Little High Neighborhood Association Constitution and Bylaws

Note: The document below is currently being reviewed by the neighborhood association board.

The Little High Neighborhood Association
Charlottesville, Virginia
July 22, 2016

Constitution

Article 1: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Little High Neighborhood Association (“LHNA” or “the Association”).

Article 2: Neighborhood Defined

This Association shall be concerned with that part of the City of Charlottesville outlined on the attached map (Exhibit A), defining the neighborhood boundary.

Article 3: Purpose

The purposes of the Association shall be:

The cultivation of a good community spirit and the conservation and enhancement of our area as an attractive, harmonious, safe and enjoyable place to live, to raise one’s family and to age in place, while benefitting from mutual support and respect for individual needs.
Representatives will take concerted action to conserve and improve the area as a historic residential neighborhood, including, when necessary, action to protect the integrity of the community.
The promotion of programs that will enhance the community spirit and residential quality of the area.
The representation of its members to all organizations including the various governing bodies and their instruments, for purposes outlined above.

Article 4: Membership

A person, who is a resident of the Little High Neighborhood as defined in Article II (refer to Exhibit A), and who is of voting age, shall be enrolled as a voting member (“Voting Member”) of this Association upon signifying his or her interest to the Treasurer or Chair and providing contact information in the form of full name and physical address, telephone number and/or email address.

Article 5: Associate Members

A person of voting age who is not a resident of the Little High Neighborhood who, or a company or business which, agrees with the Association’s purposes and will support the Association in accomplishing them shall be enrolled as an associate member (“Associate Member”) of the LHNA upon signifying interest to the Treasurer or Chair. Associate Members have the same privileges and duties as Voting Members, except that Associate Members shall not be allowed to vote. Privileges and duties of Associate Members may be amended as specified in the Bylaws.

Article 6: Board

1. Board officers
  
  The officers of the Association shall be a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The population of the Board shall be maintained between five to nine voting members of the LHNA. Between elections, vacated seats may be filled via appointment by the Board.
2. Duties of officers
  - The Chair shall preside over meetings and represent the Association in all matters pertaining to the Association.
  - The Vice-Chair shall preside over all business matters in the absence of the Chair. The ViceChair shall be the Chair’s stand-in on all committees and at all meetings.
  - The Secretary shall record and promptly distribute the minutes of the LHNA Board meetings as specified by the Association bylaws and maintain an active record of meetings, elections, decisions, and correspondence as an archive of the Association. If the secretary is absent, it is his/her responsibility to find a replacement.
  - The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of and be responsible for incoming and outgoing funds, receipts, and monies due to or being paid by the Association. The Treasurer will sign checks on behalf of the Association and make deposits at an approved financial institution. All expenditures and reimbursements must be approved by the Board prior to disbursal of funds. The Treasurer will be prepared to make reports as requested of fund balance and use. The Association Fiscal Year will run from January 1st to December 31st.
  1. The Board shall be charged with conducting the business of the Association.
  2. Four members of the Board shall be considered a quorum.
  3. Board meetings shall be open to the LHNA membership and shall be held on a regular schedule and announced to the general membership in advance.
  4. All officers and members of the Board shall serve for a term of two years immediately on election, and shall be eligible for reelection. After three consecutive terms of service (6 years) a Board member shall be ineligible for LHNA Board candidacy until two years have passed.
  5. Should the Chair become unable to complete the term of office for any reason, the Vice Chair shall succeed for the unexpired term. All other vacancies among the Board officers and Board members may be filled by appointment by the Board from among Association members.
  6. The Chair or in his/her absence the Vice Chair, or in the absence of both, the Secretary, shall preside at all meetings of the Association.
    At the Annual Meeting of each fiscal year, the Treasurer shall present a financial report (See Article VII, Section 1, for definition of the Annual Meeting.)
  7. Election of members of the Board shall be as follows:[]
  8. All officers and members of the Board must be Voting Members of the Association.

Article 7: Board

1. 1. There shall be at least one general membership meeting during each calendar year, designated as the Annual Meeting. Additional meetings will be held as the Board deems necessary or at the request of 10% of the membership.
  2. A notice of Association meetings shall be given to the membership at least two weeks in advance of each meeting.
  3. A quorum shall consist of a least one officer and fifteen enrolled voting members.

Article 8: Bylaws

The Board shall prepare and adopt a set of Bylaws which, with this Constitution, shall govern the policies and procedures of the Association.
Any Bylaw may be adopted, deleted or revised by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the Board provided there is a quorum. The absence of a quorum shall postpone the vote until the next Board meeting at which there is a quorum.

Article 9: Amendments to the Constitution

All proposed amendments to the Constitution shall be signed by five Voting Members of the Association and shall be submitted in writing to the Board.
All proposed amendments shall, after due consideration by the Board, be offered for discussion at the next Association meeting. The Board shall have at least thirty days for consideration of any proposed amendment and shall submit the proposed amendment to the Association at the first meeting following the lapse of this period of thirty days. This thirty day waiting period may be waived by a unanimous vote of the Board. The membership is to be notified in writing by the Secretary of proposed amendments to the Constitution together with two weeks notice of the meeting at which the vote is to be taken.

Bylaws

Article 1: Fiscal Year and Dues

The fiscal year of the Association shall begin January 1.
Recommended payment for WMNA membership will be established annually by the Board.

Article 2: Representation of the Association

Only the Board, or persons empowered by it, shall represent the Association to government officials or the media.

Article 3: Order of Business

The business of the Association shall be transacted at its regular meetings in the following order: approval of minutes, approval of agenda, matters from LHNA members (5 minutes per speaker), reports of Board members and committees, unfinished business, new business, adjournment.

Article 4: Rules of Order

Except where otherwise stated in this Constitution and Bylaws the Board will be guided by Robert’s Rules of Order.

Article 5: Committees

a. Finance Committee: Charge:

1. 1. Provide oversight for the accounting of the Association’s finances
  2. Support the treasurer in his or her responsibilities
  3. Report periodically to the Board on the fiscal state of the Association
  4. Prepare a budget for Board approval

b. Community Building Committee: Charge:

1. 1. Visit and welcome new people moving into the neighborhood
  2. Develop and provide orientation materials about the Neighborhood and the LHNA
  3. Propose, plan, and carry out community building events such as neighborhood block parties, city supported neighborhood park festivals, pot luck suppers, etc.
  4. Maintain the Emergency Volunteers List to help neighbors in emergent need of food and transportation secondary to health issues. The list consists of neighbors who are willing to be called when someone in the LHNA community is sick or injured.

c. Advocacy, Zoning and Growth Committee: Charge:

1. 1. Promote and protect the interests of the Little High neighborhood as defined by our Constitution in the face of both internal and external concerns.
  2. Maintain an active relationship with elected officials, city staff, commissions, and law enforcement agencies.
  3. Attend meetings relevant to Little High interests.
  4. Maintain a comprehensive history of zoning in the area, and promote and defend zoning consistent with the LHNA Constitution.

d. Historical Committee: Charge:

[to come]

e. Corporate and Neighborhood Ambassador Committee: Charge:

[to come]

f. Traffic and Safety Committee: Charge:

[To come]

The above committees, and any ad hoc committees to be convened for temporary needs with specified terms and purposes, shall be appointed by the Board. The Chair and the Vice Chair shall be ex officio members of all committees.

Article 6: Correspondence and Communication in the name of LHNA

A majority of Board members must approve any official communication made in the name of the LHNA. All individuals representing the LHNA shall make a written record of their communication that will be filed with the Secretary within 14 days. The approved communication shall be shared with the general membership through email or the LHNA internet presence.