By-Laws of the AventWest Neighborhood Association
Mission Statement
To protect, preserve and enhance the existing character
and neighborhood fabric of the Avent-West Community.
Article I: Name and Purpose
Section 1: The name of this
Association shall be "Avent-West Community Association."
Section 2: The purposes of this
Association shall be:
- To promote and foster participation in the
neighborhood by providing a forum for discussing and addressing
neighborhood concerns; To protect and preserve the residential character of
our neighborhood as a family-oriented community of owner-occupied homes.
- To serve as a focal point for maintenance and
improvement of institutions and facilities serving our neighborhood,
including parks, schools, and public safety services, and to provide an
avenue for neighborhood social activities;
- To be a voice for our common neighborhood interests
by acting as a liaison with governmental bodies and with institutions,
schools, and businesses in and around our neighborhood, and by working
with other neighborhood associations on common concerns.
- To encourage and facilitate vigorous citizen
participation in all issues affecting our neighborhood, including land
use, development/redevelopment, zoning changes, traffic patterns, and
street modifications;
- To provide for the community welfare generally and
to conduct other lawful business not inconsistent with these By-Laws.
Section 3: This association is and
shall remain a non-profit organization and no part of the net earnings
thereof shall inure to any individual member.
Section 4: This association shall not
endorse or align itself with any political party or candidate for
public office.
Article II: Membership
Section 1: Membership
- Voting Members: The voting members
of this Association shall consist of those persons who are at least
eighteen years of age and are owners of residential property in the
area defined herein as Avent-West Community Association and who have
paid the required annual membership dues.
- Associate Members: Non-voting
associate members of this Association shall consist of those persons
who are at least eighteen years (18) of age and are residents in the
area defined herein as Avent-West Community Association and who have
paid the required annual associate membership dues.
Section 2: The Board of Directors
shall establish Dues of the organization annually.
Section 3: The Avent-West Community
shall include all the lots, streets, and other properties indicated on
the attached map that lies within the following boundaries:
Section 4: Questions concerning eligibility
and/or appeals for membership shall be presented to and decided by the
Board of Directors.
Article III: Government
Section 1: The Avent-West Community
Association shall be governed by a Board of Directors, which may take
action in the name of the Association.
Section 2: The Board of Directors
shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and
three (3) Directors elected by the membership at an annual membership
meeting.
Section 3: A simple majority of the
Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for doing business. Each
member of the Board shall be entitled to one vote.
Section 4: To be eligible for elected
office, a person must be a voting member of the Association.
Section 5: Board of Directors members
shall serve without compensation other than reimbursement of
Board-approved expenditures on behalf of the Association.
Section 6: The powers and duties of
the Board of Directors shall include:
- The establishment and execution of policy for the
Association;
- The appointment and dissolution of all standing and
other committees or chairpersons thereof. This power may be delegated
to the President. Committees shall derive their direction from the
Board of Directors;
- The appointment or employment of all persons or
organizations to serve the Association;
- The filling of vacancies on the Board of Directors
until the next Annual Meeting;
- The annual appointment of a five (5)-member
nominating committee, no more than two (2) of whom may be members of
the Board of Directors;
- Interpretation of the By-Laws and;
- The approval of expenditures of Association funds.
Section 7: The President shall
preside at all meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors
and shall perform such duties as directed by the Board of Directors.
Section 8: The Vice-President shall
perform all duties as may be assigned by the President or Board of
Directors and shall be the presiding officer in the absence of the
President.
Section 9: The Secretary shall be the
official custodian of all records of the Association except financial
records and shall keep the minutes of the Association and Board of
Directors. The Secretary may delegate authority for correspondence in
the name of the Association and for required notices, and shall keep
records of all such correspondence and notices.
Section 10: The Treasurer shall keep
and be responsible for all financial records and funds of the
Association. All funds shall be deposited in an account in the name of
Avent-West Community Association, and shall be withdrawn only by the
Treasurer or the President. All monies received shall be immediately
delivered to the Treasurer, for which she or he shall give a receipt,
and the Treasurer shall pay all bills. The Treasurer shall provide
reports of all transactions and prepare financial statements and
present them to the Board of Directors at each meeting.
Section 11: An officer or director
who misses three (3) regularly scheduled consecutive meetings forfeits
the office. That officer or director may request exception and, at the
discretion of the Board by a simple majority vote, may be allowed to
retain the position.
Section 12: In cases where an officer
or director is accused of conduct hurtful to the Association, grossly
inconsistent with the By-Laws, or inconsistent with the purposes for
which the Association was organized, the officer or director may be
removed from office by the affirmative vote of four (4) members of the
Board of Directors. The accused officer or director shall not have a
vote in such an instance.
Section 13: Persons present at an
organizational meeting shall elect the first officers of the
Association. Thereafter, officers and directors shall be elected at the
annual membership meeting as provided herein.
Article IV: Meetings
Section 1: The Annual Membership
Meeting of the Association in each year shall be held during the month
of March on the particular day, hour, and place determined and
designated by the Board of Directors. Written notice of the Annual
Membership Meeting shall be given at least thirty (30) days prior to
the meeting.
Section 2: Board Meetings will be
held quarterly on a day, hour and place to be determined and designated
by the Board of Directors. Notice of such meetings will be included in
the quarterly newsletter at least two (2) weeks prior to such meetings.
Any member is welcome to attend these meetings. Any member wishing to
add an item to the Board's agenda shall give notice in writing of the
item to be discussed to the Secretary 10 days prior to the scheduled
meeting.
Section 3: Twenty (20) voting members
shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at Annual
Meetings.
Section 4: Each voting member shall
be entitled to one vote at meetings designated for election of Board
Members or changes to By-laws at which the member is present. Joint
property owners may hold joint memberships, but such a joint membership
shall have only one vote. There will be no "one-half member" votes.
Proxy voting will not be permitted. All elections shall be by secret
ballot.
Article V: Fiscal Year
Section 1: The fiscal year of the
association shall end on the 31st day of March.
Article VI: Procedure
Section 1: Roberts' Rules of Order
Newly Revised shall govern the proceedings of all meetings of the
Association and Board in all cases in which they are applicable, and in
which they are not inconsistent with the By-Laws or the special rules
of this Association.
Article VII: Amendments
Section 1: Proposed amendments to the
By-Laws shall be presented to the Board of Directors. A simple majority
of the Board of Directors is required to place a proposed amendment
before a meeting of the membership. A proposed amendment may be adopted
and the By-Laws amended by a simple majority of the membership present
at any annual or special meeting.
Article VIII: Dissolution
Section 1: In the event that the
Avent-West Community Association becomes inactive or dissolves, all
monies in the general fund shall be distributed to a tax-exempt,
community-oriented institution or organization approved by the majority
of the members of the Association at the time of dissolution.