Article III Board of Directors
• A Board of Directors, appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Lake County Prosecutor and Lake County Sheriff, shall govern the Lake County Drug Free Alliance.

• The Lake County Prosecutor and the Lake County Sheriff, or their proxies, shall serve as permanent Co-Chairpersons of the Board of Directors.

• Each member of the Board of Directors shall be appointed by agreement of the Co-Chairpersons and shall hold such office at their joint pleasure.

Section 3.01 Members
The Board of Directors shall consist of no less than ten (10) and no more than twenty (25) members appointed by agreement of the Co-Chairpersons.

a) Nomination for appointment to the Board of Directors may be made by any board member or from the floor during any meeting.

b) Two (2) of the members shall be designated as "student members" and shall be students in good standing at secondary school located in Lake County.

c) Board members shall serve at the joint pleasure of the Co-Chairpersons.

Section 3.02 Term of Office
a) Members appointed to the founding board shall serve for a term of two (2) years. Subsequent board members will serve staggered terms, to be determined by the Board of Directors.

b) Student members appointed to the Board shall serve for a term of (1) year.

c) Board members shall be eligible to serve additional terms if recommended by the Oversight Committee, Board of Directors and approved by the Co-Chairpersons.

d) An individual may serve no longer than three (3) consecutive terms but may be nominated for a new term after a one-year absence from the Board.

Section 3.03 Qualifications
a) Individuals appointed to the Board of Directors shall be eighteen (18) years of age or older, however, this limitation shall not apply to student members.

b) Board membership will reflect the diversity of Lake County with respect to geographic, gender, cultural and racial composition as well as the skills, abilities and knowledge necessary to carry out the responsibilities and goals of the coalition.

c) Each member shall be a resident of Lake County or employed in a full-time position within Lake County.

d) The Executive Director shall be a resident of Lake County and shall attend all Board meetings and actively participate in the business and debate of the Board.

Section 3.04 Removal and Resignation
a) Board members may be removed by the agreement of the Co-Chairpersons, for any reason, including, but not limited to, failure to perform the duties assigned or absence from three (3) consecutive regular meetings.

b) Prior to removal, a board member shall be notified in writing of the intent to remove them from the board and the member shall have fourteen (14) days from receipt of said notice to respond in writing to the Co-Chairpersons.

c) A member’s resignation shall be in writing and delivered to the Executive Director and forwarded to the Co-Chairpersons and each member of the Board.

Section 3.05 Vacancy
In the case of death, resignation or disqualification of one or more of the Directors, the Co-Chairpersons shall fill the un-expired term of the vacancy or vacancies after considering the recommendations of the Oversight Committee.

Section 3.06 Conflict of Interest
a) Each member will be required to complete and file a Conflict of Interest declaration on a form approved by the Indiana State Board of Accounts.

b) On any matter where a conflict of interest may arise, any member subject to said conflict, shall not be entitled to vote on the matter.

Article IV – Officers
Section 4.01 The officers and their respective duties shall be:
a) Co-Chairperson (2) – The Co-chairs shall be the Lake County Sheriff and the Lake County Prosecutor and shall be:
1. Permanent members of the Board and preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and may designate a proxy to serve in their absence; and 2. The official representatives of the LCDFA.
b) The following Officers shall be nominated by a majority vote of the Board of Directors and approved by both Co-chairs:

1. Vice-Chair – shall assist the Co-Chairs and shall, in the absence of both Co-Chairs, or their proxy, preside at all meetings.

2. Secretary – shall be responsible for the recording and keeping the official minutes of all meetings of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors and the general membership and the preparation of direct mailings, official correspondence and all notices of meetings.

3. Treasurer – shall oversee fiscal affairs of the organization and file quarterly reports of the status of all accounts and expenditures.

Section 4.02 Officers - Nomination and Election
In preparation for the annual election of the Board of Directors, the Oversight Committee shall meet and prepare a proposed slate of officers for nomination by the Board of Directors and approval by the Co-Chairs.

Section 4.03 Officers - Term of Office
a) Each Officer shall serve for a term of one year commencing on January 1 until their successor is duly appointed.

b) Each officer shall immediately tender possession of all LCDFA records, documents and other property in their possession to the executive director upon their resignation, termination or removal from office.

Section 4.05 Removal and Resignation
a) Each Officer shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors and may be removed from office for any reason by joint action of the Co-Chairs. In the absence of agreement by the co-chairs a two-thirds vote of the Board shall be required.

b) Removal of an officer failure to perform the duties assigned and/or absence from three (3) consecutive regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be initiated by a two-thirds vote of the Board membership at any regular or special Board meeting.

c) Prior to a removal vote by the Board of Directors, the officer shall be notified in writing fourteen (14) days in advance of any vote on removal and the officer shall have ten (10) days from receipt of the written notification to respond in writing to the Board.

d) An officer may tender a resignation at any time in writing to the Executive Director for distribution to the Board of Directors and Co-Chairs.

