CWEA DOCUMENTS

COMMITTEE BYLAWS

Standing Committees

Regional

Other Committees

Updating Your Bylaws

Any committee wishing to make modifications to its standing rules is welcomed to do so. The following are the steps that each needs to take in order to enact any changes, which are outlined in each set of Standing Rules.

  1. Modifications are submitted to the Executive Director and Chair of the Membership and External Relations Board Committee for comments to ensure compliance with the CWEA Constitution.
  2. Modifications are published to the Committee members.
  3. Modifications are voted on by the Committee members.
  4. If approved, the modifications are submitted to the Chair of the Membership and External Relations Board Committee for final review so that a recommendation for approval can be made to the Board.
  5. A final version is submitted to the full CWEA board for approval.
  6. Bylaws are signed, filed in CWEA’s Constitution and Bylaws folder, posted to cwea.org and the changes are enacted.

LOCAL SECTION BYLAWS

NORTHERN SECTIONS SOUTHERN SECTIONS
Central San Joaquin Colorado River Basin
Monterey Bay Desert and Mountain
North Coast Golden Empire
Northern Sacramento Valley Los Angeles Basin
Northern San Joaquin San Diego Section
Redwood Empire Santa Ana River Basin
Sacramento Area Tri-Counties
San Francisco Bay
Santa Clara Valley
Sierra

Model Local Section Constitution & Bylaws
Local Section Policy

Updating Local Section Bylaws

Any Local Section wishing to make modifications to its standing rules is welcome to do so. The following are the steps necessary to make changes, which are outlined in each set of Standing Rules.

  1. Modifications are submitted to the Executive Director and Chair of the Membership and External Relations Board Committee for comments to ensure compliance with the CWEA Constitution.
  2. Modifications are published to the Local Section Board.
  3. Modifications are voted on by the Local Section Board.
  4. If approved, the modifications are submitted to the Chair of the Membership and External Relations Board Committee for final review so that a recommendation for approval can be made to the Board.
  5. A final version is submitted to the full CWEA board for approval.
  6. Bylaws are signed, filed in CWEA’s Constitution and Bylaws folder, posted to cwea.org and the changes are enacted.

CWEA POLICIES

Financial Policies

Other Policies

LEADER GUIDES

HOW TO GUIDES

CWEA Brand

Finances

Organizing Webinars & Events

Membership Rosters

Website Management

Zoom Accounts

Contact Hours

  • How to issue automated or paper contact hours (pdf)
  • Reminder: events run through the CWEA registration platform (NetForum) automatically sends contact hours to the member’s account once we receive your completed event sign-in sheet. Please don’t issue paper certificates as it could lead to duplicate contact hour credits.

Local Section Boards

TEMPLATES

CWEA PowerPoint Templates

Local Section Event Flyers

Easy to use Word templates

Automated & Paper Contact Hours

Graphics and slide templates to inform attendees how they will receive contact hours at a training event or webinar.

Local Section Certificates of Completion

Word and pdf templates for issuing paper contact hour certificates.

Customizable Items

To start your customization, send a creative request to CWEA staff >

CWEA'S BOARD

CWEA BOARD

CWEA Board of Directors

What are the responsibilities of the Board of Directors?

The Board of Directors:

  • Acts as the representative of the association
  • Manages the associations affairs
  • Establishes policies subject to the conditions and limitations in the Constitution (hyperlink to constitution)
  • Receives and takes appropriate action on recommendations in all committee reports
  • Directs investments and care of the funds of the association
  • Makes funds available for the regular operation of the Association and for specific purposes
  • Attends all CWEA conferences and all Northern/Southern Regional Committee meetings

BOARD COMMITTEES

Board Committees

Member & External Relations Committee (MER)

The Member and External Relations Committee is responsible for:

  • Reviewing and recommending direction and performance of membership development
  • Planning and recommending membership relations, image building, and public relations activities
  • Reviewing and reporting on local section and WEF activities
  • Reviewing and recommending changes to the Constitution and Bylaws
  • Reviewing and certifying local section and committee standing rules
  • Determining and recognizing state and WEF award winners
  • Developing marketing and communication strategies
  • Oversight of the Northern, Southern and Joint Committees

The MER Committee membership is made-up of the:

  • All WEF Directors (3)
  • 2nd Year Director at Large
  • 1st Year Regional Committee Chair

Operations Committee (OPS)

The Operations Committee (OPS) is responsible for:

  • Implementation of a programmatic budget (developed by PPD and approved by the board)
  • Reviewing the audit or financial review
  • Reviewing and recommending appropriate changes in dues, fees, or other income sources to ensure fiscal responsibility
  • Reviewing and recommending guidelines for bookkeeping, financial reviews, and cash funds
  • Reviewing the financial activities of CWEA committees and conferences
  • Reviewing and recommending changes to operations policies or procedures are required
  • Oversight of publications, conference activities, and the technical certification program activities
  • Oversight of the Training Coordination Committee

The Operations Committee membership is made-up of the:

  • Treasurer/Secretary
  • 2nd Year Director-at-Large (who will become Treasurer)
  • 1st Year Director-at-Large (2)
  • TCP Chair Director
  • 2nd Year Regional Committee Chair

Planning & Program Development Committee Information (PPD)

The Planning and Program Development (PPD) Committee is responsible for:

  • Design of annual planning and program development.
  • Planning the annual budget.
  • Preparing the annual program plan.
  • Planning work sessions.
  • Developing the strategic framework (vision, mission, objectives).
  • Recommending sites; topics and contracts for the Annual Conference, and all other Conferences with an anticipated regional audience.
  • Developing and recommending policies and procedures regarding the conduct of all training activities.
  • Review of, and recommendations regarding new program development
  • Overseeing activities of Task Forces and Special Committees.
  • Reporting and recommending to the Board on all matters from the Committee.

The Planning and Program Development Committee membership is made-up of the:

  • President Elect
  • Vice President
  • Past President
  • 3rd Year Regional Chair Director (past Regional Chair)
  • 3rd Year Director-at-Large

BOARD DUTIES

Duty of Care

The duty of care describes the level of competence that is expected of a board member, and is commonly expressed as the duty of “care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise in a like position and under similar circumstances.” This means that a board member owes the duty to exercise reasonable care when he or she makes a decision as a steward of the organization.

That means board members have a duty of care to:

  • Act in “good faith” in the best interests of the organization
  • Make “reasonable inquiry” to be informed
  • Participate in decisions.
  • May rely on experts, including legal counsel; CPA and staff, which protects member and Corporation

Duty of Loyalty

The duty of loyalty is a standard of faithfulness; a board member must give undivided allegiance when making decisions affecting the organization. This means that a board member can never use information obtained as a member for personal gain, but must act in the best interests of the organization.

Duty of Obedience

The duty of obedience requires board members to be faithful to the organization’s mission. They are not permitted to act in a way that is inconsistent with the central goals of the organization. A basis for this rule lies in the public’s trust that the organization will manage donated funds to fulfill the organization’s mission.

BOARD EXPECTATIONS

Board Members are Expected to:

  • Attend meetings
  • Exercise Independent Judgment
  • Represent all members (not a particular constituency)
  • Obtain information
  • Delegate to staff and other volunteers
  • No proxy for Board responsibilities
  • Set policies
  • Establish procedures
  • Avoid Conflict of Interest
  • Protect confidentiality of Board actions

BoardSource.org (dedicated to building strong and effective nonprofit boards) explains that: Under well-established principles of nonprofit corporation law, a board member must meet certain standards of conduct and attention in carrying out his or her responsibilities to the organization. These standards are usually described as the duty of care, the duty of loyalty and the duty of obedience.