ARTICLE I- Name
(A) This association shall be known as the West Lakeview Neighbors, Inc. (“Neighbors”)
(B) Boundaries of this association shall be the center line of the following streets: N. Southport Ave.; N. Ravenswood Ave.; W. Addison St.; W. Belmont Ave.
ARTICLE II- Purpose
The purpose of this organization shall be:
(A) to seek to provide a positive growth of all areas of community life and to promote good human relations within the community, without regard to race, color, or creed;
(B) to combat community deterioration, to discuss complaints and community concerns, and to take group actions after due consideration;
(C) to act as a branch community group within the organized structure of the present Lakeview Citizens Council.
ARTICLE III- Membership
There shall be three classes of membership:
(1) Residential - any individual 18 years of age or older, who lives within the geographic boundaries of the West Lakeview Neighbors and pays the prescribed dues. Each residential member shall have one vote and must be a member in good standing for 15 days to be eligible to vote.
(2) Business - businesses operating within the West Lakeview Neighbor’s geographic boundaries and paying the prescribed dues shall appoint one individual to represent it as an institutional voting member and shall have one vote.
(3) Associate - any interested party, 18 years of age or older, who resides outside the West Lakeview Neighbor’s geographic boundaries may be granted associate membership without voting rights upon paying prescribed dues.
ARTICLE IV - Dues
Persons desiring to belong to the West Lakeview Neighbors shall pay annual dues of $5.00 for individual residential and associate membership and $10.00 for family residential membership. Business members shall pay annual dues of $20.00. Persons desiring to join both the West Lakeview Neighbors and the Lakeview Citizens Council shall pay the West Lakeview Neighbors dues and current dues as established by the Lakeview Citizens Council. The membership year is January 1 though December 31.
ARTICLE V - Government
(A) The government of the Neighbors shall be vested in its voting members. The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers, up to four elected at-large directors, and the immediate past President ( that is, the person who served in the office of the President prior to the incumbent, provided that this definition shall be valid for the length of one term of office), and non-voting advisers, (as may be necessary, and are appointed by the Executive Committee) shall handle the administrative business of the Neighbors.
(B) The officers shall consist of : a President; a Vice President; a Recording Secretary; a Membership Secretary; and a Treasurer. The terms for all officers shall be two (2) years. All officers shall be elected by the West Lakeview Neighbors. Term limits shall be two (2) successive years.
(C) Elected officer or Executive Committee vacancies shall be filled through appointment by the President and confirmation by the Executive Committee, and such person(s) filling these vacancies shall hold office until the membership of the Neighbors can hold elections at the Annual Meeting.
ARTICLE VI - Officers and Duties
(A) President - The President shall preside at all meetings; and, have general supervision of the affairs of the West Lakeview Neighbors.
(B) Vice-President - The Vice-President shall act as President in the absence of the President and shall be one of two appointed representatives to the Lakeview Citizens Council Board of Directors.
(C) Treasurer - The Treasurer shall sign all obligations and contracts, receive and disburse all funds, make reports of all income and expenses at the regular meetings of the Neighbors, and keep financial records which shall be available for inspection. (D) Recording Secretary - The Recording Secretary shall give timely notice of and keep minutes of all meetings of the Neighbors, and of the Board of Directors, handle all correspondence of the Neighbors and be the keeper of the seal of the organization.
(E) Membership Secretary - The Membership Secretary shall oversee the annual process of membership renewal, supervise the recruitment of new members, keep a roster of the members, issue membership cards and notify the Lakeview Citizens Council of new members.
ARTICLE VII - Officers Qualifications
Only members shall qualify for office who reside within the boundaries of the West Lakeview Neighbors. Said boundaries are: W. Belmont Avenue ; W. Addison Street; N. Southport Avenue; and N. Ravenswood Avenue.
ARTICLE VIII - Committees
(A) Committee chairs for all committees shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee. (B) Committee members may also be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IX - Meetings
(A) The Annual Meeting shall be held during the month of March to: review annual financial reports and budgets; to review annual committee reports; and to elect officers every two years.
(B) The quorum for all meetings shall be the members present.
(C) Meetings shall be governed under the most current addition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
ARTICLE X - Elections
(A) The Board of Directors, at its November meeting, shall appoint a nominating committee to prepare a ticket of officers and at-large directors for the coming term of two years. This ticket shall be in the hands of the Recording Secretary not later than January 1.
(B) No later than the following General Meeting, the Recording Secretary shall present or mail, to all eligible members, a slate of names of persons and the office to which they have been nominated, that has been prepared by the nominating committee.
(C) Five or more members entitled to vote may nominate by petition other candidates. Such petitions shall be in the hands of the Recording Secretary no later than January 1.
(D) The Recording Secretary shall mail the slate of nominees of all candidates to all eligible members not less than seven days before the Annual Meeting. Ballots shall be cast by the voters in person at the Annual Meeting.
(E) Voting by Proxy shall be allowed under the following conditions: all proxy votes shall be turned in to the Recording Secretary prior to the vote; all proxy votes must be signed and witnessed prior to the vote.
(F) All membership in good standing as of March 1 shall be eligible to vote for officers and directors.
ARTICLE XI - Amendments
These By-Laws may be amended at any meeting of the West Lakeview Neighbors called for this purpose, by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present, provided the proposed amendment has been sent, in writing, to all eligible members thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting.