WASHINGTON SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BY-LAWS

AMENDED NOVEMBER 13, 1997

I. The organization shall be known as the Washington Square Neighborhood Association.

II. The purpose of this organization is:

A. To improve the quality of our neighborhood;
B. To communicate with each other; and
C. To speak with a unified voice on neighborhood issues.
III. The following boundaries shall make up the Washington Square Neighborhood Association.

A. The north side of Mountain Street from Lake Avenue on the east to E1 Molino on the west.
B. The east side of El Molino from Mountain Street to Washington Blvd.
C. The south side of Washington Blvd from El Molino on the west to Lake Avenue on the east.
D. The west side of Lake Avenue from Washington Blvd. On the north to Mountain Street on the south.
IV. The membership of this organization shall be open to any person who resides in the geographical area of this organization or who owns real property in the Geographical area of this organization. In order to vote, a member must be at least 18 years of age.

V. Dues are payable at any time and cover one calendar year. Those paid from September through December will apply to the following calendar year. The payment of dues is not a condition to the right to vote afforded to any member who is at least 18 years of age.

VI. There shall be at least four general membership meetings including an annual party held each year. Additional meetings may also be called at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

VII. The Board of Directors shall be composed of nine area representatives and six officers. An officer may also serve as an area representative.

VIII. The business of the Washington Square Neighborhood Association shall be conducted by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall be empowered to act on behalf of the Washington Square Neighborhood Association.

IX. Each Officer shall be elected at large from the geographical boundaries of the Washington Square Neighborhood Association. The person seeking an officer position must reside within the geographical boundaries of the Washington Square Neighborhood Association.

X. The geographical area of the Washington Square Neighborhood Association shall be divided into nine block areas. The geographical description of each of the nine block areas are:

A. Block 1 is both sides of Claremont Street from El Molino to Lake Avenue.
B. Block 2 is both sides of Belvidere from El Molino to Lake Avenue.

C. Block 3 is the east side of El Molino from Mountain to Washington Blvd. And the north side of Mountain from Lake Avenue to El Molino.

D. Block 4 is both sides of Heather Square and both sides of Palm Terrace from Claremont to Belvidere.

E. Block 5 is both sides of Hudson from Washington Blvd. To Claremont

F. Block 6 is both sides of Hudson from Claremont to Belvidere.

G. Block 7 is both sides of Hudson from Belvidere to Mountain.

H. Block 8 is Palm Terrace from Belvidere to Mountain.

I. Block 9 is the west side of Lake Avenue from Mountain to Washington Blvd. and the south side of Washington Blvd. From Lake Avenue to E1 Molino.
XI. Each of the area representatives and the officers of the Washington Square Neighborhood Association shall be elected by the general membership at the November meeting.

XII. The Board of Directors shall hold a minimum of nine Board meetings each year including general membership meetings. Special meetings such as event organizing meetings may take the place of Board meetings. All meetings of the Board of Directors shall be open to attendance by members of the Washington Square Neighborhood Association.

XIII. The Officers of the Washington Square Neighborhood Association shall consist of President, Past President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Newsletter Editor.

XIV. The duties of the Officers and Representatives shall include but not be limited to the following:

A. President: Set agenda and chair general and board meetings, develop general meeting programs, act as a voice of the neighborhood to the City government and other organizations, establish committees to promote projects wanted by the neighborhood, and recruit Neighborhood representatives.

B. Past President: Shall support the president with information on past actions and procedures.

C. Vice-President: Set agenda and Chair meetings when the President is unavailable, assist the President, and Chair the annual block party.

D. Secretary: Keep minutes for each general and board meeting, and maintain the by-laws.

E. Treasurer: Maintain bank account, give financial report at each meeting, and encourage the collection of dues.

F. Newsletter Editor: Produce four to six newsletters each year.

G. Neighborhood Representatives:

1. Distribute each newsletter.
2. Gather suggestions and concerns from neighbors.
3. Attend board and general meetings.
4. Share information from meetings with neighbors.
5. Collect annual dues.
6. Welcome new neighbors and write welcoming notice for newsletter.
7. Gather neighborhood news for newsletter.
XV. The Chair is responsible for conduct of the meetings. In the event that a formal meeting structure is desired, any member may move that the meeting follow Robert’s rules of Order. In that case the Vice-President or other designated officer will act as Parliamentarian.

XVI. The Board of Directors shall have the discretion to establish various committees to carry out the goals and purposes of the Washington Square Neighborhood Association. In the event that committee(s) is (are) established, the Board of Directors shall endeavor to place general members on the committee(s).

XVII. The role of Area Representative may be shared by two people. While these two representatives can attend Board Meetings together, they are entitled to only one vote. Officer positions may not be shared.

XVIII. The Board of Directors may vote to remove an Area Representative from office if that Area Representative is absent from three Board meetings (excluding general membership meetings) during his/her term in office. In the event the Board votes affirmatively to remove this Area Representative, the Board in its discretion may appoint another person from that geographical area to fill this position until the next election.

XIX. The Board of Directors may vote to remove an Officer if that Officer is absent from three Board meetings (excluding general membership meetings) during his/her term in office. In the event the Board votes affirmatively to remove this officer, the Board in its discretion may appoint another person from the Washington Square Neighborhood Association geographical area to fill this position until the next election.

XX. Members from a certain geographical area can petition to recall their respective Area Representative with a signed petition containing twenty members from the respective geographical area. Upon presentation of the petition to the Board of Directors” the Board of Directors shall vote at its next regularly scheduled meeting on whether to grant the respective recall petition and appoint a new Area Representative to fill the position until the next general election. A two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors present at the meeting is needed to grant the petition. The affected Area Representative shall not be allowed to vote on the recall petition.

XXI. Members can petition to recall any of the Officers of the Association with a signed petition containing forty members from the Washington Square Neighborhood Association geographical area. Upon presentation of the petition to the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors shall vote at its next regularly scheduled meeting on whether to grant the respective recall petition and appoint a new Officer who will fill the position until the next general election. A two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors present at the meeting is needed to grant the petition. The affected Officer shall not be allowed to vote on the recall petition.

XXII. The President may serve one consecutive term of one year. With an optional 2nd term of one year if no candidate is willing to run for the office seat. (This rule was voted on and updated in 2019)

XXIII. The Quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of a simple majority of the non-vacant Board positions.

XXIV. The Board of Directors shall present an annual plan and calendar at the general meeting of each year for adoption by the general membership at the January meeting. This plan shall include approximate dates for Board and general membership meetings, and for events such as social gatherings, fundraisers, incentive projects, neighborhood clean-up projects and beautification and property improvement projects.

XXV. Amendments to the by-laws shall be discussed at one general membership meeting, included in the meeting agenda and voted on at the next general meeting. Majority rules to abide.