Section 4.06 Vacancy
In the event a vacancy exists on the Board of Directors, said office shall be filled by the Co-Chairs no later than sixty (60) days from the date of vacancy is created. A vacancy in any other office may be filled for the remaining term by an appointee recommended Board and confirmed by the Co-Chairs.
Article V – Staff
a) Executive Director - shall be a paid employee of the coalition, appointed and financed by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department.

1. The Executive Director shall be the day-to-day operating officer of the coalition and shall be responsible to the Co-Chairs for administration of the Lake County Drug Free Alliance within the policies adopted by the Board of Directors.

2. The Executive Director shall serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board of Directors and all of its committees.

3. The Executive Director shall, with the approval of the Board of Directors, and as funding permits, be responsible for supervising such other staff as is required to carry out the mission and purpose of the Alliance.

b) Legal Counsel - The Sheriff’s Attorney, or his/her designee, shall serve as the attorney for the Alliance and shall advise the board of directors during all meetings.

Article VI-General Membership
An individual shall be considered a member in good standing of the general membership by participation in one or more standing sub-committees, with a minimum of quarterly attendance. Only members in good standing shall be eligible to vote on matters under consideration for sub-committee business. The Executive Director shall prepare an official membership list of members in good standing annually. Article VII – Standing Committees

Section 7.01 Executive Committee
a) The officers of the Board of Directors shall constitute the Executive Committee, which shall interpret all policies and transact all business in the interim between regularly scheduled meetings of the Board. All such actions shall be reported to the Board of Directors at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

b) The Executive Director and a support staff member shall attend Executive Committee Meetings as non-voting members.

Section 7.03 Sub-Committees
The Lake County Drug Free Alliance shall consist of the following standing committees:
Finance/Development: The Finance/Development Committee shall meet as needed or designated by the Executive Board to advise the Director on financial and fundraising/development matters. The Treasurer shall serve as Chair, and other appropriate members welcomed or appointed by the Board Co-Chairs in consultation with the Treasurer.
Prevention: This committee targets prevention activities, services or material aimed at deterring individuals from the use or abuse of or addiction to alcohol and other drugs by developing:

1. Information programs, providing knowledge and increased awareness;

2. Education programs, to build skills through structured learning processes;
3. Skill developing programs that build personal resistance to use and abuse;

4. Community and professional mobilization, providing ongoing networking activities and technical assistance to community groups or agencies;

5. Alternative programming, to give healthy alternatives to the use or abuse of alcohol and other drugs while at the same time discouraging this use;

6. Social policy and environmental change programs that establish or changing written and unwritten community standards, codes and attitudes.

Treatment/Intervention:
This committee is dedicated to services for those who are identified as in need of recovery from problems associated with excessive or inappropriate use of alcohol and other drugs. Services cover a spectrum of activities, as well as a continuum of treatment services. (The Bureau of Addiction Services of the Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health must certify Treatment providers.)

Justice/Law Enforcement:
This committee will deal with the legal consequences of substance abuse. This includes local crime prevention, law enforcement, prosecution, probation, and court and correctional services.

Youth:
The Youth committee shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors for effective strategies to involve youth in the affairs of the Alliance and to reduce the prevalence and use of ATOD among their peers. The Youth committee shall name one male and one female to serve on the Board of Directors. The Youth committee shall also name one member to serve on the Oversight committee.

All subcommittees shall meet as often as necessary, at least monthly, and shall consist of members of the general membership, and:

a) Subcommittees shall nominate a chair by consensus each October, who shall serve a term of one year. Subcommittee chairs shall serve on the Oversight Committee.

b) Subcommittees may make recommendations on nominations to the Oversight Committee for Board appointments and officers.

c) Subcommittees shall receive requests for proposals (RFP’s) for organizations that seek Drug Free Communities Funds (DFCF), and shall offer recommendations to the Oversight Committee.

d) The Finance/Development subcommittee shall not review grant requests for DFCF allocations. This subcommittee shall be responsible for advising the Executive Board on strategies for securing additional sources of revenue to finance Alliance activities.

Section 7.04 Oversight Committee
a) The Oversight Committee shall consist of nine (9) members, as follows:

1. Four members appointed by the Executive Committee;

2. Five subcommittee chairs elected by their respective subcommittees with the exception of the Finance/Development subcommittee, which will be Chaired by the Treasurer.
b) The Oversight Committee shall be responsible for the following:

1. Review grant requests approved by each subcommittee and recommend funding allocations from the DFCF to the Board of Directors;

2. Recommend policies and procedures to the Board of Directors for the evaluation of funded programs;

3. Monitor expenditures of the DFCF and prepare reports as requested to the Board Treasurer;

4. Recommend policies and procedures to the Board of Directors for a Request for Proposal (RFP) process for the awarding of grants from the DFCF;

5. Monitor the activities of recipients of DFCF grants for compliance with Alliance policies;

6. Facilitate the development of indicator data, in collaboration with other agencies in Lake County, for the effective evaluation of funded programs;

7. Prepare an annual slate of nominations for members to the Board of Directors.

8. The Executive Director shall be an ad hoc member of the Oversight Committee and maintain all records and minutes of the Oversight Committee.

