102-Bylaws revisions.pdfRevised 05/19/2010
Revised_10/07/10
Revised 10/11 /10
Revised 10/13/10
Revised-10121110
BYLAWS
Of the
CITIES ASSOCIATION OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY CITIES ASSOCIATION
OctoberAUw, 2W2010
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ARTICLE I
NAME, PURPOSE AND POWERS
Section 1. Name. The name of this unincorporated association shall be the Cities
Association of Santa Clara County e � saaei.,+; ,,, ., Seet o fthe Penn isul Division of the
League of F a l i F r-ni C , hereinafter referred to as the "AssociationSectien."
Section 2. Principal Place of Business. The principal place of business of this-
AssociationSeetien shall be such place within the County of Santa Clara as may be designated
from time to time by the Board of Directors of this Association$eetian; and if none has been so
designated, such place of business shall be the City Hall of the City of which the
Association$eetien President is a member of the legislative body.
Section 3. Purpose. The purposes and functions of this AssociationSec-tien shall be as
follows:
a. To review, study, develop consensus positions, and recommend on issues of interest
to Santa Clara County cities;
b. To develop a common agenda for Santa Clara County cities;
C. To serve as a unified voice for Santa Clara County cities in relationship to other
agencies, organizations, and levels of government, including the Peninsula Division
of the League of California Cities;
d. To serve as the City Selection Committee pursuant to Government Code section
50270 et seq. and make appointments to regional and local bodies as provided by
law;
e. To assist in development of state-wide legislative policy through the structure of the
League of California Cities;
f. To serve as a source of education, information and networking for officials from all
cities in Santa Clara County;
g. To provide a forum for non -city individuals, groups and organizations and the
private sector to address items of interest to Santa Clara County cities.
Section 4. Powers. The AssociationSestio may exercise any lawful power in the
furtherance of its purposes as determined by the Board of Directors except that it may not incur
any liability binding upon its members nor levy any assessment against its members other than
the normal dues established under Article VII of these Bylaws.
ARTICLE II
u_ u!1 _ '
Section 1, Membership. Each City in Santa Clara County which is a member of the
League of California Cities and which has paid in full the Section dues required under Article VII
of these Bylaws shall be a member of the Association.
Section 2. Suspension. Any City which is delinquent in payment of its dues shall
automatically be deemed suspended from membership sixty (60) days after the date on which
payment is due if the full payment has not been received, and it shall be the duty of the
Secretary/Treasurer to promptly notify the City of its delinquency. A suspended member City
shall not be permitted to participate in any AssociationSeetion proceedings_ except the City
A suspended member City shall be restored to full
membership upon its payment of the total dues assessment then due and payable in accordance
with Article VII, Section 2.
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ARTICLE III
BOARD OF DIRECTORS .
Section 1. Selection and Tenure. The Board of Directors of this AssociationSeetie44
shall be composed of a representative from each member city, selected by and from the
legislative body thereof. Each Board member shall hold office at the pleasure of his or her City's
legislative body, and selection shall be made in such manner as the respective legislative bodies
of member Cities may themselves determine.
Section 2. Alternates. The legislative body of a member City may, in its discretion,
select from among its members an alternate to represent that City on the Board of Directors and
vote in the absence of the member from that City.
Section 3. Notice of Appointment. The legislative body of each member City shall,
immediately upon the selection of one of its members as a member of Board of Directors, or as
alternate, advise the AssociationSeetion Secretary/Treasurer of such appointment.
Section 4. Ex Officio Members. The City riEanagers' rionun Santa Clara Count
Cities Managers' Association, an advisoKy committee of -to the AssociationSeetion according to
the provisions of Article V1, Section 1(d), and the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors may
each appoint one of its members to serve as an ex officio member of the Board of Directors. The
ex officio member may participate in deliberations but shall not participate in voting or in any of
the privileges of membership, and shall not be counted for the purpose of determining whether a
quorum of the Board is present.
Section 5. Compensation. No member of the Board of Directors, including officers,
shall receive any compensation from the AssociationSeetioo for his or her services as a member
of the Board. No member of the Board, including officers, shall be entitled to reimbursement
from the AssociationSeefien for expenses incurred on AssociationSeetien business unless such
reimbursement shall be authorized in advance by the Board of Directors, or unless such
reimbursement is authorized and distributed by the member's respective city -
Section 6. Duties. It is the responsibility of the members of the Board to report to and
solicit comments from their fellow City Council members on major issues and to keep their City
Councils informed on the business of the Section.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
Section 1. Officers Designated. The following officers of this AssociationSeetion shall
be elected by the Board of Directors:' President, First Vice President, Second Vice President and
Secretary/Treasurer. Officers shall be selected from Council Members and Mayors of Member
Cities.
