Fall Meeting, October 19, 2005.
As amended and approved by the Spring Meeting, April 16, 2014.
As amended and approved by the Fall Meeting, October 21, 2015.