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Greater Central Louisiana REALTORS® Association, Inc.

Policies and Procedures Manual

February 1, 2020

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POLICY MANUAL

GREATER CENTRAL LOUISIANA REALTORS® ASSOCIATION, INC.

Effective: February 1, 2020

Table of Contents SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION 5 SECTION 2: BOARD OF DIRECTORS 5

2.1 Directors’ Responsibilities 5 2.2 Information / Education 6 2.3 Nominating and Certifying of Directors & Officers 7

A. Nominations 7

B. Elections 7

C. Voting Procedures 7

D. Term / Firm Limits 7

E. Vacancies 7

F. Removal 7

SECTION 3: OFFICERS 7 3.1 Executive Committee – Duties, Responsibilities and Authority 7 3.2 President / Duties, Responsibilities and Authority 7 3.3 President-Elect / Duties, Responsibilities & Authority 8 3.4 Secretary / Duties, Responsibilities & Authority 9 3.5 Treasurer / Duties, Responsibilities & Authority 10 3.6 Past President / Duties, Responsibilities & Authority 10

SECTION 4: STANDING & SPECIAL COMMITTEES 11 4.1 Standing Committees 11

A. Governance Committee 12

B. Professional Standards/Grievance Committees 12

1. Ombudsman 12

2. Mediator 12

3. Grievance Committee 12

4. Professional Standards Committee 13

C. Professional Development & Member Services 13 1. Professional Development Committee 13

2. Affiliate/Membership Committee 13

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3. Community Volunteers Committee 13

4. Governmental Affairs Committee 14

5. Commercial Committee 14

D. MLS Committee 14 E. Finance Committee 15 F. Executive Committee 15

4.2 Specialty Committees 16 A. GCLRA Political Action Team (PAT) 16 B. Nominating 17 C. Election 17 D. Installation 18 E. REALTOR ® of the Year 18 F. Hiring 18 G. Building 19 H. Budget Committee 19 I. Strategic Planning Committee 19 J. Program of Work Committee 20

4.3 Chairperson’s Responsibilities 20 4.4 Staff Liaisons to Committees 20

SECTION 5: LEGAL 20 5.1 Bonding 20 5.2 Errors and Omission Insurance Coverage 20 5.3 Contracts 20 5.4 Professional Services 21 5.5 Anti-Trust Compliance 21 5.6 Harassment Policy 22 5.7 Fraud Prevention and Control 23 5.8 Whistleblower Policy and Fraud Response Plan 23 5.9 Record Retention Policy 25 5.10 Leadership/Conflict of Interest Policy/Confidentiality Agreement 26

SECTION 6: FINANCE 27 6.1 Spending Authority and Control 28 6.2 Authorized Signatures 28 6.3 Accounts 28 6.4 Check Requests 28 6.5 Credit Card Use 29 6.6 Financial Information Disclosure to Members 29 6.7 Annual Operating Budget 29 6.8 Unbudgeted Expenditures 29 6.9 Financial Reserve Policy 30 6.10 Outstanding Financial Obligations and Bad Debt - Members 30 6.11 Petty Cash 31 6.12 Dues Refunds 31

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6.13 Annual Audit/Review 31 6.14 Contributions 31 6.15 Travel Reimbursement 31 6.15a President and President-Elect Travel Reimbursement 32 6.15b State Director and Regional VP Travel Reimbursement 32 6.15c Local Directors and Committee & GCLRA-PAT Chairs Travel Reimbursement 33 6.15d LARPAC Trustees Travel Reimbursement 33 6.15e LR Leadership 33

SECTION 7: MEMBERSHIP 33 7.1 Dues / Assessments / Fees 33 7.2 Members’ Access to Meetings & Materials 33 7.3 Awards and Recognition 34

A. REALTOR Emeritus 34 B. REALTOR OF THE YEAR 34 C. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR 35 HIGH PRODUCERS 35

7.4 Reapplication for Membership 36 7.5 GCLRA REALTOR® Relief Network 36 7.6 REALTOR® Affiliate Members (RAM) 36

SECTION 8: COMMUNICATIONS, PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITE 36 8.1 Weekly Newsletter 37 8.2 Website 37 8.3 Social Media Policy 37

SECTION 9: BUILDING & RENTAL OPERATIONS 38 SECTION 10: NAR & LR 38

10.1 NAR Directors & LR Directors 38 SECTION 11: ADVERTISING/ SPONSORSHIP 38 SECTION 12: NON-RECRUITMENT POLICY 39 APPENDICES 40

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GREATER CENTRAL LOUISIANA REALTORS® ASSOCIATION, INC. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MANUAL

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

The Greater Central Louisiana REALTORS® Association, Inc. (GCLRA) is a trade association owned by the members of the Association. Their elected Board of Directors adopt Association policies and goals that are carried out by the Association Executive (AE) and staff.

GCLRA consists of real estate industry professionals who have joined together for effective action. It operates to serve and protect the public, to preserve and protect private property rights, to serve its members by promotion, cooperation and involvement, to provide education and service and to maintain high standards in the transaction of real estate business. In brief, this organization works to maintain high standards for the real estate industry.

GCLRA was chartered in 1945. As a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), GCLRA presently serves parishes in the central Louisiana region through its NAR jurisdictional authority.

Mission Statement: Safeguarding the rights of property ownership and promoting professionalism to our members. GCLRA is the Voice of Real Estate for Central Louisiana. Vision Statement: To be the Resource for all things Real Estate in Central Louisiana. SECTION 2: BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Officers and Directors of the GCLRA shall comprise the governing body of the Association. The Vision and Mission should be in the forefront of each Director’s mind when making decisions. Once a decision is made by the Board, the Directors will present a united front.

2.1 Directors’ Responsibilities

● Serve as the governing body of the Association and control all the affairs of the Association subject to the restrictions imposed by the Bylaws. Abide by the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality policy defined in Section 5.10 Leadership/Conflict of Interest/Confidentiality Agreement.

● All Directors and Officers shall sign the Agreement to Serve, Code of Conduct, Antitrust Policy, Whistleblower Policy and other documents required by the Board of Directors.

● Select the financial institution(s), by resolution, to deposit all Association monies. ● Borrows money, issue notes, bonds or certificates of indebtedness when authorized by a vote of

the membership. ● Employ an AE to manage the day-to-day operations of the Association. ● Contract with an outside independent accounting firm to be available for consultation and to

conduct annual audit/review of the Association's books. Said annual audit/review shall commence no later than the first quarter after the close of the fiscal year.

● The Directors shall make available to the membership an annual compilation report of income and expenses and balance sheet of the Association no later than the next Annual Meeting of the Association.

● Contract with outside legal counsel to attend Board of Directors meetings, MLS meetings and Professional Standards hearings and be available for such consults as deemed necessary.

● Review and approve a budget presented by the Finance Committee reflecting projected income from all sources and projected costs and expenses of the Association for the next fiscal year. The budget shall be approved by the Directors no later than the November meeting.

● Support and approve Strategic Plan and annual Program of Work.

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● Any new committee, work group, or specialty committee may only be formed when specifics related to composition and duties to be completed are adopted by the Board.

● Report regularly and promptly to the members all actions of the Board of Directors. ● Properly research facts and all aspects before making decisions. ● Review and act on committee requests. If financial requests deviate from the approved budget,

such requests must first be reviewed by the Finance Committee. ● Ratify any actions taken by the Executive Committee and confirm actions taken by the Board

carried out in the interim between Directors' meetings. ● Approve and amend such rules, regulations and policies necessary to the operation of the

Association. ● Attend all Board meetings. Any Officer or Director of the Board that is absent from three (3)

regular meetings during the calendar year without written excuse deemed valid by the Board of Directors shall be construed as immediate resignation. Any absence from a Board of Directors meeting should be reported to the President and AE in advance.

● Serve without compensation. ● Represent the entire membership by:

▪ Soliciting member input as much as possible, bringing from the membership specific problems or concerns.

▪ Placing the welfare of the entire membership ahead of geographical or factional considerations.

▪ Expressing their viewpoints and sharing their opinions on issues before the group. ● Be informed and knowledgeable in areas of particular interest, concern and importance to the

Association and the real estate industry. ● Volunteer for association committees as Director Liaisons. Committees that do not have a

Director will have one (1) appointed. The Professional Standards and Grievance, MLS, Executive, and Finance Committees are excluded.

● Provide reasonable access to member guests. It is the policy of the Association to protect the interests of its members and employees in maintaining confidentiality. All guests and staff will be excused when the Board is called into Executive Session at which time matters relating to confidential personnel matters, professional standards hearings, results and appeals, and attorney-client communications, among other possible matters, may be discussed.

2.2 Information / Education Both the national and state associations can provide Directors with many resources for obtaining information. In addition, Association staff can offer assistance in most areas. Directors are a vital link between the Membership and the Association. Directors should bring from the Membership specific problems or concerns and should take back information concerning the Association's activities and programs. Member access to meetings or materials is defined under 7.2 Members’ Access to Meetings and Materials. Directors should be familiar with:

● Current bylaws, constitution and policies in the NAR, Louisiana REALTORS® (LR) the current bylaws, policies and procedures, MLS rules and regulations, and issue positions of the GCLRA.

● Legislative activity on local, state, and national level. ● Robert's Rules of Order, latest edition. ● Minutes, final agenda, any other meeting materials and notices of Directors meetings shall be

dispersed to members of the Board of Directors at least three (3) days prior to the next regular scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors.

● Directors shall review all materials prior to the meeting.

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2.3 Nominating and Certifying of Directors & Officers

A. Nominations See Section 4.2(B) (Specialty Committees; Nominating) A Past President is ineligible to serve as a Director or Officer for two years after the end of their term as Past President. 1. QUALIFICATION FOR NOMINATION TO SERVE AS A DIRECTOR (MUST MEET ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA):

● Be a member of GCLRA for a minimum of two years immediately prior to taking office and have served on the MLS Committee prior to being nominated.

● Be a member of GCLRA for a minimum of two years immediately prior to taking office and have served on Governance or Professional Standards/Grievance.

● Be a member of GCLRA for a minimum of three years prior to taking office and have served as the Chair of any other standing committee or workgroup.

2. QUALIFICATION FOR NOMINATION TO SERVE AS AN OFFICER:

● In addition to the qualifications to serve as a Director, a member must have previously served as a Director for a minimum of one year prior to taking office.

B. Elections See Section 4.2(C) (Specialty Committees; Elections)

C. Voting Procedures See Section 4.2(C) (Specialty Committees; Elections)

D. Term / Firm Limits No Director shall serve more than two (2) consecutive full terms. No firm shall have more than two (2) members on the Board of Directors regardless of status at any time.

