Volker Neighborhood Association By-Laws
VOLKER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BYLAWS
ARTICLE I - Name and Boundaries
SECTION 1 The name of the organization shall be the Volker Neighborhood Association, hereafter referred to as the "Association."
SECTION 2 The boundaries of the Association shall be State Line on the West, 31st Street on the North, Westport Road on the South, and the East boundary-Roanoke between 31st Street and 39th Street and Southwest Trafficway between 39th Street and Westport Road.
ARTICLE II ? Areas
SECTION 1 The Neighborhood shall divided into three (3) areas. Each area shall have two representatives on the Board of Directors.
SECTION 2 The areas and boundaries shall be:
North: State Line on the West; 31st Street on the North; Roanoke Road on the East, and the North side of 39th Street on the South.
Southwest: State Line on the West; West side of Terrace on the East; South side of 39th Street on the North and Westport Road on the South.
Southeast: East side of Terrace on the West; South side of 39th Street on the North; Southwest Trafficway on the East and Westport Road on the South.
ARTICLE III - Purpose and Objectives
SECTION 1 Purpose: The Volker Neighborhood Association is a non-partisan voluntary association of interested property owners, business owners, and residents whose purpose is to determine the needs of the neighborhood and act in its best interest as determined by majority vote.
SECTION 2 The objectives and goals of the Association are:
To support the enforcement of City codes and ordinances for the good of the neighborhood.
To encourage maintenance and improvement of residential and commercial properties through cooperative efforts.
To maintain and improve the residential character of the neighborhood as envisioned by the current plan(s) supported by the Association.
To be aware of the needs of our senior citizens, youth, and disabled neighbors and provide assistance as appropriate.
To support favorable zoning standards.
To build pride in the neighborhood through awareness of different cultures.
To cooperate with other neighborhood associations and organizations within the community in promoting common goals.
ARTICLE IV - Membership
SECTION 1 The membership of the Association shall be open to residents, business owners, and property owners within the boundaries of the neighborhood, 18 years of age and older. Membership is obtained by meeting these requirements and having paid the current year?s membership dues. Members can resign their membership at any time by informing any board member of their desire to do so. Any membership can be rescinded by a vote of the general membership at any general meeting. The minimum number of voting members required shall be a quorum as defined in article VIII section 2 with a simple majority needed to remove a member.
SECTION 2 Dues per member may be charged in such amounts as determined by the Board of Directors subject to the approval of the general body. Dues are valid for one calendar year beginning January 1 and ending December 31. This calendar year shall also be considered the official fiscal year of the Association.
ARTICLE V - Officers and Their Duties
SECTION 1 The officers of the Association shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer can hold an office and also be an area representative and/or chair of one of the standing committees.
SECTION 2 The President shall perform all duties that generally pertain to the office of President. In particular, he/she shall preside at all meetings of the Association, shall call special meetings as necessary, and in the event of an emergency, may cancel a meeting. He/she may appoint special or ad hoc committees except the Nominating Committee; and he/she shall, within thirty (30) days after his/her election, call a meeting of the elected officers to appoint standing committee chairs for the Association. He/she shall preside over Board of Directors meetings, but will only vote in case of a tie. The President shall be a member ex-officio of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
SECTION 3 The Vice President shall perform all duties that generally pertain to the office of Vice President. He/she shall, in the absence of the President, perform the duties of that office, and in the case of a permanent vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President shall automatically become the President serving out the unexpired term.
SECTION 4 The Secretary shall keep an accurate account of the proceedings of the meetings; shall have custody of all books and papers belonging to the Association except those specifically assigned to other officers, and shall enter all amendments in the Bylaws book.
SECTION 5 The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of all monies received and disbursed; shall disburse no money over $50 except as approved by the Board, shall draw all warrants for money spent by the Association, presenting same to either the President, Vice President or Secretary for countersignature; he/she shall submit a written report at each meeting, in triplicate, for the President, Vice President and the Secretary.
ARTICLE VI - Election of Officers and Area Representatives
SECTION 1 The officers of the Association and the Area Representatives shall be elected bi-annually at the general meeting in June by those members in attendance. (See article VIII section 2 for definition of a quorum.) Nominations shall be made by the nominating committee in accordance with Article 6, Sections 5 and 6 and from the floor, and the election shall be by show of hands unless a ballot vote is deemed necessary by the president. Proxy votes shall not be accepted as valid at any and all elections. The officers and Area Representatives shall serve a two year term, at which time their successors shall be elected in accordance with these Bylaws.
The officers provided herein, shall be elected at the June general meeting by the members of the Association who have been members for at least two months.
SECTION 2 The Area Representatives for each of the Areas shall be elected at the June general meeting by the members of the Association who reside, or own property, or own a business in the electing Area and have been members for at least two months. Area Representatives must reside in the area they are to represent.