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Section 2. Term of Office.
a. The regular term of office for all officers shall commence upon election and shall
be for a period of one (1) year. No person shall hold the same office for more than
two (2) consecutive full terms.
b. Election of officers shall take place at the first meeting of the Board of Directors
and annually thereafter at the regular meeting of the Board of Directors in
November.
C. In the event a vacancy occurs during any officer's term of office, the Board of
Directors shall determine whether to fill the unexpired portion of the term at a regu-
lar or a special meeting, If such a determination is made, the then presiding officer
shall appoint a nominating committee consisting of three (3) Board members which
shall present its recommendations for filling the vacancy to the Board of Directors
at the earliest practicable time and in accordance with the notice provisions set forth
in Article V, Section 2. A person who is appointed to fill the unexpired portion of
the term is not rendered ineligible to hold the same office in accordance with the
provisions of Article IV, Section 2(a).
Section 3. Duties.
President. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at the meetings of the
Board of Directors and to perform such other duties as ordinarily pertains to the
office of President of like types of organizations.
b. Vice Presidents. It shall be the duty of the First and Second Vice Presidents, in that
order, to act in the place and stead of the President during the President's absence or
inability to act.
C. Secretary/Treasurer. The Secretary/Treasurer shall review all financial accounts
and records to determine that they are in accordance with these Bylaws and the
directions of the Board of Directors. The Secretary/Treasurer shall see that minutes
of all Board and Committee meetings are recorded, notice of meetings of the Board
are posted, and that all receipts and disbursal of funds by the AssociationSeetien are
done in accordance with these Bylaws and the direction of the Board of Directors.
The day-to-day operation of the office of Secretary/Treasurer may be delegated to
an Executive Director for the Association, which position shall be
nonvoting.
Section 4. Executive Director. The Board of Directors may appeiat-hire an Executive
Director who shall hold office until he or she resigns or is removed by the Board of Directors.
The Executive Director shall have such duties as may be determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 5. Nominating Committee. A nominating committee consisting of three (3)
Board members shall be appointed by the President no later than two (2) meetings before the
meeting at which officers for the following year will be elected. At the meeting immediately
preceding the meeting for the election of officers, this committee shall present its nominations
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for officers for the following year. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the
meeting where the election is to be conducted, providing the consent of the nominee has been
secured.
ARTICLE V
MEETINGS
Section 1. Schedule and Locations. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be
held, at a minimum, every other month at a time and location determined by the Board of Direc-
tors. The Board of Directors shall schedule periodic meetings of the general membership, to
include all members of legislative bodies of member Cities.
Section 2. Notice and Meetings. The Association is a legislative body for purposes of
the Brown Act (Govt. Code 54950 et seq).Notice of the time and place of all regular meetings
shall be given in writing by the Secretary/Treasurer or a designee to all members of the Board at
least -fwt-three 3 days prior to the meeting. Such notices shall -may be sent by United States
mail, postage prepaid, or by electronic mail, or by the Internet, which shall be determined to be
personally delivered. Notice of special meetings shall be given by the Secretary/Treasurer or a
designee to all Board members at least one () day in advance and in the manner required by
Government Code section 54956. The Secretary/Treasurer or designee shall be responsible for
preparing and posting agendas of Board meetings three 3 da s prior to the meeting and in
compliance with Government Code section 54954.2.
Section 3. Quorum. A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall
constitute a quorum to do business at any such regular or special meeting. Far- the purposes of a
Gity's „error native
Section 4. Voting. The affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Board of
Directors present shall be necessary for the Board of Directors to take action. Each member of
the Association shall have one vote.
Section 5. Rules of Order. Subject to the provisions of these By -Laws, the meetings of
the Board of Directors shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
ARTICLE VI
COMMITTEES
Section t . Standing Committees.
—a. Executive Board. The Executive Board shall act to accomplish, administer and -
facilitate the goals and the purposes of the Association eetion at the direction of the
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Board of Directors. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of this
AssociationSeetiee; the Immediate Past President, if still a Cities Association member;
the Chair of the Legislative Action Committee; and a Director at Large who may be
appointed if the Immediate Past President is no longer a Cities Association member.
The Director at Large shall be a Cities Association member appointed by the President
upon approval of the Board. The Vice Chair of the Legislative Action Committee shall
be appointed to serve on the Executive Board in the absence of the Chair of the
Legislative Action Committee.
a b.Legislative Action Committee. There shall be a Legislative Action Committee of
this Association, which shall have the membership and purpose as follows. The
membership of the Legislative Action Committee shall consist of one representative from
each City in the County. The representative shall be a City Council Member or the
Mayor. Each City shall also appoint an alternate to serve on the Committee in the
absence of the representative. The alternate may be a City Council Member or the
Mayor. Each City, represented by either the representative or the alternate, shall have one
vote. The purpose of the Legislative Action Committee is threefold. First, the
Committee would enable the Cities Association to advocate on issues of interest to Santa
Clara County cities in an organized, effective manner. Second, the Committee would
provide basic legislative information to cities with little or no legislative staff. Third, the
Committee would organize emergency responses to urgent issues.
