BYLAWS
Ratified
December 13, 2001
City Attorney/DONE-requested changes adopted by the GRVNC Board on
8-26-02
by a vote of 18-0 and ratified by the GRVNC General Assembly on
10-28-02 by a vote of 74-0
Election Date revisions adopted by the GRVNC Board on 8-26-02
by a vote of 18-0 and ratified by the GRVNC General Assembly on
10-28-02 by a vote of 83-0
Table of Contents
ARTICLE I NAME AND ORGANIZATION
ARTICLE II PURPOSE AND POLICY
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE IV BOARD OF OFFICERS
ARTICLE V MEMBERSHIP OVERSIGHT
ARTICLE VI ELECTIONS
ARTICLE VII COMMITTEES
ARTICLE VIII MEETINGS
ARTICLE IX GOVERNING AUTHORITY
ARTICLE X AMENDMENT
ARTICLE XI BOUNDARIES
ARTICLE XII ETHICS
ARTICLE XIII FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
ARTICLE XIV OUTREACH
AND COMMUNICATIONS
ARTICLE I — NAME
AND ORGANIZATION
The name of the
organization shall be “Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council.” It shall
hereinafter be referred to as “GRVNC.” It shall be organized as a public
Neighborhood Council, dedicated to the empowerment of the Venice community.
ARTICLE II —
PURPOSE AND POLICY
A.
Mission Statement. To improve the quality of life in
Venice by building community and to secure support from the City of Los Angeles
for the resources needed to achieve our goals.
B.
Purpose. The purpose of the Grass Roots Venice
Neighborhood Council shall be:
1.
To engage the broad
spectrum of GRVNC Community Stakeholders for collaboration and deliberation on
matters affecting the community including events, issues and projects.
2.
To work with other
organizations in Venice and other Los Angeles neighborhood councils that want
help in accomplishing their objectives or projects that the GRVNC desires to
support.
3.
To promote GRVNC
Community Stakeholder participation and advocacy in Los Angeles City government
decision-making processes and to promote greater awareness of available City
resources.
4.
To be an advocate for
Venice to government and private agencies.
C.
Policy. The
policy of the Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council shall be:
1.
To respect the Community Stakeholders of the GRVNC as the
ultimate authority and controlling force of the GRVNC.
2.
To consistently and diligently outreach to the diverse and
ever-changing Venice community.
3.
To respect the autonomy of all individuals, groups, and organizations
within the community.
ARTICLE III — MEMBERSHIP
A. GRVNC Community Stakeholders. “GRVNC Community Stakeholders” are defined as individuals who live, work, or own property within the GRVNC boundaries. In addition, Community Stakeholders shall be identified by participation in, among other things, educational institutions, religious institutions, community organizations or other non-profit organizations, block clubs, neighborhood associations, homeowners associations, apartment associations, condominium associations, resident associations, school/parent groups, faith based groups and organizations, senior groups and organizations, youth groups and organizations, chambers of commerce, business improvement districts, arts associations, political action groups, service organizations, park advisory boards, boys and girls clubs, cultural groups, environmental groups, codewatch, neighborhood watch, police advisory board groups, and/or redevelopment action boards.
B.
Voting Members. Any GRVNC
Community Stakeholder who chooses to register may become a “Voting Member.”
Voter registration will be conducted in accordance with Article VI, as
interpreted by the Rules and Elections Committee. Proof of Community
Stakeholder status will be required for voting rights to be effected.
C.
Member Rights. Members shall have at minimum the
following rights:
1. To vote to elect the Board of Officers, as specified in Articles IV and VI.
2. To initiate discussion, an action, policy, or position.
3. To make a motion to hold a non-binding, advisory vote at any general meeting. All individuals present at such a meeting, whether or not they are registered as Voting Members, shall be allowed to participate in such an advisory vote.
4. To make use of initiative, recall, and grievance procedures outlined in Article V.
5. To participate in and provide feedback at all meetings of the GRVNC.
6. To participate on standing committees and assist with the various activities of the GRVNC, as specified in Article VII.
7. To establish ad hoc advisory or working committees reporting to the GRVNC Board of Officers, as specified in Article VII.
D. Privacy. The GRVNC Voting Member database will be deemed confidential to the fullest extent of the law. It shall be maintained by the Communications Officer and the Communications and Outreach Committee. Official GRVNC business requiring communication to the Voting Members shall be disseminated by the Communications Officer.
