Herewith are the Bylaws, pursuant to the Articles of Incorporation of the Victoria Park Civic Association, Inc. (name change 1988)
The general purpose of the Civic Association is to unify the residents of the Victoria Park area to further their common welfare in the best interests of Victoria Park.
SECTION 1 – BOUNDARIES
The area of the community represented by the Association is in the city of Fort Lauderdale, bounded on the north by Sunrise Boulevard, the south by Broward Boulevard, the west by Federal Highway, and the east by those bodies of water known as Rio Navarro, Karen Canal, and Middle River, excluding Sunrise Key.
SECTION 2 – MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Association is open to all residents of the area described in Section 1, above. Membership and voting eligibility require current payment of any annual dues that may be established by the membership for that category of membership.
There shall be a 10-day waiting period between receipt of dues and initial eligibility to vote so that residency may be validated (this shall apply to first-time members only, not renewals).
The Membership Year and the Fiscal Year shall begin on March 1, and end on the last day of February. (This change shall take eect on March 1, 2013 with memberships expiring 12/31/2012 extended through 2/28/2013.)
There are the following membership categories:
1. Individual Member – any individual residing in the area described in Section 1.
2. Family Member – one family, all of whom reside in the area described in Section 1.
3. Business Member – open to organizations that conduct business activities in or near Victoria Park. This category of membership is non-voting.
4. Associate Member – open to anyone with an interest in Victoria Park (such as past residents and absentee landlords). This category is non-voting.
Voting eligibility: only Individual and Family Members, over eighteen years of age, are allowed to vote on resolutions and in elections of the Association. Eligible voting members must be physically present to vote. No other membership category is allowed to vote.
SECTION 3 – MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
There will be a monthly meeting of the Association members on the first Wednesday of every month, with the exception of August, unless changed by vote of the membership.
Special Meetings may be called by the President, a majority vote of the Directors, or a majority vote of the eligible voting membership present at the last meeting. Notice of a Special Meeting shall be in writing and sent by mail, email, delivered personally, or otherwise communicated via the newest common conveyance of information to each Member of the Association at least five days before the date of the meeting.
At all meetings, at least twenty (20) voting members shall constitute a quorum. All questions shall be determined by majority vote, unless specified elsewhere in the Bylaws.
SECTION 4 – OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Directors
All corporate powers will be exercised by or under the authority of the Board of Directors, which shall consist of the four (4) Oicers described below, who will be elected annually by the voting members.
The aairs of the corporation shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Directors subject to the approval of the membership and other limitations herein set forth. It is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to help ensure that the Association actively pursues its general purpose, according to the wishes of the voting membership, in accordance with the law and fiscal responsibility.
Officers
President: There shall be a President elected annually by the voting membership who shall be th public voice of the Association and shall represent the organization in its dealings with the public and
all authorities. A resident must be a member of the Association for one year before running for President. The President shall conduct all meetings, except, in the President’s absence, the Vice President shall conduct the meeting. Should both be absent, the meeting would be conducted by the first in the following order: (1) Treasurer; (2) Secretary; (3) a Chairperson elected by the voting membership present at that meeting.
Vice President: The Vice President will conduct necessary business in the absence of the President, and will implement special projects at the President’s request. A resident must be a member of the Association for one year before running for Vice President.
Treasurer: The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the Association.
Secretary: The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all membership meetings and director’s meetings, and shall be custodian of all oicial records of the Association.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the decisions regarding the aairs of the corporation shall be the primary responsibility of the membership. If at any time decisions of the membership conflict with the decisions of the Board of Directors, the decisions of the membership shall control.
Officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the Association Members at the meeting held on the first Wednesday of February. Oicers shall serve a one year term. No individual may hold the same Oicer position for more than four years consecutively.
Election shall be by printed ballot, with provisions made for nominations from the floor. The Board and the Chairpersons of the Permanent Committees will nominate one or more people for each of the Oicer positions, as Board-recommended candidates, and will encourage nominations from the floor.
Should a vacancy occur on the Board for any reason, the Board will recommend replacements for election at the next Membership meeting (and will accept nominations from the floor at that time). The position must be filled at this Membership Meeting, assuming a quorum is achieved.
