Bylaws of Safe Shorecrest Neighborhood Organization
SSNO established October 5, 2016; Bylaws accepted November 14, 2016
Article I. Name
The legal name of the Organization shall be Safe Shorecrest Neighborhood Organization. The Organization shall also be known informally as Safe Shorecrest, or SSNO. The mailing address of the Organization is ———–redacted———–.
Article II. Purpose
The purpose of the Organization shall be:
- to promote a safer community and lessen neighborhood tensions for all residents;
- to lessen the burden of local governments by contracting with and paying for off-duty Dallas Police Officers to patrol the neighborhood in marked squad cars (with a preference to officers of the Northwest Patrol Division, because of familiarity with neighborhood);
- to combat community deterioration and juvenile delinquency;
- to facilitate community development and neighborhood relationships;
- to advance the education of all residents in the prevention of residential crime by working cooperatively with the Dallas Police Department and other crime watch organizations;
- to communicate timely neighborhood news, information, and education through a website, emails, and/or newsletters;
- to partner with local businesses to help keep their employees and patrons safe; and
- to communicate all residents’ needs to city and other local officials.
We do not function as a Homeowners Association.
Article Ill. Boundaries
There are approximately 405 homes in the SSNO area. The organization shall serve all the residents that live within these boundaries of Dallas, Texas: North: Shorecrest Drive and Lakemont Drive; East: Midway Road, Bluebonnet Road, and Bluffview Boulevard; South: West Lovers Lane; and West: Lemmon Avenue. See Exhibit A.
Article IV. Membership
Section 1: Who Can Join: Membership is open to any and all persons 18 years and older residing in, owning property in, promoting business in, or supporting the residents located within the boundaries listed in Article III of these bylaws. Membership is by household at a street address within SSNO boundaries. Businesses located within one (1) mile of these boundaries are eligible for business memberships.
Section 2: Voting Membership: Only households who have paid the annual dues in full may vote on Organization business. Each address may have no more than one voting member. Voting members must be 18 years of age or older. Any reputable business that has paid business dues in full may have one vote.
Section 3: Member in Good Standing: All persons who have requested to join the Organization, adhered to the Organization’s regulations and bylaws, and have paid their dues in full will be considered members in good standing.
Article V. Policies
Section 1: This Organization shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan.
Section 2: This Organization shall cooperate with other organizations in promoting civic improvements in this and neighboring communities.
Article VI. Officers
Section 1: Officers: The Officers shall all be volunteers living in the Safe Shorecrest area or owning a business in good-standing in the business community. Positions shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Director, Business Development Director, Block Captain Coordinator, Newsletter Coordinator, and one Member-at-Large position, as needed. New officer positions can be introduced and filled by volunteers, as needed. The new position should be voted on at the next Annual Voting before becoming a permanent office of SSNO. There will be a minimum of 4 officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer) and a maximum of 12 officers.
Section 2: Leadership Team Responsibilities: The elected officers of SSNO shall herein be referred to as the Leadership Team. The Leadership Team shall manage the day-to-day operations of the Organization. The Leadership Team is responsible for setting the agenda of the regularly scheduled meetings, arranging the Annual Voting, planning activities, managing the neighborhood patrol hours, managing the monies of the Organization responsibly, establishing committees and appointing committee chairs. The Leadership Team also makes a recommendation to the membership at the Annual Voting as to the amount of yearly dues.
Section 3: Elections: The offices listed in Article VI, Section 1, shall be elected by a majority vote at the Annual Voting. If the officers are not elected at the Annual Voting, the current officers will hold office until an election can be held. All officers must be members in good standing and are expected to remain current on their dues throughout their term.
Section 4: Terms: The terms for all offices shall be for 2 years following the majority vote, commencing with the first Annual Voting.
Section 5: Term Limits: Officers can be elected to their office for 3 consecutive terms. After that, they must sit out for 1 term before running for the same office again, if possible. If no one else volunteers to serve, the person may continue.
Section 6: Vacancies: A vacancy in any office because of death, resignation, moving out of the area, or otherwise is to be filled by a person suggested by the Leadership Team and voted on by the membership body at the next Annual Voting. An officer may be removed from office by the majority vote of the other officers.
Articles VII. Duties of Officers
Section 1: President: The President shall be the principal executive officer of the organization and shall generally supervise the business and affairs of the Neighborhood Organization. He/She shall preside over all Leadership Team meetings and shall be considered a nonvoting, voluntary member of all other standing and ad-hoc committees. He/She develops the agenda and presides over the regularly scheduled meetings and activities of the Organization. The President, or a delegate asked by the President, may represent the organization at other meetings in the community as needed, and may write and sign correspondence as needed. He/she also cultivates new businesses, maintains relationships with existing businesses, and is the liaison with Dallas city government officials and other area neighborhood & community organization and associations.
