CITIZENS FOR BETTER GOVERNMENT IN NEW YORK, INC.
BY-LAWS
(Issue January 22, 2006)
1. ORGANIZATION
2. PURPOSE
3. MEMBERSHIP
4. OFFICERS
5. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
6. STANDING COMMITTEES
7. AD-HOC COMMITTEES
8. MEETINGS
9. PRESS INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
10. AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS
1. ORGANIZATION – The Citizens
for Better Government in New York, Inc. (CBGNY) is organized
as a Section 402 Not-for-Profit Corporation
of New York State.
2. PURPOSE – Citizens for Better Government in New York is a grassroots,
non-partisan citizens' organization dedicated to improving New York State through
the improvement of governmental processes.
3. MEMBERSHIP – Membership in CBGNY will consist of all citizens of
New York State eligible to vote (not necessarily registered) who choose to
join through completion of an application and payment of dues. Current state
elected officials and/or announced candidates for state elected office are
ineligible for membership. Any current member who is appointed to such an office
or announces such candidacy will be removed as a member. Other requirements
and the dues structure for membership shall be established by the Executive
Committee subject to ratification by the membership.
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4. OFFICERS – The officers of CBGNY, who shall also be the Directors
of the Corporation, shall be President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary.
All officers shall hold office for one (1) year and may be re-elected. No officer
may serve more than three (3) consecutive terms in that office; there is no
limit on the number of non-consecutive terms.
If the office of the President should become vacant during the term, the Vice-President
shall fill the remainder of the term. Should any of the other office become
vacant, the President shall, upon the recommendation of the Nominating Committee,
appoint a new officer to serve until the next election.
The President shall preside at all meetings and will act as CEO of the organization.
The President may, at his/her discretion, appoint another member to serve as
a facilitator for designated portions of the meeting.
The Vice-President shall chair meetings in the event of the President’s
absence. The Vice-President shall also share in the President’s oversight
responsibilities as negotiated between them.
The Secretary or his/her designee shall take minutes of all membership meetings.
The Secretary shall also maintain the records of the organization. Committee
chairs shall provide the Secretary with copies of committee records for the
organization’s archives.
The Treasurer shall set up any bank accounts needed by CBGNY and maintain
the financial records of the organization, subject to an annual independent
audit. Any CBGNY bank account shall require two signatures for all checks and/or
withdrawals in excess of $1,000. The Treasurer shall also bill the membership
for dues and maintain a roster of the membership and their dues-payment status,
providing this information to the Membership Committee. The Treasurer will
also take the lead on developing an annual budget and tracking it throughout
the fiscal year.
Top 5. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE – The Executive Committee shall consist of the
officers and chairs of the standing committees of CBGNY. Immediately following
the Annual Meeting, the President shall appoint up to four additional members
from the membership. It shall be chaired by the President and is responsible
for strategic planning, development of organizational policies, and oversight
and coordination of committee activities. A quorum for Executive Committee
meetings is set as a majority of its total membership. Should action by CBGNY
be required such that time is insufficient to call together the membership,
the Executive Committee may take such action subject to ratification by the
membership at the next appropriate opportunity. For decisions not subject to
approval by the general membership, a quorum must be present and a majority
of those in attendance must approve. All final decisions related to strategic
plans, organizational policies, and formal positions of the organization must
be approved by the general membership.
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6. STANDING COMMITTEES – In order to accomplish the work and business
of CBGNY, the following committees shall be established. Committee Chairs and
members shall be appointed by the President immediately following the Annual
Meeting, in consultation with the Executive Committee, from among the members
of CBGNY.
Membership Committee – This committee shall be responsible for development
of the membership base and maintenance of membership records.
Communications Committee – This committee shall be responsible for the
internal and external communications of CBGNY. This may include, among other
activities, maintenance of CBGNY’s web site, organization and promotion
of a speakers’ bureau, media relations, and any other activities necessary
for a comprehensive public relations program.
Nominating Committee – The Nominating Committee shall develop a single
slate of officers to be presented to the membership for election at the Annual
Meeting. All members are welcome to offer their own recommendations for candidates
to the Nominating Committee, including themselves if they are interested. The
Committee shall produce its report at least thirty (30) days in advance of
the Annual Meeting, along with adequate background information on the nominees.
The President will transmit this information as part of the meeting notice
for the Annual Meeting.
Top 7. AD-HOC COMMITTEES – Additional ad-hoc committees may be established
or disbanded at any time by the President with the advice and consent of the
executive Committee. The committee chairs will be appointed by the President,
and the chairs will be responsible for identifying individual committee members
in consultation with the Executive Committee. With the advice and consent of
the Executive Committee, the President shall charge the individual committees
with respect to the nature, scope, and objectives of the committee.
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8. MEETINGS – The President shall schedule meetings as needed. CBGNY
will have at least four (4) regularly scheduled membership meetings a year.
No more than three (3) months may elapse between meetings. One of these meetings
shall be held in June and shall be the Annual Meeting at which the officers
shall be elected and reports of the year’s activities delivered to the
membership. No meeting may be convened without the presence of a presiding
and recording officer. While meetings are intended to be open to the public,
the presiding officer may, at his/her discretion, close the meeting to all
but current members.
Special meetings may be called upon the written or e-mail request of ten percent
(10%) or more current members delivered to the Secretary. The Secretary shall
immediately notify the President of the request and within seven (7) days after
receipt of such a request, a meeting shall be scheduled. Members shall be given
at least fourteen (14) days written notice of such special meetings along with
an explanation of the purpose of the meeting and a description of any matters
that are intended to be voted upon at the meeting. Notice may be assumed to
have been given two working days after transmission via e-mail.
A quorum consisting of at least fifteen (15) members or twenty percent (20%)
of the current members, whichever is less, shall be required to conduct business.
Only members present at the meeting may vote and matters to be voted upon shall
be carried by a majority vote of those present provided those in favor represent
at least ten percent (10%) of the CBGNY membership.
The Executive Committee may propose an order of business and meeting procedures
for regular and special meetings which shall be approved by the membership.
Other procedures necessary to conduct the business of CBGNY or any of its component
committees not otherwise specified in the established order of business or
in these By-Laws shall be determined by standard rules of parliamentary procedure.
Top 9. PRESS INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS – To inform the public of
the work of CBGNY, to help gain public support, and to maintain good relations
with the press and media, the President shall be the official spokesperson
and will report on actions taken by CBGNY to the public. The President may
also designate others to be spokespersons with respect to specific matters
for which the designee(s) may be appropriate. Public statements will be guided
by the adopted positions of CBGNY and the approved communications plan, if
any, prepared by the Communications Committee. If the situation is ambiguous,
the President shall consult with the Executive Committee prior to making a
statement or taking other action in the name of CBGNY. General information
about the activities of specific committees and/or programs underway may be
authorized by the Executive Committee to be provided by the chair of the appropriate
committee.
10. AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS – These By-Laws may be amended or repealed in
whole or part at the Annual Meeting of CBGNY, provided that notice specifying
in detail such proposed amendment or change is sent to each member at least
thirty (30) days prior to such meeting. During the first year of operation
following the adoption of these By-Laws, amendments may be proposed at any
CBGNY meeting in order to correct any operating defects or inefficiencies that
may become apparent. Top
Issue - January 22, 2006 |
