DRAFT BYLAWS

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PURPOSE (MISSION):

• Safety
• Community
• Neighborhood beautification
• Education

The Ivy Town Neighborhood Association was established to address issues/concerns related to safety, community, neighborhood beautification, and education, preserving our ‘Home Zone’.

NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BYLAWS AND PROTOCOLS:

MEMBERSHIP:

The Neighborhood Association is based on it’s membership. You are automatically a member, whether you are a homeowner or occupant, if you reside within the boundaries of the Neighborhood Association.

The boundaries of the Ivy Town Neighborhood Association are between the west side of L Street (to Covell Boulevard), east side of J Street, north side of 8^th Street and north side of Menlo Drive.

Responsibilities of membership include:

1. participate in issues/concerns that relate to immediate neighborhood and/or personal concerns such as signing petitions, participating on a Committee, bringing issues/concerns to the attention of the membership or attending meetings

2. participate in voting process to change Neighborhood Association Bylaws and Protocols, establish Committees, change Committee functions or Leads, and other issues/concerns as needed

3. follow the Neighborhood Association Bylaws and Protocols

4. respect other members views and positions on issues/concerns, even if you disagree, by allowing them to voice their opinions or experiences before the membership

5. members should not misrepresent themselves as representatives of the Neighborhood Association, unless authorized to do so by the Steering Committee

6. members should not make statements, imply or give the impression that they represent the Neighborhood Association on any issue/concern without explicit approval of the Steering Committee and Committee Lead(s)

7. each member should maintain productive working relationships with all Association membership and Committees, as well as public and private agencies and non-members

MEMBERSHIP and VOTING FOR CHANGE:

All members, whether on a Committee or not, have an equal vote on all issues/concerns presented to the Neighborhood Association. This vote occurs at the Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meetings, but in cases were a member may not be available to participate, the Steering Committee Lead can be notified in writing of the member’s voting preference on Agenda items.

It is through this voting process that the purpose (mission) of the Neighborhood Association and functions of each Committee are determined. In turn, the role of each Committee is oversight of process and implementation of membership approved issues and concerns.

ADDRESSING ISSUES/CONCERNS OF MEMBERSHIP:

1. Issues/concerns can be brought to the attention of the membership in one of two ways:

• at Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meetings
• to Committee members

2. If a Committee member is approached with a member’s issue/concern, the member must notify the Committee Lead in a timely manner, so that the matter can be discussed and addressed. The Committee member should take no further action until the Committee Lead has had an opportunity to address the issue with the remainder of the Committee.

3. Committee members cannot make statements, imply or give the impression that an issue/concern will be adopted by a given Committee or the Neighborhood Association, without membership review and approval by majority vote at the Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meetings.

4. The Steering Committee will be immediately notified by the Website/Listserve Committee Lead of any issues/concerns, inquiries or submittals to the Neighborhood Association’s website, email address or Listserve which focus on issues/concerns not specifically addressed in Neighborhood Association Purpose (Mission) or Bylaws and Protocols. The Website/Listserve Committee Lead should take no further action until the Steering Committee Lead has had an opportunity to address the issue with the remainder of the Committee.

5. If a member has an issue/concern that is not covered by a Committee’s function and does not conflict with the Neighborhood Association Purpose (Mission) and Bylaws and Purpose, the member can submit, in writing, Agenda items for consideration at the next Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meeting directly to the Steering Committee Lead.

6. Issues/concerns that are political in nature (i.e., endorsing public officials for office, endorsing pro or con views of upcoming ballot issues) cannot be adopted by the Neighborhood Association without 100% concurrence of the membership.

a. In this were to go to vote, hand ballots will be used for confirmation purposes. The Steering Committee will work in conjunction with the City in designing, distribution and collection of hand ballots. The City has the option to impose other criteria as needed, in order to meet authenticity, justification and procedural needs.

b. If this were to go to vote, the Steering Committee and City will oversee the voting process, including organization, education, hand ballot distribution and collection, and public count of hand ballots.

c. If all members concur, the Steering Committee will implement changes in the Neighborhood Association’s purpose (mission) or Committee function by amending and publishing revisions on the Neighborhood Association’s website and by mail, working in conjunction with the City.

REPRESENTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ON ANY ISSUE/CONCERN:

Members can state that they are a member of the Ivy Town Neighborhood Association, but cannot make statements, implications or give the impression that they represent the Ivy Town Neighborhood Association.

There are situations where acting as a representative of the Neighborhood Association must occur, however. Membership must discuss and obtain approval in regards to representing the Neighborhood Association on authorized projects from the Committee Lead and Steering Committee prior to taking any action. Authorization is by majority vote.

