BY-LAWS
of the
Southern California Transit Advocates
As amended March 10, 2007
ARTICLE 1
Name
The legal name of the organization is SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TRANSIT ADVOCATES INC. (to be known by the acronym SO.CA.TA) and incorporated as a non-profit corporation under the laws of the State of California
ARTICLE 2
Purposes & Goals
SO.CA.TA is created as a forum to discuss issues, disseminate information, advocate, support and encourage all measures and policies deemed necessary for the creation of a truly adequate transit system chiefly throughout the five county Los Angeles metropolitan region and to monitor the maintenance of an efficient system for the people of the Los Angeles metropolitan region for their present and future use.
ARTICLE 3
Officers and Directors
The Officers and Directors for SO.CA.TA shall consist of the following:
Section 3. 1. The officers shall include the President, Vice-President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary and Treasurer, elected by the membership annually.
Section 3.2. The Directors-At-Large shall consist of three (3) members elected by the membership annually. Directors at large shall not be considered officers.
Section 3.3. The Officers, three (3) Directors-At-Large, and the Newsletter Editor (as an ex-officio member) shall constitute the Executive Committee of SO.CA.TA.
Section 3.4. Duties and functions of the Officers:
3.4.1. The President shall preside over all meetings, be ex-officio member of all committees except the Election Committee, preside over the Executive Committee meetings, have general direction of the affairs of SO.CA.TA under the supervision of the Executive Committee. In the event of the death or resignation of the President, the Vice-President shall become President for the remainder of the term.
3.4.2. The Vice-President in the absence of the President, shall preside over all meetings and exercise executive responsibilities as President, as stated in the by-laws under the supervision of the Executive Committee
3.4.3. The Recording Secretary shall be responsible for recording minutes of meetings and proceedings. Shall report the minutes of the last meeting at each monthly meeting maintained in a Minute Book which shall contain copies of the by-laws, rules, and policies, list of members, list of standing and special committees, and a copy of Robert's Rules of Order.
3.4.4. The Corresponding Secretary (also known as the Executive Secretary) shall conduct official correspondence for the organization as directed by the President or the Executive Committee, answers official letters, and shall preside over all meetings when the President and Vice-President are absent.
3.4.5. The Treasurer shall be responsible for financial records and the financial activites for SO.CA.TA and maintain such records in the Treasurer's Book. Shall collect and disburse funds as directed by applicable law, the by-laws, membership and Executive Committee approval. Does not have the power to borrow money or issue funds or checks except as authorized by the membership or the Executive Committee. Shall report on the financial activities and financial bank status at monthly meetings. Shall submit a full report to the membership annually. There shall be no financial disclosures to non-members except to authorized government agents with the approval of the Executive Committee.
3.4.6. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer and three (3) Directors-at-Large, elected by the membership during the annual general election of officers. The Executive Committee shall have the responsibility of meeting when necessary for the purpose of discussing actions and policy positions consistent with the purposes and goals of SO.CA.TA and to publicly promote those actions, policies and goals for SO.CA.TA. The Executive Commitee meetings shall be open to the general membership unless a specific meeting is designated as closed by the Executive Committee.
3.4.7. The Executive Committee may authorize special or general membership meetings at any time. The general membership may call a special meeting by petition of 2/3 majority of the general membership.
3.4.8. The Newsletter Editor shall be appointed by the Executive Committee and serve at its pleasure. Shall vote in Executive Committee meetings only to break a tie.
3.4.9 At its pleasure the Executive Committee shall confer emeritus
status to a past President who no longer holds office. The title shall be
held by only one individual at a time. Shall be an ex-officio of the
Executive Committee. Shall in the absence of the Newsletter Editor be
allowed to vote at an Executive Committee meeting only to break a tie.
3.4.10. All work products of the Secretary and Treasurer are the property of SOCATA and shall be disposed of at the end of each person's service in that position as the Board sees fit.
3.4.11. An Archivist shall be appointed and shall serve at the pleasure of the Board.
3.4.12. The Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer may delegate their responsibilities for the general membership meeting as needed, and may delegate their other duties with the approval of the Executive Committee.
3.4.13. The Newsletter Editor and President emeritus have a vote to break ties only if they do not separately hold office as a Director or officer.
3.4.14. All vacancies shall be filled by an immediate election at the next general membership meeting. Only those members who meet the eligibility requirements defined in Section 4.2 may be thus elected.
3.4.15. When an officer or Director misses three (3) general membership meetings consecutively, a letter of inquiry shall be sent. The response (or lack thereof) shall be considered by the Executive Committee. At the Executive Committee's discretion, the office can be declared vacant and filled by the same process as for other vacancies.
ARTICLE 4
Nominations & Elections
Section 4.1. The Election Committee shall be appointed annually in November to supervise nominations, elections, counting of votes and to report results to membership. The Election committee shall be named by the membership to consist of three (3) members in good standing and who shall not be candidates when serving on the committee.
Section 4.2. Nominations for Officers and three (3) Directors-At-Large shall be held annually in November by the membership at the monthly meeting supervised by the Election Committee. There shall be no nominating committee. Members in good standing who will have been members for twelve (12) months at the time of assuming office shall be eligible to be nominated for President, Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer. Members in good standing who will have been members for six (6) months at the time of assuming office shall be eligible to be nominated for Director-At-Large. Any candidate must have attended one-third (1/3) of the scheduled membership meetings, at a minimum, in the previous twelve (12) months at the time of assuming office.