c. City Selection Committee. There rt'��City Selection Committee shall be a Standing
Committee of this AssociationS€etien_, and wkiie shall have the membership and purposes
set forth in Government Code sections 50270-50279.4 and which shall be governed by the
requirements of such sections. The membership of the City Selection Committee shall
consist of the Mayor or Mayor's designee of each City in the County, whether or not any such
City is a member of the Section.Qef-k's deputy shall act as
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urs. The
of . ..slative. 1etir r Hnitt.. r of .ne . . . . _
from each City in the Geunty. The fepresentative shall be a City Goune 1 Member -
of
_ Mayor.
Gaffifnitt
in the absenee of the r-epresefftative. The altemate may be a City Gouneil Y 1
of the embef
appointedStaffgaeh City, representedby either
fepfesentative or the alteraa4e, shall have one vote. The purpose of the he *
M _ Geffgniqee-is t4eefeld. First, the Committee enable .. �.
Association to advoeat F interest to Santa GAA—r-A County citie
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w . « . . _ or-g—i— ...,eney responses to urgent issues.
Section 2. Liaison Committee.
aid. Santa Clara County/City. Managers' Association. The
Santa Clara County City/County Manager''-s' Association shall serve as an advisory
committee to the Association ian. The CityManagers' Gommi Santa Clara
County/City M_ _anagers' Association may choose an ex off cio representative to the Board
of Directors.
Section 32. Other Committees Authorized.
a. A nominating committee will be appointed as required and in accordance with the
provisions of Article IV.
b. The President, with the consent and approval of the Board of Directors, may
appoint such committees as may be necessary from time to time, and designate the
chair and the purpose of each such committee. Any elected
individual of any member City shall be eligible to serve upon any such committee.
Section 4-3. Quorum. The quorum for each committee except the City Selection
Committee shall be determined by the Board at such time as the committee is created. A --quorum
for the City Selection Committee shall be eight (8) members. The majority vote for the City
Selection Cornmittee.k8) is required to appoint representatives to boards, commissions, or,
agencies. Whenever a quorum is not present, the meeting shall be adjourned or postponed to a
subsequent time and place as determined by the Chair.
ARTICLE VII
FINANCES
Section 1, Budget. On or before April 15' of each calendar year, the Board of Directors
shall approve a preliminary budget for the AssociationSeetion for the fiscal year commencing
with July 1 of the same calendar year. The Board of Directors shall adopt a final budget no later
than June 15 of each year. A copy of the preliminary budget when approved and a copy of the
final budget when adopted shall be transmitted to each member City.
Section 2. Dues. Each member City shall pay to this AssociationSeetien annual dues
in accordance with a dues schedule adopted by the Board of Directors on or before June 1 of each
year. Dues shall be for the fiscal year commencing July 1 and shall be an equal -amount for each
member City based upon the approved budget. The full amount shall be due and payable before
July I of each year. Any City becoming a member of this Association& during a fiscal year
shall pay the full dues for that year prior to exercising any rights of membership. The dues
schedule shall be revised evely three 3 to four 4 ears.
Section 3. Funds. All funds received by the AssociationSeettian from the membership
or any other source shall be deposited in a financial institution or institutions determined by the
Secretary/Treasurer and disbursed only by check signed by any (emit any two ^f)persons
designated by the Board of Directors as signers on the account including the Executive Director,
the Secretary/Treasurer and the President. There shall be a Reserve of funds to cover six (6) to
nine (9) months of operating expenses to ensure financial stability of the Association. The dues
schedule shall be revised as such.
Section 4. Accountin . Every two (2) to three (3) years, an audit of the Association's
finances shall be completed and copies thereof shall be filed with the Board of Directors.
Annually, a complete written account of all receipts and disbursements during the previous year,
showing the opening and closing balances shall be prepared by the Secretary/Treasurer or a
designee. Copies thereof shall be filed with the Board of Directors.. Monthly, bank and
reconciliation statements shall be reviewed by the Secreta /Treasurer and initialized as such.
Monthly reports of accounting and investments shall be prepared and filed with the Board of
Directors by the Secretary/Treasurer or a designee.
ARTICLE VIII
ADOPTION AND AMENDMENTS
Section L Adoption. These Bylaws shall become effective upon the affirmative vote of
the legislative bodies of two-thirds of the cities in Santa Clara County.
Section 2. Amendments. These Bylaws may be amended only in the following manner:
Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors for approval, and if
approved, shall thereafter be submitted in writing to each member City of the AssociationSeetion
at least thirty (30) days before action thereon is required by the membership. An affirmative vote
of two-thirds of the legislative bodies of the member Cities shall be required for approval.
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