ARTICLE IV — BOARD
OF OFFICERS
A. The Governing Body of the GRVNC shall be the GRVNC Board of Officers. The Board of Officers shall establish policies and positions of the GRVNC at its regular meetings and review and recommend actions to governmental and other entities on issues affecting the Venice community. The GRVNC Board of Officers is comprised of Twenty-One (21) Officers, elected from and by the population of GRVNC Voting Members, as follows:
· Seven (7) Executive Officers (elected at-large)
· Seven (7) At-Large Officers
· Seven (7) Geographical Representative Officers
B. Seven (7) Executive Officers elected at-large (i.e. any Voting Member may run for and vote for any at-large office), including:
1.
President (Chair General, Board and Executive
Committee meetings, connect with other Neighborhood Councils in Los Angeles).
2.
Vice President (Chair Event Planning Committee, assume
duties of the President when the President is unavailable to perform his/her
duties).
3.
Second Vice
President (Assume duties of the
Vice President when the Vice President is unavailable to perform his/her
duties, Co-Chair Communications and Outreach Committee. Serves as Executive
committee liaison for Geographic representatives).
4.
Secretary (Record minutes, post minutes to website no
later than 7 days after meetings, make minutes available prior to next meeting,
maintain public record of the GRVNC).
5.
Treasurer (Chair Budget, Finance and Fundraising
Committee, oversee finances, report at Board Meetings, maintain balance sheets,
financial accountability, etc. Co-sign
along with another Executive Officer all checks for disbursement of funds
greater than $100).
6.
Communications
Officer (Chair Communications and
Outreach Committee, oversee Early Notification System, etc.).
7.
Government
Relations Officer (Chair Government
Relations Committee, perform City Oversight function, etc.).
The Immediate Past President shall be, as implied by the name, a non-elected position. The Immediate Past President shall serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member of the Executive Committee and Board of Officers.
C. Seven
(7) At-Large Officers
Seven (7) Officers shall be elected At-Large from Voting Members. These Officers may (but are not required to) represent specific Community Stakeholder Organizations operating within the GRVNC boundary area, such as neighborhood associations, chambers of commerce, religious institutions, schools, arts associations, political action groups, youth organizations, non-profits, etc.
D. Seven
(7) Geographical Representative Officers
Seven Officers shall be elected from Voting Members who live (either homeowner or renter) in each of the following districts of the GRVNC boundary area:
1. Lincoln Place / Penmar
2. North Beach / Rose / Ocean Front Walk
3. Central Venice / Oakwood
4. South of Palms, East of Lincoln
5. Windward Circle / Abbot Kinney / Milwood / Walk Streets
6. Oxford Triangle / Silver Triangle / President’s Row
7. Canals / Peninsula / South Beach / Silver Strand
Geographical
representatives shall represent the interests of the Community Stakeholders
within their District. Geographical representatives will maintain excellent
lines of communication with the various neighborhoods, business, and other
organizations operating within their district.
Geographical representatives will actively outreach to Community
Stakeholder groups and individuals within their district. Geographical representatives will, in
conjunction with the Communications and Outreach Committee (see Article VII)
and the City of Los Angeles, carry out the Neighborhood Council
responsibilities related to the Early Notification System, as created and
maintained by the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (hereinafter referred
to as “DONE”).
District boundaries were developed by mapping the boundaries of existing neighborhood organizations and by examining year 2000 census tract data. The district boundaries strive to respect the boundaries of communities of interest and natural or manmade boundaries while providing a comparable distribution of stakeholder population among the seven districts. See Article XI for a detailed description of the individual district boundaries.
E. Officer Responsibilities
In addition to specific Officer Responsibilities defined above for Executive Officers and Geographical Representative Officers, all other Officers will serve on at least one Standing Committee and will serve on and/or chair other Committees.
F. Vacant Board Seats
If all Board seats are not filled after the election, they
shall be filled by the majority vote of the other elected Officers. Officer seats vacated before the natural
expiration of their term shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining
Officers. Officers selected in these
manners shall be confirmed or replaced by election by the Voting Members at a
separate GRVNC Election meeting, to be held in a timely manner after such
selection.
G. Term
Each term of office shall be two years (excepting those initial terms described below). Terms shall begin on July 1st and end on June 30th. See Article VI (Elections) for further detail on initial terms, staggering, and term limits.