E. Vacancies See Bylaws, Article XI – Officers and Directors, Section 5 - Vacancies For vacancies created by elections, see Voting Procedures, Section 4.2(B) (Specialty Committees; Elections)

F. Removal See Bylaws, Article XI – Officers and Directors, Section 6 – Removal of Officers and Directors SECTION 3: OFFICERS 3.1 Executive Committee – Duties, Responsibilities and Authority Refer to Section 4.1 F – Executive Committee 3.2 President / Duties, Responsibilities and Authority The President, as chief elected officer, represents the entire membership and the best interests of the Association; exercises personal leadership in the motivation of other officers, board members, committee members and staff; acts as spokesperson and inspirational leader and takes an important part in monitoring and evaluating organizational performance and effectiveness. The office of President is one of leadership and personal commitment to the members of our Association. Within the limits of the bylaws

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and policies, the President’s authority is to accomplish the duties set forth below and to perform such other duties as approved by the Board of Directors:

● Is informed and knowledgeable in all areas of Association involvement and in the real estate industry in general.

● Represents the Association and acts in its name (signs official documents), subject to its declared polices.

● Appoints such committees and designates their chairs as deemed advisable, with the approval of the Board of Directors.

● Conducts quarterly broker meetings. ● Serves as ex-officio member of all committees of the Association except the Nominating,

Election, and Professional Standards and Grievance Committee. When serving as ex-officio, the President may count towards establishing a quorum of a committee but has no voting rights.

● Serves as a member of the local Political Action Team ● Chairs the Executive Committee ● Guides the business affairs and strategic vision of the Association with the assistance of the

Directors, Executive Committee and staff. Is responsible for the oversight of the annual Program of Work and compliance with Core Standards. Develops, with assistance of the AE, agendas for Board, Executive Committee, and general membership meetings.

● Selects charitable organization(s) to be supported throughout the year. These organization(s) shall comply with the Community Involvement element of Core Standards.

● Supports and defends policies and programs adopted by the Board of Directors. ● Consults with the AE to assure that matters pertaining to policies, finance and programs are

communicated to the membership in a timely manner. ● Presides at and attends all meetings of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and the

membership meetings. ● Serves as the Association spokesperson and represents the interest and objectives of the

Association in dealings with the news media, allied organizations and industries, local, state and federal legislators and the general public. President may appoint a designee on an as needed basis.

● Ensures that the Board of Directors and Officers are kept fully informed on the conditions and operations of the Association.

● Sees that the organizational structure of the Association is reviewed annually. ● Serves as an LR Director during term of office in accordance with LR Bylaws. ● Serves on one or more state committees. ● Attends State and National Association meetings as defined in Section 6.10A President and

President-Elect Travel Reimbursement. ● Encourages membership participation. ● Performs such other duties as approved by the Board of Directors.

3.3 President-Elect / Duties, Responsibilities & Authority It is the responsibility of the President-Elect to perform the duties of the President in the event of the President's absence or disability. The office of the President-Elect is one of leadership and personal commitment to the members of our Association. Within the limits of the bylaws and policies, the President-Elect’s authority is to accomplish the duties set forth below and to perform such other duties as approved by the Board of Directors:

● Succeeds to the office of President in the event of death, disability, removal from office, or resignation of the President.

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● Acts in the name of the Association (signs official documents) in the event the President is unavailable and authorized by the Board.

● Is essential that the President-Elect be informed and knowledgeable in all areas of Association involvement and in the real estate industry in general.

● Attends as a voting member, all meetings of the Board of Directors, Executive Committee and membership meetings, and presides in the absence of the President.

● Serves as ex-officio member of all committees of the Association except Nominating, Election, and Professional Standards and Grievance Committees.

● Serves as member of the Executive and Finance Committees, local Political Action Team, and chairs the Strategic Planning Committee and the Program of Work Committee.

● Designates Standing Committee Chairs at the September board meeting for the following year, with the exception of Governance, Finance, and MLS Committees. [After the annual election, the newly elected President-Elect will designate Vice Chairs.]

● Works closely with the President on all Association matters and activities in order to provide continuity and smooth transition when he becomes President.

● Presents the annual program of work to the Board of Directors by September 30. ● Serves on one or more state committees. ● Attends State and National Association meetings as defined in Section 6.10A President and

President-Elect Travel Reimbursement ● Serves as an LR Director during term of office in accordance with LR Bylaws.

3.4 Secretary / Duties, Responsibilities & Authority The office of the Secretary is one of leadership and personal commitment to the members of our Association. The Secretary shall serve as the primary record keeper for the Association. In the absence of the Secretary, or at the discretion of the Board of Directors, the duties of the office will be assigned to the AE as required from time to time. Within the limits of the Bylaws and policies, the Secretary is responsible and has commensurate authority to accomplish the duties set forth below and to perform such other duties as approved by the Board of Directors:

● Is informed and knowledgeable in all areas of the Association involvement and in the real estate industry in general.

● Serves as Parliamentarian. ● Works closely with the President and AE on all Association communication. ● Attends all Board of Directors and General Membership Meetings and presents all new

members at these meetings. ● Serves as a member of the Executive Committee. ● Chairs the Governance Committee. ● Presides at the meetings of the Board of Directors in the absence of the President and the

President-Elect. ● Receives the petitions for additional nominees to the ballots for Association elections as per

Bylaws. ● Shall have charge of such books, documents and papers as the Board of Directors may

determine and shall have custody of the Corporate Seal. ● Is responsible for ensuring that minutes of all the meetings of the Board of Directors and

General Membership are properly kept. Keep records, containing the names, alphabetically arranged, of all persons, firms, corporations or partnerships that are Members of the Association, showing their places of business. Such books shall be opened for inspection as prescribed by law.

● May sign with the President, President-Elect or AE in name and on behalf of the Association, any contracts or agreements authorized by the Board of Directors and when so authorized or ordered by the Board of Directors, may affix the seal of the Association.

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● Shall perform, in general, all duties incident to the office of Secretary, subject to the authority of the Board of Directors and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board of Directors.

● Is highly recommended that the Secretary serve on one or more state committees. ● Attends State and National Association meetings as defined in Section 6.10C Local Directors

and Committee and GCLRA PAT Chairs Travel and Reimbursement 3.5 Treasurer / Duties, Responsibilities & Authority The Treasurer shall oversee the funds and assets of the Association. The office of the Treasurer is one of leadership and personal commitment to the members of our Association.

● Is essential the Treasurer be informed and knowledgeable in all areas of the Association involvement and in the real estate industry in general.

● Be knowledgeable of Association financial activities. ● Attends all Board of Directors and General Membership meetings. ● Ensures the integrity of Association fiscal affairs as the Chair of the Finance Committee and

Budget Committee. ● Serves as a member of the Executive Committee. ● Ensures that the AE and CPA maintain accurate financial records. ● Has responsibility of all funds, property and securities of the Association and all subsidiary

corporations, subject to such regulations as may be imposed by the Board of Directors. When necessary or proper, the Treasurer may endorse on behalf of the Association, checks, notes and other obligations and shall deposit same credit to the Association at such bank or banks or depository as the Board of Directors may designate.

● Signs in conjunction with the AE; ▪ all receipts and vouchers; ▪ checks and bills of exchange; and ▪ promissory notes issued by the Association, except in cases where the execution of

documents shall be expressly designated by the Board of Directors or the Bylaws to some other officer or agent of the Association.

● Performs midyear budget review. ● Prepares with the Budget Committee an annual budget to be approved at the November Board

of Directors meeting. Makes recommendations for amendments to the budget when necessary. ● Presents to the Board of Directors and MLS Committee monthly the year-to-date profit and

loss statement, year-to-date balance sheet and budget report indicating budget vs actual income and expenses.

● Reports to membership on the financial state of the association at least once a year. ● Ensures all documentation is provided for the annual audit/review as prescribed under the

Section 6.11 Annual / Audit Review. ● Ensures all required tax filings are completed as required by law. ● Attends State meetings as defined in Section 6.13c Local Directors and Committee and

GCLRA PAT Chairs Travel and Reimbursement 3.6 Past President / Duties, Responsibilities & Authority

● The Past President will serve on the Executive Committee of the Association.

● The Past President shall serve as the Chair of the Nominating Committee.

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SECTION 4: STANDING & SPECIAL COMMITTEES Committees serve to assist in the effective implementation of Association objectives and specific programs. There shall be an annual opportunity for members to express their interest in serving on committees. Member access to meetings or materials is defined under 7.2 Members’ Access to Meetings and Materials. The following shall apply to all committees: Notice of Meetings:

● Within ten (10) days of the monthly scheduled meeting, committee members shall be notified with a copy of the proposed agenda attached by the Staff.

● During the first seven (7) day period any committee member may add to the agenda by request in writing.

● Three days prior to the meeting, the final meeting notice and agenda will be sent to committee members.

● After the final notice, the agenda can only be modified by a unanimous vote during the meeting.

Voting by email shall apply to the following:

● Approval of minutes ● Approval of agenda ● Approval of notifications to the membership prior to distribution by Staff. ● All votes taken by email as an action of the committee will be confirmed by vote at the next

scheduled meeting as an agenda item. Other items that may be considered by email:

● Setting of meeting date and time ● Polls of committee members ● Polls of non-committee members in an effort to assist with decisions

Monthly Reports to the Board:

● Shall be filed by the Chair with the AE five (5) days prior to the Board meeting. ● Report shall be detailed with key discussion points. ● Items requiring a vote of the board shall appear as motions on the Board agenda.

Contractual Obligations:

● No committee chair may enter into a contractual agreement without approval of the board. ● The President or AE is the only person permitted to execute a contractual agreement.

A quorum for the transaction of business for a committee shall be a simple majority of the total committee membership as defined in the GCLRA Bylaws, Article XII, Section 4(b). The President may count towards establishing a quorum except for the MLS Committee. Per Article XIII Section 2 of the Bylaws, the President shall appoint, subject to confirmation by the Board of Directors, special committees as deemed necessary. 4.1 Standing Committees The following are standing committees: Governance, Professional Standards/Grievance, Professional Development and Member Services, MLS Committee, Finance, and Executive.

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A. Governance Committee Composition. The committee shall be chaired by the Secretary. The committee shall include six (6) additional members appointed by the Board – two (2) who served in the previous calendar year on the committee, an MLS representative, a member of the general membership, a member of the Board of Directors who is not an officer and a Past President who has served in the previous five (5) years. No other persons shall serve on this committee. Duties. Reviews all GCLRA governing documents and proposed forms and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors. Additionally, the committee shall make certain all NAR mandated changes and items adopted by the Board of Directors are compiled in the documents prior to distribution to the membership. The committee shall meet annually unless otherwise necessary. A complete review of all documents shall take place every three (3) years.

