Bylaws

BYLAWS OF SILVER LAKE PROPERTY OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION

Section 1 Intent of Association

The intent of the Big Silver Lake Association is to benefit the Members of the Association and the residents of Big Silver Lake neighborhoods and to protect the quality of the lake, in accordance with State and Local laws.  The Association shall stay within the purpose of the organization.

Section 2 Association Property

Title to all property, both real and personal, belonging to the Association shall rest with the Association. 

Section 3 Requirements of Membership

Membership of the Association consists of Associates and Voting Associates.  All Members share the responsibility of helping to enforce Association rules.

• 1. Associates:

  2. Are deeded owners of property at Big Silver Lake, and/or

  3. Are residents of a Big Silver Lake neighborhood, or 

  4. Are the single designated representative for each of Silver Lake State Park, Post 46, Ann Arbor Y, and/or Camp Big Silver (Toledo Boys and Girls Camp), and

  5. May attend meetings but not vote unless designated as a Voting Associate.

  6. Voting Associates: 

  7. Are owners of, and the designated voter for, one or more residences at Big Silver Lake, or 

  8. Designated as the Representative for each of the Silver Lake Parks or Camps listed above, and 

  9. Must be current with annual dues per residence and in good standing, and 

  10. Cast one vote each per residence, camp delegate, or proxy.

  11. A Voting Associate may appoint a proxy by providing signed and dated notice of the proxy to the Secretary prior to the start of a meeting.  

  12. A proxy may be appointed for only one residence per meeting.

Section 4 Governance Structure 

The Association Board of Directors Officers and Representatives all serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for incidental expenses incurred in the transaction of Association business.

• 1. The five Officers include President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant of Arms.

  2. The four Representatives include North Trustee, East Trustee, South Trustee, and Camp Ambassador.  

Section 5 Election of Officers and Representatives

All Officers and Representatives must be Associates in good standing of the Big Silver Lake Association Property Owners Association.

• 1. Election of Officers and Representatives shall be held at the spring Annual Association Meeting.

  2. Term of office

  3. Officers shall be elected for two year terms.

     1. The President and Secretary shall be elected on even-numbered years.  

     2. The Vice-President, Treasurer, and Sergeant of Arms shall be elected on odd-numbered years.

  4. Trustees (North, East and South) and Camp Ambassador, shall be elected every year.

  5. Nominations for Officers and Representatives shall be made from the floor at the spring meeting by members in good standing.

  6. Candidates must be from the Membership and also in good standing. 

  7. In the event of no nominations, the vacancy will be filled by appointment (see Section 14).

  8. The election of Officers shall be by hands or ballot and made from the floor at the time of election. Majority vote of the Voting Members present shall be required to elect. 

  9. The outgoing Officers will assist the newly elected incoming Officers for a period of 60 days after the annual election, if necessary.

  10. When any Board term expires, the Officer or Representative shall deliver to the successor all money, books, and papers and all other properties belonging to the Association in possession of the outgoing Officer. 

  11. In the absence of a successor, the Treasurer shall deliver all such moneys, books, paper and all other property to the President until a new Treasurer is elected or appointed.

Section 6 Officers

The duties of the Officers shall be to direct and execute the Bylaws, Board Actions, Rules, and policies of the Association consistent with the wishes of the majority of the Membership.  The Officers shall review all cases brought before them concerning the welfare of property owners in the area. The Board shall also review expenditures.

Board Actions may be initiated, conducted, and executed by the Officers.  All Board Actions must be presented to and ratified by the Voting Membership at the spring Annual Associate Meeting.

• 1. Attendance at Officer’s meetings can be in person, by phone or other electronic means. 

  2. Attendance at Membership Meetings shall be in person. 

  3. Any Officer failing to attend (2) consecutive meetings of the Board and/or Membership meetings, unless duly excused, shall be automatically vacated from the elected position. 