H. Quorum
A minimum of eleven (11) of the twenty-one (21) GRVNC Officers shall be required at Board and GRNVC general meetings for a quorum to be present. A minimum of four (4) of the seven (7) Executive Officers shall be required at Executive Committee meetings for a quorum to be present. A majority vote of Officers present shall be sufficient for the Board of Officers or the Executive Committee, as appropriate, to rule on business, unless otherwise stated in these By-Laws.
I. Resignation
and Removal
1. If an Officer is elected to any City of Los Angeles political office, he or she must immediately resign from the Board.
2. Any Officer may resign by submitting a written resignation to the President or the Secretary.
3. The Board may remove any Officer whenever the best interests of the GRVNC would be served. No Officer shall be removed for any arbitrary, capricious or discriminatory reason. If an Officer fails to consistently attend those meetings at which they are expected, the Board may remove the Officer and declare the seat vacant. Executive Officers are expected to attend all Executive Committee meetings, Board of Officers meetings and GRVNC General meetings. Board Members are expected to attend all Board of Officers meetings and GRVNC General meetings. Absence from four (4) consecutive meetings or seven (7) or more meetings during the previous twelve months shall be deemed a failure to consistently attend. A three-quarters (3/4) vote of Officers present at a Board of Officers meeting or GRVNC General meeting is required for removal. Such action shall be effective immediately upon the Board vote to remove. In such case, the President shall send a certified letter to the person, stating that he or she is no longer a GRVNC Officer.
4. A person removed from the Board is ineligible to serve on the Board for twelve (12) months from the date of removal.
ARTICLE V —
MEMBERSHIP OVERSIGHT
To
ensure accountability of the Board of Officers to the GRVNC Community
Stakeholders, the following procedures are established:
A.
Initiative: An Initiative is a procedure by which
Voting Members may directly petition for a proposal and secure its submission
to the GRVNC Community for approval.
Any GRVNC Voting Member may put forth an Initiative by presenting a
petition to the Executive Committee or the Board of Officers with one-hundred
(100) signatures of GRVNC Voting Members or five percent (5%) of all GRVNC
Voting Members, whichever is less, supporting the motion. The petition shall
include a paragraph of fifty (50) words or less outlining the purpose and content
of the Initiative.
·
Receipt of this
completed petition by the Executive Committee or the Board of Officers shall
trigger this item being scheduled as an action item on the Agenda at a separate
GRVNC Election Meeting to be held not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days
following receipt of the completed petition. Notice of the Initiative,
including the outline paragraph of 50 words or less, shall be made in all
public meeting notices and announcements for the upcoming meeting at which the
Initiative shall be voted on.
·
Passage of the
Initiative requires a majority vote of the GRVNC Voting Members present at the
GRVNC Election Meeting, not to be less than fifty (50) votes in favor of the
Initiative.
·
If the Initiative
passes, the Voting Member(s) who put forth the Initiative must be willing to
chair and/or organize an ad-hoc committee (when appropriate) to carry out the
action of the Initiative, if so directed by the Executive Committee or the
Board of Officers.
·
The Initiative process
does not apply to Amendment of these By-Laws. For Amendment procedures, see
Article X.
B. Recall: Recall is the procedure by which Voting Members may directly remove an elected GRVNC Officer. Any GRVNC Voting Member may put forth a Recall petition by presenting a petition to the Executive Committee or the Board of Officers with no less than two-hundred (200) signatures of GRVNC Voting Members supporting the motion.
·
Receipt of this
completed petition by the Executive Committee or the Board of Officers shall
trigger this item being scheduled as an action item on the Agenda at a separate
GRVNC Election Meeting to be held not less than thirty (30) days nor more than
ninety (90) days following receipt of the completed petition. Notice of the Recall petition, including the name of the Officer subject to Recall,
shall be made in all public meeting notices and announcements for the upcoming
meeting at which the Recall shall be voted on.
·
Removal of the Officer
by Recall requires a three-quarters (3/4) majority vote of the GRVNC Voting Members
present at the GRVNC Election Meeting, not to be less than one-hundred (100)
votes in favor of the Recall.
·
Geographical
Representative Officers are subject to Recall only if the above-referenced
two-hundred (200) signatures on the Recall petition are from Voting Members
with Community Stakeholder status inside the District which the Officer
represents. In such an instance, removal of the Geographical Representative
Officer shall require a three-quarters (3/4) majority vote of the GRVNC Voting
Members present at the separate GRVNC Election Meeting who are Voting Members
with Community Stakeholder status inside the District which the Officer
represents, not to be less than fifty (50) votes in favor of the Recall.
