By-Laws of the Durham People’s Alliance
Article I. Name
The name of the organization is the Durham People’s Alliance.
Article II. Mission
The mission of the Durham People’s Alliance is to promote social and economic justice through engagement in community issues and the political process.
Article III. Membership
Section I. Anyone committed to the objectives and purposes of the Durham People’s Alliance and willing to uphold its mission and vision and subscribe to its bylaws shall be eligible for membership upon payment of dues as hereinafter provided.
Section II. The Durham People’s Alliance shall enroll members at any time. Memberships shall be for one year beginning with the date of the receipt of dues or completion of volunteer hours. Membership shall be terminated by resignation or non-payment of dues.
Section III. New memberships take effect immediately, with the exception that new members are not entitled to vote at membership meetings that take place less than 30 days after their enrollment date. Members whose memberships have expired may renew their memberships at a membership meeting and be immediately entitled to vote at that meeting. Notwithstanding the above, all members are entitled to attend any meeting of the Durham People’s Alliance and to comment upon any issue under consideration by those gathered.
Section IV. Policy regarding dues shall be determined by a vote of the membership.
Article IV. General Membership Meetings of the Durham People’s Alliance
Section I. There shall be at least three general meetings of the membership of the Durham People’s Alliance each year; the date, time and place to be decided upon by the Coordinating Committee.
Section II. Additional general meetings of the membership of the Durham People’s Alliance may be called by the President or by the Coordinating Committee or by the written request of five members of the Durham People’s Alliance.
Section III. Written notice to all members stating the place, day and hour of the meeting and the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be deposited in US mail not less than twelve nor more than fifty days before the date of the meeting. Such notice, for the winter general membership meeting, shall include a reminder that nominations for the Coordinating Committee and officers will be accepted from the floor during the meeting.
Section IV. Eighteen members of the Durham People’s Alliance represented in person shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at general membership meetings. A majority of the votes entitled to be cast by members present at a meeting shall be necessary for the adoption of any matter voted upon by the members. The meetings shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, unless otherwise specified by a vote of the membership.
Section V. At general membership meetings of the Durham People’s Alliance the membership will determine positions on issues proposed by any member, approve new policies and changes to existing policies, as well as determine the vision and long-term direction of the Durham People’s Alliance.
Article V. Coordinating Committee
Section I. The affairs of the Durham People’s Alliance shall be managed by the Coordinating Committee. Responsibilities shall include but not be limited to establishing an annual budget, hiring and terminating the staff, determining topics for general meetings of the membership, facilitating long-term planning and operating within the mission, vision and policies determined by the general membership. Staff shall report to the Coordinating Committee through the president; the president and vice-president shall conduct annual performance review of the staff.
Section II. The Coordinating Committee shall consist of a maximum of sixteen members including ex officio members. The members of the Coordinating Committee shall be elected from the membership at the winter general membership meeting of the Durham People’s Alliance by vote of the general membership of the Durham People’s Alliance. Any seats not filled at the winter general membership meeting by the members shall be treated as vacancies to be filled by and in the discretion of the Coordinating Committee, subject to ratification by the membership at its next regularly scheduled membership meeting.
Section III. Members of the Coordinating Committee shall assume their official duties following the close of the general membership meeting at which they were elected and shall serve for a term of one year and until the election and qualification of their successors. A member of the Coordinating Committee shall be deemed to have resigned should they fail to attend three consecutive meetings without requesting an excused absence from the president or secretary. A Coordinating Committee member may be removed by a vote of three fourths of the members of the Coordinating Committee.
Section IV. A vacancy occurring in the Coordinating Committee may be filled for the unexpired term by a member of the Durham People’s Alliance elected by a majority vote of the Coordinating Committee subject to ratification by the membership at its next membership meeting.
Section V. The number of officers plus 2 shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The act of a majority of the members of the Coordinating Committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Coordinating Committee.
Section VI. Regular meetings of the Coordinating Committee shall be held each month, unless otherwise provided by the Coordinating Committee. Special meetings may be called by the President or any two members of the Coordinating Committee. Seven days’ written notice shall be given of all meetings of the Coordinating Committee.
