The Winston Knolls Civic Association is a non-profit organization operating under a set of Bylaws that were established upon creation of the organization in 1975 and have been updated 4 times over the years. The most recent copy of the Bylaws can be downloaded here: Click here to view the Bylaws.
The WKCA board has adopted a set of Standing Rules that provide guidlines for the board in the day-to-day operation of the Association and in conducting the affairs of the organization. Those Standing Rules do not require membership approval, but are posted here so that all members may be confident that the organization is being operated in a professional and business-like manner. Click here to view the Standing Rules.
Update 1-22-09
The Board adopted a web site and email policy. Click here to read the policy.
Update 1-5-09
The revised Bylaws, adopted at the November 20 meeting, are available by clicking on the link above.
Update 11-23-08
The membership voted at the November 20, 2008 annual meeting to approve all the proposed changes to the bylaws.
October 20, 2008
PROPOSED BYLAWS CHANGES CONSIDERED AT THE NOVEMBER 20, 2008 GENERAL MEETING
A review of the bylaws was conducted over the summer (2008) by an adhoc Bylaws committee – members were Peggy Cadematori, Julie Young, Dick Elliott and Jennifer Heinz (ex officio). Following an extensive review process, the proposed bylaws changes were brought before the WKCA board in September, and the Board voted at that meeting to bring these changes before the general membership for a vote at the November annual meeting.
Click here to download a pdf copy of the proposed Bylaws changes. The changes are shown using “track changes” from Word. All additions and deletions show up in blue; with new content underlined and deleted items with a line through it. Please print a copy and bring it with you to the meeting.
Explanation of key changes in the Bylaws
1. Section 700 – Elections – Several changes here are intended to ensure that the membership is fully informed in advance of the general meeting as to the composition of the Nominating Committee (so as to offer names for consideration) and the slate of officers they nominate. As well, an addition to Section 702 standardizes the long-standing practice of allowing any paid member to hold a proxy for another paid member who is unable to attend the meeting.
2. Section 800 – Committees and Duties – has the most changes. The intent of the changes in this section was to update the committees and duties to better reflect the evolution of the Association’s organizational structure and activities. To that end, we have proposed the following changes:
a) Coordinators for various association activities be recognized as co-chairs of their committee and be permitted voting rights as committee chairs. Currently, only the committee chairs are full voting members. This has been regarded as unfair to our various coordinators who are usually just as involved as committee chairs. A coordinator could opt NOT to serve as a committee co-chair and, as such, would not have a vote on the Board.
b) New committees – Communications and Grounds Maintenance committees are established to better reflect our current operations.
And, although in practice it was the norm, there is a change to require that the President consult with the other elected officers of the Association before appointing committee chairpersons and coordinators.
3. Section 900 – Meetings, Quorum, Procedures — The changes in this section incorporate several items (909 and 910) that were adopted by this Board in February 2008 as part of the Standing Rules to guide the routine operation of the Association. They are intended to establish the Association’s rights to receive back all Association property from retiring officers and committee chairperson, as well as ensure an orderly transition from one Board to the next. One other addition, in Section 906, confirms that all meetings of the Board are public and open to the membership.
4. Section 1000 – Bylaw Changes – The addition in Section 1001 seeks to establish a more realistic timeline for the consideration of proposed bylaws changes submitted by members. Since the Board is usually on hiatus over the months of July and August, it would not be reasonable to expect it to be able to bring forth a bylaws change for member consideration within the current 45 day window established in the current bylaws. It is, however, reasonable to expect the Board to be able to act within 45 days of the next scheduled board meeting – and that change has been proposed here.
5. Finally, many of the edits are merely “housekeeping” changes to ensure that references to, for instance, the various types of meetings are more consistent throughout the document.
Please feel free to contact any member of the Board to receive more information or explanation of any of the proposed changes.