An Officer and Director may be removed, with or without cause, by the following process: a motion shall be made at a general membership meeting to call for a removal vote at the next month’s general membership meeting. Announcement of the removal vote shall be published in the next newsletter. At the next general membership meeting, the vote to remove must be approved by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the membership. A quorum for such a vote to remove an Oicer and Director is fiy (50) voting members, or ten percent (10%) of the voting membership of the Association, whichever is greater.
Notwithstanding the above, the President, Vice President and Secretary may suspend the Treasurer, until the vote, if there is concern that the Association’s funds are being mismanaged.
The Board of Directors shall have at least one annual meeting per year, and hold special meetings as necessary. Three (3) Directors shall constitute a quorum.
SECTION 5 – COMMITTEES
The following will be designated as Permanent Committees, unless added to or eliminated by the Association Membership:
Communications Committee – tasked with working with the Publisher of the Victoria Park News and the Web Master of the Association’s web site to ensure that they are informative communications tools which provide residents timely news of the area.
Public Safety Committee – tasked with emergency preparedness, fire-rescue and CERT matters, and is the Fire-Rescue Liaison. (name change voted 10/3/01, task change voted 1/5/05)
Social Committee – tasked with improving the unity and friendships within the entire community through the planning and execution of social events.
Aesthetics Committee – tasked with improving the Victoria Park aesthetic environment and image.
Planning/Zoning Committee – tasked with communicating the Association Membership’s point of view regarding zoning issues to the appropriate agencies. This includes active polling of members on locally important issues.
Traic Committee – tasked with helping to implement the memberships’ wishes with regard to traic-related issues.
Membership Committee – tasked with increasing the paid membership to the Association, and with helping to increase active participation among eligible members.
Children Committee – tasked with improving the health, recreation, education, and activities of the community youth.
Welcome Committee – tasked with welcoming new residents within the Association’s boundaries. (added 2/7/01)
Home Tour Steering Committee – tasked with all aspects of annual tour(s) to ensure a successful venture. (added 2/7/01)
Finance Committee – tasked to complete a yearly audit of Association Finances and subsequently report to the Association. (added 2/7/01)
Utilities Committee – tasked with power company, telephone company, and cable service company matters. (added 6/4/03)
Crime Watch Committee – tasked with crime and police matters, and is the Police Liaison. (added 1/5/05)
Master Plan Committee – tasked with developing and implementing a comprehensive, on-going neighborhood improvement plan within the framework of our assets and needs as determined by the neighborhood’s residents. (added 9/5/07)
All Committees shall meet at least once a year, with meetings being noticed in advance in the newsletter.
Ad Hoc Committees shall be formed from time to time, as directed by the President.
Committees will be made up of Members who volunteer to participate as committee members, and will serve at the pleasure of the membership. The President shall fill Chairperson vacancies as they occur, and may remove a Chairperson of a Committee at his or her discretion.
SECTION 6 – AMENDMENTS
The Bylaws may be amended by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the voting members present at any monthly or Special Meeting, with advance notice placed in the newsletter. A quorum for a vote to amend the Bylaws shall be fiy (50) voting members, or ten percent (10%) of the voting membership, whichever is greater.
SECTION 7 – PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
All meetings shall be guided by Robert’s Rules of Order, provided that they do not conflict with the Bylaws. The President may appoint a parliamentarian for any meeting, at his or her discretion.
SECTION 8 – AUDIT
The Treasurer’s books shall be audited annually during the month of April, by a committee of three (3) people recommended by the Board and approved by the Membership. In addition, the Treasurer shall prepare a quarterly cash flow analysis comparing total revenue vs. total cash flow for the period. (added 5/7/08) Interim audits may be requested by the membership. A report of any audit shall be given at the monthly Membership Meeting upon its completion.
SECTION 9 – REVIEW AND APPROVAL
The foregoing have been reviewed by the Association’s Board of Directors on the 6th day of March, 2013 and these Bylaws amend, supersede and replace in their entirety any and all previously adopted Bylaws. These Bylaws are eective immediately upon approval of the voting membership.
SECTION 10 – EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS
Any non-operating expense in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000) (i.e., capital expenditure, charitable contribution) must be approved by a vote of the general membership. The proposed
expenditure may only be voted upon aer notification to the membership by mail, email, publication in the Newsletter, or otherwise communicated via the newest common conveyance of information.
The undersigned President and Secretary of the Corporation certify the above Bylaws this 3rd day of April,
2013.
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Catherine Maus, President
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Preston Watkins, Secretary