CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS
of the
FOOTHILL COMMUNITIES DEMOCRATIC CLUB
ARTICLE I
NAME, OBJECTIVE, PURPOSE OF THE CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS
SECTION I: NAME
The name of this organization shall be the FOOTHILL COMMUNITIES DEMOCRATIC CLUB.
SECTION II: OBJECTIVE
The primary objective of the FOOTHILL COMMUNITIES DEMOCRATIC CLUB (hereafter referred to as the Club) is to support and elect Democratic candidates to local, state and national offices; to encourage candidates who share Democratic ideals; to provide political education; to foster participatory democratic action in the and its sphere of influence; and to provide an enduring local organization affiliated with the Party. The Club shall unite in voice and action to support Democratic principles, positions and candidates, and advance the goals of the Democratic Party (hereafter referred to as the Party).
SECTION III: PURPOSE OF THE CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS
The purpose of the Constitution & By-Laws is to govern the organization and functions of the Club.
ARTICLE II
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION I: MEMBERSHIP
A. Candidates for membership shall qualify by being registered Democrats, by living in the County of San Bernardino and expressing a desire to support the objectives of the Party and the Club and abide by its Constitution & By-Laws.
B. Any Democrat who pays full dues shall be an active member and shall have one vote. Proxy votes are not allowed. Dues are to be determined by the Executive Committee and are payable annually and due as determined by the Executive Committee. Annual dues may be waived at the discretion of the Executive Committee in cases of hardship or in consideration of other in kind contributions to the Club.
C. Neither sex, age, race, color, creed, national origin, physical ability, religion, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, nor economic status shall be considered conditions of membership.
D. It is the responsibility of the member to keep his/her contact information updated with the Secretary. Club’s membership list/roster is confidential and to be used only for Club business.
E. New, first-time members are eligible to vote at the first meeting following acceptance for membership application.
SECTION II: RESIGNATION & REMOVAL
A. Any member may resign her or his membership by written notification and presentation to either the Secretary or the Vice President or the President of this Club. Said resignation shall be effective immediately upon the presentation of written notification as described above. Presentation of written notification of resignation as described above shall be by mail, electronic mail or personal delivery. Such resignation shall not entitle the member to a refund of any portion of dues paid.
B. This Club may remove a member if, during his/her term of membership, such member affiliates with or registers as a member of another party, advocates preference for another party, tends to injure the good name of the Club or individual members of this Club, disturbs well-being of this Club, hampers the work of this Club, or fails to pay membership dues to this Club.
C. A member of this Club may only be removed upon a vote of two-thirds of the members present at the meeting in which the matter of removal is heard.
D. Any member considered for removal by the Club must be given due process of thirty days written notice, and the opportunity for review before the club.
E. Any member may lodge a written complaint with a member of the Executive Committee against any member and must sign and submit the written complaint by personal delivery to an Executive Committee member. The written complaint must specify the grounds for removal.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS
SECTION I: OFFICERS
The officers of this organization shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
SECTION II: DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
President shall be presiding officer and official voice of the Cub, carrying out the policies of the Club and the Executive Committee, consistent with the Constitution & By-Laws. Excluding the Executive Committee and Regular Standing Committees, the President shall appoint ad-hoc committees and the chairs of these committees as needed. The chair of an ad-hoc committee shall be a member of the Executive Committee. All members of ad hoc all committees shall serve at the will of the President. President may appoint a Sergeant-at-Arms. The Sergeant-at-Arms, if appointed by the President, shall be a member of the Executive Committee. President is an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee. The President shall have a vote only to break a tie vote.
Vice President shall assist the President in the performance of the duties of that office. In the event of the absence of the President or a vacancy in that office, the Vice President shall exercise all powers of the President. The Vice President shall chair the Nominating Committee. The Vice President shall maintain a Monthly Club Calendar which is to be posted at the Regular Membership Meeting and the on Club website. The Vice President shall perform other duties as assigned by the President.
Secretary shall record and maintain minutes of the meetings and other proceedings, read the minutes of previous meetings, take charge of all documents when requested, shall compose, read and report on correspondence as requested. Secretary will also record and maintain the Club’s membership roster.
Treasurer shall take custody of all funds directly or indirectly raised or received by the Club, shall maintain bank accounts for deposits, make disbursements which shall be signed by two authorized officers, and must report on these actions monthly. Disbursements must be done only at the direction of the President, with prior approval from the Executive Committee when any single expenditure exceeds an amount determined by the Executive Committee.
Officer Reports shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary and also presented verbally if present at the Regular Monthly Member Meeting.
Officers are required to accept, sign and comply with the Club’s standard Conflict of Interest Policy.
SECTION III: ELECTION OF OFFICERS
A. Nomination of officers shall be made at the Regular April Member Meeting. Only members in good standing may be nominated to hold office. Notice of May Elections must be announced via email and posted on the Club’s web site thirty (30) days prior to the May Member Meeting.
B. The Vice President shall chair the Nominating Committee and the President shall appoint its members at the Regular March Member Meeting. The Nominating Committee will prepare a slate of officers to be presented at the Regular April Member Meeting where nominations may also be made from the floor by any member.
C. No person may be nominated for office between the close of the Regular April Member Meeting and convening of the Regular May Member Meeting. Any office may be filled by nomination and election from the floor at the Regular May Member Meeting.
D. Election of officers shall be held annually at the Regular May Member Meeting by secret ballot unless a motion is made and carried by a majority of the members present to elect by acclimation. In the event of a Secret Ballot a majority vote of members present is required to elect each officer.
SECTION IV: VACANCIES
A vacancy in any office shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Committee. Such appointment will be announced at the next Regular Member Meeting and confirmed or rejected by the majority vote of membership present.
