The Constitution of The Greater Kingsville Civic Association, Inc.

Article I Name

The Greater Kingsville Civic Association, Incorporated (herein referred to as the Association).

Article II Purpose and Scope

Section 1 The purpose of this Association is to unite and utilize the combined efforts, talents, resources, and influence of the members for community civic improvement, protection, and other community related purposes.

Section 2 The Association is for the sole benefit of the community and is prohibited from endorsing any candidate for any elected political office.

Article III Membership

Section 1 The membership shall be open to any household within the community whose resident(s) are interested in the purpose and objectives of this Association. An owner of a business located within the community or his designated representative shall be eligible to become a dues-paying, non-voting affiliate of the association.

Section 2 The Greater Kingsville area or community is defined as that part of Baltimore County, bounded on the East by the CSX railroad tracks; bounded on the West by a line formed by Harford Rd, Marc Ln, Williams Rd, and Bottom Rd and including any residential property bounding on either side of that line; bounded on the South by the Big Gunpowder River; and bounded on the North by the Little Gunpowder River.

Article IV Administration

Section 1 Board of Directors

  1. There shall be a Board of Directors consisting of fifteen members. The Board of Directors shall consist of elected officers, the most recent past President residing in the area, and eight other Directors elected by the membership. The Board of Directors shall have the control and management of the affairs, business, and properties of the Association, and they shall ensure that the title to any such property shall be vested in the Association.
    They shall have and exercise in the name of the Association and on its behalf all the rights and privileges legally exercisable by the Association, except as otherwise provided by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or by this Constitution. Members of the Board of Directors shall serve without compensation.
  2. The Board of Directors may adopt By-laws, special rules or regulations for the conduct of their meetings and the management of Association business, as they may deem proper and not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Maryland, this Constitution, or the Certificate of Incorporation. Changes to the By-laws may be effected by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
  3. The Board of Directors may enter into banking relationships as deemed appropriate to carry on the business of the Association. All expenditures of funds shall be applied only to the non-profit purpose and objectives of the Association. No part of the Association's funds shall be used for the personal gain of any officer, director, or member.
  4. The Board of Directors is authorized, at Association expense, to assure the fidelity of any officer, director, member, or employee by bond in such amount as they may deem necessary.
  5. The Board of Directors shall not have the power to make any transactions which may require financial assessment of the membership without the majority vote of the membership at a general or special meeting.
  6. In the event of death, resignation, or removal of any officer or director, a successor shall be appointed by a majority vote of the members of the Board of Directors at the earliest possible date to serve the unexpired term.
  7. The Board of Directors should appoint a parliamentarian to advise the assembly on rules of order and render decisions on order at the General Membership and regular Board Meetings.

Section 2 Officers

The Association shall have the following elected officers: a President, a First Vice-President, a Second Vice-President, a Treasurer, a Recording Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary and such other officers as the membership from time to time considers necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Association.

Article V Nominations and Elections

Section 1 The Nominating Committee should consist of three Past Presidents of the Association residing in the community, plus two members in good standing chosen by the Chairperson.

Section 2 The most immediate Past President of the three on the committee shall chair the committee.

Section 3 The Nominating Committee shall meet annually and nominate one Association member for each office and for each forthcoming vacancy on the Board. Four Board members are to be elected each year for a two year term. Board members may also be elected at this time to fulfill an unexpired Board term.

The list of nominations shall be in writing and should be submitted to the Recording Secretary at least thirty days prior to the Annual Meeting. The Committee shall confirm in writing that each nominee has agreed to serve, if elected. The Nominating Committee chairperson shall arrange for distribution of the list of nominations to members of the Association no later than twenty days prior to the Annual Meeting.

Section 4 Additional nominations can be submitted by any five members of the Association. The nominees and the nominated members must have been voting members in good standing for the immediate preceding membership year and have attended at least four meetings in this time frame. Such nominations must be in writing and received by the Recording Secretary of the Association at least ten days prior to the Annual Meeting. The written consent of any such nominee must accompany the nominations.

Section 5 A majority vote shall elect if there are two nominees for an office. A plurality vote by written ballot shall elect if there are more than two Nominees. Officers and Directors shall take office at the General Membership Meeting in September.

Section 6 Each officer shall be elected for a 1-year term. An officer shall be eligible to succeed himself in the same elected office, but for no more than two elected terms. Each board member shall be elected to a 2-year term. A board member is eligible to succeed himself but for no more than two elected terms.

Section 7 No more than one member of a household may serve as an Officer or Director during any one term.

Article VI Expulsion From Office

Section 1 Any Officer or Director may be removed from office upon charges being preferred in writing to the President by any twenty-five members of the Association in good standing. The President shall notify the person charged in writing within five days of receipt of such charges. If neither of the general membership meetings is to be held within thirty to forty-five days of receipt of the charges by the President, then a special meeting shall be called to vote on the charge(s).

A two-thirds vote of the members of the Association present shall be required to remove the accused from office. The Officer or Director accused shall have the right to appear before such meeting in defense of such charges.

Section 2 In Section 1 above, if the accused Officer is the President, the charges shall be delivered in writing to the First Vice-President and he(she) shall notify the President and conduct the meeting as per Section 1 above.

Section 3 Absence of any Board member from three meetings per membership year of the Board of Directors without reasonable excuse shall be sufficient reason for the Board to declare the position vacant.

