Constitution　

Article
Revenue

Section 1 The revenue of the department shall be derived from tax monies from local, state and federal governments, from business and individuals donations together with such sums as may be from time to time raised by various activities of the department.

Article
Meetings

Section1 Meetings shall be held as follows: 1^st Thursday Business Meeting

2^nd Thursday Training Meeting

3^rd Thursday Business Meeting

Article 9
Amendments

Section 1 The Constitution and By-Laws shall be reviewed every three years. If a discrepancy should arise the By-Laws Committee shall be called into session to review the amendment.

Section 2 The By-Laws Committee shall consist of three- (3) Board of Directors and three regular members for a total of six (6). The Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Chief shall appoint this committee every Three years.

By-Laws

Article 1
Qualifications for Membership

 Section 1 Regular and provisional membership is open to any person 18 years of age or older of good character and living within five (5) miles of the department in Cleveland County.

Section 2 Reserved membership is open to any person between the ages of 16 and 18 of good character and living within five (5) miles of the department in Cleveland County.

Section 3 Extension membership is open to regular firefighters after five (5) years of service in the event that age or health makes it difficult or impossible for him or her to serve as a regular firefighter.

Section 4 Honorary membership is open to any regular or extension member who is in good standing with the department giving that member has served at least twenty (20) years in the fire service or forced to resign from his or her duties due to poor health, illness or handicap.

Section 5 All new members shall undergo a drug screening and results of that screening must be negative. Any member who is involved in an accident or injury involving personal or fire department apparatus while responding to or returning from a call must also undergo a drug screening.

Section 6 The department may from time to time set other standards for new applicants or may adopt such standards that may be set by the state of North Carolina.

Article 2
Application and Election to Membership

Section 1 Application for membership must be presented at a regular meeting by the chief or assistant chief of the department.

Section 2 After applications are presented they will be turned over to the membership committee for investigation.

Section 3 The Chief and Assistant Chiefs will report their recommendation to the department at a regular meeting within four (4) weeks regarding the application. This shall be the Membership Committee.

Section 4 After receiving the report of the membership committee the voting members will vote by secret ballot on the application. A two-thirds affirmative vote for acceptance of the application.

Section 5 Applicants age eighteen (18) and over will become provisional members upon acceptance. During the period of provisional membership he or she will not have voting privileges, will be required to abide by all rules and regulations of the department and shall perform such duties as authorized or instructed by an officer of the department or rules and regulations.

During this time the provisional member will be issued a pager by the department. Following six (6) months provisional membership they will again be presented to the department at a regular meeting for election into full membership. This election will again be held by secret ballot and require a 2/3 affirmative vote of the voting members present for acceptance.

Section 6 Applicants between the ages of 16 and 18 will become reserve members and may be elected into regular membership at the age of 18 provided they have they will have completed six (6) months satisfactory service as reserved members. This will require a 2/3 vote of the voting members present for acceptance.

Section 7 Regular or Extension members who meet the qualifications set by Article One Section Three of the By-Laws may be elected to honorary membership by a 2/3 vote of the department. Honorary members will not vote or operate department vehicles.

Section 1 Any member may resign in good standing by giving written notice to the Chief or Secretary, paying any fees or monies owed to the department and surrendering all equipment belonging to the department. Any other form of resignation will be accepted, but will not be considered as resignation in good standing, which should prohibit any future membership.

Section 2 The Board of Directors may grant a leave of absence of any reasonable length of time for school, military service or any other good valid reason.

Section 3 All regular, extension, and provisional firefighters are required to attend the regular meetings of the department. If three consecutive meetings are missed unexcused the member will be dropped from the department membership roster.

Section 4 Regular, provisional, reserve and extension firefighters MUST attend at least 36 hours of drills meetings and training each calendar year.

Section 5 If the 36 hours of training are not obtained the member will be required to go before the officers for review of their status.

Section 6 The Chief may bring charges against any member of the department to the Board of Directors for termination of membership or termination of an office held. The member shall be given a 30 day written notice of charges brought against him or her. Notice will be considered as having been given when charges are presented to the U.S. Postal Service addressed to the last known address of the member. The letter shall state that the member is suspended from the department until after the hearing. The member will be given a hearing before the department at a regular meeting, the time and date to be stated in the notice to the member and to be announced to the membership. Expulsion will require a 3/4 vote of the voting members present provided a quorum is present. The decision of the department will be final.

Section 7 Any member whose membership is terminated for any reason whatsoever shall forfeit all interest in any funds or property of the fire department and all rights to use the Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Dept, Inc. name, emblem or other insignia.

Article 4
Meetings

Section 1 Regular meetings of the fire department will be held as follows

• 1^st Thursday Business Meeting
• 2^nd Thursday Training Meeting
• 3^rd Thursday Business Meeting

Section 2 The meetings of the Board of Directors will be held AS NEEDED.

Section 3 The Chief may call a special meeting of the department.

Section 4 The Chairman of the Board may call a special board meeting provided a twenty-four (24) hour notice is given to the board members prior to the meeting.

Article 5
Election of Officers or Board Members

Section 1 The election committee will consist of the Chairman of the Board, Chief, and a member of their choice. These three will preside over each election.

Section 2 Officers will be elected the third Tuesday of January. Voting members will elect a Chief, 1^st Assistant Chief, 2^nd Assistant Chief, four (4) Captains, a Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 3 Voting members will also elect the Board of Directors as required in Article 6 of the Constitution the third Tuesday in January.

Section 4 Voting members shall also elect such other officers and committees as they see necessary for the proper operation of the department.

Section 5 All officers shall hold office for three years until their successors are elected.

Section 6 All fireground officers shall have at least Two (2) consecutive years of service in the department.

Section 7 In the event of an office becoming vacant the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the By-Laws and Constitution.

Section 8 If a directorship should become vacant due to death, removal or resignation, the department will elect a successor to fill the unexpired term at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

Section 9 All elections of officers mentioned in Article 5 Section 1 shall be by secret ballot. Each member will be given a blank ballot on which he may write the nomination of the person of his or her choice for the office being voted upon. If upon tabulation no one has received a majority nomination (vote), a second balloting or even third may be necessary to determine the absolute choice of the department. Members of the board may be elected in the same manner.

Article 6
Qualifications and Duties of Officers & Board of Directors

Section 1 The Chief shall preside at all regular meetings of the department and exercise a general supervision over the affairs of the department during his or her tenure of office. The Chief shall be the officer in charge on the fire scene. The Chief has one (1) year to complete the classes necessary to be certified Firefighter II. He or she must also be a Medical Responder, Haz-Mat Operations certified and must be an active member of the department for at least five (5) years.

Section 2 The 1^st Assistant Chief shall perform duties as prescribed by the Chief. In the event of the absence of he or she shall perform the duties of the Chief. The 1^st Assistant Chief has one (1) year to complete the classes necessary to be certified Firefighter II. He or she must also be a Medical Responder, Haz-Mat Operations certified and must be an active member of the department for at least five (5) years.

Section 3 The 2^nd Assistant Chief/Training Officer shall preside over all department training sessions. He or she shall perform such duties as prescribed by the Chief and in the absence of the Chief and 1^st Assistant Chief will perform the duties of Chief. The 2^nd Assistant Chief/Training Officer has one (1) year to complete the classes necessary to be certified Firefighter II. He or she must also be a Medical Responder, Haz-Mat Operations certified and must be an active member of the department for at least five (5) years.

These By-Laws and Constitution were approved by the voting membership of the Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department, Incorporated on January 15, 2008 and are effective this same date prior to the election held.