District 8 Neighborhood Alliance

PROPOSED ALLIANCE BYLAWS

Initial Proposal

District 8 Neighborhood Alliance Bylaws (Initial Proposal, March 2007)

Article I - Name

The name of this organization shall be the District 8 Neighborhood Alliance of San Antonio.

Article II - Mission Statement

With the clarity of a unified voice, the District 8 Neighborhood Alliance champions issues important to neighborhood quality of life. The most favorable quality of life is attained when neighborhoods’ safety, security, economic and ecological interests have been assured. The District 8 Neighborhood Alliance seeks this goal by proactively addressing neighborhood development and maintenance issues. Among the specific issues addressed are responsive and responsible government, zoning/planning, traffic, law enforcement, emergency response, education, recreation, economic development, and ecological stewardship.

Article III - Boundaries

The area of the District 8 Neighborhood Alliance will be limited to the neighborhoods within City Council District 8 of San Antonio, TX. This area may be expanded, or changed, with the approval of the voting membership.

Article IV - Membership

There will be three classes of membership for the District 8 Neighborhood Alliance, those being voting members, nonvoting members, and honorary members.

Section 1: Voting Members. The Board of Directors of each member neighborhood association shall appoint one representative who shall carry one vote. The neighborhood association can change their authorized voting member representative at any time with written notice to the secretary of the Alliance. For the purpose of this document, a “neighborhood association” is an organization of residents in a defined location formed to enhance and protect the quality of life of the neighborhood. A “neighborhood association” is characterized by: (1) assessment of dues, (2) regular meetings, (3) election of officers, (4) registration with the City Planning Department and (5) having a non-profit corporation status with the State of Texas.

Section 2: Nonvoting members are individuals who seek the satisfaction gained from actively participating in their community. Nonvoting members can be individuals from neighborhoods, churches, schools or businesses in City Council District 8. Nonvoting members may address the floor and serve on committees. They cannot make a motion, vote, hold an elected office or serve as a committee chair except as noted in (a) Article V, Section 3: Vacancies; and (b) Article VIII, Section 1: Committees.

Section 3: Honorary members may be selected by the voting membership based on outstanding service to the Alliance or to the community. Honorary members shall have all of the benefits of a nonvoting member.

Section 4: Acceptance of applications for voting and non voting membership shall be determined by the sole discretion of the Board of Directors of the Alliance.

Article V - Officers

Section 1: Officers. The officers constitute the Board of Directors of the Alliance and consist of a President, President Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Immediate Past President (non-voting advisor). The Board of Directors shall have the general supervision of the affairs of the District 8 Neighborhood Alliance between its regular business meetings.

Section 2: Election of Officers. The election of voting officers will be held annually, no more than forty days after the start of the new calendar year. The elected officers shall serve for one year, or until their successors are elected. The term of office shall begin at the adjournment of the election meeting. The incumbent last holding the office of President, and leaving it, will assume automatically the advisory post of Immediate Past President until the next election.

Section 3: Vacancies. If a vacancy occurs among the voting officers, the Board, by majority vote, shall appoint someone to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. A non-voting member may be appointed to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the President Elect shall become President for the unexpired portion of the term.

Article VI - Duties of Officers

Section 1: President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Alliance and shall appoint such committees as are considered expedient or necessary.

Section 2: President Elect. In the absence of the President, the President Elect shall perform the duties of the President. The President Elect can also be assigned special duties by the President or by the voting membership.

Section 3: Vice President. The Vice President shall serve as chairperson of the Membership/ Communication Standing Committee and shall maintain the membership records in a current condition so that a quorum can be established at any meeting. A membership roster shall be distributed at least once a year and at the request of the Board of Directors.

Section 4: Secretary. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meeting of the Alliance and shall initiate all notices for meetings of the Alliance. The Secretary shall also be responsible for all correspondence of the Alliance. The Secretary will deliver a copy of the current Alliance bylaws to each new voting neighborhood association representative.

