Bylaws of The Olympia Coalition of Neighborhood Associations
Bylaws
The Olympia Coalition of Neighborhood Associations
I. General Provisions
A. NAME
The name of the organization is the Olympia Coalition of Neighborhood Associations, called the Coalition.
B. MISSION
To promote and enhance the quality of life in our neighborhoods by providing a forum to collaborate to achieve common goals.
C. OFFICE OF RECORD
The home address of the Chair person will be the address of record.
D. MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Meetings of the Coalition will generally occur quarterly, with special meetings as needed. Members and interested parties will be notified ten days in advance of meetings.
Members may call a Coalition meeting without the assistance of the Steering Committee when the Steering Committee has failed to call a meeting in over six months and one-third of member neighborhood associations agree to call a meeting.
E. PRESENTATIONS
Persons or organizations wishing to make presentations to the Coalition must make their requests through the Steering Committee and follow the guidelines developed by the Coalition to make their requests.
F. AMENDMENTS
The bylaws may be amended by a two-third (2/3) vote of the Steering Committee as defined under Section III-F of these bylaws.
II. MembershipA. ELIGIBILITY
Neighborhood associations recognized by the City of Olympia are eligible to become members of the Coalition. Associations that have submitted applications to the City for formal recognition may become Coalition members pending the City’s decision on their status.
B. ENROLLMENT
Neighborhood associations enroll in the Coalition by designating a primary contact to represent their associations and by maintaining an active email address registered with the Coalition. Associations may designate alternate representatives.
C. MEMBERSHIP TERM
A neighborhood association’s membership is effective as long as the association is recognized by the City, has designated a primary contact, and maintains an active email address registered with the Coalition.
D. MEMBERSHIP PRIMARY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Share information, history, and strategies.
2. Convey the positions of their associations to the Coalition and keep their associations informed about the activities of the Coalition.
3. Share issues and opportunities with other neighborhood associations, seek endorsement or help, and bring requests for action to other neighborhood associations.
E. LETTERS, RESOLUTIONS AND OTHER METHODS OF ENDORSEMENT
Persons or organizations seeking endorsement of a proposal may draft letters, resolutions, or use other methods to describe their position and document which neighborhood associations are on the record in support of it.
F. PARTICIPATION IN THE COALITION
Any individual may attend and participate in Coalition meetings, provided they follow the bylaws. Any individual, including a neighborhood association representative, may be precluded from participating in Coalition meetings if they do not follow the bylaws.
When discussing the Coalition, members will accurately reflect the intent and content of the Coalition’s activities and are expected to follow the principles and ground rules outlined in these bylaws in Sections IV and V.
G. MEMBERSHIP DONATIONS
Donations to cover the costs of meetings and activities will be solicited from time to time.
III. Steering Committee and Executive Board
A. STEERING COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE BOARD ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
A Steering Committee and Executive Board will be established to jointly manage and administer the affairs of the Coalition in service to the entire community of Olympia neighborhoods. The Executive Board will be comprised of Steering Committee members that are elected by the Steering Committee and will consist of a Chair and Vice Chair, a Secretary, a Communications Coordinator, and a Programs and Events Coordinator.
1. The primary responsibilities of all Steering Committee members will include:
a) Elect Executive Board members.
b) Provide direct and ongoing support to the Executive Board to help equitably distribute the work required to manage and administer the Coalition in a way that can be sustained over the long-term.
c) Attend and actively participate in SC meetings.
d) Approve amendments to the bylaws.
2. The primary responsibilities of the Executive Board are as follows:
a) Chair and
b) Vice Chair
(1) Develop the agendas for Coalition and Steering Committee meetings.
(2) Facilitate Steering Committee and Coalition meetings.
(3) Serve as the official spokespersons for the Coalition or designate a spokesperson.
c) Secretary
(1) Take and prepare the minutes for Coalition and SC meetings.
(2) Finalize, assemble and distribute meeting packets and other materials as needed.
(3) Post the Coalition’s official documents on the Coalition website.
(4) Maintain the contact list of active Steering Committee and Coalition members, and the list of other interested parties.
d) Communications Coordinator
(1) Monitor all communication with the Coalition.
(2) Maintain and update the Coalition website.
e) Program and Event Coordinator
(1) Develop programs for presentations and special events.
Steering Committee members, including members of the Executive Board, may fulfill each other’s responsibilities on an ad-hoc, mutually agreeable basis and may solicit volunteers who are not members of the Steering Committee to assist them in meeting their responsibilities.
