Bylaws of the Colorado Association of Tax Appraisers

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Article One – NAME

The name of this organization shall be “The Colorado Association of Tax Appraisers”. The official publication of the Association shall be the CATAlog.

Article Two – PURPOSE AND GOAL

The purpose of this Association is to encourage the advancement of appraisal practice and techniques in the field of assessment and taxation through cooperation with Colorado Division of Property Taxation and Colorado Assessor’s Association. The goal of this Association is the development of the highest caliber of appraisal personnel and the attainment of professional status for qualified personnel.

Article Three – MEMBERSHIP

Sec. 1 – Regular Membership

Persons eligible for regular membership shall include any employee of a department, commission, board, bureau. or agency of the State, County, or City whose duties are to appraise real and personal property for ad valorem purposes in the State of Colorado.

Sec. 2 – Associate Membership

Persons eligible for associate membership shall include Assessors. the Property Tax Administrator, County Commissioners, Tax Agents of private companies, and persons in fields related to or conforming with the interests of our Association’. Associate members have privileges of the floor at regular meetings only, without all other privileges effecting the operation and function of the Association.

Sec. 3

Persons who have been active members, upon retiring from county office shall be selected honorary Life members of the Association with all prior membership privileges, but without the right to hold office.

Sec. 4

Active members who leave office, regardless of the reason may retain membership, subject to the Executive Board’s decision upon reviewing their written application.

Sec. 5 – Rules pertaining to Membership

Rules and qualifications governing membership will be as set forth by the executive board.

Sec. 6 – Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct

All members shall subscribe to the objectives of the association and shall subscribe to the association’s code of ethics and standards of professional conduct.

Article Four – OFFICES

Sec. 1

The officers of this Association shall consist of a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. All of whom, except the Secretary and Treasurer, shall be elected annually by plurality vote of the regular members. The Secretary and Treasurer will be elected for two year terms. Elections will be held on alternate years for the offices of Secretary and Treasurer so that one officer will have a year to serve when the tenure of the other has expired.

Sec. 2

The election of officers shall be in accordance with rules prescribed by the Executive Board.

Sec. 3

The terms of all offices shall begin on adjournment of the meeting during which they were elected. Officers shall continue their respective offices until their successors shall have been elected and have accepted their offices.

Sec. 4

The duties of all officers shall be the duties usually pertaining to these offices.

Sec. 5

A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the First Vice President. A vacancy in the office of the First Vice President shall be filled by the Second Vice President. If the offices of both the President and First Vice President shall become vacant, the Second Vice President shall become President. In such a case, the offices of FirstVice President and Second Vice President shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Board. Vacancies in all other offices shall be filled by appointment by the Executive Board.

Sec. 6

The Secretary shall, at least 30 days prior to the date of any regular meeting, and at least 10 days prior to the date of any special meeting, mail an official notice to each member, stating the time, place and purpose of such meeting.

Sec. 7 – Change of Jurisdiction

Should a board member change his/her jurisdiction of employment during a term of office, the board member shall be entitled to complete the term of office provided all other requirements of regular membership exist and subject to the approval of the remaining board members.

Article Five – MEETINGS

Sec. 1

The Association shall meet annually or more often at such time and place as designated by the Association in meetings assembled, or by the officers if no such designation is made. Special meetings may be called by the President upon request by the Executive Board.

Sec. 2

To constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting, there shall be present at such meeting at least 20 percent of the regular members.

Sec. 3

A Sergeant-At-Arms shall be appointed by the President during each meeting. Duties of the Sergeant-At-Arms will be to determine if a quorum exists and to see that meetings are conducted in an orderly manner.

Article Six – THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Sec. 1

The affairs of the Association shall be managed by an Executive Board composed of eight members: the President, who shall be Chairman of the Board; the First Vice President, the Second Vice President; the Secretary; the Treasurer; and the Immediate Past President. Two members-at- large shall be elected by the membership. If the President is reelected, there shall be elected three members- at- large to the Executive Board.

