ARTICLE I: Name and Objectives
Section 1. Name. The name of this organization shall be Arlington Heights Civic Association, hereinafter referred to as the "Association."
Section 2. Objectives.
- To further the public interest by promoting efforts toward civic betterment within the boundaries of the Association and within Arlington County;
- To provide leadership and organization which represents and coordinates community activity on issues of mutual concern.
ARTICLE II: Activities and Affiliations
Section 1. Nature of Activities. The Association shall be strictly non-partisan and non-sectarian. The Association, however, reserves the right to take positions and to express views on any legislation, ordinance or course of action, which in the judgement of the Association will affect the welfare of its members. The Association also reserves the right to comment on the actions of individuals and groups that affect the welfare of the Arlington Heights area.
Section 2. Affiliation with Other Groups. The Association may join, support or collaborate with federations, leagues, conventions or other civic groups whose purposes and actions are consistent with the welfare of the Arlington Heights area and Arlington County: Provided, that any affiliation undertaken shall not impair the continued existence of the Association as a distinct organization.
ARTICLE III: Boundaries and Membership
Section 1. Boundaries. The Arlington Heights area for the purpose of these by-laws shall consist of the neighborhood enclosed in the boundaries described by South Fillmore/South Walter Reed Drive, Columbia Pike, South Glebe Road, and Arlington Boulevard.
Section 2. Individual Membership. Any individual 18 years of age or older who owns or rents real property or resides within the Arlington Heights area is eligible to membership with full voting rights and privileges.
Section 3. Family or Household Membership. The members of a family or of a single household who qualify as individual members may elect to join as a family or household. Each member shall have full voting rights and privileges. No more than four individuals per household may participate in this type of membership.
Section 4. Business membership. A business adjacent to or within the Arlington Heights area may obtain a membership equivalent to an individual membership. A business membership shall have no more than one vote.
Section 5. Honorary Membership. The Association may confer honorary memberships. Honorary members shall be entitled to participate in the affairs of the Association but they shall not have the right to vote or to hold elective office unless qualified under other membership criteria.
Section 6. Admission to Membership. Any person eligible for membership under this article shall become a member upon payment of the dues to the Treasurer.
ARTICLE IV: Election, Duties and Powers of Officers
Section 1. Elective Officers, Terms and Qualifications. The Association shall elect annually, as prescribed in Article V, Section 1, a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The officers shall serve for one year or until their successors are chosen. Vacancies in any of the elected offices, subject to Section 3 of this article shall be filled at the next regular or special meeting of the Association. Officers chosen in special elections to fill vacancies shall assume their duties immediately.
Section 2. Duties of the President. The President shall be the chief executive official of the Association and shall take care that its by-laws and decisions are faithfully observed and executed. In addition, the President shall have the following specific duties:
- Preside over the meetings of the Association;
- Be chair of and a voting member of the Executive Committee of the Association;
- Appoint all officers, special committees and representatives of the Association whose appointment is not otherwise provided for in the by-laws.
- Provide for the performance of the duties of any office or position of the Association during the temporary absence or disability of the incumbent until the vacancy shall have been filled in the manner provided by the by-laws; and
- Represent the Association on any occasion which in the President's judgement the interest of the Association is involved, and make or authorize statements on behalf of the Association on any matter in which the Association has arrived at a position or policy.
Section 3. Duties of the Vice Presidents. The First and Second Vice Presidents shall assist the President in the administration of the affairs of the Association and shall undertake such duties as the President may assign them. In addition, they shall have the following specific duties:
- If the President is absent from either a meeting of the Association or a meeting of the Executive Committee, the First Vice President shall preside. If the First Vice President also should be absent, the Second Vice President shall preside.
- In the event of the resignation, removal, disqualification, disability or death of the President, the First Vice President shall assume the office of the President for the remainder of the term of office. Should the First Vice President also be unable to assume or continue in the office of President, the Second Vice President shall fill the vacancy of the First Vice President and become the President for the remainder of the term.
- The Second Vice President shall be in charge of soliciting and maintaining members for the Association.