B. Professional Standards/Grievance Committees The AE or the Board’s designee shall serve as the administrator of the Professional Standards program. The program will be administered in compliance with the most current version of NAR’s Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual along with specific policies adopted and noted in the Code of Ethics and Arbitration Part 9 – Grievance Committee.

1. Ombudsman Composition: The Ombudsman is appointed annually by the President from the members who have attended Ombudsman/Mediation training in the past two years. The Ombudsman should not be a member of the Board of Directors and shall not serve on a Grievance nor Professional Standards hearing panel. Duties: The Ombudsman receives and resolves disputes through communication. This is an informal process. The Ombudsman does not determine whether ethics violations have occurred or who is entitled to what amount of money. If an Ombudsman is utilized prior to a formal written complaint being filed, the time period for resolution at this level does not count toward the 180- day deadline for filing the complaint. The Ombudsman may assist in completing complaint forms; however, the complaint must be drafted and finalized by the person filing the complaint. The Ombudsman never acts as an attorney and does not make a judgement on the facts as presented.

2. Mediator Composition: The Mediator is appointed annually by the President from the members who have attended Ombudsman/Mediation training in the past two years. The Mediator should not be a member of the Board of Directors and shall not serve on a Grievance nor Professional Standards hearing panel. Duties: The Mediator receives and resolves monetary disputes. This is an informal process and is not binding on the parties involved. The Mediator sets a prearranged tie for the parties to meet face-to-face and encourages both parties to come to a mutually satisfactory resolution. Mediation can result in a split of funds. Mediation may be offered at any point of the process.

3. Grievance Committee Composition. The Chair of this committee shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Board of Directors. No member of this committee shall serve simultaneously on either the Professional Standards Committee or on the Association’s Board of Directors. The Grievance Committee shall consist of those volunteers each year who have attended an approved training session within the past two (2) years which outlines and updates NAR’s policies and procedures for the grievance process. The minimum members required for this committee is no fewer than three (3). Duties. Acts as a reviewing body to determine whether to dismiss or send the complaint forward to the Professional Standards Committee for a hearing. The Grievance Committee receives ethics complaints and arbitration requests to determine if a hearing is to be warranted. It

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makes only such preliminary evaluation as is necessary to make these decisions. The Grievance Committee does not hold hearings and does not decide whether members have violated the Code of Ethics. It does not mediate or arbitrate business disputes.

4. Professional Standards Committee Composition. The Chair of this committee shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Board of Directors. No member of this committee shall serve simultaneously on either the Grievance Committee or on the Association’s Board of Directors. The Professional Standards Committee shall consist of those volunteers each year who have attended an approved training session within the past two (2) years which outlines and updates NAR’s policies and procedures for the professional standards process. The minimum members required for this committee is no fewer than three (3). Duties. Responsible as the Judicial Body of the Association and conducts due process hearings in accordance with Bylaws on alleged violations of the Code of Ethics and Arbitration requests. They may impose disciplinary action in accordance with the policies adopted in the Code of Ethics and Arbitration section 16. Hearing panels shall be impartial on all matters and may address membership disputes and complaints as outlined by the Grievance Committee.

C. Professional Development & Member Services Provides for professional growth and interactions of members along with increasing the presence of the Association in the community. Its efforts are accomplished through the following subcommittees: i.e. Professional Development, Affiliates/Membership, Community Volunteers, Governmental Affairs, and Commercial.

1. Professional Development Committee Composition: The Professional Development Committee shall consist of those volunteers each year who have agreed to serve. Duties: The Committee works with the staff to recommend and review course offerings and/or suggested matter for professional development and seminars. The Committee shall provide annual education classes which includes Orientation (Cornerstone), Safety, and the LREC mandatory course(s) for that year. Other education may include Code of Ethics, Fair Housing, Professional Standards training and any other topics requested by the membership. It shall provide timely and informative programs and seminars for the general membership. The Committee shall assist Staff in securing instructors, offsite facility if necessary, presentation equipment, publicizing the event, and onsite registrations. The Committee shall coordinate with LR and NAR in providing designation courses for the members.

2. Affiliate/Membership Committee Composition: The Affiliate/Membership Committee shall consist of those volunteers each year who have agreed to serve. Duties: The Committee shall plan and execute networking events, including REALTOR® Day for the membership. A minimum of two (2) events must occur each calendar year in accordance with Core Standards and at the direction of the President. The committee shall coordinate with other committees to promote the affiliate members. Increase awareness among members of the value of being a REALTOR®. Committee shall review annually the fee schedule for dues and sponsorship opportunities and make recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Committee shall work with the AE to ensure billing occurs during the dues renewal period. The Committee shall work with the AE to attract new affiliates and increase member participation in events.

3. Community Volunteers Committee Composition: The Community Volunteers Committee shall consist of those volunteers each

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year who have agreed to serve. Duties: The Committee shall organize members for meeting the Core Standard for Community Involvement and Investment. Programs must support the Strategic Plan and annual Program of Work with the approval of the Board of Directors. Fundraising activities shall support the organizations selected by the President.

4. Governmental Affairs Committee Composition: The Governmental Affairs Committee shall consist of those volunteers each year who have agreed to serve. It is recommended that members of NAR and LR state and federal legislative teams serve on this Committee. No person serving on Friends of Louisiana Real Estate may serve on this Committee. Duties: The Committee invites guest speakers to educate members on issues pertinent to the industry. It makes recommendations to the Board of Directors for public policy positions, oversees the Issues Mobilization efforts, responds to and promotes LR and NAR “Calls to Action”, and pursues grant opportunities to support these efforts. It coordinates programs with the LR in order to provide support for the State Legislative Committee. Additionally, the Committee encourages participation among general membership in the governmental process, including grass roots political involvement, voter registration, and on-site visitation. Members of the Committee should attend local government meetings as a designated representative of the Associations as to provide information, input, and advice to local political representatives. During session, the Committee shall update the membership on legislative activities. The Committee will lead and participate in the candidate interview process. It shall prepare

candidate interview questions (utilizing staff input) as they relate to REALTOR® Party issues. After the conclusion of candidate interviews, a follow up summary shall be prepared for the evaluation of each candidate. The Committee shall utilize the evaluation for making recommendations to the GCLRA PAT for monetary support, if any. The Committee will meet as needed. If an urgent issue arises relating to private property rights or the real estate industry, the Committee may make a recommendation to the Executive Committee.

5. Commercial Committee Composition: The Commercial Committee shall consist of those volunteers whose primary line of business consists of commercial transactions and have agreed to serve. Duties: The Committee shall provide opportunities for networking, professional growth, expand knowledge of regulatory issues, and marketing of properties.

D. MLS Committee All nominees for the MLS Committee shall have been a licensee and a member of the GCLRA for a minimum of two consecutive years. No firm shall have more than two members on the MLS Committee regardless of status at any time. Absence from three (3) regular meetings within a twelve-month period without a written excuse deemed valid by MLS Committee shall be construed as immediate resignation. Composition:

● All committee members shall serve a term of two years. The committee shall be comprised of not less than eight (8) nor more than ten (10) REALTOR® members plus the Immediate Past Chairman. Annual nominations should ensure that a Principal Broker and Appraiser are among nominees. No committee member shall serve consecutive terms.

● The Committee shall select its chairman and vice-chairman annually from among the members thereof. Chairman and vice-chairman selection shall be accomplished at the first meeting of the MLS Committee of the fiscal year subsequent to the annual election (which will also be the first meeting for seating of the newly elected members).

Duties:

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● Reviews all MLS related proposals from the general membership and determine cause of action.

● Closely monitors the changes needed in the Rules and Regulations to be in compliance with the National Association of REALTORS® and to assure that these Rules and Regulations are adhered to by the membership.

● Reviews written complaints received, act upon them according to MLS Rules and Regulations, and/or make recommendations to the Board of Directors.

● Assists in monitoring activities within the MLS Database to assure that MLS Rules and Regulations are being followed.

● Recommends and oversee the billing and collection of MLS fees and fines for the operation of the system.

● Establishes minimum requirements for data entered into the MLS System. ● Holds live MLS training and are responsible for any updates to remote training content.

E. Finance Committee Composition. The Finance Committee shall be formed and chaired by the current Treasurer, with one member being the President-Elect, the Immediate Past Treasurer, one member being the MLS Chair, and the other members selected from the Board of Directors, which are not officers. Duties. Works with the AE in reviewing the financial performance of the Association. They receive the proposed budget from the Budget Committee prior to presentation to the Board of Directors. The committee is responsible for creating, monitoring and recommending revisions to the Association’s investment policies and reserve policies. The committee will make recommendations to the full Board of Directors on the financial position of the Association. Additionally, the committee shall:

● evaluate needs, consider bids and make recommendations regarding owned real estate; ● establish criteria for the interview, employment and review procedures for the Certified Public

Accounting firm and will make recommendations to the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 5.4 – Professional Services;

● make recommendations regarding financial policies to the Board of Directors which shall include, but not be limited to, travel expenditures and reimbursements; and

● review all requests for unbudgeted expenditures and report to the Board of Directors on any action taken.

● Review all insurance policies and bonds annually prior to renewal to ensure compliance with policies;

● review all financial reports with the CPA prior to the presentation by the Treasurer at the Board of Directors and MLS Committee monthly meetings.

F. Executive Committee Composition: The Executive Committee is comprised of all Officers elected by the General Membership, or their successors, and the Immediate Past President of the Association. The AE shall be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee. The AE may be excused from any meeting to provide for executive session discussions. The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the President. Duties:

● May only make recommendations to the Board of Directors for its consideration and action. It may not act on behalf of the Board of Directors unless otherwise authorized by adopted policy. The Committee may transact business of an emergency nature between meetings of the Board of Directors. All such actions shall be reported at the next Board of Directors meeting for confirmation.

● Shall annually monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the AE. ● Makes certain all participants have completed their portion of the Performance Review of the

AE by September 30th of each year. ● Shall review the criminal and background check reviews of applicants as defined in the hiring

policy.

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● Oversee the applications to the GCLRA REALTOR® Relief Fund. ● Perform annual review of legal and accounting services.

