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Article
I NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE, WEB SITE
The name of this
organization shall be Omaha Pet Sitters Association.
Known as OPSA
herein referred to as Association.
Omaha Pet Sitters Association
Web Site –
www.petsittersofomaha.com
Article
II ASSOCIATION PURPOSE
a. To provide
a vehicle for pet related businesses to network with other
pet professionals to promote each others businesses.
b. To offer quarterly meetings with guest speakers,
educational material and the ability to network face to
face.
c. To advertise individual businesses, through meetings,
networking and the internet.
d. To provide information on local pet events for purposes
of advertising.
e. To provide cooperative advertising campaigns with print
media and booth events etc.
f. To give client referrals, either by member to member or
by our email group.
g. To set standards and practices for our fields.
h. To provide educational and business information to our
members.
i. To provide information on support courses and workshops
in the community.
j. To occasionally make bulk purchases of pet related items
so members can purchase them at a lower cost.
k. To provide information to members on low cost
products for use in their respective fields.
l. To cooperate with other businesses, individuals,
associations and organizations to advance pet care standards
and our members businesses in our community.
m. To foster goodwill within the city of Omaha, NE and
beyond.
Article
III MEETINGS
a. Meetings
are currently held quarterly, generally in the months of
February, May, September and November.
b. Notice of
meeting will be provided by our email. If member does not
have access to email it will be the member's responsibility
to contact a Board Member or another member to ask the date
and location of meeting.
c. Meetings
will start no later than 15 minutes from scheduled time and
last for no longer than 3 hours.
d. Members
will sign in and wear a name tag for identification and
networking purposes during the meetings.
e. Members
may bring their business literature and/or business cards to
place on the display tables for other members to pick up for
advertising and networking purposes.
f. Guests -
Members may bring guest to one meeting free of charge
if they are an owner of a pet related business who is
interested in joining. If the guest would like to attend a
second meeting they will need to pay the annual dues and
fill out an application. Children are not allowed at
Association meetings, only business owners.
g.
Members are asked to refrain from talking while guest
speakers or another member has the floor or engage in any
other activity that would disrupt the meeting so others
cannot hear.
h. Members
who need to leave BEFORE the scheduled end of meeting are
asked to sit by the door so as not to disrupt other members.
i. There is
no smoking or alcohol consumption allowed at meetings.
j. Meetings
will consist of, but are not limited to the following
agenda;
*Guest
speakers
*Question and Answer periods
*Distribution of Membership Rosters for referral purposes
*Distribution
of Calendar of Events
*Status of our field
*Discussion of amended By Laws if any
*New information for members
*Suggestions for next meeting topics and guest speakers
k. If a
meeting needs to be rescheduled it will be posted to the
email group and members without email will be notified by
one of the Board Members.
Article
IV MEMBERSHIP QUALIFICATIONS
Membership is provided
to, but not limited to, the following animal businesses &
professions.
a. Dog Walkers, In-Home Pet
Boarders, Sitters, and Pet Transporters.
b. Members
of our association are composed of an owner actively engaged
in the animal services and/or products field.
d. Any
business owner who owns a pet services or product business
may attend 1 meeting before being required to join, if
qualified, as a dues paying member for future meetings.
f. Members
who wish to be listed on the association web site and have a
membership certificate must mail proof with copy
of the following to the associations address (if
applicable):
- 1. Fictitious business name statement (if applicable
in your area)
- 2. City Business License or Tax Certificate (if
applicable in your area)
- 3. Business card,
- 4. Copy of pet sitting report card
- 5. Copy of vet notification card
- 6. Pet Sitters need to supply a copy of Liability
insurance
Article
V CODE OF ETHICS
Members of the Association hereby pledge;
A.
To operate my businesses with
integrity, professionalism and within the laws of our County
and State.
B.
To enhance the reputation of
the association and its members within the community.
C.
To treat fellow pet service
and product providers within our Association with
professionalism, honesty and integrity.
D.
To respect my fellow
professional pet service and product providers whether they
are inside or outside the Association.
E.
To refrain from saying,
writing or posting to an internet message board, anything
that would defame libel, slander or embarrass the
Association and its members.
F.
To refrain from any
anti-competitive advertising against another pet related
industry or one within my own industry.
G.
When I am promoting my business through one of the booth
events the Association attends to refrain from promoting my
own political, sexual or religious beliefs or any other
agenda other than my pet related business at the event.
Article
VI MEMBERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES
By signing our application for membership the member
business agrees to the following responsibilities.
a. To keep your annual dues current.
Membership dues are on an annual basis and are due year to
year on the anniversary date of member joining. A $25.00
late fee will be assessed to all annual dues paid after
their due date.
b. To respond
to other member referrals promptly.
c. To respond
to client inquiries to your business promptly and
professionally.
d. To know
when and where meetings are.
e. To attend at least 2 meetings per
calendar year.
f. To
actively rather than passively PARTICIPATE in meetings,
booth events, networking with other members, etc to get the
most from your membership.
g. If
participating in a cooperative print advertising campaign
that is split among the members to pay your share promptly
to the Association.
h. To notify
the Membership Coordinator of any misspellings or other
changes or corrections to your membership information
provided in the membership roster and/or web site.
i. To notify
the Membership Coordinator of any changes to your business
contact information such as email, phone, web site address
etc.
j. To follow
the Code of Ethics set forth in the Association by
Laws.
k. To abide
by all the Bylaws of the Association.
l. To know
what the current and/or amended Bylaws are.
m. To abide
by all Local/State/Federal laws in the operation of your
business.
