Bay Creek Neighborhood Association, Inc. Bylaws

Revised February 2006
Revised March 1998
Original version circa 1990

Contents:

Article I. Purpose

Article II. Membership

Article III. Meetings

Article IV. Area Representatives

Article V. Neighborhood Council

Article VI. Standing Committees

Article VII. Procedures

Article VIII. Finance

Article IX. Amendments

Article X. Dissolution

Article I. Purpose

Section 1. The primary purpose of the Bay Creek Neighborhood Association, Incorporated, hereafter "the association," is to improve our neighborhood through democratic citizen participation and involvement in activities which affect our everyday lives.

Section 2. The association shall work toward this goal by generating and sustaining a spirit of neighborhood community among area residents through all appropriate means, including, but not limited to:

2.1 Calling attention to emerging neighborhood issues.

2.2 Promoting interest and participation in neighborhood planning.

2.3 Educating citizens, both members and non-members of the association, in the character, problems and potential of the neighborhood.

2.4 Providing a means of widespread study and discussion of various issues and questions pertinent to the neighborhood.

2.5 Serving as advocate for those policies and programs that seem to its membership, after appropriate analysis and discussion, to be in the neighborhood's best interest.

2.6 Working cooperatively with the city and neighborhood groups to improve and further the neighborhood's interest.

2.7 Promoting social interaction among the diverse population within the neighborhood.

Section 3. No member or officer may receive compensation for his or her services as a member or officer of the association. However, nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any member or officer from serving the association in any other capacity, or receiving reasonable compensation therefor.

Article II. Membership

Section 1. Membership in the association is open to all persons age 18 and over who reside in the City of Madison in Census District 13, the area bounded by Monona Bay and Lake, Wingra Creek and Delaplaine Court.

Section 2. Any such resident may become a member of the association. Membership is on a calendar year basis. There are voluntary yearly dues of $3.00 per household. An announcement about the yearly voluntary dues shall be in each BC newsletter. The money goes to the treasurer. Every resident over the age of 18 in BC may become a member, even if he or she does not contribute. The BC Bulletin will go to everyone whether he or she is a dues paying member or not.

Section 3. Membership is initiated by signing a list at a general membership meeting, or by indicating an interest in joining the association in writing to a member of the Neighborhood Council.

Section 4. Membership entitles an individual to vote in general membership meetings, and to serve on committees of the association.

Section 5. Membership in the association shall be terminated if a person ceases to be a resident of the area designated in section 1.

Section 6. Annual guest memberships in the association shall be allotted at the discretion of the association to former neighborhood residents, business and government representatives and other individuals. No guest member shall hold office or represent the association to outside agencies.

Article III. Meetings

Section 1. There shall at least bimonthly membership meetings of the association. There shall be an annual meeting to elect officers and report on activities of the association.

1.1 A special meeting shall be held when directed by a majority of the members of the Neighborhood Council or when requested in writing by not less than 10 members of the association. Notice of a special meeting shall indicate the items of business to be considered.

1.2 Notice of all meetings of the general membership or the Neighborhood Council shall be announced in the Bay Creek Bulletin prior to the meeting, except that if necessary, an emergency meeting of the general membership or the Neighborhood Council may be held without advance notice.

1.3 At any meeting of the general membership or the neighborhood council, a quorum consists of a simple majority of Neighborhood Council members being present.

Section 2. All meetings of the general membership shall be held within the neighborhood boundaries at a place designated by the Neighborhood Council.

Section 3. Election of officers is conducted at the annual membership meeting.

Section 4. General meetings of the Association will be facilitated on a rotating basis by any member of the Association, agreed upon by consensus at the previous meeting.

Article IV. Area Representatives

Section 1. The association shall be divided into areas as shown on the map attached as appendix A. One area representative shall represent each district.

Section 2. Area representatives shall be chosen at the annual membership meeting for a term of one year or until a new area representative is duly elected. Any member may nominate one candidate or team of candidates from a single household who would share a single vote on the Council for area representative who live in that member's area. Each member shall vote for one area representative from his/her area only. A coin toss shall be used to break ties.