Section 7 President

The duty of the President is to carry out the will of the Board and Members when approved by the Association.  The President conducts the affairs of the Association in a manner consistent with the authority and responsibility pertaining to the office. The President shall:

• 1. Be the Representative and sole voice of the Association with legal and political entities (e.g Township meetings and Silver Lake State Park - Pinckney Recreation Area).

  2. Preside at all meetings of the Association and the Officers. 

  3. Appoint and be ex-officio Member of all standing and special Committees.  

  4. Call meetings of the Officers at such times as the President may deem advisable and shall call special meetings of the Board and of the Association as delineated in Section 17.

  5. Assume other responsibilities as determined by and recorded during Regular and Special Membership meetings.

Section 8 Vice President

The Vice President shall: 

• 1. Act in the absence of the President and discharge the duties of the President at such time,

  2. Oversee the Bylaws and Rules Committee,  as well as any other committees assigned by the President,  

  3. Accompany the Ambassador to lake camp meetings and the President to local government, state park, and any other relevant meetings, 

  4. Assist the Representatives in their advocacy for each respective lakeshore and in moderating disputes, and

  5. Perform any other duties as assigned by the President. 

Section 9 Secretary

The Secretary shall:

• 1. Give notice of all meetings and keep a true and accurate record of their proceedings, 

  2. Maintain hard copies and digital records of all official documents including correspondence, meeting minutes, governing documents, and other documents as needed,

  3. Keep a complete list of all Members and their contact information,

  4. Post notifications to the Officers and to the Membership of upcoming meetings both digitally and via posting on the community bulletin board per schedule in Section 17 (C),

  5. Record meeting proceedings and post draft and approved minutes in accordance with Section 17 (C), and

  6. Perform any other duties as assigned by the President.

  7. If the Secretary is absent the Officers shall appoint a Member to take the minutes of the meeting.

Section 10 Treasurer

The Treasurer shall: 

• 1. Keep account of all moneys received by and expended for the use of the Association, and 

  2. Release funds as preapproved by a majority of the Officers, with all disbursements countersigned by the President or Vice President, and

  3. Provide an itemized list of each expenditure to the other Officers at the end of each month in which there are expenditures, and

  4. Keep monthly and annual reports in hard copy format, available digitally to the Officers and Membership, and 

  5. Be bonded at such time as the Association fund reaches $500 or more, with the cost of the bond paid from Association funds, and

  6. Deposit all moneys of the Association in a bank approved by the Officers, and  

  7. Assist in the annual audit of the Association’s accounts (to be conducted by another Officer or by a competent auditor selected by the Board), and 

  8. Perform any other duties as assigned by the President.

Section 11 The Sergeant at Arms  

The Sergeant at Arms shall:

• 1. Maintain order and decorum among the Members and all persons present at a meeting and may expel persons from the meeting, and

  2. Act as doorkeeper and is responsible for admitting only eligible persons and identifying eligible voters (as defined in these Bylaws), and 

  3. Be the liaison to the Board and other appropriate authorities when Members identify a violation of any Bylaws, Rules, and Roberts Rules of Order, and

  4. Perform any other duties as assigned by the President.

Section 12 Trustees

The Trustees: 

• 1. Provide outreach to and a voice for each of the three neighborhoods to encourage ongoing participation in Association activities by residents in between membership meetings, and

  2. Are designated by the geographical location served: North, East, and South, and

  3. Report to the Vice President, and 

  4. Act as the Welcome Wagon to each of their respective neighborhoods for all new residents by providing greetings, Association Bylaws and lake rules, and 

  5. Represent specific interests and concerns of their neighborhoods at Membership and Board of Directors meetings, and

  6. Reach out to neighbors to encourage participation in meetings and events, and

  7. Perform other germane duties as assigned by the President.

Section 13 Camp Ambassador

The Camp Ambassador:

• 1. Provides outreach to and is the point of contact for Post 46, Camp Big Silver, and the Ann Arbor Y Camp, and 

  2. Invites Post 46, Camp Big Silver, and the Ann Arbor Y Camp to Association Membership Meetings, and 

  3. Reports to the President, and 

  4. Performs other germane duties as assigned by the President.

Section 14 Vacancy or Removal of Officers or Representatives

Vacancies on the Board of Directors will be filled by interim appointment(s) made by a majority vote of the remaining Board of Directors.  Voting Associates shall elect replacement Officer(s) for the remainder of the term at the annual meeting. 

