MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF ASSESSING OFFICERS, INC.
CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS
July 1, 1971; Amended: June 28, 1991; June 1993; June 2000; June 2015; June 2017; June 2022
MISSION STATEMENT
The MAAO’s mission is to promote, educate and enhance the appraisal profession for ad valorem purposes.
ARTICLE 1 ~ NAME & OBJECT
SECTION 1. The name of this Association shall be the Maryland Association of Assessing Officers, Inc. For reference purposes, the Maryland Association of Assessing Officers be abbreviated by the initials MAAO.
SECTION 2. The MAAO’s object shall be to disseminate among its members such information as will improve the standards and ethics of assessment practice; to provide for exchange of information among its members, as well as assessing officers throughout the United States and others interested in the field of appraisals for ad valorem purposes. And, to promote closer unity and cooperation among its members to the end that assessments throughout the State of Maryland shall be made in conformity with the law and by the application of the highest standards and ethics of assessment practice.
ARTICLE ll ~ MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. Regular Membership: The membership in this Association shall be limited to: the Supervisors of Assessments, Assessors and Assessor Associates of the Counties of Maryland and Baltimore City, and other qualified persons of the State Department of Assessments and Taxation, as determined by the Executive Board. The right to hold office or serve on the Executive Board is reserved to regular members exclusively.
SECTION 2. Honorary Membership: Honorary membership may be granted in the Association by vote of the majority of the members present at any General Membership meeting. An honorary member is a non-dues paying and non-voting member.
SECTION 3. Honorary Life Membership: Honorary life membership shall be granted to all members of the Association who have retired from their positions and who, at the time of such retirement, were members in good standing for a period of fifteen (15) years. An honorary life member is a non-dues paying and non-voting member.
SECTION 4. Dues: The annual membership dues shall be established by the Executive Board. All dues shall be payable in full and are not pro-rated. Annual membership is from May 1st, through April 30th the following calendar year.
SECTION 5. Member in good standing: A member is in good standing when annual membership dues are paid in full.
ARTICLE III ~ OFFICERS
SECTION 1. Officers: Officers of the Association are: President; Vice-President;
Secretary and Treasurer.
SECTION 2. Terms of Office: At each Annual Meeting of the Association, there shall be nominated and elected for a one (1) year term: President; Vice-President; Secretary and Treasurer. The President and Vice-President may not be elected to successive terms in the same office.
SECTION 3. Vacancy in Office: Whenever a vacancy in any office occurs, the president shall appoint any regular member in good standing to fill the vacancy. The appointee shall serve until the next annual meeting; provided that when a vacancy occurs in the office of the president, the vice-president shall immediately succeed thereto.
ARTICLE IV ~ EXECUTIVE BOARD
SECTION 1. Governing Body: The governing body of the Association shall be the Executive Board.
This board shall transact the business of the organization between annual meetings and carry on the general administration of the organization. It shall have the power to pass any resolution necessary to accomplish the objectives of the Association, provided the resolution is not in conflict with any provision of this Constitution.
SECTION 2. Executive Officers: The Executive Board consists of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, immediate past President (ex officio) and six (6) regional representatives. Of the six regional representatives, two (2) shall be from the Bay Region, two (2) from the Central Region, and two (2) the Western Region. Regions consist of the following:
A. BAY REGION: Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester,
Harford, Kent, Queen Anne’s, St Mary’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and
Worcester Counties.
B. CENTRAL REGION: Baltimore, Howard and Prince George’s Counties
Baltimore City and Central Offices.
C. WESTERN REGION: Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Washington and
Montgomery Counties.
SECTION 3. Term of Office: At each annual meeting, one representative from each region shall be nominated and elected to the Executive Board to serve a two (2) year term. Representatives of the Executive Board may not be elected to successive terms in office.
SECTION 4. Quorum: For the purpose of transacting business, a quorum shall consist of not less than seven (7) members. To assist in arriving at a quorum, proxies may be utilized by the voting members of the board for the conduction of association business. The provisions under which proxies may be given will be enumerated in the Executive Board’s Procedural Guidelines.
SECTION 5. Meetings: Two (2) or more meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at the call of the President or upon request, in writing, made to the President by any five (5) members of Executive Board.