Sec. 2 – Governing Body

The Governing Body of the Association shall be the Executive Board, which shall have power to pass any resolution or bylaw it may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes of the Association and which is not in conflict with any of the provisions of this constitution.

Sec. 3

The president shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Board held for the purposes of transacting official business and vote only in case of a tie. At such meetings a quorum shall consist of not fewer than five (5) members of the Executive Board.

Article Seven – FINANCE

Sec. 1 – Dues

The Executive Board by resolution shall adopt the membership dues schedule to be imposed for each category of membership and for such subcategories as the Executive Board may establish.

Sec. 2

The Association shall levy dues annually, due and payable on January 1.

Sec. 3

Assessments for necessary additional funds may be levied only by a majority vote of all members present at a regular meeting.

Sec. 4

A member in arrears more than one year shall not be entitled to vote or receive other privileges of membership, and such members, when notified by the Treasurer, shall be dropped from the Association rolls of membership within 60 days after such notice. Members so dropped must pay the regular annual dues to be reinstated.

Sec. 5

Members shall not be entitled to the return of any fees on severing their connection with the Association.

Sec. 6

The fiscal year of the Association shall coincide with the interim period between elections.

Sec. 7

It shall be the duty of the Executive Board to prescribe by resolution or by-law a method for handling the receipts and disbursing the funds of the Association.

Sec. 8

The Treasurer or any other officer, agent or employee of the Association as may be designated by the Executive Board shall furnish a bond in such amount and with such sureties as the Executive Board shall approve. The cost of said bond and sureties shall be paid by the Association and they shall be deposited and kept as the Executive Board may direct.

Article Eight – COMMITTEES

Sec. 1

Within 30 days after taking office, the President shall appoint, subject to the approval of the Executive board, all standing committees. Other committees, not otherwise provided for in the constitution and bylaws, shall be appointed as deemed necessary (appointed by the President, approval by the Executive Board)

Sec. 2

The following standing committees shall be appointed annually by the President subject to the approval of the Executive Board; Auditing, Legislative, Nominating and Professionalism.

Sec. 3

The Vice President shall act as Program Chairman and the Executive Board shall constitute the Program Committee.

Article Nine – DUTIES OF COMMITTEES

Sec. 1

The Auditing Committee shall arrange for the auditing of the Association’s records at least once annually and present a report of such audit to the Executive Board.

Sec. 2

The Legislative Committee shall report to the Association any legislation affecting our profession and support or oppose legislation in accordance with the aims and objectives of the Association.

Sec. 3

The Nominating Committee shall select not less than one name from among the regular members in good standing as a candidate for each office and not less than one name for the two vacancies on the Executive Board.

Sec. 4

The Professionalism Committee shall encourage and assist members who wish to attain professional appraisal designations, and shall cooperate with the Department of Property Taxation and the Colorado Assessors Association in developing curricula for the annual school for assessors.

Article Ten – AMENDMENTS

Sec. 1

This constitution may be amended at any regular meeting which is held by a vote of two thirds of the regular members present provided that a copy of the proposed amendment was mailed to each regular member’ 20 days prior’ to the meeting.

Sec. 2

Amendments may be proposed either by initiatory petitions signed by not less than ten regular members or by resolution of the Executive Board.

Article Eleven – RULES OF ORDER

Roberts Rules of Order shall govern this Association in all its meetings and deliberations, and the order of business shall be the one prescribed in the Roberts Rules of Order.


Grateful recognition is hereby given to the founders, the first officials (named below) and the pioneering charter members of CATA.
The first officers were:
A. Ferraro-President
B. Early-First Vice President
J. Redman-Second Vice President
P. Patterson- Secretary-Treasurer
R. Linnabary-Executive Board Member
T. Oliver-Executive Board Member
R. West-Executive Board Member

Let it be the pledge of each CATA member to dedicate himself to furthering the principles and obtaining the worthy objectives established by the founders.