Representatives are defined as members who are participating in activities authorized by the Steering Committee. These members are interfacing with private and public agencies, and non-members, in order to meet common goals and find equitable solutions to current issues/concerns affecting the Neighborhood Association.

The Committee(s) must define the specific situation in which representation of the Neighborhood Association is allowed.

After review and approval by said Committee(s), the member can state they are a representative of the Neighborhood Association, as defined by said Committee(s). Representatives may introduce themselves as such and openly discuss Neighborhood Association strategies, goals and the methodologies used to attain our successes.

The Steering Committee will advise the City each year of representatives acting on the Neighborhood Association’s behalf on different issues throughout the community.

Members may attend and participate in authorized meetings, but must clarify that they are members and do not represent the views or opinions of the Neighborhood Association as a whole.

Any private citizen can attend and participate in an unauthorized meeting, but must clarify that they are private citizens with no reference to the Neighborhood Association.

COMMITTEES:

Membership participation is best served by joining a Committee that has been assigned functions by the Steering Committee and membership. Committees are established as a means of the membership to organize on authorized projects, in order to focus resources, establish communication and facilitate solutions to issues/concerns brought to the Committee’s attention by the membership.

There is a Steering Committee and three (3) Standing Committees:

1. Traffic Committee

2. Website/Listserve Committee

3. Visual Blight and Noise Committee

The Committee structure is informal to encourage member participation.

COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS:

Steering Committee:

• Leads the Neighborhood Association by focusing on membership issues/concerns, as guided by the Neighborhood Association Purpose (Mission) and Bylaws and Protocols
• Education of membership on all issues/concerns, by disseminating information throughout the membership by flyers, emails, Listserve, annual Newsletter or other means as necessary
• Schedules Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meetings, including establishing time and date (alternate W and Tu/Th evenings), reserving location, establishing Agenda, coordinating speakers and coordinating notification of membership of meeting and Agenda items
• Steering Committee Lead will contact each Committee Lead to discuss potential Agenda items in timely manner
• Oversees Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meetings
• Reviews, advises and approves/authorizes membership participation in private and public organizations outside of Neighborhood Association
• Reviews, edits and approves annual Newsletter to ensure content reflects Association’s purpose and goals; submits final draft to City for review, editing, approval, printing and distribution to all homeowners and occupants
• Reviews and approves inquiries and submittals to website or Listserve which focus on issues/concerns not specifically addressed in Neighborhood Association Purpose (Mission) or Bylaws and Protocols
• Oversees and maintains productive working relationships with all Committees and Committee Leads
• Addresses concerns regarding misrepresentation; works in conjunction with City and involved parties to correct misinformation
• Addresses concerns regarding information obtained through Neighborhood Association to further personal agendas, political or economic, that are of no benefit to the Neighborhood Association or do not follow the Neighborhood Association Purpose (Mission) and Bylaws and Protocols; works in conjunction with City and involved parties to correct information
• Oversees voting process to change or amend Neighborhood Association boundaries or purpose (mission) or function of any Committee
• Implements changes or amendments to Neighborhood Association boundaries or purpose (mission) or function of any Committee

Traffic Committee:

Responsible for addressing issues of:

· Traffic congestion

· Speeding

· Parking

· Pursuing traffic calming measures as needed and available

· Education of membership of all issues/concerns pertaining to Committee function

Website/Listserve Committee:

Responsible for addressing issues of:

• Website design and maintenance
• Reviews and approves inquiries and submittals to email address or Listserve which focus on issues/concerns specifically addressed in Neighborhood Association Purpose (Mission) or Bylaws and Protocols, and appropriate content. Examples may include garage or property sales, animal adoptions or social events.
• Notifies Steering Committee of any inquiries or submittals to email address or Listserve which focus on issues/concerns not specifically addressed in Neighborhood Association Purpose (Mission) or Bylaws and Protocols, including issues/concerns political in nature
• Notifies Steering Committee of any inquiries or submittals to email address or Listserve from any public or private organization that wishes to study, partipate or otherwise interact with our membership on any issue/concern
• Follows the City’s policy and procedures regarding a City website
• Enrolls members into Listserve
• Education of membership of all issues/concerns pertaining to Committee function

The website, email address and Listserve are ‘property’ of the membership. Information and materials used in the design and upkeep of the website, email address or Listserve are maintained by the Steering Committee.

Visual Blight and Noise Committee:

Responsible for addressing issues of

• visual blight and noise as defined in City of Davis Ordinances
• establishing good neighbor policies for membership to follow, for both homeowners and occupants alike
• neighborhood beautification projects
• Education of membership of all issues/concerns pertaining to Committee function

Other issues/concerns or projects not addressed by Standing Committees

Issues/concerns or projects not assigned to a Standing Committee fall under the jurisdiction of the Steering Committee by default.