Article VI. Officers
Section I. The officers of the Durham People’s Alliance, to include the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, shall be elected by the general membership from among the membership of the Durham People’s Alliance at the winter general membership meeting. Two people may be elected to share any office, and shall share in the responsibilities and authority of the office equally. Should two people be elected as President, the office of Vice President may remain vacant and the responsibilities thereof shall be shared by the two Presidents. Officers shall assume their official duties following the close of the meeting at which they are elected and shall serve for the term of one year and until the election of their successors. An officer shall be deemed to have resigned should she or he fail to attend three consecutive meetings without requesting an excused absence. Officers shall serve as ex-officio members of the Coordinating Committee.
Section II. The President shall serve as chairman of the Coordinating Committee, shall preside, or designate someone to preside, at all meetings of the Durham People’s Alliance and of the Coordinating Committee at which he or she may be present; shall perform all duties incident to the office, including acting as the spokesperson, or designating a spokesperson, for the Durham People’s Alliance; shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed in these bylaws or assigned by the Coordinating Committee; and shall coordinate the work of the officers and committees of the Durham People’s Alliance in order that the mission and vision may be promoted.
Section III. The Vice-President shall act as aide to the President, shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of that office, and shall perform such duties as may be prescribed in these bylaws or assigned to the Vice President by the Coordinating Committee.
Section IV. The Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings of the Durham People’s Alliance and of the Coordinating Committee; shall conduct such correspondence as the Coordinating Committee shall direct; shall insure that the minutes of all meetings are kept on file at the PA office, and shall perform such other duties as may be delegated to the Secretary.
Section V. The Treasurer shall have custody of all funds of the Durham People’s Alliance; shall ensure that the Durham People’s Alliance keeps a full and accurate account of receipts and expenditures on file at the PA office; shall present an annual proposed budget for approval by the general membership at the winter general membership meeting and shall review disbursements to ensure they are disbursed as authorized by the Durham People’s Alliance or the Coordinating Committee. The Treasurer shall present a financial statement at every meeting of the Durham People’s Alliance and at other times when requested by the Coordinating Committee and shall make a full report at the general membership meetings.
Section VI. An officer may be removed by a vote of three fourths of all of the members of the Coordinating Committee at a regularly scheduled meeting. Such a motion may be placed on an agenda by any member of the Coordinating Committee. Seven days’ written notice of such vote must be provided to all members of the Coordinating Committee.
Section VII. A vacancy occurring in any office shall be filled on an interim basis until the next general membership meeting by a member of the Coordinating Committee elected by a majority vote of the Coordinating Committee. At the first general membership meeting following the creation of the vacancy, the vacancy shall be filled by a vote of the general membership.
Section VIII. Officers or members who represent the Durham People’s Alliance shall do so in solely in accordance with the vision, mission and positions determined by the general membership.
Article VII. Committees
Section I. The membership of the Durham People’s Alliance may, at a general membership meeting, create such committees as it may deem necessary to promote the mission and vision and carry on the work of the Durham People’s Alliance. Committees may also be created by the Coordinating Committee, subject to ratification by the membership of the Durham People’s Alliance at the next general membership meeting.
Section II. Each such committee shall have as a liaison at least one member of the Coordinating Committee other than the President. The chair of each such committee shall be appointed by the membership of that committee. If the committee does not appoint a chair the Coordinating Committee may do so. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except a nominating committee. Committees shall regularly report to the Coordinating Committee.
Section III. The President may establish at any time an Emergency Response Committee (ERC) for any issue for which there is no active committee. An ERC is to have at least three members, operate on an ad hoc basis and require unanimous consent of its members for any action. Members of an ERC are appointed by agreement of the President and Vice President. Both the establishment of an ERC and the members thereof are subject to ratification by the Coordinating Committee at its next scheduled meeting. Emergency Response Committees shall be unique to any particular issue and shall report all actions to the Coordinating Committee at its next scheduled meeting.
Article VIII. Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Durham People’s Alliance shall begin January 1 and end the following December 31.
Article IX. Amendments
These bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Durham People’s Alliance by a two-thirds vote of eligible voting members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present, provided that notice of the proposed amendment shall have been given to each member at least ten days prior to said meeting.
Adopted by the membership of the People’s Alliance July 20, 2005.
Revised by the membership of the Durham People’s Alliance January 18, 2006