Constitution & By-Laws

This organization shall be known as the TENNESSEE REGISTERS ASSOCIATION.
The purpose of this Association is to unite the Registers of Deeds for exchanging
problems which exist among Tennessee counties, and where common problems exist cooperation is necessary.

Section 1. To prepetuate and develop an agency for the cooperation of the counties of Tennessee to investigate, study, discuss, and recommend improvements in, and the application of more efficient methods in, the offices of the Registers of Deeds.

Section 2. To provide means whereby Registers of Deeds may interchange ideas and experiences and obtain advice.

Section 4. To develop friendship as a means of broadening the opportunity for better serving the public, and to encourage high standards of operation.

Section 5. To inculcate the ideal of services as a basis for the business and civic life of the Registers of Deeds.

Section 6. To advocate and support legislation beneficial to the administration of the office of Register of Deeds and to oppose legislation injurious thereto.

Section 1. Membership in the Tennessee Registers Association is not mandatory; but every Register of Deeds in the State has the right to become an active, participating member. Deputy registers of Deeds may become non-voting members as provided in Section 6 below.

Section 2. Any resident of the State of Tennessee who, in the opinion of the organization, has rendered distinguished service to the cause of better government shall be eligible for honorary membership. Nomination of honorary membership shall be made to the annual general meeting which shall make all such elections to honorary membership.

Section 3. All registers of Deeds who retire from office with eight years or more of service in the office of Register automatically become honorary members in the Tennessee Registers Association.

Section 4. Honorary members shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership except they shall not be eligible to hold office in the organization and shall not be accorded the privilege of voting. Honorary members shall not pay annual dues.

1st Class	. . . . . . . . . .	400,000	or	more	. . . . . . . . . .	$ 175.00
2nd Class	. . . . . . . . . .	150,000	-	400,000	. . . . . . . . . .	160.00
3rd Class	. . . . . . . . . .	50,000	-	150,000	. . . . . . . . . .	135.00
4th Class	. . . . . . . . . .	24,500	-	50,000	. . . . . . . . . .	110.00
5th Class	. . . . . . . . . .	12,000	-	24,500	. . . . . . . . . .	100.00
6th Class	. . . . . . . . . .	6,000	-	12,000	. . . . . . . . . .	80.00
7th Class	. . . . . . . . . .	3,770	-	6,000	. . . . . . . . . .	80.00
8th Class	. . . . . . . . . .	3,770	or	less	. . . . . . . . . .	60.00

Section 6. Each Register who is a member of the Association may name one deputy Register to be a non-voting member of the Association upon payment of annual dues by or for the deputy in the amount of twenty-five dollars ($25.00). The annual dues for deputy Register shall be payable on or before the first day of September of each year.

Section 1. The officers of this Association shall be a President, the Immediate Past President, a First Vice-President, a Second Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Coordinator, a Parliamentarian, the County Officials Association of Tennessee (COAT) Board Members (2) and Chaplain.

Section 2. The President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected at the annual meeting of the Association by the majority of the membership present and voting, and shall hold their offices for a term of one year and until their successors are elected and shall qualify. The Coordinator, Parliamentarian, and Chaplain shall be appointed by the President and shall serve at the pleasure of the President. The COAT Board members shall be appointed by the President in accordance with the COAT Constitution and By-laws. Officers shall assume office immediately after the close of the annual meeting.

Section 3. Nominations for elective officers shall be made by the nominating committee of five members who shall be appointed and announced by the President on or before the first day of the annual meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor.

Section 4. Vacancies in any office or position shall be appointed for the unexpired term by the President.

Section 1. The President shall preside at all business meetings of the Association but may, in his discretion, arrange for the presiding officers for any other meetings. He shall appoint all committees unless otherwise provided and shall perform such other duties as are usually incumbent upon that officer or as may be directed by resolution of the Association. In case of absence or disability of the President, the First Vice-President shall exercise the President's functions.

Section 2. The First Vice-President, in addition to occupying the President's chair when necessary, shall be in charge of attendance, publicity, news bulletins or publications for the Association.

Section 3. The Second Vice-President, in addition to occupying the President's chair when necessary due to the absence or disability of both the President and First Vice-President, shall serve as membership chairman for the Association.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all monies, keep an accurate account of all financial transactions of the Association, and shall submit at each annual meeting a report of all receipts and disbursements during the preceding year. The Treasurer shall perform such duties as are usually incumbent upon that officer and such other duties as the Association may by resolution direct.