Article
VII SANCTIONS
Members are
subject to all the Bylaws listed, amended Bylaws and the
Code of Ethics.
If a
member violates the Bylaws and/or Code of Ethics a review of
membership will be made by the Board Members. Depending
upon the severity the member may either,
a)
Receive a written warning from the
Board.
b)
Suspension of membership, for a
specified amount of time, which may include, but is not
limited to, restriction of posting privileges to email
system, listing of business name on Association web site and
listing of business name on roster.
c)
Complete revocation of membership.
If a member receives a suspension
or revocation there will be no refund or reimbursement of
Association dues.
Once a
membership has been revoked, the former member may not apply
for membership again for one year from that date. If member
receives a second revocation no future applications for
membership will be accepted.
Article
VIII BOARD MEMBERS
a. Board
Member Positions currently consist of - Chair, Secretary,
Treasurer, Membership Coordinator, Web Administrator, Public
Relations Coordinator, Event Coordinator and Distribution
Specialist.
b.
Qualifications for Board Member Positions are - that they
have been a member of the Association for at least 6 months
and their current dues are paid up.
c. Term of
Office shall be for a minimum of 1 year.
d.
Application for admission to the Board - At the end of each
Board Members term, applications for Board Members will be
taken. The Chair and existing Board Members will chose from
the applications of who the next Board Member will be. The
existing board will rely on a number of factors when
selecting new board members such as, but not limited to,
length of time in business, grasp of basic self employed
business knowledge, past participation in meetings and booth
events, availability to come to board meetings and attend
quarterly association meetings, ability to get along with
other members etc.
e. Board
Compensation - Board members are not compensated. Board
members receive a 50% discount on association dues.
f. Privileges
& Authority - Board members will determine
date/time/location of meetings. Board members will be able
to vote on amending the By Laws and issues that affect the
membership. Board members will be responsible for review of
individual members where possible sanctions are involved.
g. Vacancy,
Removal or Resignation - If a Board member misses 2
consecutive Association and/or board meetings without a
legitimate reason given to the other Board members or
refuses to perform their duties as assigned and/or set forth
in the Bylaws their position will be automatically vacated
and no compensation for time served as Board member will be
given.
- Board Members Duties
Chair
- Responsible for the agenda and
conducting the quarterly meeting.
- Respond to email requests that
come through Association web site
- Respond to all complaints and
resolution to/from pet sitters and clients
- Respond to any questions/concerns
from the Board and fellow members of the OPSA
- Required to attend all meetings
Secretary
- Responsible for recording and
distribution via email the minutes from the meetings
- Required to attend all meeting
otherwise find a back-up.
Treasurer
- Notify members by email & mail
when membership dues are payable
- Collect and deposit dues in
Association checking account
- Keep all financial records such as
deposits and expenses for Association
- Pay all costs associated with
running the Association such as for rental of meeting
room, renting of audio visual equipment, refreshments,
plates, napkins, name tags mailers to members, mailer to
prospective members, web site, phone service, copying of
meeting handouts, membership certificates, membership
rosters, yellow page advertising, print advertising and
membership of the Association in NAPPS and PSI
- Coordinate the collection of money
for cooperative booth events and paying event organizers
for space
- Coordinate the collection of money
for cooperative print advertising campaigns
Membership Coordinator
- Mail membership certificates to
qualifying members
- Provide list to Web Administrator
of qualified members for our web site
- Keep an up to date roster of
members to provide to members
- Provide copies of roster to be
given to member when they first join and to each member
who attends a meeting
- Mail welcome letter to new member
with copy of roster and requirements for obtaining a
membership certificate and listing on our web site
- Keep records of membership
requirements
Web Administrator
- Responsible for the maintenance of
the association’s website
- Responsible for updating the “list
of pet sitters” page
- Responsible for keeping the site
fresh and up to date
Public Relations Coordinator
- Responsible for press releases and
being a spokesperson for the Association.
Event Coordinator
- Responsible for all advertising
and events in which Association will be involved.
- Responsible for calling upon
different areas of pet businesses throughout the
Midlands to help promote the Association
- In charge of cooperative booth
events
- Responsible to store booth set ups
for booth events
Distribution Specialist
- Responsible for the printing and
distribution of the Association brochure at veterinary
offices, pet shops, etc.
- Keep track of flyer inventory
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Have a supply of Pet
Sitter Locators on hand, and responsible for reprinting
when needed
Article
IX FINANCE
Annual dues of $30.00
per year will be made payable to: Omaha Pet Sitters
Association and mailed in check form to association address.
Membership
fees will go to offset expenses for rental of meeting room,
renting of audio visual equipment, refreshments, plates,
napkins, name tags mailers to members, mailer to prospective
members, web site, phone service, copying of meeting
handouts, membership certificates, new member packets,
member binders, membership rosters, yellow page advertising
in the 5 phone books, print advertising and membership of
the Association in NAPPS and PSI, possible additional
advertising venues at cat shows, dog shows, animal
charitable events etc.
Membership
fees are non-refundable
Article X
INDEMNIFICATION
Member agrees to hold
Board Members harmless for any liabilities to their business
that arises out of their membership in the Association.
Member agrees
to hold Board Members harmless for any omissions or spelling
errors of their business and will bring the errors to the
attention of a Board Member for correction.
Member agrees
to hold Board Members harmless for conditions outside of
their control such as phone service, internet email group
service, web site service and hosting etc. with regards to
their membership.
Article XI DISSOLUTION
If the association ever dissolves the rights to the
association name, domain name, web site, email group,
checking account, meeting supplies, equipment, capital goods
etc. will remain the property of the Director.
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