Five Points Neighborhood Association

About our association

By-Laws (Approved March 13, 2002)

First Draft presented to membership November 14, 2001
First Reading December 5, 2001
Second Reading February 13, 2002
Third Reading/Voting In of By-Laws March 13, 2002.

Article One: Name

The name of the organization is Five Points Neighborhood Association, Inc.

Article Two: Location

The Five Points Neighborhood Association, Inc. is located in St. Petersburg, Florida bordered by north side of 30th Avenue North and the south side of 38th Avenue North, the west side of 4th Street North to the east side of 9th Street North, excluding the area known as Allendale Terrace, defined by the east side of 9th Street to the west side of 7th Street, between the north side of 34th Avenue North and the south side of 38th Avenue North. Its principal place of business shall be the home address of the secretary of record, or at such other address within said city as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.

Article Three: Purpose

The purpose for which this Association is formed is as follows:
A.) To unite the tax paying property owners, business owners, and residents within the community hereinafter described, to facilitate the cooperation, coordination, and goodwill of residents and property owners within said area, and to protect and promote their common interests as such.
B.) To advance development and economic growth, and support and urge all improvements required throughout the community.
C.) To promote pride of ownership in the community.
D.) To stay informed and act as liaison and grass roots organization in the global community speaking to issues affecting residents of Five Points on a local, state, and national basis.

Article Four: Membership

Section 1. The membership in the association shall be composed of property owners, business owners and residents in an area bounded by the location defined in Article Two of these by-laws.
Section 2. Dues must accompany all applications for Active membership. Any person not paying dues is an Associate member of the Association and does not have voting privileges. New membership shall be active 7 days after paying dues.
Section 3. Membership year shall be the calendar year.
Section 4. Membership is by household. Voting is by paid membership per person.
Section 5. An active member is any adult real property owner, tenant, business owner or resident of the Five Points area whose dues are currently paid. An active member has the right to vote and the privilege of holding office.
Section 6. Any person who ceases to be a member of the association shall forfeit all right of interest in any property of the association.

Article Five: Dues

Section 1. Members shall be required to pay annual dues in the amount as recommended by the Board of Directors and approved by the majority of active members present at any general meeting of the association.
Section 2. Dues are non-refundable.
Section 3. The fiscal year shall be the calendar year.
A. Any member paying initial dues within the last quarter of the year, shall be grand fathered in for the upcoming year.

Article Six: Elections

Section 1. The active membership present shall elect at the September meeting a nomination committee, which shall consist of at least three members.
A. An announcement will be made at July meeting of need for members to sit on nominating committee.
Section 2. This committee shall, one month prior to the annual meeting, submit a list of nominees for the various offices after first ascertaining if the nominees would accept if elected. The Nominating Committee shall submit nominations for the President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Additional nominations will be in order from the floor at the annual meeting prior to the election. All candidates for any office shall be given a brief opportunity to speak before balloting begins.
Section 3. Elections will be held at the November meeting. The ballots will be available at the door at the meeting room and active members present will complete their ballots and drop them in the ballot box provided. Mail-in ballots must be received by the Secretary, prior to the night of the elections and will remain sealed until the tally begins.
Section 4. The Nominating Committee will tally the votes during the meeting and will report the results before that meeting ends. The prevailing candidates will be officially seated at the beginning of the January meeting and shall serve until new ones are elected. In the event no candidate wins a majority, the two candidates with the largest number of votes will be voted on.