SECTION V: REMOVAL OF OFFICERS
An officer of this organization may be removed from office for cause, which is defined as misconduct or neglect of duty in office or three (3) consecutive unexcused absences from meetings by the following procedure:
A. Any member may lodge a complaint with the Executive Committee against any officer and must sign and submit to the Secretary a written statement of charges describing the specific grounds for removal.
B. The Secretary, upon receipt of the statement of charges, will send to the accused officer a copy of the statement of charges and a letter stating that a hearing will convene at the next regular meeting of the Executive Committee.
C. At said next regular meeting of the Executive Committee, the accused officer shall be afforded an opportunity to respond to the charges. After such hearing, provided there are present and voting in favor of removal at least three members of the Executive Committee, the office held by the accused officer may be deemed vacated. If an officer is removed from office according to this Section, this action shall be reported to the membership at the next Regular Member Meeting.
D. If the Executive Committee determines that there has been no misconduct or neglect of duty, the member who made the complaint shall be notified of this determination in writing by the Secretary.
ARTICLE IV
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
SECTION I: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
There shall be an Executive Committee of this Club which shall have all the powers and duties of the Club when the Club is not in actual session. The Executive Committee shall provide an agenda for Regular Member Meetings.
SECTION II: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
The Executive Committee shall consist of the Officers and Committee Chairs. The immediate Past-President may serve on the Executive Committee as an advisory, non- voting member.
SECTION III: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The Executive Committee shall meet as needed between Regular Membership Meetings at a place and time to be decided at each prior meeting or as called by the President. Non-members of the Executive Committee shall have voice but no vote.
SECTION IV: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE QUORUM
Five (5) members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for transaction of Club business.
ARTICLE V
STANDING COMMITTEES
SECTION I: REGULAR STANDING COMMITTEES
The Club’s five Regular Standing Committees include:
A. Fund Raising – Responsible for developing and implementing a regular program of activities aimed at generating monetary contributions to the Club; for filing, accounting and maintaining required government documentation related to fund raising activities.
B. Community Outreach – Responsible for voter education, registration drives, and precinct organization.
C. Media Affairs – Responsible for public relations and communications on behalf of the Club including but not limited to social media, press releases, letter campaigns, online feedback, opposition response, publicity events.
D. Intelligence – Responsible for maintaining Club website, as well as collecting opposition information and election data so that the Club may recognize, analyze and respond as needed.
E. Political Action – Responsible for lobbying local legislators on issues of importance to the Club.
SECTION II: REGULAR STANDING COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP
Each Regular Standing Committee shall consist of at least two members including a Chair appointed by the Executive Committee and a Vice Chair appointed by that Standing Committee Chair; both shall maintain full voting rights. Additional Standing Committee Members shall be appointed by the Chair and Vice Chair of that Regular Standing Committee.
SECTION III: REGULAR STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Each Standing Committee shall meet on a regular basis and shall report to the general membership at each Regular Monthly Member Meeting.
Article VI
MEETINGS
SECTION I: PLACE & TIME OF MEETINGS
Regular Member Meetings shall be held every month as scheduled by the Executive Committee, at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Committee.
SECTION II: SPECIAL MEETINGS
Special member meetings may be called by the Executive Committee upon reasonable notice to the membership.
A. The Secretary shall notify the membership of the place and time of each special meeting by any reasonable means and as soon after notification by the Executive Committee as reasonably possible.
SECTION III: QUORUM
The members present at a duly noticed meeting shall constitute a quorum. A quorum for any official meeting of the Club shall be 25 percent of the total organizational membership in good standing, or ten member, whichever is smaller.
SECTION IV: PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES & VOTING
A. In all cases not provided for by law or by this Constitution & By-Laws, the Club may adopt standing rules by a majority vote at any meeting. After they have been adopted, they cannot be modified at the same session except by a motion to reconsider the vote made by one who voted on the prevailing side.
B. When not inconsistent with the Constitution & By-Laws, Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern in all cases to which they are applicable.
SECTION V: RESOLUTIONS PROCEDURE
A. Resolutions may be presented and seconded from the floor at any meeting by any member.
B. A resolution presented and seconded by a member at a meeting, if accepted for consideration by a majority of members present, shall be forwarded to the Executive Committee for their consideration at the next Executive Committee Meeting.
C. The Executive Committee shall receive all resolutions from the Club and return their recommendations to the Club at the next meeting. The Executive Committee may also originate resolutions to be presented to the membership of the Club at any meeting.
D. The Club shall receive the resolution and the recommendations of the Executive Committee. A majority vote of the members present shall adopt the resolution.
ARTICLE VII
ENDORSEMENTS
The Club may endorse Democratic candidates for partisan and non-partisan offices, Party endorsed State Ballot Initiatives, and member approved Local Ballot Measures by not less than a vote of two-thirds of the members present at a regular or special member meeting, where a quorum is present, and provided that reasonable notice is given to all members that an endorsement is to be proposed at said meeting. Notice of the endorsement vote shall be published in writing at least five days prior to the endorsement vote. Endorsements shall follow the by laws, endorsement standing rules and provisions of the California Democratic Party and the San Bernardino County Democratic Central Committee in effect at the time of the endorsement.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS
SECTION I: AMENDMENTS
A. Any proposed amendment is to be submitted to the Executive Committee for their recommendation(s).
B. Changes to the constitution and bylaws not specifically referenced elsewhere must be noticed to the membership at least one meeting before the vote in question, and must be approved by a vote of two-thirds of those members present.
SECTION II: EFFECTIVE DATE
This Constitution & By-Laws or any amendments thereto shall go into effect and become effective immediately upon their adoption.
ADOPTED on this, the __________ day of __________in the year __________.
by Secretary: _________________________
Peter Baker