SECTION 3 Officers shall be elected for a term of two (2) years and shall take office at the general meeting in June. Any officer or area representative can be removed from office by a vote of the general membership at any general meeting. The minimum number of voting members required shall be quorum as defined in article VIII section 2 with a 2/3rds majority needed to remove an officer.
SECTION 4 Officers and Area Representatives can be re-elected indefinitely.
SECTION 5 Nominations for office shall be made by a Nominating Committee consisting of three members nominated from the floor and elected at the May general meeting. To be eligible to serve on the Nominating Committee a member must have been a member for at least two months. The three members receiving the largest number of votes shall comprise the Committee. The one receiving the largest number of votes shall be Chair. If no more than three members are nominated they shall be elected by acclamation.
SECTION 6 The Nominating Committee shall recommend at the June general meeting, one candidate for each office to be filled. Additional nominations may be made from the floor. Majority vote shall elect. Election shall be by show of hands unless a ballot vote is deemed necessary by the president. If there is only one candidate for the office they shall be declared elected by acclamation.
SECTION 7 Those eligible to vote in the election of officers and to hold office shall be members for at least two months and whose dues are paid in full at the time of the election meeting.
SECTION 8 If a vacancy shall occur in any office other than that of President, it shall be filled by election at the next regular meeting. In filling vacancies, the nominations shall be from the floor and election by show of hands, unless a ballot vote is deemed necessary by the president, as stipulated in Sections 1, 2, and 7 of Article VI. If there be but one nominee, election shall be declared by acclamation.
ARTICLE VII - Board of Directors
SECTION 1 There shall be a Board of Directors composed of the elective officers, the Chair of standing committees and the Area Representatives from each Area. They shall meet monthly as determined by the president. A simple majority shall constitute a quorum. Any member of the board of directors may resign at any time by informing a simple majority of the board of their intension to do so.
ARTICLE VIII - General
SECTION 1 The general meetings of this Association shall be held monthly and/or as called by the President.
SECTION 2 In order for a vote to be taken at a general meeting, there must be a quorum present of at least two board members along with at least 10% of the non-board total membership. Absentee voting is permissible if in writing and signed by the absentee member. Absentee votes shall not count in the calculation of the quorum. Proxy votes shall not be accepted as valid for any vote. Voting on major issues (as determined by the president) requires publication of the issue in the association newsletter at least a month prior to the meeting where the vote is to take place. Those eligible to vote shall be members for at least two months and whose dues are paid in full at the time of the meeting.
SECTION 3 Volker Neighborhood shall not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, or handicapping condition. All programs and activities of the Association shall be conducted in furtherance of this policy.
ARTICLE IX - Standing Committees
SECTION 1 The following standing committees shall be appointed and shall consist of at least three (3) members:
1. Beautification Committee.
2. Housing Committee.
3. Membership Committee.
4. Traffic and parking Committee.
5. Special projects Committee
ARTICLE X - Parliamentary Authority
Simplified Parliamentary Procedures (Attached) shall govern the Association.
ARTICLE XI - Amendments
These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of those members present, (a quorum as defined in article VIII section 2 being required), notice of the amendment having been given at the previous regular meeting and published in the Association?s newsletter. Minor changes, as determined by a unanimous vote of a quorum of the board can be made at board meetings.
ADOPTED: January 9th, 2003
SIMPLIFIED PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
I. ORDER OF BUSINESS
1. The meeting is "called to order" by the president.
2. The minutes of the preceding meeting are read by the secretary.
3. Monthly statement of treasurer is "Received as read and filed." (Chair so states.)
4. Reports of Area Representatives are called for by the president.
5. Reports of standing committees are called for by the president.
6. Reports of special committees are called for by the president.
7. Unfinished business.
8. New business.
9. Adjournment.
II. DUTIES OF A PRESIDENT
1. To preside at all meetings
2. Note whether a quorum is present; if so, call the meeting to order, and declare "a quorum is present."
III. PRINCIPAL MOTIONS
General statement: When a motion has been made, seconded and stated by the chair, the assembly is not at liberty to consider any other business until this motion has been disposed of.
1. To Amend: This motion is "to change, add, or omit words" in the original main motion, and is debatable; majority vote.
2. To Postpone: A motion to postpone the question before the assembly to some future time is in order, except when a speaker has the floor. Debatable; majority vote.
3. Point of Order: This motion is always in order, but can be used only to present an objection to a ruling of the chair or some method of parliamentary procedure. The form is "Mr. (Madam) Chair, I rise to a point of order." The Chair: "Please state your point of order."
After the member has stated his objection, the chair answers:
a. "Your point of order is sustained" or
b. "Your point of order is denied."
If any member is not satisfied s/he may appeal from the decision of the chair. The chair then addresses the assembly, "Shall the decision of the chair be sustained?" This is debatable and the presiding officer may discuss it without leaving the chair. Voted on like any other motion: majority or tie vote sustains the decision of chair. Requires a majority of "no" votes to reverse decision of the chair.