Section 2: Vice President: The Vice President shall assist the President when necessary, by attending committee meetings or other community meetings on behalf of the Organization. The Vice President performs the duties of the President in the event the President is unable to fulfill his/her responsibilities. He/She presides over meetings if the President is unable to attend. The Vice President is responsible for maintaining a copy of the most up-to-date bylaws and any other organization policies and procedures at all meetings and to clarify questions about these documents if they arise. The Vice President may also be called upon to assist the other officers in their duties, such as assuring Organization records are filed and organized. Also, the Vice President (or a delegate) is responsible for distribution, maintenance and retrieval of yard signs to new members or replacement signs.
Section 3: Secretary: The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all regularly scheduled meetings or activities, as well as all Leadership Team meetings. The Secretary shall also be responsible for keeping accurate records of all Organization business, including but not limited to all minutes, meeting notices, correspondence, copies of financial reports, copies of up-to-date bylaws, articles of incorporation paperwork, copies of all newsletters, copies of all requests for funds generated by the Organization, and any other historical document that pertains to the ongoing business of the Organization. The Secretary will pass this information on to the next Secretary at the end of his/her term.
Section 4: Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for all funds of the Neighborhood Organization. The fiscal year will run from January 1 to December 31. The Treasurer (or his/her designated Board Member) shall receive monies due and payable to the Organization from any source and deposit all monies in the name of the Organization in the financial institution selected by the Leadership Team. Receipts shall be provided upon request. The Treasurer will prepare accurate and timely financial reports to be presented to all members at regularly scheduled membership meetings, if needed, and Leadership Team meetings. The Treasurer is responsible for assuring all bank statements from the designated financial institution and other Organization records are kept neatly filed and safe. Records are kept at Treasurer’s residence. The Treasurer has access to the Organization’s checking account. The Treasurer is responsible for assuring all residents are aware of the amount of the annual dues. The Treasurer is accountable for all expenditures of the Organization and must keep good records, including receipts, to back up transactions. The Treasurer writes checks for expenditures, as needed, which are to be reviewed by the Leadership Team monthly. No amount over $300 can be spent outside of the Leadership Team’s approved budget. Treasurer will create and file appropriate 1099’s and tax returns and work with any State or Federal government taxation authorities to ensure annual filings are complete. Audits will be conducted periodically, preferably on a pro bono basis. Any member in good standing is welcome to review the financial records of SSNO.
Section 5: Business Development Director: The Business Development Director is the liaison with the business community in the Shorecrest area. He/she solicits business memberships yearly and introduces new businesses to the activities of SSNO. He/she coordinates fundraising and logistics for special events with the venue owner. This position also coordinates Expanded Neighborhood Patrol hours.
Section 6: Communications Director: The Communications Director shall maintain the organization’s website, and produce and distribute regular email communications to the neighborhood. He/she also maintains an accurate email list of residents in Shorecrest and reviews crime reports from Dallas PD website. The Communications Director provides quarterly and year-end crime statistics for the newsletter.
Section 7: Block Captain Coordinator: The Block Captain Coordinator will serve as the point of contact for volunteer block captains in the Safe Shorecrest neighborhood. The Coordinator will recruit and train the block captains to meet their neighbors and explain the benefits of SSNO and encourage household memberships. The Coordinator will be available to assist with any problems they encounter. The Coordinator maintains a current directory of all block captains. He/she develops and maintains good relationship with area merchants and the Enhanced Neighborhood Patrol officers.
Section 8: Newsletter Coordinator: The Newsletter Coordinator is responsible for writing and editing the newsletter by the deadline needed. He/she develops article ideas and writes articles in response to questions or concerns from the community.
Section 9: Member at Large: The Member at Large will lead or contribute to projects as needed. The Member will identify needs, work on various projects, and report to group on progress and assist as needed at SSNO and other neighborhood events.
Section 10: Block Captains: These positions are not elected but are active community volunteers. They meet and greet new neighbors, encourage household membership, and distribute a Welcome Packet, when available. They work closely with the Block Captain Coordinator and attend two meetings per year with the Coordinator. Block captains are expected to be members in good standing of SSNO.
Article VIII. Dues
Section 1: Why Collect Dues: Each household will be asked to pay dues annually. The organization’s fiscal year is January 1 to December 31. Dues are voluntary; however, only members in good standing may vote on Organization business. Dues are collected for the sole purpose of carrying out the mission of the Organization. At least 90% of dues collected will go to crime prevention activities, including Enhanced Neighborhood Police Patrols.