4.2 Specialty Committees

A. GCLRA Political Action Team (PAT) Composition:

● Seven (7) Elected Team Members ● LARPAC Trustees (if any) ● One LARPAC Hall of Fame Member (if any) ● The GCLRA Governmental Affairs Committee Chair ● The Immediate Past Chairman of the PAT ● The President of the GCLRA ● The President-Elect of the GCLRA

The GCLRA Political Action Team (PAT) is a team of the LR Political Action Committee and is autonomous of the Association and Board but is recognized by the Association. The Association has executed a Cooperative Agreement with LARPAC and the PAT which governs this relationship. Any provision of these Policies in conflict with any LARPAC governing documents shall be null and void. The Team members are elected by GCLRA members who have made the minimum investment to LARPAC and have been a REALTOR® member for two years. The seven elected team members shall make a minimum investment of $125 annually during their term. Staff shall inform the team of the vacancies to be filled with terms noted. The team shall select one candidate for each place to be filled. The team shall ensure that all candidates are qualified according to the criteria. The proposed nominee must accept the nomination prior to the slate announcement. The proposed slate of nominees must be presented to Staff no later than November 1. Elections shall be held annually in December. All names of the candidates will be listed (by position) in alphabetical order. The initial notice shall be sent not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the commencement of voting. A second email announcement containing the final ballot and other voting and candidate information shall be sent ten (10) days prior to the commencement of voting. Electronic voting shall be opened for three (3) days and shall conclude no later than 5pm on December 15. Team members’ term will begin in January for the following year. The seven (7) elected team members will serve for two-year staggered terms. Following the annual election, the Team shall elect a chair and a vice-chair for the next year. In subsequent years, the vice-chair shall become the chair and the Team shall elect a new vice-chair in January. Team members, when notified by LARPAC, will vote to select Association representation. Absence from two meetings during the calendar year shall be construed as an automatic resignation. During the year, vacancies may be filled by the remaining team members. Team members shall be elected each year as are required to fill the expired terms. Duties:

● Locally supports LARPAC by participating in individual and group fundraising activities in compliance with Louisiana political fundraising guidelines; participates in assigned candidate interviews; uses the Governmental Affairs Committee’s Candidate Report in conjunction with candidates’ positions as they relate to REALTOR ® Party issues to assess and make requests to LARPAC for local candidate(s) campaign donations and to make donation recommendations for state elected representation. The Team is also responsible for event planning, increasing member participation through outreach, and major investor recruitment.

● The Team will meet monthly or as directed by the Chairperson. ● The Team shall develop an annual program of work to be presented to LARPAC each year no

later than December 31st.

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B. Nominating Composition: The Nominating Committee shall consist of five (5) REALTOR® Members. The Past President shall chair the committee. The four remaining shall be comprised of one member designated from the membership of the Multiple Listing Service Committee and the remaining three (3) shall be appointed by the President with preference given to past presidents not currently serving on the Board. No Member of the Nominating Committee shall be eligible for nomination for an office by the Committee. Duties:

● The AE shall inform the nominating committee of the vacancies to the filled with terms noted. ● The Nominating Committee shall receive the suggested nominations of the MLS Committee.

The Nominating Committee shall select one candidate for each office and one candidate for each place to be filled on the Board of Directors and the MLS Committee.

● The Nominating Committee shall ensure that all candidates are qualified according to the criteria set in the policy. The nominating packet shall include the nomination acceptance form, Agreement to Serve, Code of Conduct, Anti-trust Policy and Whistleblower Policy. The proposed nominee must accept the nomination in writing, prior to the slate announcement.

● The report of the nominating committee shall be provided to the members at least three (3) weeks prior to the election.

● Additional candidates for the offices to be filled may be placed in nomination by petition signed by at least ten (10) REALTOR® members eligible to vote. The petition and written acceptance by the nominee shall be filed with the Secretary and AE at least two (2) weeks before the election. The Nominating Committee shall finalize the ballot after receipt after any additional nominees. At this point, nominations will be closed.

● The AE shall send notice of such additional nominations to all members eligible to vote 10 days before the election.

● Nominating Committee shall provide the Board with the ballot for review only. The Nominating Committee shall be in place until the ballot is transmitted to the Election Committee

C. Election Composition: The President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint an election committee of up to five (5) REALTOR® Members to oversee the election. The Nominating Committee may also serve as the Election Committee. The Election Committee shall remain in place until all elections are final and results validated. Duties:

● Receive the ballot from the Nominating Committee. ● Collect the candidate information which shall include a photo and summary of qualifications

and as to why the candidate is seeking office. No information may be received after the final ballot is noticed to the members.

● Create a webpage on the GCLRA website to hold all of the candidate information. All candidate information received by the deadline shall be posted at the same time.

● The Association shall send out an email to the membership announcing the election dates and times, and list hyperlinks to the individual candidate information, which shall be on the GCLRA website or a site linked to the website.

● All names of candidates will be listed (by position) in alphabetical order. The initial notice shall be sent not less than twenty-one (21) days prior to the commencement of voting. A second email announcement containing the final ballot and other voting and candidate information shall be sent ten (10) days prior to the commencement of voting. A final notice will be sent the day voting opens with instructions.

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● Oversees the voting process as outlined below: o Electronic voting shall be opened for three days and shall conclude no later than 5 PM on

September 30th. o In order to be able to vote, members will provide their name and any other secure

identifier. o The Election Committee shall certify the ballot has been properly entered into the voting

system. The ballot shall contain the names of all candidates and the offices for which they are nominated.

o Records will be secured in such a manner as to ensure only one (1) vote per member. o Ballots will be secured by an authorized staff person and the Chair of the Nominating and

Certifying Committee. o The electronic votes will be tabulated by the AE and certified by the Chair of the Election

Committee and two (2) members of the Election Committee. o If an individual should win both an Officers’ and Directors’ race, they shall automatically

decline the position of Director. The next highest vote receiver will assume the declined position.

o Vacancies created by an election shall be filled by the nominee with the next highest vote per the certified results and shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term.

o In case of a tie vote, results will be determined by lot administer by the Election Committee.

o Chair of the Election Committee shall immediately report the results of the election to the President for notification to the membership.

D. Installation Composition: The Chair is the President-Elect and may designate as many members as necessary. Duties:

● Develops a budget and secures necessary funds. ● Sets up the event, after Board approval, and coordinates with AE ● Invites LR Leadership and staff, and Regional Vice President (RVP) with staff assistance. ● Selects Installing Officer. ● Has a photographer at installation. ● Composes press release on installation for local media. ● Creates the agenda for the event.

E. REALTOR ® of the Year Composition: The committee shall consist of the past 5 recipients of the award, the President and the Immediate Past President. Duties: Review nominations and select the recipient per established process under 7.3 Awards and Recognition.

F. Hiring Composition: Upon a vacancy in the AE position, the Board of Directors shall create a hiring committee chaired by the President of no more than four (4) Directors/Members to determine the suitability of the candidate for the position being filled. Duties:

● Review the job description of the AE. ● Advertise the position across all available sources including Louisiana REALTORS®. ● Review all submission and select candidates for interviews. ● Conduct face to face or remote (where applicable) initial interviews.

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● Narrow the candidate pool and require additional written submissions. ● Finalists may be requested to complete a personality profile. ● Invite finalists to meet Board of Directors in a social setting. ● Conduct final interviews ● Once clearance of the background review and credit check is completed by the Executive

Committee, the Hiring Committee shall make its recommendation to the Board of Directors.

G. Building Composition: The President may appoint a building committee, subject to the approval of the Board, of no more than seven (7) Members with at least one (1) Commercial member and one (1) Appraiser member. Duties: The committee shall oversee maintenance of the building, set policies for its use (rentals) and oversee modifications necessary to meet the changing needs of the membership (i.e. technology changes, building additions).

H. Budget Committee Composition: The committee will be comprised of the Treasurer, President-Elect, incoming President-Elect, incoming Treasurer, the AE, and two (2) other REALTOR® members with financial background selected by the Board of Directors. The CPA may serve as an advisory member. The current Treasurer will serve as Chair. Duties: The committee shall oversee the development of the budget for the following year. Prior to meeting, the Treasurer shall gather all information necessary to formulate the budget. Upon completion, the Budget Committee will submit the proposed budget to the Finance Committee. The budget shall be submitted for review by the Board of Directors no later than October 31 and approval shall occur no later than November 30. Requests from PAT and the MLS Committee for budget items shall be received no later than October 1.

I. Strategic Planning Committee Composition. The committee shall be chaired by the President-Elect. To serve on the committee, members must have been in business a minimum of three (3) years. The full committee makeup is as follows:

● Chair (President-Elect) ● President ● Secretary ● PAT Representative ● Commercial Representative ● Appraisal Representative ● Past President’s Appointee ● President’s Appointee ● President-Elect’s Appointee ● AE (advisory role; non- voting)

Duties. No later than March 31 of each year, the Strategic Planning Committee shall meet to create a strategic plan or suggest revisions to the current strategic plan. The plan shall be presented to the Board of Directors no later than the April Board of Directors meeting.

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J. Program of Work Committee Composition. The committee shall be chaired by the President-Elect. All committee Vice Chairs shall serve on the committee. Duties. To develop the program of work for the following year and present to the Board of Directors no later than the September meeting. 4.3 Chairperson’s Responsibilities Committee Chairpersons are responsible to the Board of Directors. It is the responsibility of the Committee Chairperson to see that recommendations, decisions and actions of the Committee are reported to the Board of Directors. Chairpersons are charged with working closely with their Staff Liaison in organizing committee members and implementing the specific goals and objectives defined in the program of work. Chairperson's responsibilities:

● Preside at committee meetings; ● Prepare and approve agendas at least ten (10) days prior to the committee meeting; ● Maintain accurate and precise committee minutes and/or reports to be archived at the

Association. Written reports to the Board of Directors are due three (3) days before the Board Meeting with any action to be taken by the Board properly noted in the form of a motion;

● Provide a final report of each event/activity including income, expenses, and participation numbers;

● Responsible for actively involving each committee member to ensure their retention and developing their leadership potential;

● Be informed and knowledgeable in areas of the Association that affect their committees; ● Be familiar with current bylaws, policies, procedures and Robert’s Rules of Order latest

edition; and ● Make recommendations for future committee membership to the President.

