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ARTICLE I
- GENERAL
Section 1. The name of the
organization shall be Dignity of San Diego, Inc., a California non-profit
corporation.
Section 2. We are affiliated with
DignityUSA, Inc.,
which is a District of Columbia nonprofit corporation, or its successor
corporation. We are bound by the
national bylaws of that corporation.
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ARTICLE II
- MEMBERS
Section 1.
Our membership is open to all persons
who
agree with the purposes of Dignity/USA, and wish to
affiliate with us.
Section 2.
Payment of dues for a period of one whole year is a condition of membership
and membership renewals. Dues shall be established from time to time by the
Community Council. Dues shall ordinarily be payable in money, but the
Community Council may accept property or services instead.
Section 3. The Community
Council may establish several classes of membership, with different dues for
each class, but each member has one vote, and all classes of members are
otherwise identical. Dues in excess of the minimum shall be received as
donations. top
ARTICLE III - COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Section 1. Our Executive
Board, called the Community Council, shall consist of seven members: a
President who shall serve a one-year term and six members-at-large who shall
serve for two-year terms. Two-year terms will be staggered so that three
members-at-large will end their terms each year. Council members are elected
by a process described in Article V.
Section 2. The Community
Council shall exercise all corporate powers, and shall provide for the
carrying out of all corporate duties.
Section 3. The Community Council has the power to establish policies and
procedures for its own operation, which must be consistent with these
bylaws. A quorum of the Community Council is a majority of the Council
members then in office. Three consecutive absences from regular Community
Council meetings is cause for removal from the Council, and the position
shall then become vacant.
Section 4. If the office
of President becomes vacant for any reason, the Vice President becomes
President. If the office of Council member-at-large becomes vacant, it shall
be filled by appointment by the Community Council of someone to fill the
term of the person who resigned.
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Section 5. In order to
hold a position on the Community Council, one must maintain chapter
membership in the following manner:
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The President must have been
a member of this chapter for at least one year immediately before
election to the Council.
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A member-at-large must have
been a member of this chapter for at least 90 days immediately before
election to the Council.
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A Community Council member
must maintain membership during the entire term of office. Thus, a lapse
of membership for 31 or more days will result in automatic removal from
the position on the 31st day of the lapse.
Section 6. Our activities are carried out by departments [committees]
under the general control, direction and supervision of the Community
Council. A department director is appointed or removed by majority vote of
the Council; he or she must be a member at the time of appointment.
Department directors may appoint and remove other department members. One
person may hold two or more department directorships at once, and a Council
member may be a department director.
Section 7. Any action
which could be taken at a Community Council meeting can be taken without a
meeting if a majority of Council members entitled to vote on such action
individually consent to such action.
Section 8. A Community
Council member may be removed by vote of a majority of the general
membership. top
ARTICLE IV
- OFFICERS
Section 1. Our officers
are a President, a Vice President, a Treasurer, and a Secretary. They have
the powers and duties specified in
Robert's
Rules of Order, Newly Revised, in addition to the powers and duties set
forth in these bylaws. One person may not hold more than one office at the
same time.
Section 2. The President
is elected as specified in Article V. All other
officers are appointed by a majority vote of the Community Council. The Vice
President must be appointed from the membership of the Council itself; all
other appointed officers may either be Council members, or from the general
membership of the organization. Appointed officers must be chapter members,
and must maintain chapter membership during the time they hold their
offices. An appointed officer serves at the pleasure of the Council and may
be removed by a majority vote of the Council, and someone else appointed.
Section 3. Only Community Council members
have a vote at Council meetings.
Section 4. Either
Community Council members or chapter officers may serve as signers on
chapter bank accounts. Each bank account shall require two signers for any
withdrawal.
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ARTICLE V - ELECTION PROCESS FOR THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Section 1. In March of
each year, the Community Council shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at
least three members to carry out the election process. The Nominating
Committee shall poll the general membership to identify those who are
willing to serve on the Community Council, and who understand the duties,
powers and responsibilities of Council members. They shall specifically
identify those who are willing to serve as President. The Nominating
Committee may not nominate any of its own members.
Section 2. Ballots for
the election shall have two sections: the election of the President and the
election of Community Council members-al-large. One person may be listed in
both sections; if this person is elected as President, votes for him or her
as member-at-large shall not be counted.
Section 3. Voting shall
be by ballots prepared and mailed by the Secretary on May 6 to all those who
are members of the chapter as of April 30, as determined by the Secretary.
To be counted, ballots must be returned to the chapter at the address
designated on the ballot no later than May 20. All those elected shall begin
their term on June 1.
Section 4.
Tallies shall be kept of all votes for those nominated for Council
member-at-large, and these tallies shall be kept by the Secretary. The three
persons who receive the most votes shall be elected.
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ARTICLE VI - GENERAL MEETINGS
Section 1. Our annual general meeting shall be called by the Community
Council during February each year. At this meeting, a report on the state of
the chapter shall be given to the membership by the Council. Other general
meetings may be called by the President, by the Council, or by a petition
signed by 25% of the members and filed with the Secretary. Written notice of
each general meeting shall be mailed or delivered to each member at least
five days before the meeting. The notice may be included in our newsletter
or a calendar of our events if, by distinctive type or headings, it is
distinguished from routine matters. A quorum at a general meeting is 25% of
the members.
Section 2. At any general membership meeting, motions of a procedural
nature for the conducting of the meeting may be placed on the floor,
seconded and voted upon by the membership present. Motions that are to have
a binding effect on the Community Council or the chapter as a whole may be
placed and seconded by any members) at any general membership meeting;
however, the following steps shall be followed for voting on the motion:
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The
Secretary shall prepare a notice which shall be sent to all members
stating the motion, along with a ballot.
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A
quorum for the purpose of this mail vote is the number of ballots
returned within fourteen days after they are mailed. Ballots returned
later shall be ignored.
Section 3. In order to vote, make motions, or otherwise participate at a
general meeting a person must have been a member at least since the last day
of the month preceding the meeting. In order to cast a vote by mail a person
must have been a member at least since the last day of the month preceding
the date on which the ballots are mailed. top
ARTICLE
VII - AMENDMENTS
Section 1. An amendment to these bylaws
may be proposed by the Community Council or by a petition signed by 10% of
the members and filed with the Secretary.
Section 2. The procedure for voting is by mail ballot as specified in
Article VI, above. The entire text of the amendment, including all
additions and deletions, shall be included with the ballots.
Section 3. An amendment shall be adopted
when a majority of those voting vote for it. top
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