January 2004

What New Jersey’s unity agreement says

New Jersey is the first state in the nation to achieve a unified chiropractic organization. (See Newsflash story, “New Jersey unites! 6 chiropractic associations are now one.”) What is addressed in the unity document? According to Gene Veno, executive vice president of the Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association and mediator for the process that brought the six organizations together, the following document outlines the New Jersey unity:

Declaration of Unity
The Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC)

We the undersigned societies/associations, having in good faith conducted meetings the past four (4) months to discuss unifying our individual associations/societies, have agreed to this official Declaration of Unity that will see six (6) Chiropractic Organizations join together to work on behalf of the New Jersey Chiropractic profession as one Board.

A transitional board will serve together for the first eighteen months (18 months); thereafter a permanent elected Board will represent the ANJC. This Board will work together on the following issues for our profession: administrative daily services, legislative activities, lobbying activities, convention planning, political action fundraising, communications to all licensed doctors of chiropractic in New Jersey, publications, education, vendor solicitation and statewide dues billing to simplify the dues process for our colleagues.

The six New Jersey chiropractic organizations participating in this unity agreement are as follows:

• Central Jersey Chiropractic Society

• Council of New Jersey Chiropractors

• Monmouth Ocean Counties Chiropractic Society

• New Jersey Chiropractic Society

• Northern New Jersey Chiropractic Society

• Southern New Jersey Chiropractic Society

By-laws of the ANJC
I. REGIONS AND REGIONAL BOARDS

A. The State of New Jersey shall be divided into FIVE REGIONS. Each Region shall establish a Regional Board consisting of a Chairperson/President and Board members. The duties of the Regional Board shall include coordinating meetings and/or events for the dissemination of ANJC information to members in its region, nominating members for election to the ANJC Board of Directors, and preparing members for committee positions and future nominations.

B. Four geographic Regions shall be created based on a set number of New Jersey Legislative Districts set forth in Section I (D) below.

1. Each Regional Board may be autonomous or part of a larger organization; its membership for purposes of running for, or voting for, Regional Board positions shall consist of members from its specific legislative Districts.

(a.) Changes in legal boundaries of the legislative districts made by the NJ legislature shall likewise change the ANJC Regional Districts.

2. The Northern New Jersey Chiropractic Society (NNJCS) will conduct business and Regional meetings as the “Northeast Region” of ANJC as well as conduct autonomous NNJCS business.

C. One Region shall be created based on statewide Council of New Jersey Chiropractors (CNJC) membership with membership from all legislative Districts.

1. The CNJC will conduct business and Regional meetings as the “CNJC Region” of the ANJC as well as conduct autonomous CNJC business.

D. The Five ANJC Regions will be composed of Legislative Districts as follows:

1. Regions: Legislative Districts

Northeast: 28, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40
Northwest: 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
Central: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 30
Southern: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
CNJC: Statewide (All Legislative Districts)

E. An organization may join and/or remain a member of the ANJC while maintaining the autonomy of its organization. Autonomous Regions/Organizations shall vigorously promote membership in ANJC to all its members and shall not conduct independent legislative, regulatory or legal action contrary to ANJC Board action or approval. A non-binding discussion concerning the continuation of autonomy shall be conducted annually.

F. All Regions shall provide a quarterly summary of expenditures to the ANJC Board of Directors.

II. ELECTIONS

A. Elections shall be held for all Executive, State Board, Regional Board and Regional Chairperson/ President positions during the 15th month of the 18-month Transitional Period with installation of those elected at the conclusion of the 18th month. After this initial election, the ANJC shall hold annual general elections for the positions of President, Vice President, and 1/3 of the ANJC Board of Directors and each Regional Board of Directors.

B. Representation of the Districts will be achieved by representation on either the Regional or State Board. Since each Region is part of the new organization, members living/working in certain districts will be directly represented by an elected member of the new organization.

C. Members running for Regional Board or ANJC State Board positions will be selected by a Search Committee appointed by the Regional Chairperson/President. The nominees from the Search Committee will be approved by a vote from the Regional Board. Regional Board or ANJC State Board positions may also be placed on the ballot by petition by members of that Regional area. Election to the NE Regional Board or NE representative of the ANJC State Board will be achieved through a general election by the Regional Membership of legislative Districts in that Region.

D. Three (3) ANJC State Board seats plus one designated alternate on record will be allotted per Region. All elected ANJC State Board members have the responsibility to represent or act as liaison to the districts their seats represent.

III. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A. TRANSITIONAL BOARD

1. The ANJC shall install a transitional Board made up of 18 voting members, three (3) from each of the six (6) organizations. A quorum of this transitional Board shall consist of 12 Board members plus one designated alternate on record. Three members will be appointed from each of the six participating organizations named above to serve on the Transitional Board. The Transitional Board will serve for 18 months. During the 18 month Transitional Period, all motions shall require a 2/3 majority (12 votes) for passage. All organizations will complete the 18 month Transitional Period as active participating members of the ANJC. NNJCS Board of Directors will make up the Northeast Region Board.

B. PERMANENT BOARD

1. The ANJC shall install a permanent Board of Directors after 18 months that shall consist of 15 elected members, three (3) from each of the five (5) Regions. Each member of the ANJC Board of Directors shall be elected as specified in Section II to a term of three years.