4.4 Staff Liaisons to Committees Staff liaisons are responsible for assisting committee chairpersons with communications and correspondence, meeting preparation, keeping detailed records of the revenues, and expenses for their respective committees. SECTION 5: LEGAL 5.1 Bonding Officers and staff shall be bonded in such amounts as recommended and approved by the Board of Directors. 5.2 Errors and Omission Insurance Coverage The GCLRA is covered by Professional Liability and Errors and Omissions Insurance as prescribed by the NAR. Coverage is based on compliance by the Association with the policies and recommendations of the NAR. Failure to comply will result in loss of coverage. It shall be the policy of the Board to take required actions to remain in compliance with NAR policies and recommendations. 5.3 Contracts

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With consent of the Board of Directors, only the President and/or the AE may sign contracts that are binding upon the Association. In the absence of the President the Board may grant authority to the President-Elect. 5.4 Professional Services The Association shall engage the services of Legal Counsel, a CPA, and any other professional as required. The only persons authorized to contact the attorney and/or the CPA, at the expense of the Association, are the elected officers, the AE, or staff authorized by the AE or elected officers. The Association shall engage the services of Legal Counsel to advise and counsel the Association relative to matters of interest to the Association, which have legal implications. The President or the AE may only initiate contact with Legal Counsel after approval of the Board. In the event of an immediate response is needed, approval may be granted by the Executive Committee. The Association shall engage the services of a CPA to perform annual audit/review and other matters of financial interest. If an individual member contacts the attorney and/or the CPA, they should be told that the attorney and/or CPA will only spend time on their inquiry if the individual member involved is willing to pay for that time. Furthermore, the attorney and/or CPA may discuss only those matters, which the Board of Directors authorizes them to discuss. Legal Counsel and the CPA are employed on a fee basis and are to be reviewed annually by the Executive Committee. The Board of Directors shall initiate a request for qualifications and request for proposals for legal and accounting services at least every three (3) years or sooner based on review. 5.5 Anti-Trust Compliance A goal of the GCLRA is to improve the level of products and services offered by its members to the public and to assist customers in comparison shopping for products and services. Consistent with this policy, it is the policy of GCLRA to comply strictly with the antitrust laws. GCLRA will not knowingly permit discussions of individual company prices or the related types of sensitive information listed below. GCLRA membership is open to any individual or entity meeting the membership qualifications set forth in the Bylaws. Statistical reporting by GCLRA will be voluntary and will relate to comparisons of past transactions of general interest. Data collection will not be limited to the membership and the results will be available to non-members for a reasonable fee. The development of any guidelines of standards in which GCLRA participates will be open to wide participation by affected parties, and adherence to the guidelines or standards will be strictly voluntary. In conducting any collective research, GCLRA will take care to avoid anti-competitive effects. GCRLA’s legal counsel is well versed in antitrust matters and the Association relies heavily on counsel’s judgment to see that topics that may give an appearance of an agreement that would violate the antitrust laws are not discussed at GCLRA meetings. In addition, it is GCLRA’s policy that it is staff be well versed in antitrust matters. The fact that GCLRA staff or counsel is present at a meeting, however, should not invite probing to determine how far a discussion can proceed before it becomes apparent that it is improper and is cut off. It is the responsibility of each member in the first instance to avoid raising improper subject for discussion. This policy statement has been prepared to assure that participants in GCLRA meetings are aware of this obligation. The Do’s and Don’ts presented below highlight basic antitrust principles. Members should consult counsel in all cases involving specific situations, interpretations, or advice.

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DO NOT ● Do not, in fact or appearance, discuss or exchange information regarding:

o Commission levels, fees, business expenses, or other business information or policies that would allow or encourage price fixing or maintenance;

o Bids on contract for particular properties or any information, which would allow or encourage bid rigging;

o Actions relating to actual or potential competitors that might have the effect of excluding them from your market or of influencing the business conduct or customers towards such competitors;

o Plans of individual companies concerning proposed or existing territories or customers; o A firm’s competitive business decisions; o The duration or types of listing agreements or the form of compensation accepted; o The compensation offered or paid to a firm’s agents or employees; o Any other actions that might be construed as concerted attempts to restrain

competition, including joint attempts to control or affect prices, market conditions, market practices, customer choice, etc.

● Do not discuss or exchange information regarding the above matters during social gatherings incidental to GCLRA sponsored meetings, even in jest.

● In addition, any general historical statistical data collected by GCLRA is for use and analysis by individual businesses and should not be discussed among competitors at organized functions or otherwise.

DO

● Adhere to prepared agendas for all GCLRA meetings and object any time meeting minutes do not accurately reflect the matters which transpired.

● Consult with the GCLRA General Counsel and your company on all antitrust questions relating to GCLRA meetings.

● Protect against any discussions or meeting activities that appear to violate the antitrust laws; disassociate yourself from any such discussions and leave any meeting in which they continue.

5.6 Harassment Policy The GCLRA is committed to maintaining a professional environment that is free from discrimination and in which members and staff at all levels can devote their full attention and best efforts to the activities of the Association. As used in this Section, harassment means any verbal or physical, or threats to do the same, or any other conduct with the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance by creating a hostile, intimidating or offensive work environment. Examples of "harassment" that are covered by this policy include but are not limited to offensive language, jokes or other physical, verbal, written or pictorial conduct relating to the individual's race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic that is protected by law would make a reasonable person experiencing such behavior feel uncomfortable or harassed. Sexual Harassment: Sexual harassment is one form of harassment. Sexual harassment may involve individuals of the same or different gender. Like all harassment, sexual harassment is strictly prohibited. Sexual harassment can be:

● Verbal: Sexual innuendoes, suggestive comments, jokes of a sexual nature, sexual propositions, or threats.

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● Non-Verbal: Sexually suggestive objects or pictures, graphic commentaries, suggestive or insulting sounds, leering, whistling, or obscene gestures.

● Physical: Unwanted physical contact, including touching, pinching, coerced sexual intercourse, or assault.

Reporting Harassment Any individual who feels they have been harassed or witnesses harassment has a duty to immediately report the alleged harassment as outlined below so that it may be investigated, and appropriate action taken. This is true whether the alleged harasser is an employee, association member, Officer or Director. The GCLRA cannot resolve matters about which it does not know.

● The complaint shall be submitted to the President unless he is the subject of the complaint, at which time the complaint shall be submitted to the President-Elect or next highest-ranking elected officer who is not a subject of the complaint.

● Any complaint shall be submitted to the appropriate officer no later than 60 days after the occurrence.

● Once a complaint has been received as stated above, a prompt and thorough investigation will be conducted by an investigatory team.

● The three-member investigatory team shall be comprised and follow the sanction guidelines noted in Bylaws, Article VI – Privileges and Obligations, Section 14, Harassment.

NOTE: Suggested procedures for processing complaints of sexual harassment are available on the NAR website or from the Association and MLS Governance Team. The reporting individual will be informed of the conclusion of the investigation and if any action is taken. No recourse will be taken against individual reporting legitimate harassment or for cooperating in an investigation. The Board will retain confidentiality documentation of all allegations and investigations. 5.7 Fraud Prevention and Control

● The Association shall maintain a minimum of $75,000.00 crime and dishonesty bond to cover all employees.

● The Association shall require password protected access by the AE and CPA firm to all Association computers and accounts.

● The Association shall provide a password protected login profile which shall not permit access to the accounting program but would allow access to other areas (lock box AE access, MLS AE access) in case of emergency.

● The Association shall require password protected access by the CPA, President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer to the online banking program.

5.8 Whistleblower Policy and Fraud Response Plan The objectives of this Whistleblower Policy are:

● the reporting of concerns (defined below) regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters by employees, Directors, Officers, committee members and others within GCLRA, on a confidential and anonymous basis;

● the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by GCLRA regarding accounting, internal controls, or auditing matters; and

● the protection of Directors, Officers, committee members and employees reporting concerns from retaliatory actions.

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Reporting Responsibility GCLRA encourages complaints, reports or inquiries about illegal practices or serious violations of GCLRA’s policies, including illegal or improper conduct by GCLRA itself, by its leadership, or by others on its behalf (hereinafter individually or collectively referred to as “Concerns”). Concerns raised under this Policy would include financial improprieties, accounting or audit matters, misuse of GCLRA’s resources, ethical violations or other illegal or improper practices or policies. This Policy is not intended to provide an alternative to or a means of appeal from outcomes in other policies, such as harassment. No Retaliation This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage and enable Officers, Directors, committee members, and employees of GCLRA to raise Concerns within GCLRA for investigation and appropriate action. With this goal in mind, no Director, Officer, committee member, or employee who, in good faith, reports a Concern shall be subject to retaliation or, in the case of an employee, adverse employment consequences as a result of such report or cooperating with the investigation of such report. Moreover, a Director, Officer, committee member, employee, or other within GCLRA who retaliates against someone who has reported a Concern in good faith, is subject to discipline up to and including dismissal from the volunteer position or termination of employment. Reporting by Employees GCLRA has an open-door policy. In most cases an employee’s immediate supervisor is the best person to address the concern. If, after speaking with his or her supervisor, the employee continues to have reasonable grounds to believe the Concern is valid but has not been satisfactorily addressed by his or her supervisor, the employee should report the Concern to the President of GCLRA. All Concerns must be reported in writing. The AE or President is required to promptly report the Concern to GCLRA’s Retained Legal Counsel who has specific responsibility and direct orders to investigate all Concerns. If not promptly forwarded, the reporting individual should directly report the Concern to Retained Legal Counsel. Concerns may also be submitted anonymously. Such anonymous Concerns should be in writing and should be sent directly to Retained Legal Counsel. Reporting by Directors, Officers, and Committee Members Directors, Officers, and other committee members should submit Concerns in writing directly to the President or AE. Handling of Reported Violations Retained Legal Counsel shall promptly address all reported Concerns and shall immediately notify the AE of GCLRA and the Executive Committee of any such report. Retained Legal Counsel will notify the sender and acknowledge receipt of the Concern within five (5) business days. It will not be possible to acknowledge receipt of anonymously submitted Concerns. Retained Legal Counsel shall be responsible for conducting a prompt, discreet and objective review or investigation of the Concern(s) and recommending appropriate corrective action to the AE and the Executive Committee of GCLRA, if warranted by the investigation. In addition, action taken will include a conclusion and/or follow-up with the complainant (unless the complainant was anonymous) for complete closure of the matter. Acting in Good Faith Anyone reporting a Concern must act in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information reported indicates an improper accounting or auditing practice, or other violation as described above. The act of making allegations that prove to be unsubstantiated and that prove to have been made maliciously, recklessly or with the foreknowledge that the allegations are false, will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense and result in discipline, up to and including dismissal from the volunteer position or termination of employment. Dismissal of any volunteer positions must be in accordance with Bylaws Article XI – Officers and Directors, Section 6 – Removal of Officers and Directors. Such conduct

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may also give rise to other actions, including civil lawsuits. Confidentiality Reports of Concerns, and investigations pertaining thereto, shall be kept confidential to the extent possible, consistent with the overriding need to conduct a thorough investigation. Disclosure of reports of Concerns to individuals not involved in the investigation will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense and may result in discipline, up to and including dismissal from the volunteer position or termination of employment. Dismissal of any volunteer positions must be in accordance with Bylaws Article XI – Officers and Directors, Section 6 – Removal of Officers and Directors. Such conduct may also give rise to further actions, including civil lawsuits. 5.9 Record Retention Policy