Section 7.05 – Ad Hoc-Committees
Additional Ad Hoc Committees deemed necessary to carry out the mission and purpose of the Alliance may be established by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall, as required, approve new Sub-Committees for the purpose of addressing specific concerns, issues or problems related to substance abuse and addictive behaviors in the community, which are congruent with the mission and purposes of the Alliance.

Article VIII Meetings of Members

Section 8.01 Board of Directors
a) The Board of Directors shall meet quarterly on the first Tuesday of January, April, July, and October. The January meeting will address the nomination and appointment of the new officers to the Executive Board.

b) Quorum: A quorum shall consist of a majority of the duly appointed and serving members of the board.

c) Voting: All official action and resolutions of the board shall be by motion duly made and seconded and approved by a majority vote of the members present unless stated otherwise in these bylaws.

d) All resolutions and contracts submitted to the board of directors for action thereon shall be reviewed and approved in form and content by legal counsel before consideration by the board.

e) All motions, resolutions and actions approved by the board of directors and oversight committee shall be subject to veto by the Co-Chairs upon submission of written notice of veto executed by both Co-Chairs to the Executive Director within ten (10) of their adoption by the board.

Section 8.02 Executive Committee
This committee shall meet at least quarterly at a time, place and day designated by the Co-chairs.

Section 8.03 Subcommittees
The subcommittees conduct the visible work of the coalition and should meet monthly or as determined by the subcommittee chairperson of each committee. Quarterly attendance by the general membership is required to maintain status as a member in good standing.

Section 8.04 Meetings - Notice, Agenda and Procedures
a) Notice of the date, time and location of all Alliance regular and special meetings shall be forwarded to the media, active members and officers at least 48 hours prior to any meeting and each notice shall contain a copy of the meeting agenda.

b) The Co-chairs may call special meetings of the Board of Directors or any other committee or subcommittee.

c) Each subcommittee chairperson may call regular or special meetings of the subcommittees.

d) Agenda: The executive director shall prepare and distribute a written agenda for each board and committee meeting, in substantially the following form:

1. Call to Order;
2. Roll Call of Members;
3. Approval of minutes;
4. Treasurer’s Report;
5. Executive Director’s Report
6. Correspondence and Communications;
7. Old Business;
8. New Business;
9. Miscellaneous;
10. Public Comment (must state name and address);
11. Announcements;
12. Adjournment.

e) Rules: Meetings shall be conducted substantially pursuant to Robert’s Rules of Order and all decisions of the chair on procedural matters shall be final.

f) Public Comment: Members of the public wishing to address the board or any committee shall first be recognized by the chair and shall state their full name and address prior to addressing the board. All comments shall be addressed to the board, or committee as a whole and the chair shall not permit any slanderous, defamatory or improper comments by any member of the board or the public during any meeting. The chair shall limit comments by any individual to a total of five (5) minutes.

Section 8.05 Records/Minutes of Meetings
Minutes of all meetings, correspondence and other records will be maintained in the office of the Lake County Drug Free Alliance and obtained by written request from the Executive Director upon payment of all copying and administrative fees.

Article IX Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Lake County Alliance shall begin on the 1st day of January and end on the 31st day of December of each year.

Article X Financial Affairs
Section 10.01
a) The office and staff of the Lake County Drug Free Alliance shall be funded by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department’s budget.

b) Annual allocations from the DFCF shall be made in the following proportions;

1. 25% in the areas of treatment;
2. 25% in the area of prevention;
3. 25% in the area of law enforcement;
4. 25% may, in addition, be allocated to one or more of the three foregoing categories, with no one funding category receiving more than 50% of the total DFCF annual allocation; and
5. 100% of all DFCF funds shall be used for the above stated purposes and none of said funds shall be used for any administrative costs of the Lake County Drug Free Alliance.

Section 10.02 DFCF Grant Allocations
a) Pursuant to IC 5-2-11-5, the Co-Chairs or their designee shall request an annual appropriation of the DFCF to the Lake County Drug Free Alliance from the County fiscal body for disbursement to approved programs.
b) Collections into the DFCF shall accumulate from January 1st to December 31st each year for allocation in the following calendar year.
c) The disbursement of allocations from the DFCF shall be awarded in May of each fiscal year and used during the next 12 months (i.e., from May to May).

Article XI Amendments
These By-laws may be amended or repealed by a two-thirds majority vote of the appointed members of the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting. A minimum 30-day notification shall be made to the membership for any proposed changes to the bylaws. Any member in good standing may propose amendment of the bylaws by submitting a written copy of the proposed amendment to the executive director.