Brothers of the Department of Ohio;

This Special Department Order #2 is issued pursuant to Article 10, Sections 1 and 2 of the By-Laws of the Department of Ohio, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War pertaining to amendments to the By-Laws of the Ohio Department.

During the business meeting of the Department of Ohio Annual Encampment, Saturday, June 11, 2011, at the Franklin County Veterans Memorial Building in Columbus, Ohio for the purpose of amending the Department By-Laws.

I urge all Camps and Members to attend this Annual Encampment to vote on these amendments.  I also urge all Camp Commanders to read and explain Special Order #2 to your Camp.

 

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Proposed Dept. By-law Changes    22 Apr 2011

ITEM 1
Current
Art. 3 Sec 3  para 4
The Chief of Staff shall be responsible for the raising of the Chief- of-Staff Fund from which monies shall be used to help defray the expenses of the operation of the Department. Should an excess amount be raised over the Department budget, such money shall become a part of the Permanent Fund of the Department described hereafter under Finances.

Proposed
Art. 3 Sec 3  para 4 
The Chief of Staff shall be responsible for the raising of the Chief- of-Staff Fund from which monies shall be used to help defray the expenses of the operation of the Department. Should an excess amount be raised over the Department budget, such money shall become a part of the Permanent Fund of the Department described hereafter under Finances.
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ITEM 2.
Current
Article 6 Footnote *Any past Department Commander serving an additional term of office and who has previously received a Past Department Commander's Badge shall receive lodging and meals in lieu of an additional Past Department Commander's Badge.

Proposed 
Article 6 Footnote *Any past Department Commander serving an additional term of office and who has previously received a Past Department Commander's Badge shall receive lodging and meals in lieu of an additional Past Department Commander's Badge.
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ITEM 3
Current
Article 4 Section 2: Should the National Per Capita Dues be increased at any time that it would become effective prior to the meeting of the Department Encampment, upon action of the Department Commander and Department Council, the amount of the increase shall automatically be applicable to the Camps of the Department and shall be so levied in the quarter and/or period said increase is due and payable.

Proposed
Article 4 Section 2: Should the National Per Capita Dues be increased at any time that it would become effective prior to the meeting of the Department Encampment, upon action of the Department Commander and Department Council, the amount of the increase shall automatically be applicable to the Camps of the Department and shall be so levied in the quarter and/or period said increase is due and payable.
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ITEM 4
Current
Art 4, Section 4: The Department Commander may suspend Camps that fail to file their required Annual Reports with the Department Secretary/Treasurer by April 30. An appropriate Department Order shall memorialize the suspension. Suspended Camps may be reinstated by the Department Commander by forwarding to the Department Secretary/Treasurer the required Reports, all monies due, and, additionally, upon the payment of a reinstatement fee in the sum of twenty ($20.00) dollars, said reinstatement to then be memorialized by an appropriate Department Order. Delegates from suspended Camps may attend the Department Encampment but may not vote on any items of business. A suspended Camp that is not reinstated after one year will be dropped.

Proposed
Art 4, Section 4: The Department Commander may suspend Camps that fail to file their required Annual Reports with the Department Secretary/Treasurer by April 30. An appropriate Department Order shall memorialize the suspension. Suspended Camps may be reinstated by the Department Commander by after forwarding to the Department Secretary/Treasurer the required Reports, all monies due, and, additionally, upon the payment of  a reinstatement fee in the sum of twenty ($20.00) dollars ten ($10) dollars over the current reinstatement fee required by National.  The Camps said reinstatement to will then be memorialized by an appropriate Department Order. Delegates from suspended Camps may attend the Department Encampment but may not vote on any items of business. A suspended Camp that is not reinstated after one year will be dropped.
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ITEM 5
Current
Art. 4, Section 5: Camps which have been dropped and for which a Camp Charter and operational materials still exist may be reinstated upon the payment of thirty-five dollars ($35.00).