RECORD RETENTION PERIOD Accident Reports and Claims (settled cases) 10 years Audit Reports Permanently Bank Reconciliations 7 years Capital Stock and Bond Records (ledgers, transfer register, stubs showing, issues, record of interest coupons, options, and so forth) Permanently Cash Receipt Records 7 years Charts of Accounts Permanently Continuing Education Documents 5 years Contracts and Leases (Expired) 7 years Corporate Documents (including Bylaws, Charter and Governing Documents) Permanently Correspondence (General) 3 years Correspondence (Legal and Important Matters) Permanently Deeds, Mortgages and Bills of Sale Permanently Deposit Slips 1 year Depreciation Schedules Permanently Employee Personnel Records (Terminated) 10 years Employment Applications 4 years Financial Statements (End-of-Year) Permanently Grievance/Professional Standards Documents Until Resolution Ethics proceedings (in member’s file) Permanently Insurance Policies (Expired) 3 years Insurance Policies (Current) (accident reports, claims, policies and so forth) Updated annually Inventories: Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment Updated Annually Invoices from Vendors 7 years Membership Records Permanently Minutes – Board of Directors and MLS Committee Permanently NAR/LR Payment Records 2 Years Occupational Inquiry and Illness Records 10 Years Payroll Records and Summaries 7 Years Property Records (Including costs, depreciation reserves, end-of-year trial

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balances, blueprints and plans) Permanently Reorganization Records Permanently Tax Returns and Worksheets Permanently Termination Records Permanently

An accountant or lawyer will review the document retention schedule periodically to update according to legal requirements. All record retention must also comply with state and federal law. 5.10 Leadership/Conflict of Interest Policy/Confidentiality Agreement Service as a leader for GCLRA gives rise to certain legal obligations to the Association. One obligation is the fiduciary duty owed to GCLRA by the leader. It requires the exercise of reasonable care in performing duties to GCLRA exhibiting honesty and good faith and encompasses the responsibilities of both care and loyalty. The duty of loyalty requires GCLRA leaders to avoid conflicts of interest and look out for GCLRA’s best interests, not their own. A conflict of interest may exist when one participates in the decision-making process on an issue for GCLRA while concurrently having other business, professional or personal interests that could tend one toward bias or predisposition on the issue. The fiduciary duty of a leader also requires a leader to avoid the appropriation of programs and activities, particularly business prospects that properly belong to GCLRA. GCLRA’s leaders must also maintain the confidentiality of GCLRA information. All committee chairs, members of the BOD, MLS Committee members, Finance, and Budget Committees shall execute confidentiality and conflict of interest agreements and participate in annual Board responsibility training. Code of Conduct

1. Introduction: Members of the board of directors and staff carry certain duties and responsibilities for the wellbeing of the association. The Code of Conduct outlines some of those duties and responsibilities in accordance with governing documents.

2. Confidentiality: Board members and staff will have access to information that, if revealed to outsiders, could be damaging or sensitive to other members or staff, harmful to the best interested of the organization, or could even create legal liability. Information provided to the board and staff may concern personnel, financial, contractual, membership or legal matters. It will often be confidential and is intended for use in decision making and governance. Information shall be held in the strictest of confidence and shall not be divulged to any outside party, including other members, without authorization of the President of the Board of Directors or AE.

3. Conflicts of Interest: Board members and staff owe a high fiduciary duty to the organization. Thus, no board member or staff shall maintain any business enterprise or other activity that directly conflicts with the interests of the organization. Staff members shall not solicit members for any reason that is not directly related to official business.

4. Violations: Violations of the Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action in accordance with the governing documents. Discipline may include the removal of a board member from office or termination of staff member.

Conflict of Interest Policy

1. Ownership Disclosure Policy: a. When GCLRA has an ownership interest in an entity and a member has an ownership

interest * in that same entity, such member must disclose the existence of his or her ownership interest prior to speaking to a decision-making body on any matter involving that entity.

b. If a member has personal knowledge that GCLRA is considering doing business with an entity in which a member has any financial interest **, or with an entity in which

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the member serves in a decision-making capacity, then such member must disclose the existence of his or her financial interest or decision-making role prior to speaking to a decision-making body about the entity.

c. If a member has a financial interest in, or serves in a decision-making capacity for, any entity that the member knows is offering competing products and services as those offered by GCLRA, then such member must disclose the existence of his or her financial interest or decision-making role prior to speaking to a decision-making body about an issue involving those competing products and services.

After making the necessary disclosure, a member may participate in the discussion and vote on the matter unless that member has a conflict of interest as defined below.

2. Conflict of Interest Policy A member of GCLRA’s decision making bodies will be considered to have a conflict of interest whenever that member:

a. Is a principal, partner or corporate officer of a business providing products or services to GCLRA or in a business being considered as a provider of products or services (“Business”); or

b. Holds a seat on the board of directors of the Business unless the person’s only relationship to the Business is service on such board of directors as GCLRA’s representative; or

c. Holds an ownership interest of more than one (1) percent of the Business. Members with a conflict of interest must immediately disclose their interest at the outset of any discussions by a decision-making body pertaining to the Business or any of its products or services. Such members may not participate in the discussion relating to that Business other than to respond to questions asked of them by other members of the body. Furthermore, no member with a conflict of interest may vote on any matter in which the member ha a conflict of interest, including votes to block or alter the actions of the body in order to benefit the Business in which they have an interest. *Ownership interest is defined as the cumulative holdings of the members, the member’s spouse, children, siblings, and to any trust, corporation or partnership in which any of the foregoing individuals is an officer or director, or owns, in aggregate, at least 50% of the (a) beneficial interest (if a trust), (b) stock (if a corporation) or (c) partnership interest (if a partnership). **Financial interest means any interest involving money, investments, credit or contractual rights. Confidential Information Policy Any GCLRA leader must:

a. maintain in confidence and not disclose or cause to be disclosed to anyone, other than GCLRA, any information designated as confidential at GCLRA’s sole discretion; prior to or during deliberation by GCLRA;

b. keep any materials containing confidential information in a safe and secure place to protect against inadvertent disclosure; and

c. preserve confidential information indefinitely, even after expiration of the leader’s service. Upon expiration of the leader’s service, the leader must promptly return to GCLRA staff, upon request, any materials containing confidential information sent to or acquired by the leader relating to the leader’s work for GCLRA. For example, assume that the executive committee, during its search for a CEO, designates the deliberations as “confidential” to preserve the integrity of the search. It would be a violation of this policy for members of the committee to disclose such deliberations to anyone outside the committee except as may be required to conduct the committee’s business or as required by law. Service Statement

Any person serving GCLRA in an elected or appointed position must sign a service statement in a form designated by GCLRA prior to serving.

SECTION 6: FINANCE

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6.1 Spending Authority and Control In an effort to reduce fraud potential, a separation between spending authority and record keeping will be maintained. The Board of Directors and Officers control spending but generally not the record keeping. The AE and CPA maintain the records, but not the authority to spend. 6.2 Authorized Signatures The President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and AE shall serve as signatories on all accounts. Additionally, the MLS Chair may serve as a signatory on the MLS account. Signatories will be changed each year consistent with term lengths in office. All checks require two (2) signatures from the account signatories. The maximum check signing authority for the AE is $1,000. Signature authorization cards and resolutions will be filed annually by staff with all banks and savings institutions in which the Association maintains accounts. 6.3 Accounts GCLRA Operating Account. The Association shall maintain a checking for Association income and expenses. GCLRA MLS Operating Account. The Association shall maintain a checking account for MLS income and expenses. Reserve Accounts. The reserve accounts include General Operating Reserves, Capital Assets Fund, Legal Action Fund, and GCLRA REALTOR® Relief Fund. Each of these shall be maintained with their own separate account numbers. Certificates of Deposit. These accounts include the credit card collateral account and any other CDs. Investment Accounts. The Finance Committee shall research and recommend an investment strategy to maximize the return on the Association’s funds. Upon renewal of CDs, funds from the additional savings account can be added to the current CD balance or another form of investment account. Should any checking account balance exceed $100,000 or the current maximum FDIC insured amount, the excess monies shall be placed into the respective reserve accounts. 6.4 Check Requests Requests for checks for advance payment without a specified amount: Check(s) may be picked up by any party designated by a GCLRA account signatory. The person picking up the check and account signatory authorizing check pickup will be noted in the check register. The account signatory is directly responsible for presentation of receipt of services within five (5) business days of check usage. Check requests with payments and reimbursements: Requests for payments and or reimbursements shall be submitted on the proper form with all required signatures and support documentation (receipts and reports). Reimbursement will be paid through review, approval, and payment process. Review, approval, and payment:

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The AE shall perform an initial review of the request and submit to the President and Treasurer for approval. During extended absences of either party, the President-Elect may be temporarily designated for this process. 6.5 Credit Card Use The AE shall have a GCLRA business credit card issued in the name of the AE. The credit limit will be $5,000 maximum. The AE shall be solely responsible for use of the card and no other persons may be added to the account. The card shall be used only for GCLRA Staff travel expenses and direct operating expenses of GCLRA. The President may have a credit card account issued in their name with a limit of up to $5,000. The President is solely responsible for its use; no other person may be added to the account as an authorized user. The card shall only be used for Board travel and travel related entertainment expenses, and operational expenses of the Association. Receipts must be submitted to the AE within ten (10) days upon return from any travel or incursion of expense. Regardless of the reconciliation of receipts, the bill shall be paid in full prior to due date. Failure to provide receipts will result in the cardholder becoming responsible for the undocumented expense(s). 6.6 Financial Information Disclosure to Members Member access to financial information of the Association is defined under 7.2 Members’ Access to Meetings and Materials. The budget report presented to the Board of Directors and MLS Committee shall be published to the members. Additionally, the CPA shall be required to provide a full financial status report to the general membership at least once per year. 6.7 Annual Operating Budget The Treasurer shall prepare the Annual Operating Budget of the Association with the assistance of the AE and Budget Committee. Committee requests for financial matters for the upcoming year shall be submitted to the Treasurer no later than October 1st. The Annual Operating Budget shall be a zero-based budget. The Treasurer shall present the annual budget to the MLS Committee and Board of Directors in the October meetings upon the recommendation of the Finance Committee. Approval of said budget shall occur no later than the November Board of Directors meeting. When planning the annual budget, the Treasurer shall evaluate and take into consideration any economic factors which may affect the income from membership dues. The budget should align with the current strategic plan, specific goals or programs projected for implementation during the coming year and evaluation of existing programs and services of the Association. The annual budget shall include a line item for contingency in the amount of $2,500. These funds shall be used to cover unbudgeted expenditures. 6.8 Unbudgeted Expenditures No unbudgeted expenditure shall be approved without a review of the Finance Committee. Their report to the Board of Directors shall include a recommendation to approve or not approve the request. Final approval of the expenditure and budget revision shall be determined by the Board of

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Directors. 6.9 Financial Reserve Policy General Operating Reserve Fund shall include an amount to cover 6 months of expenses of the Association. Capital Assets Fund (Building Reserve Fund) shall be maintained at a minimum level of all debt incurred by the Association relating to mortgages, equipment, furniture and/or remodeling, or 15% of the fair market value of the assets, whichever is greater. A maximum level maintained shall be all debt plus an amount equal to the present value of the assets. Once the minimum level is established, no amount must be contributed.