Article Seven: Officers and Board of Directors

Section 1. There will be six officers: President, First Vice-President, Second-Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Duties of these officers shall include, but not be limited to, the following. The Board of Directors shall consist of 5 officers and 2 representatives at large. The Board of Directors, at it's duly constituted meetings at which a quorum of four members are present and acting throughout, shall decide and vote on the policies of the Association and other matters coming to its attention in the ordinary course of business. The secretary shall read or have printed in the next monthly newsletter or meeting of the Association the action specified in the minutes of the Board of Directors for the approval of the association. Any duly elected officer of this Association which is deemed by a majority of the Board to be negligent in his/her performance may have his/her office declared vacant and a new member shall be appointed by the President, with the consent and approval of a majority of the remaining Board of Directors. No Officer or Director of this Association shall be an elective office holder for the City of St. Petersburg, the County of Pinellas, the State of Florida, or the United States.
Section 2. The President shall:
A.) Be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association and preside over the meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors.
B.) Appoint the necessary standing and special committee chairpersons. The President shall be an Ex-Officio member of all committees, except the nominating committee, but may not chair any committee.
C.) Appoint all vacancies on the Board of Directors and Officer positions for the unexpired portion of the years, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
D.) Co-sign with the Treasurer any contract or obligation as authorized by the general membership.
E.) Upon leaving office, serve as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors for one year.
F.) Give an annual report at the Association's November general meeting.
G.) Appoint a Parliamentarian whose duties shall include attending all general and special meetings, maintaining order, and advising the president and members at large in accordance with accepted by-laws and rules of order.
Section 3. First Vice-President shall:
A.) Undertake all of the duties of the President of the President in the absence of the President.
B.) Act as the representative to other civic associations, as approved by the Board of Directors.
C.) Assume the office of the President for the remaining term should that office become vacant.
D.) Assist the President upon request.
Section 4. Second Vice-President shall:
A.) Be charged with developing the agenda for the monthly meetings including planning and implementing programs and speakers.
B.) Act as liaison to the business community as approved by the Board of Directors and assist in the promotion of positive interaction with business including maintaining a recommended business list, developing neighborhood awareness of business and assisting in the placement of advertising.
Section 5. The secretary shall:
A.) Keep a complete and accurate account of minutes of regular and special board meetings and promptly send or deliver to the President.
B.) Keep an inventory of all corporate properties and such other books that are required in the interest of sound business practice. All of said books to be supplied by the corporation and all of which shall be delivered to the secretary's successor.
C.) Serve as the official custodian of all records and shall be empowered to certify such portion of these records or all of them as may be necessary.
D.) Send out or provide all notices as may be required.
E.) Have a reference copy of the Articles of Incorporation and by-laws available at all Association and Board meetings.
F.) Charge out and keep inventory of all organization papers to officers and committee chairpersons for use while in office.
Section 6. The treasurer shall:
A.) Collect or receive all monies belonging to the Association and shall deposit all monies in an association account in the name of the association in a bank in the city of St. Petersburg approved by the Board of Directors.
B.) Pay all recurring, normal, or routine bills as authorized by the Board of Directors, and disburse any other funds as approved by the general association.
C.) Maintain valid financial records such as valid receipts to support every bill submitted for payment to the Treasurer by the person incurring the expense.
D.) Co-sign with the President all checks in payment of current bills.
E.) Co-sign with the President any contract or obligation as authorized by the general membership.
F.) Report in writing at each monthly meeting the financial status of the association.
G.) Submit all records for audit one month prior to the annual meeting and at such times as the Board of Directors may designate.
H.) In the event the Treasurer becomes incapacitated, the person appointed by the President will be empowered to sign checks, as specified herein, and the secretary shall certify such appointment and send notice to the bank of record.
I.) Keep the Board informed regarding distribution and cost of the production of the newsletter


Article Eight: Committees

Section 1. Standing Committees shall be created and dissolved by the Board of Directors. Standing committee chairpersons shall be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Board.
Section 2. Special Committees shall be created and dissolved by the President. Their purpose and duties shall be defined by the President and confirmed by the Board.
Section 3. The chairperson of all committees shall submit their reports for each committee meeting in writing to the Secretary. The Secretary is hereby authorized to edit the reports and submit them at the Board of Director's meeting and the Association meeting.
Section 4 A committee shall not engage in any activity in the name of the Association that is contrary to the goals and stated purpose of the Association.


Article Nine: Meetings

Section 1. Regular meetings shall be held at least once a month at the date and time agreed on by the Board of Directors. At the Board's option, a maximum of two meetings in any year may be omitted. At least seven days notice shall be given to all members whenever there is a change in time, date, or place of the regular
general meeting.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called at any time by the President, the Board of Directors, or by ten members in good standing, providing, however, that the membership must be given seven days written notice of the time, place, and purpose of said special meeting.
Section 3. A quorum at any general or special meeting of the Association shall consist of ten percent of the active membership present or 15 active members, whichever is less.
Section 4. The Board of Directors shall meet regularly once a month. Special Board meetings may be called by the President or any three Directors. At least 3 days notice must be provided to the Directors for the Special Board meeting. In all Board meetings, a quorum shall consist of four Directors.
Section 5. There will be an annual meeting, to be held in conjunction with the annual election. Summary of all business conducted during the previous term to be presented to membership at large.