The Association may choose to remove from office any Officer whenever, in its judgment, the welfare of the Association is in jeopardy due to an Officer’s wrongful or injurious conduct, or failure to act. 

• 1. The Association may proceed at a Membership Meeting or a Special Membership meeting to vote on the removal of an Officer.   All charges against the Officer must be delivered in writing to the Officer at least 10 days before the meeting at which the vote for expulsion would occur.  

  2. An Officer may be removed by a vote of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the Voting Members present and voting to carry out and put into effect such a removal.  

Section 15 Membership Benefits and Responsibilities

Members benefit from the promotion of neighborhood advocacy, safety, and communications, resulting in good community welfare. Members in good standing may participate at meetings and receive the benefit of Association actions on their behalf. 

• 1. Each residence is accorded one vote per Voting Associate (as defined in Section 3B) upon receipt of dues.  Dues of the Association shall be $25.00 per year for each residence, paid prior to the start of the Annual Meeting in order to vote.  

  2. Any Associate wishing to resign Membership may do so in good standing by filing a resignation with the Secretary at any time.  Such Members shall then be eligible for reinstatement at any further time, by fulfilling requirements of membership.

  3. The Association may expel any of its Members whenever, in its judgement, the welfare of the Association requires such expulsion.  

  4. A statement asking for the expulsion of the member must be signed by at least ten (10%) percent of the Voting Associates. 

  5. The signed statement must be filed with the President, who will either assign the item to an upcoming meeting or call a Special Meeting.

  6. The special notice of expulsion proceedings shall be given the Member against whom they are brought, by the Secretary by registered mail, at least (10) days before the meeting at which such expulsion is to be submitted to the Association for vote.

  7. The signed statement must read by the Secretary at a meeting of the Association.  The Member shall be given ample opportunity to speak on his/her own behalf before the vote of expulsion is taken.

  8. The Association may proceed with the expulsion by a vote not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the Voting Associates present.

  9. A Member so expelled shall not be entitled to attend any meetings or to receive a refund of dues or assessments. 

  10. A request for Reinstated Membership must be filed in writing with the President, and accepted by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. If the request is accepted, the applicant shall be entitled to the rights and privileges of Membership.

  11. Owners of newly constructed residences within the area served by the Association as designated in Article 2 may be granted Provisional Membership by the Association.

  12. Member applicants may submit a written request for membership to the Board of Directors prior to an Annual Associate Meeting, or appear in person at an Annual Associate Meeting stating the location of the dwelling.

  13. Upon acceptance of the request by the Board of Directors and payment of dues, the applicant shall be granted Provisional Membership and entitled to the rights and privileges of the Association, with the exception of voting, during the period between the date of acceptance and the date of the Annual Meeting. 

  14. Upon a majority vote of members at an Annual Meeting, the Provisional Member will granted full membership in good standing including the right to vote. 

Section 16 Special Assessments

The Association may levy assessments, whenever in its judgement such assessments may be necessary. The sum total of such assessments in any one year may not exceed twice the amount of the annual dues, except when special meetings may be called for extraordinary purposes.   

• 1. A two-thirds (2/3) approval of the Voting Associates present at a meeting is required for the Association to levy assessments.  

  2. If approved, the Secretary shall notify residents in writing, and the Treasurer shall receive the funds.

  3. A Member who fails to pay levied assessments within three months from the date of levying the assessment, cannot vote until the assessments are paid in full.