C.
Grievance: Any
GRVNC Community Stakeholder who is adversely affected by a decision of the
GRVNC may submit a written Grievance to any member of the Board of Officers.
The Board of Officers (or a sub-committee thereof, if so designated by the
Board) shall review the Grievance at either a regular Board of Officers meeting
or a specially called meeting. The complainant shall be notified no less than
four (4) days prior to this meeting in order that she/he may attend. The Board
shall resolve the Grievance or take appropriate action and shall advise the
complainant of its determination.
ARTICLE VI — ELECTIONS
A. Timing
Elections for the GRVNC Board of Officers shall be held annually at the June GRVNC Election meeting. The only order of business at the annual Election Meeting shall be the election of the Board of Officers. The first election shall elect all twenty-one (21) officers and shall be held in a timely manner after certification by the City of Los Angeles, with terms effective immediately after the election. Elections thereafter shall be staggered, electing ten (10) officers in odd numbered years and eleven (11) officers in even numbered years (the Immediate Past President will be a non-elected position). The specifics of the staggering procedure are described below. Special Election Meetings may additionally be called where a vote of the GRVNC Voting Membership is required, as specified in these bylaws.
B.
Staggering
For the initial GRVNC Board elections, the following ten (10) Officers shall be elected to initial terms effective through June 30, 2003, with two-year terms thereafter:
1. Secretary
2. Treasurer
3. Communications Officer
4. Seven (7) At-Large Officers
The remaining Officers shall be elected to two-year terms in the initial and subsequent elections.
C. Term Limits
No person may serve more than eight consecutive years in any office of the GRVNC Board of Officers, in accordance with the DONE plan.
D. Registration
GRVNC Community Stakeholders may register to become Voting Members at any time up to one hour before the Election Meeting. Registered Voting Members who qualify as current Community Stakeholders at the time of elections are entitled to vote at the Election Meeting.
E. Qualification
Any Community Stakeholder within the GRVNC
boundaries who is 16 years or older may complete a GRVNC registration form and
become a GRVNC Voting Member. Any Community Stakeholder who is under 16 years
old but is a junior or senior in High School is also qualified to become a
Voting Member upon proof of such status. See Article III for a definition of requirements
for Community Stakeholder qualification.
F. Credentials
A Valid Credential(s) may be required at the time of
registration to prove Community Stakeholder status.
Examples of Valid Credentials include the following:
·
CA
Drivers License
·
CA
Residency Card
·
School
ID Card
·
A
business card
·
A
recent utility bill
·
An
imprinted check
Other proof of Community Stakeholder status will be
accepted per the standards adopted by the Rules and Elections Committee.
G. Voting
Voting for election of Officers shall be by ballot.
Each Voting Member shall be entitled to cast votes (as applicable due to
staggered elections) as follows:
·
One
vote for President
·
One
vote for Vice President
·
One
vote for Second Vice President
·
One
vote for Secretary
·
One
vote for Treasurer
·
One
vote for Communications Officer
·
One
vote for Government Relations Officer
·
One
vote for each At-Large Officer. The seven At-Large Officer candidates with
the highest vote totals shall be elected.
Each GRVNC Voting Member may vote for up to seven (7) candidates when
the seven (7) At-Large Officer positions are up for election.
·
One
vote for one Geographical Representative
Officer. Each GRVNC Voting Member may
vote for only one Geographical Representative Officer when the seven (7)
Geographical Representative Officer positions are up for election.
If more than two candidates are running for an
Office, a plurality shall be sufficient to elect.
No voting by proxy is allowed, either in elections or for
the Board of Officers to rule on business.
H. Election Procedures
The Rules and Elections Committee is granted broad discretion to interpret these rules and to create additional rules and procedures as necessary to hold annual GRVNC Officer elections or special Election Meetings. The Rules and Elections Committee shall by guided by the principles of fairness and democracy in creating such rules.
ARTICLE VII — COMMITTEES
GRVNC
Community Stakeholders are encouraged to participate on Committees in which
they are interested by contacting the Committee Chair. The following Committees
shall be established:
A. Executive Committee: Consists of the Seven Executive Officers. Chaired by President. Sets agenda for Board, Executive Committee, and GRVNC meetings. Establishes ad hoc and other Committees. Acts as administrative body for the GRVNC. Recommends actions to the Board of Officers. The Executive Committee shall have the authority of the Board of Officers to make decisions on emergency and routine business items, and shall report all such actions and decisions to the Board, which may modify or reverse such actions or decisions upon a majority vote.