● GCLRA capital assets, as defined by the IRS, shall include but not be limited to land, buildings, computers, copier, office equipment, landscaping, automobiles and office furniture.

● The CPA shall calculate, on an annual basis, the total amount of depreciation of all capital assets as part of the annual tax return. Annually, the Board of Directors and MLS Committee will review and approve a three-year replacement plan for capital assets which have reached or are nearing full depreciation.

Legal Action Fund shall be maintained at a level not to exceed $50,000. These reserves will be expended to defray costs associated with legal action involving the Association in matters of legal precedence and will be expended by approval of the Board of Directors. GCLRA REALTOR® Relief Fund shall be maintained at a minimum level of $2,500. It provides initial or supplementary financial support to members of the Association who find themselves in need due to natural disaster, medical emergency, death or another catastrophic event. All distributions are subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. To qualify to receive the funds, applicants must follow the GCLRA REALTOR® Relief Network process. See Section 7.5 – GCLRA REALTOR® Relief Network. Disbursement of Profit After the year-end review, any profit, exclusive of dues collected for the following year, shall be distributed in the following manner:

● 50% shall be allocated to the Operating Account to support the budget ● 25% shall be allocated to the Capital Assets Fund. ● $2,500 shall be allocated to the GCLRA REALTOR® Relief Fund. ● The remainder of the funds shall be allocated to the Legal Action Fund.

Should the maximum level of any funds be met, the remaining balance of the profit shall be placed in a savings/investment account. 6.10 Outstanding Financial Obligations and Bad Debt - Members Outstanding Financial Obligations Refer to Bylaws Article X – Dues and Assessments, Section 4 – Nonpayment of Financial Obligations. Declaration of Bad Debt. In the months of June and December, upon recommendation of the CPA and approval of the Finance Committee, accounts over 180 days shall be declared uncollectible and written off. All write-offs shall be approved by the Board of Directors and the MLS Committee. At this point, the membership has terminated, and reinstatement shall require a new application to be completed and full payment of any amount due at time of termination. NSF Charges. Any check returned to GCLRA for insufficient funds will incur a $25 fee to the issuer. If a

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member has a check returned more than once, GCLRA will no longer accept checks from that person. They must pay by credit card or cashier’s check. CASH WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. 6.11 Petty Cash The Association may maintain a petty cash fund in an amount necessary for minor miscellaneous expenses of the Association. The AE or Treasurer shall authorize disbursements from petty cash. 6.12 Dues Refunds No refund of the dues paid to the GCLRA shall be made except for overpayment. In the case of a hardship, special consideration could be given of only the local dues only at the discretion of the Executive Committee. 6.13 Annual Audit/Review Annually, the Finance Committee shall engage, with approval of the Board of Directors, an independent third-party CPA to review all previous year financials. The Finance Committee shall develop criteria for the hiring of an independent third-party CPA for this review. This review shall be completed by June 15th each year and will be based on the previous year’s financial activities. The third party conducting the review shall deliver a report accompanied by supporting documentation to the Finance Committee, immediately following completion. This report shall also be made available to the membership. Any recommendations made by the third party shall be considered by the Finance Committee with the findings submitted in writing to the Board of Directors and the MLS Committee. Any and all action taken on these recommendations shall also be reported to the membership. Based on the annual review, the Finance Committee may recommend a full audit. The GCLRA contract CPA shall prepare the necessary documentation required by the third party for timely preparation of the Annual Audit/Review. 6.14 Contributions Contributions by the GCLRA to various causes, organizations or individuals shall not be taken from the Association's financial reserves. The current operating income in any fiscal year shall be the only source for such contributions, unless a fundraising drive is conducted for a stated purpose. There shall be a limit to the total amount of the Association’s contributions each year, not to exceed two and a half percent (2.5%) of the Association's budgeted revenues. The general purpose for all contributions shall be related to the real estate industry in some manner. 6.15 Travel Reimbursement Any reasonable expenses related to travel on behalf of GCLRA shall be reimbursed based on the approved budget. All travel reimbursement requests shall be submitted within thirty (30) days after the end of the event on the appropriate form. Regardless of the event or traveler, a written report and receipts must be submitted with each reimbursement request. Itemized receipts are required. Joint meals shall note the names of all individuals included on the bill. Guest meals paid for with personal funds must be deducted before submitting receipts for reimbursement.

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All reimbursement requests shall be submitted to the AE. If there is a question about a reimbursement, the Finance Committee will determine the validity of reimbursement. In the event any member or staff member is covered in more than one area of the Travel Policy or from more than one source, the individual may only receive one reimbursement per trip. Allowable expenses may include event registration, lodging, airfare, parking, ground transportation, tolls, tips and meals:

● Members are responsible for expenses due to cancellation of event registration, lodging or transportation if applicable and barring emergency;

● Lodging expenses shall not exceed the reserved room rate of a double room at the headquarters hotel of the meeting (Room and tax are covered; no incidentals.);

● Expenses occurred during the extension of the stay may not be reimbursable; ● Airfare is not to exceed coach class fare and includes one checked bag and travel insurance; ● Ground transportation is paid equivalent to paid taxi fare for the area; tolls and tips shall be

included; ● Parking for the airport and hotels is paid; and ● Meals and tips are reimbursable at a daily maximum rate of $75 (in state) and $125 (out of

state). ● Mileage reimbursement, if allowed, will be paid at a current reduced rate of twenty cents ($.20)

per mile. Should it be necessary to cancel, the traveler is responsible to notify the Staff Executive during business hours or the hotel after hours so that the Association is not charged for a no-show. Failure to do so shall result in any charges becoming the traveler’s responsibility. In the event of cancellation, a ticket may be used for future travel for the Association on behalf of the office. Under no circumstances shall reimbursement be made for alcoholic beverages. Authorized travelers shall not cover the expense for individuals whose travel is not otherwise covered by our policy. 6.15a President and President-Elect Travel Reimbursement NOTE: Board to make a final determination of NAR related trips and who travels to each conference The President and President-Elect are expected to attend the three Louisiana REALTORS® meetings. Attendance is mandatory at Town Hall, Caucus, and the Board of Directors meetings. PRESIDENT: Expenses for the NAR Midyear meeting in Washington, D.C., and the NAR Convention and Expo in November. PRESIDENT- ELECT: Expenses for the NAR Midyear meeting in Washington, D.C., the NAR Convention and Expo in November, and Leadership Summit in Chicago, IL. After review of the agenda, the AE shall provide a list of sessions which shall be required for the President and President – Elect to attend. 6.15b State Director and Regional VP Travel Reimbursement State Directors and the Regional Vice President (RVP) are expected to attend the three LR meetings. Travel shall be reimbursed based on the approved budget at a maximum of $1500 per calendar year, to be reduced incrementally based on attendance. To be eligible for reimbursement of reasonable expenses following the meeting, State Directors and the RVP must attend the Regional Caucus, Town Hall, and the Board of Directors Meetings.

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6.15c Local Directors and Committee & GCLRA-PAT Chairs Travel Reimbursement Expenses for the three State Meetings shall only be reimbursed based on the approved budget at a maximum of $250 per year. Prior to registration and travel, notification shall be submitted to the AE and approved by the Board of Directors. 6.15d LARPAC Trustees Travel Reimbursement The Board of Directors can, at its discretion, reimburse expenses, at an amount to be determined and approved in the budget for any member who serves as a LARPAC Trustee. 6.15e LR Leadership Each year should funds be available, the Board of Directors may budget for two persons’ tuition expenses and related travel for LR Leadership. SECTION 7: MEMBERSHIP 7.1 Dues / Assessments / Fees Designated REALTOR® Members shall notify the Association of any additional individual(s) licensed with the firm within 5 days of the date of affiliation or severance of the individual. Failure to do so will result in invoicing of non-member dues. There is no refund of non-member dues when the licensee or trainee joins the Association. Dues for renewing members paid after January 1st are subject to a $50 late fee. If dues are not paid by January 30th, membership shall be terminated. Membership may be reinstated if payment is made before March 31st; a reinstatement fee of $35 plus the late fee will be assessed. After that date, the entire admissions process shall be required. 7.2 Members’ Access to Meetings & Materials It is the policy of the GCLRA to welcome the attendance of members to the Association’s Board of Director's meetings. The Association reserves the right, to protect the interests of its members and employees in maintaining confidentiality. All guests and staff will be excused when the Board is called into Executive Session as defined in Section 2.1, Directors Responsibilities. Minutes of the Board of Directors are available to all members except those actions pertaining to those items discussed during Executive Session. All committee meetings are open to the general membership to attend as guest observers with the exception of Executive Committee, Finance Committee, and Grievance Committee & Professional Standards. At the written request of a member, and under the supervision of the AE, the Association will make available for inspection all books and records of the corporation's accounts and all minutes of the proceedings of Board of Directors and committees. If requested, a copy of the most recent 990 filing will be provided. This statement of policy shall not constitute a waiver of the Board's right, at its discretion, to maintain as privileged, any other documents in its files which it is not required by law to disclose. For any member examining the Board's books and records, the AE may request that the member submit any questions they have in writing to the Board.

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7.3 Awards and Recognition

A. REALTOR Emeritus

REALTOR® Emeritus status is granted by the National Association of REALTORS® to members who have had forty (40) years of continuous membership and their national dues are waived. When members receive this designation from the National Association of REALTORS® their dues will also be waived at GCLRA. Nominations for REALTOR® Emeritus designees should be submitted no later than March 15.

B. REALTOR OF THE YEAR Selection Guidelines: The purpose of this award is to recognize a REALTOR® who is actively involved in the GCLRA. It also recognizes a REALTOR® who uses high standards of professionalism, has some involvement on the state level and who is most highly regarded by fellow REALTORS®. This award is not always for extraordinary accomplishments within the year for which the award is made, but for outstanding achievement and a history of service and dedication OVER THE YEARS.

● To demonstrate to the general public, by those outstanding examples, the work done by REALTORS®.

● To point up the qualifications of those REALTORS® best fitted to be considered for leadership positions in organized real estate.

● To foster a spirit of competition among those who are in a position to do the real productive work of GCLRA, LR and NAR.

Eligibility Any REALTOR® member that is currently active in the Association at the time the nomination is made with the exception of the current President and the Immediate Past President are eligible for nomination. On October 1 the AE shall distribute the nomination forms and selection criteria to the membership with a notice of the October 15 deadline. Members are invited and encouraged to submit the name or names of nominees for REALTOR® of the Year to the local board, accompanied by written information and documentation setting forth the reasons for the particular nomination. Information submitted for each nominee should be based on the standards outlined below and should follow in the same order. The information should be typewritten, should not be prepared by a public relations firm, and should not exceed ten (10) pages in length. Nominees submitted after the designated time will not be considered. No nomination is permitted by a member of the REALTOR® of the Year Committee. In the event no nominations are submitted or nominated candidates do not meet the criteria, the committee at its discretion may forego the presentation of the award for that year. The presentation of the REALTOR® of the Year Award will take place at an annual meeting.