Section 4 Any Officer or Director removed from office in accordance with Section 1, 2, or 3 above shall be replaced by an appointment by the Board of Directors until the expiration of the appointed term. This temporary appointment shall not preclude any person from succeeding themselves in that office.

Article VII Meetings

Section 1 The Board of Directors of the Association shall meet every month to transact Association business at such time and place as may be designated by a majority of the board. Committee chairpersons or their designated representative shall attend, and the general membership is encouraged to attend.

There shall be two general membership meetings for the transaction of Association business, one to be held in March and September of each year. The meeting in September shall be considered the annual meeting and, in addition to the transaction of business, it shall also be for the purpose of electing Officers and Board of Directors.

All meetings of the Association - both General and Board of Directors - shall be on the third Wednesday of the month.

Section 2 A special meeting of the members may be called at anytime for any purpose by the President, a majority of the Board of Directors, or by the President at the request of any twenty members of the Association. No business shall be transacted at such special meetings except that specifically stated when notice of the meeting was given.

Section 3 Upon all matters requiring the vote of the members, the only members entitled to vote shall be as follows: those whose dues are paid up for the current year prior to the start of the meeting with each household being entitled to one vote.

Section 4 At the general or special meeting of the Association, a minimum of 5% of the membership shall constitute a quorum. A majority vote of those present shall rule except as specified otherwise in the Constitution. At meetings of the Board of Directors, a minimum of 50% of the Board, excluding the President or Presiding Officer, shall constitute a quorum. A majority vote of those present shall rule. If a quorum is not present, business should be conducted for "the good of the order"; however, no official business will be conducted until such time as a quorum is present.

Section 5 A vote of the Board by phone or e-mail is permitted if the President, or presiding officer if the Presidency is vacant, determines that there is an urgent or emergency need. The procedure for a phone or e-mail vote shall be as follows:

  1. The presiding officer determines that the vote of the Board cannot wait until the next Board meeting.
  2. A good faith effort shall be made to reach all Officers and Board members to discuss the issue.
  3. The recorded vote must be a majority of all Board members. The polling of all the Board Members shall continue even after a majority vote has been achieved.
  4. The phone or e-mail vote must be reaffirmed and noted in the minutes for the official record at the next Board meeting.
  5. E-mail and answering machines may be used to inform those unreachable by phone of the issue.

Section 6 All business of the Association will be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order. Debate on any question shall be limited to three minutes for any member wishing to speak. In order to avoid any appearance of impropriety or conflicts of interest, it is strongly recommended that any Elected Officer or Board Member who also sits on another Board abstains from voting on potential conflicts of interest. If the conflict of interest is particularly sensitive, the Board Member in conflict should consider recusing themselves from the discussion and the vote.

Section 7 Any vote taken at regular or special meetings of the Board of Directors or general membership meetings may be by written ballot at the discretion of the presiding officer. A Board Member may also request a written ballot by placing a motion on the floor. If seconded, there shall be no discussion of such motion. The majority vote of the Board will determine whether a written ballot is approved.

Article VIII Dues

Section 1 Dues shall be established by the Board of Directors. Dues shall be payable annually, for the membership year, September 1st to August 31st.

Section 2 Any member whose dues shall remain unpaid after ninety days shall be considered to have resigned, and their name shall be removed from the Association's mailing list.

Section 3 Any applicant applying for initial membership less than three months before annual dues becomes payable shall be considered paid through the forthcoming membership.

Article IX Fiscal Year

Section 1 The fiscal year of the Association shall be from September 1st to August 31st.

Article X Committees

Section 1 In carrying out its functions, the Association shall have the following standing Committees:

  1. Membership
  2. Activities Coordination
  3. Public Relations/Communications
  4. Rural Protection
  5. Finance
  6. Zoning & Legislation

Section 2 The Board of Directors may, by resolution, provide for such other standing or special committees as it deems advisable, and discontinue the same at its pleasure. Each such committee shall have such powers and perform such duties not inconsistent with law, as may be assigned to it by the Board of Directors. If provisions are made for any such committee, the chairperson thereof shall be appointed by the President. Vacancies in such committees shall be filled by the chairpersons.

Article XI Amendments

Section 1 This Constitution may be amended by proposing such amendment(s) in writing at a general meeting or special meeting of the Association.

Section 2 Action on any proposed amendment(s) must be taken at the next meeting or special meeting, called for that purpose, following its introduction.

Section 3 All members must be notified in writing of the proposed amendment(s) at least ten days prior to the next general meeting of the Association or special meeting called for that purpose. A two-thirds affirmative vote of the members present at the meeting (a quorum being present) is required to adopt the amendment(s).

Article XII Annual Report

Section 1 At the General Membership Meeting in September, the outgoing or current President shall report on the accomplishments of the Association for the past year, and the outgoing or current Treasurer shall present a detailed financial accounting of all Association monies and fixed assets (if any to date).

Section 2 The Annual Report shall contain the Treasurer's report and a statement by the Financial Committee, showing that all accounts have been checked and found in order.

Article XIII Liability of Members

Section 1 No officer or member shall be personally liable for any bills or obligations of the Association. Officers and Board Members are acting in the best interest of the community as a whole, within County, State, and Federal laws, and not for personal gain or furtherance of personal objectives or interests. Therefore, no Officer or Board Member shall be held individually liable for any sanctioned action they may take place while a member of the Board. However, if a Board Member violates the law or direction of the Board, the Board is obligated to remove that person from office and such person's protection from liability will be voided.

Last updated 15 Sept 2010

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Updated 15 Sept 2010