Section 5. The Coordinator shall work closely with the other officers and all committees chairpersons in the affairs of the Association, particularly in the planning of those things pertaining to the annual meeting.

Section 6. The Secretary shall take minutes and shall compile pertinent data pertaining to the Association and keep it for future reference; also, perform other duties normally incumbent upon the Secretary.

Section 7. The Parliamentarian shall advise the President or other presiding officer on questions of procedure in transacting the business of the Association.

Section 8. The Chaplain shall lead the Association in prayer at the request of the President or other presiding officer and perform other duties of a religious nature as the President of the Association, by resolution, may direct.

(A) A Legislative Committee consisting of the President and four members to be appointed by the President. This committee shall study all bills introduced in the General Assembly which affect the office of Register of Deeds. It shall take such action on each such bill as in its judgment will correctly carry out the wishes of the Association in respect thereto. It shall be responsible for the preparation of the Legislative program of the Association. It shall perform other duties as the Association by resolution may direct.

(B) A Resolutions and Memorials Committee, consisting of the President and four members to be appointed by the President.

(C) An Auditing and Awards Committee, consisting of the President and four members to be appointed by the President, whose duty it shall be to examine all receipts and disbursements of the Treasurer and report to the convention its findings as to the correctness of each entry of receipts and disbursements and fits approval or disapproval of the purpose for which each voucher was issued.

(D) A Retirement Committee, consisting of the President and four members to be appointed by the President, to study and make recommendations concerning the retirement system.

Section 2. The President shall appoint such special committees as he or she may deem necessary for the proper transaction of the business of the Association.

Section 3. The President shall be a voting member of each standing committee and shall appoint the chairperson of each committee.

Section 4. No committee shall be authorized to create any financial liability unless it shall have been approved as to its purpose and amount by the chairperson of each committee.

Section 5. A majority of each committee shall constitute a quorum thereof, and any question may be decided by a majority vote of those in attendance. The President shall fill vacancies by appointment.

Section 6. Committee members shall serve on the committee wherein appointed for a period of one year and until their successors are appointed. However, the President may remove a committee member at any time without cause and appoint a successor for the remainder of the term.

Section 1. There shall be eight (8) Economic Development Regions of the Association within the State.

Section 2. The President, with the approval of the other elective officers, shall appoint an Economic Development Region Chairperson from each of the eight (8) Economic Development Regions, who shall serve for a term of one year, and until their successors are appointed.

Section 1. The President, the First Vice-President, The Second Vice-President, the Treasurer, and Immediate Past President, the Coordinator; the Secretary, the Parliamentarian, Chaplain, COAT Board Members, the Chairpersons of the standing committees, and the Chairpersons of the eight Economic Development Regions constitute the Executive Committee. No person shall be a member of the Executive Committee who is not a member in good standing of the Association.

(A) Shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Association, and have full power to conduct the business of the Association between annual meetings of the membership.

(B) Shall report to the membership at each meeting of the Association the business transacted by it since the last meeting (annual or special).

(C) May, in its discretion, subject to the approval of the officers, authorize the payment of any part of the expenses incurred by any member of the Association who is an officer of the National Association of Recorders and Clerks, in attending may also, in its discretion, subject to the approval of the Association officers, pay expenses incurred for a delegate of the Tennessee Registers Association to the National Convention of the National Association of Recorders and Clerks.

(D) The President of the Association shall preside at all Executive Committee meetings.

The expenses incurred by the members of the standing and appointed committees in meetings necessary for the proper transaction of business pertaining to the Association shall be borne by the Association, upon the approval of the officers of the Association.

On all questions, each Register of Deeds, present or represented, shall have one vote (one vote per county). The vote of any Register of Deeds in good standing may be cast by any other person holding a valid written proxy from said Register of Deeds. Except as otherwise provided, a majority vote shall govern in all cases.

The Constitution may be amended at any annual meeting or special (statewide) meeting by a two-thirds vote of all Registers of Deeds voting, providing such amendment shall first have been submitted in writing and read to the meeting on the first day thereof and referred to the Committee on Resolutions and Memorials. Such vote shall not be taken until a report on the proposed amendment has been presented to the Association by the Committee on Resolutions and Memorials.