SECTION 6. Vacancy: Whenever a vacancy occurs on the Executive Board, the President may appoint any member in good standing to fill the vacancy. The appointee shall serve the remaining term of this office.
ARTICLE V. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
SECTION 1. President: The President shall be the chairman of the Executive Board and preside at all meetings of members held for the purpose of transacting Association business. The President shall appoint all committees either on his or her own initiative or at the request of the Executive Board and perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Board.
SECTION 2. Vice-President: The Vice-President shall exercise all the powers and duties of the President during his or her absence or inability to act and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him or her by the Executive Board.
SECTION 3. Secretary: The Secretary shall keep a roll of the members of the Association; notify all members of all meetings in advance of the date fixed; submit at the annual meeting of the Association an annual report of the meetings, activities and membership of the Association; keep complete and accurate minutes of meetings of the Asociation and submit the minutes at the next succeeding annual meeting; keep complete and accurate minutes of the Executive Board and perform other duties which are assigned by the President of the Executive Board.
SECTION 4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall collect all monies due to the Association and, subject to the approval of the Executive Board, determine the place and manner for safe keeping of such funds; pay all duly authorized bills of the Association, upon receipt of vouchers for such payment; submit at the annual meeting of the Association a report to include an itemized statement of receipts, disbursements and balances; submit the books and accounts to an auditing committee whenever requested by the Executive Board to do so; and to furnish the Association with a corporate fidelity bond in an amount to be determined by the Executive Board. The cost of said bond to be borne by the Association. The Treasurer shall perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS
SECTION 1. Annual Meeting: the annual meeting of the Association shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by the Executive Board.
SECTION 2. Special Meeting: Special meetings of the Association may be held at the request of the Executive Board and must be called by the President, upon the written request of not less than fifty- one percent (51%) of the membership, which request shall state the purpose of the meeting. At least ten (10) days notice of the time, place and purpose of all special meetings of the Association shall be given all members by the Secretary.
SECTION 3. Quorum: Fifty-one percent (51%) of the membership shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of the general membership. In case a quorum shall not be present, the meeting may be adjourned by those present to a future date, of which notice shall be given to all members by the Secretary.
SECTION 4. Parliamentary Rules: The Rules of parliamentary procedures set forth in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all meetings of the Association and the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VII. NOMINATIONS
SECTION 1. Nominating Committee: The President shall appoint each year, not less than sixty (60) days prior to the annual meeting of the Association, a nominating committee consisting of three (3) regular members, in good standing. The immediate Past President is designated as Chairperson; if unable to serve, the Chairperson shall be appointed by the President. The nominating committee shall select at least one (1) person from the regular membership in good standing as a candidate for each office and one (1) Representative in each of the three (3) regions.
SECTION 2. Nominations from the floor: Nominations may be made from the floor during the annual meeting.
SECTION 3. Regular member nominations: A regular member can be nominated for only one office during a given election.
ARTICLE VIII. METHOD OF VOTING
SECTION 1. Right to vote: In the election of officers and members of the Executive Board of the Association and on all other matters upon which the regular membership shall have the right to vote, each regular member in good standing shall be allowed one (1) vote.
SECTION 2. Method of voting: The manner of voting, including the forms to be used, the counting of ballots and the rules of procedure, shall be prescribed by the Executive Board, except that the adoption of amendments to the Constitution shall be by secret ballot. The election shall be held during the annual business meeting.
ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1. How Proposed: Amendments may be proposed by a petition signed by not less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the membership or by resolution of the Executive Board. The petition or resolution shall be delivered to the Secretary, who shall, within the time prescribed in Section 2 of this Article, notify all members that this proposed amendment will be voted on at the next Association meeting.
SECTION 2. How adopted: This Constitution may be amended by a seventy percent (70%) majority of the membership present and voting at the annual or any special meeting, provided that notice of any proposed amendment shall have been sent to all regular members not less than thirty (30) days prior to such meeting.
ARTICLE X.
SECTION 1. Presidents Fund: The President will be afforded a discretionary fund of One hundred dollars (100.00) annually, to be used for any MAAO business deemed necessary. Prior Board approval is not required; however, receipts are to be submitted to the Treasurer for reimbursement.
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