Currently, this includes the implementation of the Neighborhood Watch Program on each street within the Association’s boundaries, personal and community safety and the Newsletter Coordinator.

Committee Meetings:

1. Committees meet three (3) times per year (Fall, Winter, Spring) at the Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meetings. Committee purpose, activity, membership and goals are reviewed with the Steering Committee at these times.

2. Committee Leads should submit Agenda items to Steering Committee 30 days in advance of meeting date and time.

3. New Committees are established as the membership agrees by majority vote at Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meetings and will be implemented by the Steering Committee.

Committee Leads:

Each Committee has a Committee Lead. The responsibilities of the Committee Lead include:

· Maintain accurate Committee unpublished roster, maintaining confidentiality of roster, if requested by Committee members

· Serve as public contact for membership, private and public agencies and with non-membership, as needed, with a contact phone number and/or email address

· Advise Steering Committee of activity status for issues/concerns pertaining to Committee’s functions

· Maintain confidentiality of issues/concerns presented to them for Committee review by membership, if requested

· Maintain productive working relationship with all Association membership and Committees, as well as public and private agencies and non-members

· Oversee and participate in issues/concerns that escalate to public agencies

· Reviews and approves Committee’s annual contribution to Newsletter

· With Steering Committee, reviews and approves requests for representing the Neighborhood Association

Changes to Committee Leads should be proposed to the membership, who can replace or appointment a Lead by majority vote at Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meetings.

Committee Membership:

1. members can belong to more than one Committee

2. there is no limit to the number of members a Committee can have; membership is expected to fluctuate over time with evolving issues/concerns

3. each member should be prepared to be active on issues/concerns pertaining to their immediate neighborhood and/or interests

4. each member should bring new or changing issues/concerns to Committee Leads in a timely manner

5. each member should maintain productive working relationships with all Association membership and Committees, as well as public and private agencies and non-members

ISSUES/CONCERNS IN COMMON WITH NON-MEMBERSHIP:

When strategizing and problem solving for issues/concerns, the Committees may decide to liaison with other public and private agencies and non-membership in order to produce an equitable solution for all concerned. Committee Leads must notify the Steering Committee of any public or private agencies, or non-members that they join with in a timely manner.

This option can be used and will be part of the strategic plan set forth and approved by the Committee and Steering Committee responsible for addressing the issue/concern.

If a Neighborhood Coalition were to form, the Neighborhood Association can join if and only if, the following criteria are met:

1. The Neighborhood Coalition is not politically motivated.

2. All Neighborhood Associations throughout the City of Davis have an opportunity to participate and hold an equal vote.

3. The goal of the Neighborhood Coalition is networking between all Neighborhood Associations throughout the City of Davis so that productive solutions can be found to mutual issues/concerns and shared problems.

4. The City is an active participant and promotes the Neighborhood Coalition as a venue for finding productive solutions to mutual issues/concerns and shared problems between all Neighborhood Associations in the City of Davis.

Any member who participates in an unauthorized public or private agency or non-member meeting, including a Neighborhood Coalition that does not meet the criteria listed above, is acting as a private citizen.

NEWSLETTER AND NEWSLETTER COORDINATOR:

Newsletter:

1. The Ivy Town Neighborhood Association Newsletter is distributed annually each October.

2. Any member can contribute directly to the Newsletter Coordinator to the annual Newsletter with information not covered by a Committee’s function as long as the content of said contribution falls within the Neighborhood Association’s Bylaws and Protocols. Submittals should be submitted no later than September 15^th.

3. Each Committee Lead can submit information to the Newsletter Coordinator regarding the Committee’s purpose, activity, membership and goals. Submittals should be submitted no later than September 15^th.

4. The Newsletter design and layout will be kept consistent, concise and clear from year to year.

5. Information and materials used to generate the Newsletter are maintained by the Steering Committee.

Newsletter Coordinator:

1. The Newsletter Coordinator position can be held for up to two (2) years by the same member(s) in non-sequential terms.

2. The responsibilities of the Newsletter Coordinator include:

· compiling, assembling and generating draft Newsletter

· coordinating with membership and Committee Leads for content submittals

· coordinating with public and private agencies and non-members for content submittals as needed

· submitting draft Newsletter to Steering Committee for review, editing and approval as needed

· entry of Steering Committee changes, if any, and generating final draft Newsletter; re-submit final draft Newsletter to Steering Committee

· once approved for distribution by City, submit to Website/Listserve Committee Lead for placement on website

· maintain productive working relationships with all Association membership and Committees, as well as public and private agencies and non-members