Section 17  Meetings of the Board and Membership

• 1. All meetings of the Association shall be conducted with the forms and regulations set forth in Robert’s Rules of Order.  The Order of meetings shall be:

  2. Call to order

  3. Reading and approval of minutes of previous meeting

  4. Reading of communications

  5. Report of Officers and Representatives

  6. Report of standing committees

  7. Report of special committees

  8. Unfinished business

  9. New business

  10. Good welfare

  11. It shall require two-thirds (2/3) of the Voting Associates voting to suspend the Rules of Order at any Association meetings.

  12. Annual Meetings - The Association shall regularly meet at the Annual Associate Meeting of the Membership held the Saturday after Memorial Day. If needed by decision of the Officers, a second Membership Meeting shall be held on the Saturday after Labor Day. Subsequent specially scheduled meetings require notice to the Membership a minimum of 30 days prior to the meeting. The President shall confirm to the Secretary the time, date, location and purpose (agenda) of upcoming Annual Associate and Second Membership Meetings.

  13. The Secretary provide notification of the meeting date and location to the Membership a minimum of 30 days prior to the meeting, as below:

  14. Post hardcopy on Silver Lake Association neighborhood announcement board(s), 

  15. Post to the Silver Lake electronic storage site,

  16. Send to Members in good standing electronically via email,  

  17. Five Members of the Board plus twenty percent (20%) of the Voting Membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular meetings of the Association.

  18. The draft of regular meeting minutes will be posted by the Secretary on the Silver Lake Association electronic storage site within one month of the meeting.   Regular meeting minutes will be posted by the Secretary on the Silver Lake Association electronic storage site within one month of approval by the Membership. 

  19. Special Meetings of the Membership may be called anytime by the President or the Executive Board if the proposed purpose of the meeting is clearly stated in writing by a minimum of (5) Association Members

  20. Notification of Special Meetings will be communicated to each Member in good standing at least 10 days prior to the date of such meeting via hardcopy posting, electronic storage site, or email.

  21. A quorum at Special Membership Meetings is the same as for Annual Membership Meetings.

  22. Special meeting minutes will be posted on the Silver Lake Association electronic storage site within one month of approval by the Membership.  

  23. Meetings of the Board of Directors  (Officers and Representatives) shall be called by the President and communicated to the Secretary who will officially notify all Officers and Representatives, via email within 3 days (72 hours) of the meeting time, date and venue.

      1. Five Directors present in person shall constitute a quorum at meeting of the Board of Directors.

      2. The Secretary shall maintain the minutes for all Officers meetings, which will include Board Officer Attendance.

      3. Minutes will be sent to all Board of Directors within five (5) days of the meeting.

  24. Meetings of Officers only (Executive Session) shall be called by the President and communicated to the Secretary who will officially notify all Officers via email within 3 days (72 hours) of the meeting time, date and venue.

  25. A majority of at least three Officers must be present for an Executive Session to occur.

  26. The Secretary shall maintain the minutes for all Executive Sessions, which will include Board Officer Attendance.

  27. Minutes for Executive Session shall be sent to the Officers within five (5) days of the meeting.

Section 18 Committees

The President shall appoint all standing and special committees.  Committee Chairs will provide full report of activities at annual Associate meetings, as well as additional interim reports as requested by the President.

Section 19 Amendments

These Association Bylaws may be amended at any Annual Meeting.  

• 1. Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors sixty days prior to an annual meeting.  The Secretary will disseminate the proposed amendments to all Association Members thirty days prior to the annual meeting.

  2. A two-thirds vote of the Voting Members present is required to pass an amendment.  

Section 20 Dissolution of Association

Dissolution of the Association and final disposition of any property and remaining funds requires a vote by a full two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Association Voting Membership.

Treasury funds will be dispersed to a charity of the Association Voting Membership choosing.

Rev: June, 2016

Rev: March, 2000