Section 4.3. Election of Officers and three (3) Directors-At-Large shall be held at the last regular meeting of the year in December. Those elected shall be installed as of January 1st and serve through December 31st, one calendar year. Elections shall be supervised by the Election Committee, shall be by secret ballot and results shall be reported in the next newsletter after the election.
Section 4.4. Voting
4.4.1. Members in good standing shall be eligible to vote in elections and vote at meetings on organizational business.
4.4.2. Proxy and absentee voting shall not be allowed at any time.
4.4.3. In the event of a tie for any officer or director position, a runoff shall be held immediately between the candidates who tied. If the runoff also results in a tie, the Executive Commitee (of the year ending that December) shall immediately vote to break the tie for the office.
4.4.4. Once the Election Committee commences counting the ballots, no further votes can be cast.
ARTICLE 5
Membership Requirements
Age requirement for members shall be a minimum age of twelve (12) years to become a member of SO.CA.TA. There shall be no citizenship requirement, nor shall there be any area residency requirement.
ARTICLE 6
Dues & Income
Section 6.1. Membership dues
6.1.1. The annual membership dues shall be set by a 2/3 vote of membership present at a monthly meeting, following one month's written notice to the general membership.
6.1.2. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to waive regular membership dues for one year on a case by case basis with documentation of special circumstances.
Section 6.2. Membership dues for the current year shall be due and payable for renewing members thirty (30) days subsequent to the annual monthly meeting in January.
Section 6.3. A member in good standing shall be a person who has paid the appropriate dues, or for whom the dues have been waived in accordance with Section 6.1.2
Section 6.4. Members who are delinquent shall not be considered in good standing and will not be eligible to cast votes on any motion, election or business requiring a membership vote.
ARTICLE 7
Fiscal Year
The Fiscal Year for SO.CA.TA shall commence on the first day, and end on the last day, of each calendar year.
ARTICLE 8
Meetlngs
Section 8.1. Regular meetings for SO.CA.TA shall be held monthly. All meetings shall be held in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area.
Section 8.2. Special meetings may be called by a vote of the majority of the membership of the Executive Committee. Notice shall be provided in a timely manner to all members of any such special meeting. All notices of special meetings shall state the purpose of the special meeting.
Section 8.3. A record of attendance and written minutes of the meetings shall be made available to each member present at the next meeting. An agenda for the monthly meetings shall be prepared per Robert's Rules of Order. All documents shall be filed with the appropriate Secretary's records.
Section 8.4. The Bylaws shall be the primary authority for the conduct of all meetings and business for SO.CA.TA. In areas not covered by the Bylaws, Robert's Rules of Order, Revised shall be the authority.
ARTICLE 9
Committees
Section 9. 1. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee or the general membership, shall appoint standing committees or special committees as needed. The President shall be ex-officio member of all committees except the election committee.
Section 9.2. Committees have no inherent power or authority except those delegated to it by the by-laws or a vote of the membership. Committees can not act autonomously and independently of the main body of the organization. All committees are responsible to and under the direction of and control of the authority that created them. Committee reports shall be submitted at the monthly meetings by chairpersons of those committees.
ARTICLE 10
Statements and Positions
Section 10.1. The positions and formal statements of SO.CA.TA shall be voted upon by a vote of the membership present at a regular meeting. Where feasible, issues to be debated should be initially discussed at the previous month's meeting.
Section 10.2. Recognizing that issues are many times debated quickly with deadlines, the Executive Committee shall have authority in such circumstances to articulate a position on a transit issue and publish a position paper
and /or public statement on behalf of SO.CA.TA, consistent with the purposes and goals of SO.CA.TA as stated in the by-laws and motions passed.
10.2.1. Prior to the articulation of such a position paper and/or public statement on behalf of SO.CA.TA, the President shall poll the Executive Committee to obtain a supporting vote for the record.
10.2.2. Any position paper and / or public statement on behalf of SO.CA.TA in accord with this section
shall be brought before the next monthly meeting for approval or ratification by the membership.
10.2.3. Within seven (7) calendar days after the issuance of a position paper and / or public statement by the
President and / or members of the Executive Committee, a copy should be made available to each member.
10.2.4. Elected officers and Directors-At-Large may use their SO.CA.TA title of office when testifying before government agencies and private groups, in media written articles or on television, radio, or the Internet. Public statements espoused by officers and Directors must accurately reflect policies and resolutions consistent with the purposes and goals of SO.CA.TA.
10.2.5. Titles can be used for personal opinions if stated or understood to be "for identification purposes only".
ARTICLE 11
Quorum
Section 11.1. A general membership meeting quorum shall consist of five (5) members in good standing at regular monthly meetings to conduct business for SO.CA.TA.
Section 11.2. An Executive Committee quorum shall consist of three (3) committee members in good standing to conduct committee activities.
ARTICLE 12
Amendments
The By-laws of the organization may be amended or revised by the ratification
vote of 2/3 of the membership present at the monthly meeting but not less
than 5 present at the regular, special, or annual meetings, provided a notice
of such meetings contains a summary of the proposed amendment(s) and all
members are notified in writing either seven (7) days prior to the meeting
or in the last newsletter before the meeting.
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