Standards for selecting the REALTOR® of the Year:

● REALTOR® Spirit and Local Board Activity (50%): High principles, faithfulness to laws and regulations of the Code of Ethics and local board, and furtherance of principles of good real estate practice among brokers, salespersons, and the general public. Committee members, General Membership Meeting attendance, Educational class attendance, Fundraiser/Charitable participation, Volunteerism in teaching Orientation or other real estate related classes.

● Leadership (20%): Board of Directors, Officers, Committee Chairpersons; Regional, State and

National participation in conferences and conventions/business meetings.

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● Civic Activity (15%): Local, state and national level participation in civic and service clubs, community activities, charitable activities, political commissions, fraternal or religious groups, etc.

● Business Accomplishments (15%): Recognized good business conduct, service to clients,

imaginative and creative advertising programs, rehabilitation work, land utilization, company awards, production, etc.

C. ROOKIE OF THE YEAR This annual award will be selected by the MLS Committee based on the following:

● The total transaction volume calculated per MLS Top Producer awards, for the first 12 months of licensure.

● The agent with the highest sales total will be the recipient. ● Offices may submit potential candidates for verification no later than the first Friday in

November. Offices will be reminded each October 1 to submit potential candidates and their transactions for review. Examples are:

● Agent A is licensed on February 11, 2013. Their first 12 months ends February 10, 2014.

● Agent B is licensed on August 25, 2013. Their first 12 months ends August 24, 2014. ● Agent C is licensed on November 15, 2013. Their first 12 months ends November 14,

2014. ● In the examples noted above, both Agent A and B should have their production

submitted to be considered for Rookie of the Year this year, while Agent C would be submitted next year since their 12-month period ends after November 1.

In order to determine production, follow the steps listed below:

1. Log into the MLS and go to Market Reports, then choose Agent Awards Report. You will run this report for each agent.

2. Enter into the closed date field range their date of license and the ending date of their 12-month period.

3. Enter the agent’s User ID in the Agent ID field. Choose Generate Report. 4. Once this is completed, note the Sales Volume on the report and submit the report to Staff for

verification. Repeat from step 2 for each agent. HIGH PRODUCERS

● Each year, members who closed transactions totaling $1 Million or more will be recognized. ● All sales must have been entered into the MLS in compliance with the MLS Rules and

Regulations to be considered as production for the candidates. ● Transactions from November 1 through October 31 shall be counted. ● Production totals shall be calculated as follows: ½ of the sales price for each side of the

transaction.

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● Offices may submit potential candidates for verification no later than the first Friday in November.

● Offices will be reminded each October 1 to submit potential candidates and their transactions for review.

● Team members will receive credit under the team name ONLY and will be recognized as the Team, not individually.

● Awards are based on Volume, not Sales Price. Any agent who has a Volume Dollar Amount over $1,000,000 qualifies for the award. This report separates Sales Price from Volume for you.

If the agent is a first-time winner, please note this on the production report. We will need this information to determine which agents in your office only need a bar and which agents need plaques. The deadline for submission will be the first Friday of November annually. 7.4 Reapplication for Membership Any person wishing to reapply for membership shall be subject to the NAR Dues Formula. Membership dues shall not be prorated if the licensee held REALTOR® membership during the preceding calendar year. Any person reapplying for membership must take the New Member Orientation Course unless taken within the last two (2) years. 7.5 GCLRA REALTOR® Relief Network Upon adoption of the policy for the GCLRA REALTOR® Relief Network by the Board of Directors, language will automatically be inserted here.

7.6 REALTOR® Affiliate Members (RAM) REALTOR® Affiliate Members:

● are permitted to serve on committees or workgroups; ● are permitted to take classes at the same fee structure as REALTOR® members; and ● can be event sponsors and place advertising within the association at discounted rates

according to policy guidelines (Section 13 – Advertising and Sponsorship). No REALTOR® members may participate in RAM except:

● New Home Sales Associates who are permitted to only promote their new home subdivisions ● Property Managers ● Any other service provider who is also a REALTOR® member may promote their service (i.e.

home inspector, pest control, insurance services) SECTION 8: COMMUNICATIONS, PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITE All requests from the media, including statistical information and opinions of the GCLRA, shall be referred to the Association President. The President is considered the spokesperson for the Association and has the responsibility for ensuring the views and positions of the Association are accurately represented. If at any time, the President is unavailable, and time is of the essence, the President-elect shall be contacted.

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8.1 Weekly Newsletter The weekly newsletter is published to the members before the close of business on Mondays. Content includes, but is not limited to, upcoming events, education opportunities, fundraising, general announcements, association documents, and other pertinent information. The AE shall have the responsibility for proof reading and editing all articles before publication. The AE shall have the authority to accept or reject articles submitted for publication in the newsletter. 8.2 Website The website shall include:

● Professional standards information with downloadable forms ● Links to state and national Association websites ● Consumer interface ● Contact information ● Member benefits and services

8.3 Social Media Policy General GCLRA uses a variety of social media tools – including Facebook, Active Rain, Twitter and other technology-driven opportunities for interaction and collaboration (“Social Media”) – to benefit its members and the real estate industry. Social Media are made available to GCLRA for our members and the public to share information about real estate-related topics. By accessing and/or posting on GCLRA’s Social Media, you agree to the following terms and conditions: GCLRA grants you a limited right to access, use and display its Social Media and the material contained therein, provided that you comply fully with these terms and conditions:

● All published GCLRA Social Media content is subject to monitoring. You may not post content that is illegal, obscene, defamatory, infringing on intellectual property rights, threatening or is otherwise objectionable. GCLRA reserves the right to delete messages for any reason.

● GCLRA’s Social Media may be changed without notice and their information is not guaranteed to be complete, correct or up to date.

● The opinions expressed on GCLRA’s Social Media art the opinions of the individual authors and should not be construed as reflecting the opinions of GCLRA members or staff.

● While GCLRA make every effort to present accurate and reliable information with its Social Media, GCLRA does not endorse, approve, or certify such information, nor does it guarantee its accuracy, completeness, efficacy, or timeless

● Reference to any commercial product, process, or service does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation or favoring by GCLRA.

● At certain places on GCLRA’s Social Media, live links to other web sites can be accessed. Such external sites contain information created, published, maintained, or otherwise posted by organizations independent of GCLRA. GCLRA does not endorse, approve certify, or control these external sites, nor any commercial product or service referenced therein, and does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, or timeliness of information located on these sites.

● GCLRA assumes no responsibility for consequences resulting from use of the information contained on its Social Media or obtained at linked sites, and expressly disclaims all liability for damages arising out of use, reference to, reliance on, or performance of such information

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● GCLRA reserves the right to modify at any time these terms and conditions. SECTION 9: BUILDING & RENTAL OPERATIONS

● Portions of the Association headquarters are available for rental by members and the general public. Members may receive a discount from the published fees provided the intended use is in compliance with the facilities contract. A current copy of the facilities contract and fee structure will be maintained by the Association.

● The GCLRA does not permit seminars, presentations, programs, etc., that are of real estate “recruitment” nature (programs attempting to recruit agents, managers and/or franchisees). GCLRA insists upon maintaining neutrality in such programs. Member companies and agents are invited to utilize facilities provided they adhere to the non-recruitment policy.

● Any rental of the facility is subject to Executive Committee review in order to maintain the integrity of GCLRA policies. Members or companies violating this policy may lose rental privileges at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

● Person using space must have an insurance rider listing GCLRA as additional insured and this must be provided and verified to the AE 3 days prior to event.

● Dates may be tentatively reserved with payment of a deposit. Dates are confirmed when rental application is completed, Executive Committee has approved, all parties have executed the agreement and full payment and insurance rider is received.

● The AE is responsible for the building security. AE may provide ingress/egress accessibility to other staff and members.

● In the absence of the AE, access shall be determined by the Executive Committee. These provisions will be ratified at the following board meeting.

Fees are established annually by the Board of Directors and are provided within the GCLRA approved rental agreement. Cancellation policy can be found in the approved GCLRA rental agreement. SECTION 10: NAR & LR 10.1 NAR Directors & LR Directors The President and President-Elect or Designee serve on the LR Board of Directors. The Association is entitled to one (1) Local Association Director based on the LR allotment policy.

● Local Association Directors based on membership number allocations for each association shall be duly elected by the local association members.

● Any vacancy shall be filled by an election of the GCLRA Board of Directors for the remainder of the term.

● Local Association Director allocations shall be based on the membership of the local association on April 1st of the year preceding the election of the Board of Directors.

● The number of Local Association Directors will be determined in accordance with LR Bylaws. ● The term shall be for one year. (A proviso was adopted at the Friday, September 21, 2018,

Board of Directors meeting of LR to begin the one-year term for Local Association Directors seated in 2019 and thereafter. Therefore, those who were elected/appointed in 2018 and prior to 2018 will serve a two (2) year term and those elected/appointed in 2019 and thereafter will serve a one-year term.)

Travel is reimbursed per the 6.13 Travel Reimbursement policy. SECTION 11: ADVERTISING/ SPONSORSHIP Sponsorship is any form of advertising in connection with an Association Event, Program, Publication or Function by which an individual, firm or other legal entity is paying money or providing goods or

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services beyond a nominal value in exchange for name recognition. Sponsorship opportunities for Committees of the Association as defined above shall be offered to any business, firm or organization wishing to sponsor except for:

● Businesses in direct competition with Association events, programs and functions (including RAM members)

● Any business, organization or content that is determined in the sole discretion of GCLRA’s Executive Committee to be contrary to GCLRA’s mission/vision statements or the interests of GCLRA membership as a whole

● No advertisements soliciting agent recruitment or the offering of their real estate services to other members will be allowed

Anonymous sponsorships (monetary or in-kind) are accepted. SECTION 12: NON-RECRUITMENT POLICY This policy shall apply to all Association events sponsored by GCLRA, whether at the Association offices or off-site. GCLRA does not permit firm recruiting at Association Events. GCLRA insists upon maintaining neutrality. Members are encouraged to participate in any Association events as long as they adhere to this policy regarding recruiting. Members violating this policy may lose attendance privileges at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

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APPENDICES

APPENDIX A Personnel Policy

APPENDIX B GCLRA Candidate Interview Policy

APPENDIX C Whistleblower Form

APPENDIX D Code of Conduct Form

APPENDIX E Anti-Trust Form

APPENDIX F Building Rental Application