The full Steering Committee and the Executive Board may form subcommittees to support specific projects or initiatives as needed.
The Executive Board shall establish and maintain a Roles and Responsibilities Roster to define and assign the specific tasks required to operate and sustain the Coalition.
B. ELIGBILITY
1. Steering Committee
Only individuals representing neighborhood associations that are members of the Coalition may serve on the Steering Committee. No more than one official representative per association can serve on the Steering Committee at one time.
Individuals who are elected officials of local governments and those who have declared candidacy for election to local government may not serve on the Steering Committee.
2. Executive Board
Only members of the Steering Committee can be elected to serve on the Executive Board.
C. PROCESS TO JOIN THE STEERING COMMITTEE
To become a Steering Committee member, an eligible individual must contact the Steering Committee to have their request for membership added to the agenda of an upcoming Steering Committee meeting. The applicant must then attend that Steering Committee meeting to provide the Steering Community with a description of why they are interested in serving and what specific duties they would be interested in and/or willing to perform to support the Coalition, and to disclose all relevant community affiliations.
D. EXECUTIVE BOARD ELECTIONS
The Steering Committee will hold an election for open Executive Board positions every year. Terms for Executive Board members will be two (2) years. Elections for Chair and Vice Chair will be held in separate years to ensure staggered terms. The election will be held in accordance with the voting process defined below in Section III-F. Executive Board members may serve consecutive terms.
E. STEERING COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS
The Steering Committee and the Executive Board will meet jointly to conduct and manage the affairs of the Coalition. The full Steering Committee and/or the Executive Board may call special meetings as needed.
F. DECISION-MAKING AND VOTING PROCEDURE
Decision-making authority for the Coalition resides with the Steering Committee and Executive Board. The Steering Committee and Executive Board members, in consultation with each other, will make decisions on behalf of the Coalition.
The Steering Committee will make its key decisions using consensus as its primary decision-making approach, falling back on a simple majority of current Steering Committee members if consensus cannot be reached within an appropriate and reasonable time frame.
Votes may be taken at full Steering Committee meetings on matters related to Coalition business, such as the Bylaws, Coalition meeting agendas, and the election of Executive Board members. When a quorum is present, the bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present. All other votes can be carried by a simple majority of those present.
A quorum is comprised of a simple majority of the total current Steering Committee membership.
Steering Committee members will recuse themselves from votes in which a conflict of interest is present.
G. PARTICIPATION AT STEERING COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS
Any individual may attend Steering Committee and Executive Board meetings, provided they follow the bylaws. Any individual, including Steering Committee and Executive Board members, may be precluded from participating if they do not follow the bylaws.
H. EXECUTIVE BOARD VACANCIES
In the event that the Executive Board Chair resigns, the individual serving as Vice Chair shall immediately assume the role of Chair for the remainder of that position’s term. In the event that the Vice Chair, Secretary, Communications Coordinator, or the Program and Events Coordinator resigns, the Steering Committee will convene a meeting to elect a replacement from its membership for the remainder of that position’s term.
I. STEERING COMMITTEE REMOVAL/RESIGNATION
Any Steering Committee member may be asked to resign if any of the following occur:
ê they are not fulfilling their responsibilities;
ê they do not abide by any of the provisions outlined in these bylaws; or
ê they miss three (3) or more consecutive Steering Committee meetings.
IV. Principles
Members of the Coalition will:
A. Have a positive impact on the local community/Create positive long and short term changes.
B. Advance important shared issues/Carefully and accurately identify endorsements.
C. Foster positive relationships/ Build relationships, trust and methods of communication with members of the community.
D. Engage in constructive and purposeful criticism.
E. Use inclusive methods, including negotiating agendas, providing advance notice of issues, and inviting all interested parties to discussions.
F. Use facts, research and analysis as the basis for decisions, and avoid speculation or the use of hearsay information.
V. Ground Rules
A. Organized
1. Start on time/end on time
2. Follow through on commitments – do what you promise you’ll do
3. Hold yourself and others accountable to the bylaws and ground rules
4. Help the facilitator keep the group on time and on track
B. Participatory and Focused
1. Give everyone the opportunity to speak – no side conversations
2. Acknowledge the contributions of others
3. Keep the big picture and the group’s mission in mind
4. Be specific - use examples - explain your thinking
C. Productive
1. Seek consensus
2. Build on differences in perspective by inviting questions and revisions
3. Be willing to politely disagree and discuss challenging issues
4. Focus on interests, not positions
5. Be gentle yet direct with feedback