Section 4: Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have charge of all receipts and monies of the Alliance. The Treasurer shall keep regular accounts of the receipts and disbursements and submit regular reports to the Alliance. An annual report shall be submitted of all revenues and expenditures. The Treasurer shall present a budget to the voting representatives for their approval at the first regular meeting of the new calendar year. The Treasurer shall sign checks on behalf of the Alliance. Checks may only be written based on the approved annual budget or by prior approval of the Board of Directors. Reimbursement to members will be made only if the expenditure has been previously approved by the Board of Directors and a receipt is submitted.

Section 5: Immediate Past President. The Immediate Past President will provide future, historical, and contextual advisory input to and for all voting officers as the Past President deems appropriate and as any voting officer may request. This advice may be in oral or written form as it suits the Past President to so offer. The import of this role is to assist in offering explanations, clarifications, suggested opportunities and lessons learned as may bear on current and future matters before the Board of Directors. If the Past President represents a neighborhood, thus a voting member of the organization, the Past President votes accordingly in that respective capacity only.

Article VII - Meetings

Section 1: Regular meetings. The regular meetings of the District 8 Neighborhood Alliance will be held the fourth Wednesday of each month. Meetings can be changed or canceled at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

Section 2: Special meetings. A special meeting can be called by the executive board. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in a notice and a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours notice shall be given to each voting member.

Section 3: Quorum. The quorum of a regular or special meeting shall be three (3) voting members of the Board of Directors and twenty (20) per cent of the voting membership. Members of the Board of Directors shall not be counted toward the twenty (20) percent requirement.

Article VIII - Committees

Section 1: Committees. The President shall appoint all committees as deemed necessary by either the voting membership or the Board of Directors. When a committee is formed, the President shall state the purpose and reporting responsibilities of the committee and appoint a voting member as chairperson. The President, with the approval of the majority of the Board of Directors, may appoint a
non-voting member as a chairperson.

Section 2: Standing committees. The standing committee members are appointed annually and shall abide by the reporting responsibilities called for by the appointing President. Resignations should be given in writing if a member resigns before their term expires.

Section 3: Special Committees. Special committees will be temporary assignments and will terminate when the assignment is completed. Resignations should be given in writing if a member resigns before their assignment is complete.

Article IX - Representation Authority

The Board of Directors shall be charged with the responsibility of representing the official position of the District 8 Neighborhood Alliance on any matter. The position of the Alliance may be determined through consensus of the majority of the voting membership. However, when an issue in question has a clear impact on a specific neighborhood(s), the Board of Directors will consult with the affected neighborhood association and determine the Alliance position.

Only the officers of the Alliance may speak for the Alliance when presenting an official position unless the officers have designated, in writing, another individual to speak for the organization.

Article X - Prohibitions

The District 8 Neighborhood Alliance shall not endorse political candidates for any election. Additionally, any Board member of the Alliance must resign their position before seeking elective office.

Article XI - Income

Section 1: Dues. Membership dues, an amount determined by the Board of Directors, shall be assessed annually.

Section 2: The District 8 Neighborhood Alliance is non-profit and any income it may receive will be used strictly for use in fulfilling its mission.

Section 3: No part of the net earnings of the District 8 Neighborhood Alliance shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the Alliance shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article Four of the Articles of Incorporation.

Section 4: Upon the dissolution of the District 8 Neighborhood Alliance, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the Alliance is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

Article XII - Amendment of Bylaws

These bylaws can only be amended, modified, or repealed at a regular meeting of the membership, by a majority vote of the total voting membership. When any amendment, change or modification of the bylaws is proposed, written notice must be given to each voting member at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting and must contain a recital of the bylaw or bylaws to be amended and a recital of the proposed amendment, change, or modification.


Article XIII - Parliamentary Authority

The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order will be used by this Alliance when applicable and not inconsistent with these bylaws or any special rules adopted by the Alliance.


Base source are the bylaws of the District 9 Neighborhood Alliance of San Antonio, found at http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/sat/d9na/genpage/707567075.html

Proposed Revisions to Initial Proposal

TBD