Section 4. Duties of the Secretary. The Secretary shall keep all records of the Association not specifically the responsibility of another officer, shall record the proceedings of the meetings of the Association and the Executive Committee, and perform such related duties as the President or the Executive Committee may prescribe.
Section 5. Duties of the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall receive the funds of the Association and shall disburse these funds when duly authorized by the Association or the Executive Committee. The Treasurer shall make a report of the finances of the Association at each regular meeting and shall keep records in such form as to disclose the amounts and sources of all revenues received and the amounts and purposes of all funds disbursed. The Treasurer shall maintain a current and accurate roll of members.
Section 6. Appointed Officers. The President may appoint a corresponding secretary, a parliamentarian, an historian and others, and may assign to them duties appropriate for such offices. The Association may create additional appointive offices.
Section 7. Removal of Officers. Any officer (elected or appointed) of the Association may be removed for nonperformance of duties, inefficiency or conduct incompatible with the objectives and activities of the Association. A motion for removal may be made at any regular or special meeting. The reasons for the motion must be presented in writing and shall be read in their full text by the Secretary. The maker of the motion may briefly explain the reasons and may answer questions. The officer or Executive Committee member involved, if present, may briefly reply but there shall be no debate. At the next regular or special meeting held not sooner than ten days after the presentation of the motion, the question shall be debated, and if two-thirds of those voting are in favor thereof, the officer shall be immediately removed from office. No officer whose removal is under discussion shall preside during the consideration of the motion of removal.
Section 8. Duties of the Section Chiefs. The Section Chiefs shall be local representatives of the geographic section of the neighborhood in which they reside. They will provide continuity in the association from year to year.
ARTICLE V: Meetings of the Association
Section 1. Membership Meetings. The Association shall conduct a regular membership meeting at least once every three months. Ten members or 10 percent of the membership, whichever is fewer, will constitute a quorum at a membership meeting. The President shall determine the date, time, and location of regular membership meetings and provide notice of the meeting to all members at least 14 days before each meeting. The last quarterly meeting of the year shall be the Annual Meeting, at which the Association shall elect officers. The new officers shall begin their term at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting. The outgoing officers shall transition their former roles to the new officers in the interim between the Annual Meeting and the first membership meeting of each calendar year. The membership may bind the Association to any action consistent with its by-laws by a simple majority vote. An exception to the above is that all AHCA residents attending a membership meeting, whether or not they are members of the Association, may vote on County Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee related issues.
Section 2. Special Membership Meetings. The Association shall conduct a special membership meeting upon receipt of a petition signed by at least 20 members or 20% of the membership, whichever is fewer. The petition shall state the date, time, location and purpose of the special meeting. The agenda of a special meeting shall be limited to the stated purpose. Note of a special meeting shall be provided to all members at least 14 days before the meeting.
Section 3. Executive Committee Meetings. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the two Vice Presidents, the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Association. Between membership meetings, the Executive Committee may meet as often as necessary, and may bind the Association to any action consistent with its by-laws by a simple majority vote, except for those actions specifically reserved to votes of the membership. Three or more members of the Executive Committee will constitute a quorum at an Executive Committee meeting. In the event the Association has received a petition for a special membership meeting, the Executive Committee may not bind the Association to an action related to the stated purpose of the special membership meetings. The Executive Committee shall report all of its actions and decisions to the next membership meeting.
ARTICLE VI: Amendment of the By-Laws
Section 1. Procedures. Amendments of these by-laws must be presented in writing at a regular meeting of the Association. Upon presentation, the Secretary shall read the full text of the amendment to the members present. The person or committee sponsoring the amendment will be permitted briefly to explain the purposes and answer questions thereon, but there shall be no debate. At the following meeting, the amendment shall be subject to debate and shall, if two-thirds of those voting are in favor, take effect immediately.
ARTICLE VII: Dues and Budget
Section 1. Dues. The membership shall vote on the amount of the next calendar year's dues at the October membership meeting.
Section 2. Budget. The Executive Committee
shall prepare a calendar year budget in January.
(Adopted April 15, 1997)
(Amended April 24, 2001)
(Amended April 12, 2011)
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