Section 2: Amount of Dues: Dues will be kept reasonable to encourage as many members as possible. The amount of the dues will be determined by the Leadership Team and announced via the website, emails, and/or newsletters. The Leadership Team will make a recommendation to the membership at the Annual Voting as to the amount of the yearly dues, followed by a vote of the membership. As of 2016, dues are $300 yearly, paid annually per household. Dues for senior households (65 years and older) are 50% of the regular dues. Business membership dues are double the regular dues. Dues specials may apply from time to time as announced by the Leadership Team.
Section 3: Payment of Dues: Annual dues for the year are due and payable on or before January 31st of that year. New members during a year shall pay a pro-rata amount of dues for the remainder of the year in which they join. New members will receive a complimentary SSNO yard sign upon first payment of dues and will be entitled to keep and display the sign as long as they are current on their dues. All SSNO yard signs remain the property of SSNO, and any members that are no longer in good standing must return their yard sign to SSNO.
Section 4: Responsibility of Dues Paying Members: It is the responsibility of all members to actively participate in SSNO activities, to volunteer to serve on committees, assist with activities as needed, and to remain current with dues.
Section 5: Reserve Fund: Leadership Team should target a reserve fund the equivalent of 6 months of projected expenses.
Article IX. Meetings
Section 1: Time and Place of Meetings: The Leadership Team will meet regularly at a location determined by the meeting host. Meeting hosts rotate. Meeting dates can be moved for convenience/scheduling conflicts/holidays from time to time.
Section 2: Special Meetings: Special Meetings of the membership may be called by the Leadership Team with a 7-day notice.
Section 3: Open Meetings/Activities: The Leadership Team shall schedule at least one (1) open meeting or activity per year for all members of the Safe Shorecrest community. The newsletter, website, and email alerts are the primary means of communication of the meetings/activities.
Section 4: Annual Voting on Business Matters: In lieu of an Annual Meeting, the Leadership Team will send a ballot listing Leadership Team candidates, annual dues amounts, and any other significant business requiring a vote of the Membership via first class mail or email to paid members in good standing in the final quarter of each year. Write in candidates are allowed. Returned ballots or website votes (one per paid household/business) will be counted, and the results will be communicated to all members by November 15. A majority vote constitutes approval. In case of a tie, the President casts the tie-breaking vote.
Article X. Order of Business
Section 1: The following order of business will be followed as closely as possible at Leadership Team meetings: President calls meeting to order, introduction of any guests, reading and adopting Minutes of previous meeting, presentation of Treasurer’s report, old business, new business, announcements/other business, confirmation of next meeting date, time and location, and adjournment.
Article XI. Committees
Section 1: The President shall assign a committee chair and solicit volunteers for committees, as needed. Committees may be designated Ad Hoc (as needed) or Standing. The committee chair shall not be elected. The President can disband an Ad Hoc committee when its duties are completed.
Article XII. Voting
Section 1: Majority Vote Rules: All Organization business is transacted using the voting system of Majority Vote, which means the winning candidate or resolution received at least one more vote than the next candidate or resolution on the ballot. Or, at a Leadership Team meeting, a motion may receive a majority of votes “for” over “against” and so passes. In event of a tie, President will cast tie-breaking vote.
Section 2: Must be Paid Member: In order to vote on Organization business, you must be a dues paying member in good standing.
Article XIII. Quorum
Section 1: Definition of Quorum: A quorum is the minimum number of persons required to be present before Organization business can be voted on.
Section 2: Quorum at Membership Meetings or Annual Voting: The Organization requires that at least 10 members who are in good standing with the Organization be present at any regularly scheduled meeting or cast ballots in Annual Voting in order for votes to take place or business to transact.
Section 3: Quorum at Leadership Team Meetings: The Organization requires that at least 50% of the Board Members (minimum of 3 Board Members) shall constitute a quorum to transact Leadership Team business. Issues can be voted on via email, by proxy or in person at meetings. In case of a tie, the President’s vote will decide the issue.
Article XIV. Indemnification and Incorporation
Section 1: Incorporation: Safe Shorecrest Neighborhood Organization shall be incorporated as a nonprofit organization and abide by the laws of the State of Texas, Dallas County, and the City of Dallas.
Section 2: Indemnification: Officers of the corporation shall be indemnified and held harmless for acts within the course and scope of the officer’s duties and in the furtherance of the goals and objectives of the organization; however, any indemnification must be in accordance with the Non-Profit Corporation Act.
Section 3: Disbandment: In the event that the Safe Shorecrest Neighborhood Organization disbands, all monies in the treasury will be donated to a local charity to be decided by a majority vote at the dissolution meeting.
Article XV. Amendments of the Bylaws
These by-laws may be altered or amended from time to time by the Leadership Team and voted on by a majority vote via the next Annual Voting Ballot. Members must be notified 15 days in advance of intent to vote to alter or amend by-laws.
Outside of these by-laws, Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised is the standard by which this organization transacts business.
EXHBIT A
Safe Shorecrest Neighborhood Organization boundaries