(a.) The terms for each of the initial three Board of Directors elected from each Region shall be staggered to one, two and three years by drawing straws. Thereafter, each Region will elect one ANJC Board member per year for a term of three years as specified in Section II.

2. The President and Vice President shall be elected for a term of one (1) year by the general membership, and shall not serve for more than three consecutive terms. The transitional President and Vice President shall be elected by a 2/3 majority vote of the ANJC Board. Thereafter, the President and Vice President shall be elected by the general membership as specified in Section II. The President, with the approval of 2/3 of the Board, shall appoint the Secretary and Treasurer.

(a.) The nominating committee appointed by the ANJC Board, will select and present a slate of officers to the ANJC Board to be voted for by the general membership.

3. The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer shall not have a vote unless they are also members of the ANJC Board of Directors.

IV. VOTING

A. After the installation of the first elected Board of Directors of the ANJC, a quorum of the 15 member ANJC Board shall be eight (8) members.

B. A simple majority vote (eight votes) shall be required after election and installation of the 15 member ANJC Board to carry any motion or resolution. A 2/3 majority vote shall be required to amend, add, or delete any portion of the Constitution or By-laws. Exceptions to these voting requirements are that all five Regions must approve any additions, deletions or amendments regarding any of the items listed in Section IV ©.

C. All five Regions must approve any additions, deletions or amendments regarding any of the items listed below.

1. Increase or decrease the number of voting members on the ANJC Board

2. Increase or decrease the number of Regions on the ANJC Board

3. Increase or decrease the number of votes allotted to each Region on the ANJC Board

4. Increase or Decrease in the allotment or percentage of dues money to any independent Region

5. Ability of independent organizations to remain autonomous

6. Changes to the voting structure (i.e. 2/3 majority vote for By-law changes, etc.)

7. Changes to the name of the organization

8. Removal or Expulsion of a Region from the ANJC Board may only occur by 2/3 vote of each Region by the four remaining Regions based upon just cause.

(a.) The term “Just Cause” shall be defined as the repeated failure of a Region to adhere to all provisions of these Bylaws

V. COMMITTEES

A. The President shall select a Chairperson for each committee. All Committee Chairs or Co-Chairs will report directly to the ANJC Board. Each Regional Board shall be permitted to appoint one voting member to all ANJC committees. All Committees may contain as many members as necessary, but only one member from each Region shall vote on all Committee decisions and/or recommendations. Committee members may or may not be members of the ANJC Board.

VI. MEMBERSHIP

A. The ANJC shall initially consist of the combined membership of the Central Jersey Chiropractic Society, Council of New Jersey Chiropractors, Monmouth Ocean Counties Chiropractic Society, New Jersey Chiropractic Society, Northern New Jersey Chiropractic Society, and Southern New Jersey Chiropractic Society. In an effort to better protect and promote the NJ chiropractic profession, the above chiropractic organizations will unify their legislative, regulatory, and public relations efforts and consolidate all membership dues as specified in Section VII.

1. Members of the ANJC shall be assigned to a specific Region correlating with the legislative district of either their home or office address at the discretion of the member OR the member may choose to be assigned to the statewide CNJC Region.

(a.) A member may choose only one address of record for purposes of running or voting for Regional Board positions.

2. Regardless of Region assigned or chosen, all members of the ANJC shall be entitled to attend the meetings/events of any Region under the same terms and conditions as home Region members. Voting in Regional elections is reserved for members of each specific Region.

VII. FINANCES

A. Dues for ANJC membership for any Region shall be $400 per year with various classifications and discounts as set forth on the official ANJC membership application.

B. Dues will be collected through centralized statewide billing utilizing a single membership application.

1. The application will include a statement provided by the CNJC and check off box for those chiropractors desiring CNJC Regional participation as opposed to geographic Regional participation.

2. ANJC shall reimburse each Autonomous Region/Organization $100 or 25% of dues paid per member for each member in its Region to conduct its Regional meetings and activities.

C. ANJC will equally provide support to all Regions. Each of the organizations listed below is joining together in this venture with the best of intentions for all licensed doctors of chiropractic in New Jersey. We the undersigned Unity Coalition Representatives, in good faith, agree to be bound by this declarative document, while working to the best of our ability to effect a positive change for the Chiropractic profession, and their many patients, through a Unified effort!

Attested to this 29th day of January 2004

Central Jersey Chiropractic Society: Sharon Guida, DC; Robert B. Wise, DC; Mark Spratford, DC

Council of New Jersey Chiropractors: Thomas J. Sidoti, DC, Richard M. Klingert, DC; Mark C. Magos, DC; Allan S. Vargas, DC

Monmouth Ocean Counties Chiropractic Society: Martin E. Manzo, DC; William J. Campagnolo, DC; John W. Crawford, DC; Michael W. Goione, DC

New Jersey Chiropractic Society: Michael Spadafino, DC; Rick Alexander, DC

Northern New Jersey Chiropractic Society: William Cirino, Jr., DC; Dick Santucci, DC; Joseph Tuzzeo, DC; William Cirino, Sr., DC; Diane Kramer, DC

Southern New Jersey Chiropractic Society: Blaise K. Glodowski, DC; Brett A. Wartenberg, DC

Witnessed by: Gene G. Veno

Source: Gene Veno, executive vice president, Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association

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