Proposed
Art. 4, Section 5: Camps which have been dropped and for which a Camp Charter and operational materials still exist may be reinstated upon the payment of thirty-five dollars ($35.00). voluntarily surrendered their Charter or which had their Charter revoked will pay the Department a reinstatement fee in the sum of ten dollars ($10) over the current National required fee, provided that this fee shall be waived if a Charter exists.
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ITEM  6.
Current
Article 5 Section 1: The Department Secretary-Treasurer shall receive a salary to be fixed annually by the Department Encampment.

Proposed

ITEM 7
Current
Article 6, section 1, paragraph 2. The budget shall include an appropriation for the salary of the Department Secretary-Treasurer.

Proposed
Article 6, section 1, paragraph 2 The budget may include an appropriation for the  salary  reimbursement of the Department Secretary-Treasurer’s  personal expenses.
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ITEM 8
Current
Article 6 Sect 1.5The Department Commander shall be reimbursed by the Department for his attendance at the National Encampment in an amount to be fixed by the Department Council not to exceed $500.00 and as approved by the Department Encampment for purposes of compensating the Department Commander for travel, lodging and meals.

Proposed
Article 6 Sect 1.5  The Department Commander shall be reimbursed by the Department for his attendance at the National Encampment in an amount to be fixed by the Department Council not to exceed $500.00 and as approved by the Department Encampment for purposes of compensating the Department Commander for travel, lodging and meals.  To receive this reimbursement, the Department Commander must submit a reimbursement voucher and/or receipts to the Department Secretary.
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ITEM 9.
Current
Article 7, Section 1 Paragraph 2: Committee on Historical Trust: The duty of this committee is to seek a workable agreement for temporary and/ or permanent loan of Civil War, G.A.R. and similar historic artifacts, relics, etc. with the Ohio Historical Society and to continually seek donations for preservation. This committee shall consist of at least three (3) members with the Department Historian serving as Chairman. Members are asked to list personal donations in their wills with the Committee on Historical Trust as the beneficiary.

Proposed
Article 7, Section 1 Paragraph 2: Committee on Historical Trust: The duty of this committee is to seek a workable agreement for temporary and/ or permanent loan of Civil War, G.A.R. and similar historic artifacts, relics, etc. with the Ohio Historical Society and to continually seek donations for preservation. This committee shall consist of at least three (3) members with the Department Historian serving as Chairman. Members are asked to list personal donations in their wills with the Committee on Historical Trust as the beneficiary.
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Items for Encampment Discussion

ITEM A

QUESTIONS: Officers and Duties Article 3 Section 3 Para 3 “Department Patriotic Instructor shall be responsible for raising of the Patriotic Fund….” 

1. Where does this money go or has it gone over the past years? 
2. Should this be deleted, modified to may, or what? 
3. Anyone remember when this was last done?

Current
Art 3, Section 3, Para 3
The Department Patriotic Instructor shall be responsible for the raising of the Patriotic Instructors Fund from which a Grand Army Memorial donation shall be made to a charitable cause, selected by the Department Commander, and with the approval of the Department Council.
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ITEM  B

The following was the basis of a debate between members as to the placement of members at large.  The issue is whether the Department should go with National as written below or specify one of the options that National gives. Brother Shaw has recommended that we bring this up for debate at the Dept. Encampment and see if the membership wishes to select #1, 2, or 3 and reflect this in our By-laws or leave it as stands.  

National ARTICLE X
Department Members-at- Large

Section 1. Each Department shall make provisions for Department Members-at-Large (DMAL).
DMAL shall include all Brothers (Members, Associates, Juniors and Junior Associates) residing
within the jurisdiction of the Department who are not a Brother of a Camp within the
Department. Such provision may be

1) Department MAL,

2) a Camp established by the Department for the purpose of administering the DMAL, or

3) a requirement in the Department By-laws that all Brothers belong to a Camp of their choice or assigned to the nearest Camp if the Brother does not choose a Camp

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So ordered this 30th day of April, 2011

 

Yours in Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty,

Attested,

Charles S. Reeves	Allan Howey
Charles S. Reeves Commander	Allan Howey Secretary