Historic Old Southwest Neighborhood Association
By-Laws
Article I: Name, Boundaries, Membership, Purpose
The name of the Association shall be the Historic Old Southwest Neighborhood Association.
The Association boundaries are as follows: Properties from the centerline of West Blvd. (Eastside) to the centerline of Edgewood Ave., to Rollins Rd. (both sides), up to boundaries of Quarry Heights, Westmount (to center line of street) Edgewood (to center line of street), Stewart Road to Broadway, excluding all properties on both sides of Broadway from West Boulevard to Edgewood Avenue, and excluding any properties within existing registered neighborhood associations. The existing areas registered as Maupin-Woods and Old Stewart Road neighborhood associations shall be absorbed into the Historic Old Southwest Neighborhood Association.
Every person aged eighteen or older who resides or owns real estate in the neighborhood, or resides on Broadway between West Boulevard and Edgewood Avenue, is a member in the Association.
Each member shall then have the right to attend and to vote on officership, when those positions become available, policies, and issues at regular and specially called meetings.
The purpose of the Association is to facilitate communication throughout the Association; between members and local government; and to identify, consider, and take appropriate action on matters of neighborhood concern.
The association shall not endorse candidates for political or appointed offices. The association shall not endorse items, products, or services for sale. The Association shall not have any legal or binding authority over individual property owners or their rights.
Chair: The Chair shall preside over regular and special meetings, and act as the Association?s chief executive officer.
Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair in the absence of the Chair, or by the Chair?s request, and shall become the Chair if the membership by majority vote declares that the Chair?s position is vacant.
Secretary: The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the Association, handle correspondence, and prepare meeting notices, newspaper ads, and news releases.
Treasurer: The Treasurer shall handle all funds, keep records thereof, and report the Association?s finances whenever requested by the Chair at any meeting or otherwise. The Chair or Vice-Chair must approve all disbursement of any Association funds.
These officers constitute the Ruling Body of the Association and shall be present whenever the Association conducts a meeting.
Election of officers shall take place whenever needed. Otherwise, elections shall occur in April.
Each officer shall serve a term of one year, or until any officer wishes to resign due to hardship in performing the duties of that office, or physical relocation from the Association?s boundaries. In case of resignation, a special meeting shall be called in a timely fashion for the purpose of electing an officer or officers.
There shall be an annual meeting in April to elect officers and conduct other business. This meeting will be held in the public library if it is available. Meetings may be held quarterly at a time and place to be announced at least two weeks in advance.
Upon his or her initiative, or upon the request of at least three members, the Chair may call a special meeting. These meetings shall take place at any time the Chair shall see fit to contact enough members to establish a voting quorum. Special meetings shall be announced at least three days in advance of such a meeting. Notice for quarterly meetings must be made at least two weeks in advance of the meeting date. Announcements for such meetings will be made initially by electronic mail on the Association?s listserv, then, if need be, by word of mouth and telephone call. Reasonable notice must be made available to all members.
The Ruling Body shall appoint a nominating committee including at least one person not on the Ruling Body. Nominations can also be made from the floor. Election of officers shall be decided by a show of hands, or a yea or nay vote. Candidates for office must be members of the Association and may be nominated by himself or herself or by another member. If for any reason a tie should occur, a coin toss shall resolve the matter.
Quorums for meetings of the Association as a whole shall consist of those officers of the Ruling Body who are in attendance, and at least three persons in addition to the officers. A simple majority voting by a show of hands or by a yea or nay vote shall decide all matters for the Association. Written proxy votes are acceptable; however, no member may cast more than one proxy vote.
All activities of the Association shall be conducted and transmitted with the utmost transparency.
Every attempt should be made to schedule an annual social event .
These By-Laws may be amended, repealed, or new by-laws may be adopted by the majority vote of the membership at any quarterly meeting. The proposed changes must be reasonably disseminated and will also be posted on the Association?s website.
Dues are not required. Members may choose to contribute donations for expense reimbursement, or may choose not to contribute.
If there is no election of officers for a period of twenty-five consecutive months, the Association shall then be considered dissolved.
The By-Laws and the 1st Election of the Ruling Body are hereby adopted on the 30th day of April, 2008.
Approved by the Columbia City Council on the 16th day of June 2008..
Current Elected Officers:
Treasurer: Suzette Waters