BYLAWS OF CLIFF/CANNON NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL
SECTION 1 - NAME
A. Cliff/Cannon Neighborhood Council
SECTION 2 - STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
1. The purpose of the Cliff/Cannon Neighborhood Council is to improve and preserve the quality of life, promote common interest, preserve neighborhood character, and promote harmony through open dialogue, mutual respect and an inclusive environment where diversity is open and encouraged. We will promote this purpose through actions including but not limited to:
1. Represent Cliff/Cannon in the Neighborhood Council Program.
2. Review and recommend an action, a policy, or a plan to the City Council Neighborhood Committee, the City, and to any agency, commission or board on matters affecting the Cliff/Cannon Neighborhood.
3. Assist the City in determining priority needs for the neighborhood.
4. Review items for inclusion in the city budget and make recommendations relating to budget items for neighborhood improvements.
5. Undertake to manage projects as may be agreed upon or contracted with public agencies.
6. To source, secure, manage and disburse funds and/or property for projects, activities, or improvements which are outside of the Neighborhood Council Program but are for the benefit or of the neighborhood.SECTION 3 - BOUNDARIES
North: I-90 freeway;
East: Division St., south to 8th, east to Cowley, south to Sumner, west to Grand Blvd, south on Grand to 16th Av.;
South: 16th Ave. (north and south sides) to Cedar then southwest to intersection of Cedar and Maple;
West: BluffSECTION 4 - MEETINGS
1. Regular Neighborhood Council meetings shall be held at least three (3) times per year between September, and May, on a specified day, at 7:00 pm at a place designated no less that two weeks prior to the meeting.
2. Special or Emergency meetings of the Neighborhood Council may be called by the Neighborhood Council Executive Committee OR by 51% of the voting members present at the two previous meetings. Any actions taken at Special or Emergency meetings shall be reported at the next regular Neighborhood Council meeting.
3. Regular and Special Neighborhood Council meetings shall be open to anyone. Visitors will be invited to participate in the discussion of matters at hand but cannot vote.
4. Only Neighborhood Council members actually present at any given meeting may vote.
5. Unless otherwise specifically defined in these bylaws all affairs of the Neighborhood Council shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, current edition.
6. Sign-in sheets, as a record of attendance, must be kept for all meetings of the Neighborhood Council and a copy shall be forwarded to the City’s Neighborhood Liaison to maintain on public file, and shall be kept on file by the Membership Chairperson.SECTION 5- MEETING NOTIFICATION
1. All meetings will be publicized in the neighborhood using whatever reasonable means that are available, for example, but not limited to: flyers, mailings, notifications in newspapers, radio, television, etc. Notice shall be distributed not less than seven (7) days prior to the meeting date.
2. Failure to receive a meeting notice does not invalidate the meeting. However, the provisions of this section must be complied with in good faith.
3. For special meetings all voting members will be notified by telephone or flyer at least one week in advance.SECTION 6 - COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP
1. Council membership is open to anyone who lives or owns property, owns or operates a business, or is that business’ designated agent(s), in the neighborhood and who is at least 16 years of age.
2. Voting - Each person living in or owning property in the neighborhood gets a single vote. Each business also gets a single vote with the representative of that business, who votes for that business, becoming a matter of record. Each voting person must attend at least two (2) neighborhood meetings within the twelve (12) months preceding the meeting during which the a vote takes place before (s)he can vote. Council year begins June 1.
3. Voting membership may be revoked in the following circumstances:1. Not meeting attendance requirements
2. “Just cause” which will be debated by council members present and require 2/3 vote by those members present. Debate will be conducted in the presence of the person against whom action is being taken. Voting membership may be reestablished by meeting the membership requirements.
3. The revoking-of-membership must be proposed at one regular meeting and voted on at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
4. No member shall purport to represent the Cliff/Cannon Neighborhood Council unless authorized to do so by vote of the Council membership.SECTION 7 - COUNCIL POSITIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. The Executive Committee shall be composed of five to seven members of the neighborhood, in good standing, annually elected by neighborhood members, and the chair(s) of any standing committee of the Council.
2. The executive committee shall be responsible for the management of the affairs of the Neighborhood Council. The Executive Committee shall:
o maintain and update annually the membership list,
o plan, advertise and hold Council meetings,
o keep meeting minutes,
o maintain a neighborhood website,
o hold elections as called for in these bylaws,
o represent the neighborhood in communications’ with the city government, including theCommunity Assembly, as directed by majority vote of the Council membership present at a given meeting.
The executive may act for the Council between regular meetings on any matter determined urgent.
Any such action shall be reported at the next regular meeting of the Council and none of its actions shall conflict with actions taken or policies formulated by the Council.
3. Unless so authorized by the Neighborhood Council membership, neither the Executive Team nor any officer or agent shall have the power or authority to bind the Council by any contract or engagement, or to pledge its credit, or render it liable pecuniarily for any purpose or to any amount.
SECTION 8 - NOMINATION, ELECTION AND TERMS OF OFFICE FOR OFFICERS AND APPOINTMENTS
1. Nominations may be submitted by a nominating committee and/or received from the floor at the March meeting. .
2. The Executive Committee will:1. Receive all nominations for office, ensuring each nominee is a voting member of the neighborhood. This could include the recruitment of candidates.
2. Create the ballot.
3. Tabulate the ballot results.
4. Not make recommendations on any candidate.
3. All candidates must have accepted the nomination and currently be a qualified voting member of the Neighborhood Council.4. Officers will be elected by majority vote of the Neighborhood Council voting members present at the next scheduled meeting (April or May).
5. (E.)The term of office shall be for one year from 1 June to 31 May. Officers may serve consecutive terms. In the event an officer fills an unexpired term of another, she/he can be elected to additional terms.
6. (F.) Voting will be by secret ballot if there is more than one candidate for office. The ballots shall be maintained for sixty (60) days by the Secretary and shall then be destroyed.7. Meetings will be facilitated by an Executive Committee appointee.
SECTION 9 - REMOVAL AND VACANCIES
1. Any elected officer may be removed from office for good cause. Removal shall be debated by the Neighborhood Council and shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of members present at a meeting of the Council, providing that a resolution proposing the consideration of the removal has been adopted at a preceding meeting and that notice of the vote for removal has been included in the call to the meeting at which the vote shall take place.
2. Should vacancies occur outside the normal election process, candidates for the unfilled term shall be nominated from the floor and elected at the next scheduled meeting following the vacancy. The person elected to the vacated office will serve for the remainder of the termSECTION 10 - COMMITTEES AND APPOINTMENTS
1. The Neighborhood Council (NC) has the power to create committees as needed.
2. Volunteers will be recruited from persons who are NC members or who are eligible for membership.
3. There shall be no limit to the number of members on a committee unless directed by the Council membership.
4. Committees shall report to, and may make recommendations to the NC. These reports shall be entered into the minutes.SECTION 11- AMMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS
1. These bylaws may be amended by approval by a two-thirds majority vote of those present at a regular council meeting. The resolution to amend must have been proposed at the preceding regular meeting with notice having been given as to what the proposed amendment concerns in the call for the meeting at which the amendment shall be voted upon.
2. Bylaws will be reviewed annually in the third quarter of the calendar year by a committee established as in Section 10 of these bylaws.
Revised 1/14/2010
