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Bay Creek Neighborhood Association, Inc. Bylaws
Revised June, 2020
Revised September 2015
Revised February 2006
Revised March 1998
Original version
circa 1990
Contents:
Article IV. Area Representatives
Article V. Neighborhood Council
Article VI. Standing Committees
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.
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 Lake Monona, Monona Bay, Wingra Creek, and Haywood Drive.
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 $10.00 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 every household whether they are dues paying members or not.
Section 3. Membership is initiated by attending 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.
Section 1. There shall be 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 shall be announced in the Bay Creek Bulletin prior to the meeting except that, if necessary, a special or emergency meeting may be held with the best available notice. The Neighborhood Council shall meet on an as needed basis, with the best available notice.
1.2.1 The proposed agenda of all meetings of the general membership shall be posted on the association website at least two days prior to the meeting. Items may be added to the agenda at a meeting, but shall be for discussion only, except for items of a routine or operational nature.
1.3 At any meeting of the general membership or the Neighborhood Council, a quorum consists of a simple majority of Neighborhood Council members present (see Article V, Section 1). If there is no quorum, the meeting may continue with discussion but no votes may be taken.
Section 2. All meetings of the general membership shall be held within the neighborhood boundaries at a place designated by the Neighborhood Council, with the following exception. When the majority of the Neighborhood Council cannot meet in person -- such as weather, pandemic, or other extenuating circumstance -- it is acceptable to meet via video conference.
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.
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 that 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.
1.6 Commitment to listening and responding to membership concerns in a timely manner.
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 Recording Secretary, who records all general membership and Neighborhood Council meetings.
Section 3. An officer may be removed at any time by a 2/3rds vote of the full Neighborhood Council or a 2/3 vote of the association membership present at a regularly scheduled meeting.
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 Neighborhood Council shall report the state of the affairs of the association to the members of the association at the general membership meetings.
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 Welcome Committee. Contact neighbors and businesses new to the neighborhood, conduct recruitment activities as necessary, and welcome and orient newcomers to association meetings.
2.2 Newsletter Committee(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 Web Committee. Update content, edit, and maintain the association website.
2.4 Planning and Economic Development Committee. Focus on activities within the neighborhood that affect land use, business development and retention; educate neighborhood residents and solicit their input; and represent the association when warranted.
Section 3. Chairs of standing committees shall be elected to one year terms by the general membership at the annual meeting.
Section 4. 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.
Section 5. The chairs of standing and ad-hoc committees shall provide the best available notice of future meetings to all members of the committee as well as any members of the association who have contacted the committee chair indicating their interest in attending future meetings of that committee.
5.1 To enable members to join committees or attend committee meetings, contact information for all committee chairs shall be listed in the Bay Creek Bulletin.
Section 1. Any member of the association may attend any 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.
Section 3. If a meeting must be adjourned before all agenda items can be addressed, items may be carried over to the next meeting for discussion.
Section 4. Any association project that requires an expenditure of $1,000.00 or more must be voted on at a general membership meeting.
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. The ratification must be recorded in the association financial records.
Section 3. A written or digitally saved financial record shall be presented by the Treasurer and approved at a general membership meeting of the association at least yearly.
Section 4. The association financial records shall be made available for inspection by any member of the association who makes a request to the Treasurer to view the records.
Section 1. Amendments to the bylaws 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.
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.
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