B. Rules and Elections Committee: Chaired by Officer as nominated by the Executive Committee, subject to approval of the Board. Organizes and executes general GRVNC elections and Election Meetings. Responsible for compliance with the GRVNC By-Laws. Proposes and enforces standing rules as necessary. Establishes a Nominations sub-committee as necessary. Informs the voting members of all election rules and procedures, and reports at GRVNC general meetings on any changes to these that it has adopted.
C.
Budget, Finance
and Fundraising Committee: Chaired
by Treasurer. Oversees and administrates all GRVNC financial matters, including
system of financial accountability as required by DONE.
D. Communications and Outreach Committee: Chaired by Communications Officer, Co-Chaired by the Second Vice President. Includes all Geographical Representative Officers and may include additional Voting Members as determined by the Communications and Outreach Committee. Oversees, administrates and executes Early Notification System and communications with GRVNC Community Stakeholders. Performs ongoing outreach to GRVNC Community Stakeholders.
E.
Government Relations
Committee: Chaired by
Government Relations Officer, Co-Chaired by another GRVNC Voting Member as
nominated by the Board. Fulfill City Oversight function and liaise with City
and other governmental entities.
F. Event Planning Committee: Chaired by Vice President. Organize and execute General Meetings and special events.
G. Land Use and Planning Committee: This nine (9) member Committee shall include seven (7) GRVNC Voting Members (i.e. registered GRVNC Community Stakeholders), each as nominated by the individual Geographical Representative Officers, one for each District. Additionally, the Committee shall include two (2) GRVNC Officers, as nominated by the Board of Officers. Committee members shall elect the chair and/or co-chair(s). The Land Use and Planning Committee shall review, take public input, report on and make recommendations of actions to the Board of Officers on any land use and planning issues affecting the GRVNC community.
H. Conservation Committee: This committee will address conservation issues within the Venice boundaries and those issues outside of the formal boundaries that directly affect conservation issues within Venice.
Other standing or ad hoc Committees may be established as deemed appropriate by the Executive Committee and/or the Board of Officers, to carry on the work of the GRVNC. Chairs are named by the Executive Committee, subject to approval by the Board of Officers. A Committee may be chaired by and may include any GRVNC Community Stakeholder. Other than the Executive Committee and Land Use and Planning Committee, which have membership specified above, the size and composition of each Committee beyond what is specified in these bylaws is left to the discretion of each Committee and its Chair.
ARTICLE VIII — MEETINGS
A.
Notice: Meetings shall be open to the public as required
with proper notice as mandated by DONE and the Brown Act. Ongoing outreach
shall be performed to inform Community Stakeholders of meetings.
B.
Brown Act: Meetings, including Standing Committee meetings, are
subject to Brown Act requirements as mandated by state law.
C.
Meeting Frequency:
·
The Executive Committee and the Board of Officers shall meet at least
bi-monthly.
·
GRVNC General Meetings shall be held at least quarterly.
D.
Elections: GRVNC Board Elections shall be held annually in
June. Elections Meetings where a vote
of the GRVNC Voting Membership is required may be held at any time, subject to
Brown Act requirements.
E.
Agenda: The
Executive Committee shall establish the Agenda for Board of Officers and GRVNC
general meetings. Any Voting Member can suggest that a matter be placed on the
Agenda for any meeting by making such suggestion at the regularly scheduled
meeting of the Executive Committee or by submitting such request in writing to
an Officer of the Board. If a suggestion for an Agenda item made by an Officer
is not included on the Agenda by the Executive Committee, the Executive
Committee shall notify the Officer in a timely manner as to why the item was
not included on the Agenda. The
Executive Committee shall report on all such written communications at its
regular meetings and shall place such matters on the Agenda that fall within
the Purposes and Policies set forth in Article II at its discretion.
F.
The Executive
Committee shall schedule, organize and execute Executive Committee meetings and
Board of Officers meetings, and shall report at GRVNC General Meetings on
actions taken.
G.
The Event
Planning Committee shall schedule, organize and execute General Meetings.
H.
Due honor and respect shall be afforded to all.
I.
No member of the general assembly shall speak longer than three (3)
minutes at one time without permission of the Chair.
ARTICLE
IX — GOVERNING AUTHORITY
A. Governing Parliamentary Authority: Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall serve as the Governing Parliam