Section 3. The responsibilities of an area representative are as follows:

3.1 Act as liaison between the Neighborhood Council and one's area, and report neighborhood concerns to the council.

3.2 Serve on the Neighborhood Council.

3.3 Assist in finding a replacement upon vacation of the position.

3.4 Assist the association as necessary and appropriate.

Article V. Neighborhood Council

Section 1. The Neighborhood Council shall consist of area representatives, standing committee chairs and current officers. Duties include, but are not limited to:

1.1 Establishment of general policy to recommend to the association on various issues which concern the neighborhood and the association.

1.2 Execution of the policies and programs established by or for the benefit of the general membership.

1.3 Appointment of replacements for officers who have resigned.

1.4 Appointment of committees as necessary on matters that may not be addressed by a standing committee.

1.5 Management of the business and property of the association.

Section 2. The members of the association shall elect the officers of the association at the annual membership meeting for a term of one year or until a new officer is duly elected. The officers and duties shall be:

2.1 Contact Person, who will get mailings from the city, and will be the person city departments and the alderperson contact about anything that affects the Bay Creek neighborhood.

2.2 Treasurer, who administers all monies and assets of the association and all financial records and files for the association, and regularly provides an oral or written financial report to the association.

2.3 Secretary, who handles correspondence as appropriate and maintains correspondence files, records of all general membership and neighborhood council meetings and a record of area and association activities.

Section 3. An officer may be removed at any time by a 2/3rds vote of the full Neighborhood Council or a majority of the association membership.

Section 4. Any vacancy shall be filled by election of the Neighborhood Council. The appointee shall serve until the next annual meeting.

Section 5. The council shall report the state of the affairs of the association to the members of the association at the general membership meetings.

Article VI. Committees

Section 1. The general purposes of the standing committees shall be to promote neighborhood awareness and coordinate activity in those areas of concern to the specific mandate of the committee.

Section 2. The mandate of the Standing committees shall be to monitor all activities related to the committee focus, represent the association and neighborhood residents as appropriate, and keep the association informed of activities in these areas. Specific mandates follow:

2.1 Welcoming and Recruitment Committee. Make contact with neighbors and businesses new to the neighborhood, conduct recruitment activities as necessary, and welcome and orient newcomers to Association meetings.

2.2 Newsletter (Bay Creek Bulletin). Publish a neighborhood newsletter at regular intervals. Each newsletter shall contain a summary of the previous general membership meeting, if any, and an agenda of the next general membership meeting if available.

2.3 Neighborhood Image. Concerns development and projection of a healthy neighborhood image.

2.4 Planning and Economic Development. Concerns all activities within the neighborhood which affect land use, business development and retention and represent the association before city agencies when warranted.

2.5 Traffic. Concerns monitoring new developments along the main trunk roads through the neighborhood, safety of pedestrian access, and maintenance of the residential character balanced with the flow of traffic.

2.6 Environmental and Recreational Development. Concerns oversight of maintenance and development of neighborhood parks and water ways, creation of adequate play facilities for children, and the general health and safety of recreational areas.

Section 3. Chairs of standing committees shall be elected to one year terms by the general membership at the annual meeting.

Section 4. A member of any committee who has missed three meetings without a reasonable excuse, as determined by the committee, shall no longer be considered an active member of the committee.

Section 5. Ad hoc committees may be formed by the Neighborhood Council to fulfill specific functions not covered under the purview of any standing committee. They shall exist until their duty has been fulfilled and then be automatically disbanded. Ad hoc committee chairs have no additional responsibility to serve on the Neighborhood Council.

Article VII. Procedures

Section 1. Any member of the association may attend any council or committee meeting and may take part in the discussion.

Section 2. All meetings of the association shall be generally conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, except that meetings of the Neighborhood Council may be conducted by consensus decision making, where practical.

Article VIII. Finance

Section 1. The funds of the association shall be deposited in such bank or other financial institution as the Neighborhood Council shall designate, and shall be withdrawn only upon checks, drafts or order of the association signed by the treasurer or other designated officer.

Section 2. The Neighborhood Council shall ratify any expenditure of greater than $100.00. A special exemption is allowed for ordinary expenditures related to the operation of the neighborhood newsletter.

Article IX. Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to the by-laws may be made by a 2/3rds majority vote of members present and voting at any meeting of the general membership, if the neighborhood newsletter provides advance notice of the amendments.

Article X. Dissolution

Section 1. If this association, for any reason whatsoever, ceases to exist, any and all assets, after payment of all debts and obligations of the association, shall be donated to the City of Madison, and shall be requested for use within the former association area for recreational, educational or environmental purposes.