Article Ten: Contributions

No contribution shall be made to any individual or organization that does not pertain to any civic affair for the betterment of our city or our immediate neighborhood, as approved by two-thirds of active membership attending meeting.

Article Eleven: Fundraising Activities

Section 1. This association or any of the members thereof, shall not, in the name of or under the auspices of this Association, conduct or engage in any raffle, gift enterprise, or scheme of hazard or chance, or any kind, as a means of raising funds for the purpose of relieving or assisting any member or members of this Association.
Section 2. Any fund-raising shall be approved by the Board of Directors and shall not violate any city, county, state or federal statue or law.
Section 3. Donations are acceptable for the benefit of the Association.
Section 4. Should a special donation or bequest become available to the Association the Board of Directors shall be responsible for the management and allocation of those funds in accordance with the wishes of the Benefactor and the stated goals of the Association.

Article Twelve: Amendments

These By-laws may be amended, revised, adopted, or rescinded in the following manner over a period of three consecutive general membership meetings. reasonable notice in writing of any proposed change in the By-laws must be given to the Board of Directors. Notice to the membership must be provided in advance.
Section 1. First Meeting: Any proposed amendment must first be accepted for consideration by a majority vote of active members present at any general meeting after the approval of the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Second Meeting: The proposed amendment shall be read to the general membership meeting.
Section 3. Third Meeting: The amendment must be approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the active members present at the general meeting.

Article Thirteen: Standing Rules

Where not otherwise provided herein, the orderly transaction of business affairs during meetings shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Minutes of Meeting, March 13, 2002

The meeting was called to order at 7:06 pm by Maureen Peacock, President.

First order of business was the Third Reading of the by-laws; Robin Reed, of the By-Laws committee, noted that all changes were of a technical nature except for the change to Article 10 (Contributions) that was suggested at the last Association meeting, adding language to require that any contribution made by the Association to an individual or organization be approved by a two-thirds vote of the active members present.

The By Laws as presented were approved by a unanimous vote of the residents present at the meeting. (note: attendance was limited due in part to not getting notice into St Pete Times, in part to failure of church custodian to unlock door to usual meeting place. Seven residents voted; one visitor from another neighborhood was present.)

Second item: Call for volunteers to re-form the newsletter committee, which has been inactive since December. Robin Reed and Susan Hofstader volunteered to join the newsletter committee along with Maureen.

Third: Recap of the Planning Committee meeting of March 6 regarding the proposal for redevelopment of the Entowne property was given by Dan Hall. The meeting started at 2:00pm but did not get to the Entowne matter until 6:00 pm).

A major revision to the plan showed at the February Five Points Neighborhood meeting had been made, which moved the retention pond/buffer zone to the west side (where the property borders a residence on 31st Ave). The height of the masonry wall on the west side was increased to 5 feet. The change, which affected the only part of the property zoned residential, meant that no variance would be needed with respect to that parcel.

The suggestion to make the alley on the north side of the property one-way eastbound (to protect neighbors west of the property) was not incorporated, due to objections from Patrician Condos residents (who would have difficulty accessing parking spaces if change was made).

The developers expect to commence demolition June 1, 2002. Dan expressed support for the revised plan, on the grounds that it’s a definite improvement over what’s there now. He also expressed the belief that more (neighborhood) people might have supported the plan if the developers had notified them of the changes to the design (which was not announced until the Friday before the (Wednesday) meeting.

Fourth: Next on the agenda was Robin Reed’s report on tree grants. The city makes grants for the planting of flowering trees on public property, including median strips on roads, in St. Petersburg; however, there don’t appear to be any median strips or other public property (devil’s strip doesn’t count) in Five Points. There was a brief discussion of the lack of public space in the neighborhood, and that it would be nice if a park could be established someday, perhaps on the vacant land at 34th Ave and 7th Street.

Fifth: and final item of business: Maureen called for volunteers to form nominating committee, and for Officers.

Kathy agrees to run for Treasurer.

Nominating committee:
Jeanette
Patricia
Mary

Duties of the nominating committee: to gather nominations, check that those nominated are willing to serve.

Residents can vote by hand at April meeting.

Officer Merritt was not able to attend the meeting as he had a previous engagement at 4th Street Business Association the same night and time.

Dan Tower made an announcement requesting support for his family’s team in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, April 19: contact Dan at 823-5974.

Robin Reed made motion to adjourn: seconded, passed.