Bylaws

Shoreline West Association of Neighbors, Mountain View, California

Updated 15 July 2020

Article I. purpose

The purpose of the Shoreline West Association of Neighbors ("SWAN") is to promote and advance neighborhood goals and to preserve and enhance the welfare of the neighborhood.

SWAN will seek to:

  1. Encourage community responsibility, identity, and pride.

  2. Collect and disseminate information of interest to residents.

  3. Provide a forum for the expression of wishes and grievances of residents, and to act as liaison between neighborhood residents and the City of Mountain View (“the City”).

  4. Promote cultural, civic, social, educational, and recreational activities for the benefit of the residents of SWAN.

  5. Coordinate with and support other community organizations and activities as appropriate.

SWAN will not campaign for, or endorse a specific political candidate or party.

Article II. Membership

  1. Membership shall be composed of all residents and all non-resident residential property owners in the neighborhood bordered by El Camino Real, Escuela Avenue, Villa Street and Shoreline Boulevard, within the City of Mountain View, CA.

  2. Voting privileges shall be limited to members who are 16 years of age or older.

  3. Members shall not have proxy or cumulative voting privileges.

  4. The membership shall have the right to elect all Steering Committee members of SWAN.

  5. The membership shall have the right, subject to the requirements of a quorum and majority, to:

    • Determine the policies of SWAN except as otherwise provided herein.

    • Authorize the budget of SWAN except as otherwise provided herein.

    • Authorize SWAN to enter into agreements or arrangements of any kind or nature.

  6. Only resident members of SWAN shall be eligible to be Steering Committee members of SWAN.

Article III. Membership Meetings

A general meeting (“AGM”) will be convened annually.  Communication regarding the AGM shall be posted on the community website at least two weeks prior to such a meeting.

Special meetings may be called by the President or by petition of 30 members of SWAN.  Such meetings may act on any business proper to SWAN, provided that written notice has been posted on the community website at least seven days prior to such a meeting.

The president shall prepare the agenda and shall preside at all AGMs and special meetings of the membership.  Any member may add an item to the agenda by:

a.     Submitting an item in writing to the President at least seven days in advance of the meeting, or
b.     Making a motion to the President to add an item to the AGM or special meeting at those respective meetings.  Adoption of that motion requires a second and majority vote.

A quorum of fifteen members is required for an AGM or special meeting. 

Article IV. Steering Committee Members

The Steering Committee Members of SWAN shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Community Liaison Officer, and with the optionality of two members-at-large. The duties of the Steering Committee Members shall be such as usually pertains to their respective offices and as herein defined:

  1. The President shall preside at Steering Committee meetings. The President shall serve as delegate of SWAN to federations, organizations, committees, or conferences to which SWAN belongs or decides to send representatives.

  2. The Vice President shall serve as President in the absence of the President. The Vice President, in consultation with the Steering Committee, shall prepare agendas for Steering Committee meetings. The Vice President, or substitute designated by the steering committee, shall serve as alternate SWAN representative to outside organizations if the President is unavailable.

  3. The Secretary shall keep minutes of Steering Committee meetings, AGM and special meetings, and shall keep a roll of the Steering Committee Members and subcommittees. The Secretary shall gather and preserve records of SWAN's activities, and make these records available upon request to members of SWAN. The Secretary shall be responsible for all correspondence and official notices of SWAN, including notices of meetings.

  4. The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all funds of SWAN and shall maintain records in accordance with the procedures prescribed in the bylaws, and subject to any other regulations as set out by the City.

  5. The Community Liaison Officer will receive meeting agendas, minutes, publications and other information from the City or other organizations, as directed by the Steering Committee. The Community Liaison Officer will provide summaries of important information to the Steering Committee and shall keep SWAN apprised of ongoing and future activities of the City and other organizations that may impact residents of SWAN.

  6. The two members-at-large may be assigned various tasks as the Steering Committee deems necessary.

  7. In the event that a Steering Committee Member position becomes vacant prior to the completion of the elected term, whether caused by resignation, removal, illness, relocation, or any other reason, the Steering Committee may appoint one of the members-at-large or other qualified SWAN member to the vacant position until the next AGM is held. If the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice President will automatically become the President.

Article V. Steering Committee

  1. There shall be at least five members of the Steering Committee. The members shall be elected for a term of one year. The Steering Committee shall consist of the positions listed in Article IV.

  2. Members of the Steering Committee shall serve without compensation.

  3. The Steering Committee shall meet at least quarterly. A quorum of a majority of the elected Steering Committee Members shall be required to conduct business.

  4. All Steering Committee meetings shall be open for attendance by any member of SWAN.

  5. The Steering Committee may, on behalf of the SWAN membership, take a public position on issues or events effecting SWAN or the City. Such a position will be taken upon an affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of members present at a Steering Committee meeting or upon an affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of members present at an AGM or special meeting.

  6. Steering Committee members may be removed with or without cause upon an affirmation vote of a two-thirds majority of members present at an AGM or a special meeting called for this express purpose. Any Steering Committee member whose removal has been proposed by SWAN shall be given written notice at least seven days in advance of the calling of the meeting and the purpose thereof and he or she shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard at said meeting.

Article VI. Special Subcommittees

Because the interests and needs of SWAN are highly diversified and may change with time, the formation of a special subcommittees intended to address specific topical and/or thematic subjects is encouraged.

Article VII. Election of Officers

  1. Election of all Steering Committee members shall be held at an AGM.

  2. All individuals shall be elected for a term 12 months, from January 1 to December 31.

  3. Steering Committee members shall be elected by secret ballot or poll for contested positions. The candidate receiving the largest number of votes is declared the winner. For uncontested positions, the President shall ask for a majority approval from the members that are present. This may be via a single voice vote.

  4. Those elected can serve in their Steering Committee position for no more than 3 terms.

Article VIII. Financial Affairs

  1. The fiscal year of SWAN shall begin on the first day of July and end on the last day of June in each year.

  2. At the AGM, the Treasurer shall submit an accounting of all income and disbursements for the preceding twelve months.

  3. The annual budget shall be submitted by the Treasurer for the approval of the membership at the AGM.

  4. Funds shall be received in the form of a grant from the City. A reimbursement form will be submitted to the City in order to receive reimbursement.

Article X. Amendment of By-laws

These bylaws may be amended upon an affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of members present at a Steering Committee meeting.

Article XI. Dissolution

In the event of the dissolution of SWAN, all the property and assets of SWAN shall be given to the Community Services Agency of Mountain View. Under no circumstances shall any of the property and assets of SWAN upon its dissolution be given to any officer, member, or committee of SWAN.