WANG Bylaws

I. Name

The name of the association shall be WEST AUSTIN NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP (WANG).

II. Purposes

This association shall be a non-profit, non-partisan organization open to all residents within the boundaries of a designated area within the city of Austin, Texas, who may through such association consider and deal by all lawful means with common and shared concerns, goals, and activities that affect the quality of life of its members.

The association shall be concerned with community development, the ecology, the safety, and other related matters that indirectly and directly affect the quality and character of the neighborhood and the City of Austin.

The association's goal is to preserve the neighborhood and protect it from deterioration.

III. Powers

In furtherance of, but not limited to, the objects and purposes described above, the association shall, through its Executive committee and Officers, have power to collect and disseminate statistics and other information, conduct investigations, take public stands, and publish or advertise its policy stands in any suitable and lawful manner.

IV. Boundaries

The boundaries for residence and membership purposes of this association shall be as reflected in "Exhibit 1", attached, in which the shaded portion designates the geographical boundaries and area within which an eligible residential household must be located.

V. Membership

Any person over the age of eighteen years, residing within the defined boundaries, and who considers such residence as his or her homestead, may apply for a family or household membership and include all other adult family members of the household, and shall become a member in good standing thirty days after receipt of his or her application accompanied by payment of the required annual dues.

A member household delinquent in payment of dues for twelve or fewer months may be reinstated to voting rights and to the status of a member in good standing on payment of current dues with no waiting period. After twelve months delinquency, the member will be treated as a new applicant.

The application for membership shall be submitted in writing addressed to the Membership Chair, listing such additional family members of the household as desired, accompanied by a personal check of the application in payment of the annual dues, or if payment is tendered in cash, the application and cash payment shall be delivered directly and in person by the applicant to the Membership Chair.

All Adult members of the household receiving membership are eligible to attend meetings of the association. However, only one vote per household shall be counted in any election or balloting of the membership on matters presented to the association membership for a vote.

VI. Dues

The annual dues required for membership in good standing in the association, per household, shall be determined by a vote of the membership at the annual meeting, or at a special meeting called for the purpose of changing dues, provided that at least ten days written notice is given that the agenda will include the proposed dues change. Annual dues, beginning in October of 1985, shall be $10.00 per household. Annual dues are payable in advance by the first monday in October of each year. A member joining after June 1 in any year shall be accorded membership for the next membership year in addition to the remaining months of the current year ending September 30th.

VII. Meetings

A. General Membership Meetings

1. There shall be an annual meeting of the association during the month of September, unless otherwise ordered by the Executive Committee, for election of the Executive Committee, receiving reports, and transacting other business. The annual meeting shall be open to all members. Notice of the meeting, issued by the Secretary, shall be mailed to the last recorded address of each household membership at least ten days before the time appointed for the meeting.
2. The Executive Committee may call and provide for additional meetings of the association by giving the membership at least ten days notice in the same manner as that provided for the annual meeting.
3. A special meeting of the general membership of the association must be called by the President or Executive Committee on receipt by the Executive Committee of a petition requesting and stating the reason for such meeting and bearing the signatures of no fewer than twenty-five voting members of the association. Only business specified in the call may be transacted. The meeting must be called within thirty days, unless a regularly scheduled general meeting shall intervene, in which case the business of the special meeting shall be considered at the general meeting.
4. Quorum for meetings shall be five per cent of the household memberships (as reflected by the membership roll of the association) who are members in good standing, when present at any meeting. In case there is less than this number, the presiding officer may adjourn from time to time until a quorum is present.

B. Executive Committee Meetings

1. Regular meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held month at a date to be specified at the first Executive Committee meeting per year.
2. Special meetings may be called by the president at any time, and a special meeting must be called on written request of any three members of the Executive Committee. At least two days notice by mail or telephone of such meeting must be given the members of the Executive Committee, and the notice must state the object of the meeting.
3. A quorum for Executive Committee meetings shall be a majority of the Committee members.

VIII. Executive Committee & Officers

A. Governing Body

This association shall be governed by an Executive Committee consisting of fifteen members elected annually. the Officers of the Executive Committee shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Executive Committee and Officers are vested with the responsibility of preserving and enhancing the reputation of the association for preserving and protecting the quality and character of the neighborhood.

B. Manner of Election and Nomination

1. The Executive Committee and its Officers shall be elected by ballot of members in good standing cast at the annual meeting. A plurality of votes cast shall be required to elect. Only ballots cast by members present and absentee ballots received by the date of the meeting will be counted. An absentee ballot must be applied for to the Membership Chair by the individual wishing to vote at least one week in advance of the annual meeting and returned prior to the annual meeting.
2. By July 1 of each year, the Executive Committee shall appoint a committee to consist of six members of the association, a majority to be members not presently serving on the Executive Committee, to select nominees for the Executive Committee and its Officers to be elected at the next annual meeting. The nominating committee may nominate more than one member for any Office or any other position on the Executive Committee. At least six weeks before the annual meeting, the nominating committee shall advise the Secretary of its nominations, and the Secretary forthwith shall mail these nominations to the members.
   Other nominations may be made in writing if signed by at least fifteen members and delivered to the Secretary at least two weeks before the annual meeting, and these nominations shall be presented to the membership at the annual meeting. No nominations from the floor will be accepted.

C. Standing Committee

This association shall have one standing committee: a Membership Committee of three persons, of which the Chair shall be a member of the Executive Committee. The President with the consent of the Executive Committee shall appoint the Chair and the Committee members to serve for one year.

D. Other Committees and Positions

The president with the consent of the Executive Committee shall appoint task force committees, delegates or representatives to other organizations, and such other positions necessary for the execution of the purposes, objectives, and policies of the association.

E. Tenure, Vacancies, & Removal of Committee Members and Officers

1. All elective positions are for a period of one year or until a successor is elected.
2. Any member of the Executive Committee absent from three consecutive meetings without a satisfactory excuse shall be deemed to have resigned as a member of the Executive Committee. He or she may be reinstated by a majority vote of the E € Committee provided such vacancy has not been filled.
3. Vacancies occurring in the Executive Committee shall be filled by vote of the remaining members of the Committee until the next annual meeting.
4. Any officer, or anyone serving in any appointed position of trust, may be removed from office or position of trust for good cause by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.

IX. Duties of Officers & Committees

1. The president, or in absence of the President, the Vice President, shall provide over all meetings of the association and of the Executive Committee. In the absence of both, a temporary presiding officer shall be elected from among the members of the Executive Committee present. The President with the consent of the Executive Committee shall appoint all committees (including the standing Membership Committee as authorized), delegates or representatives to other organizations, task forces, and any other position of trust necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of the association. The president shall exercise general supervision over all affairs of the association unless otherwise ordered or provided.
2. The Secretary shall keep a complete record of all proceedings and correspondence of the association and the Executive Committee. The Secretary shall send notices of meetings by mail to members of the association of Executive Committee as required. The Secretary shall keep a roll of members of the association, and shall perform all other duties usually appertaining to the office.
3. The Treasurer shall keep the books and accounts of the association, and shall perform any other duties usually assigned to this officer. He or she shall make payments only for bills authorized by the executive committee. In the absence or incapacity of the Treasurer, his or her power to sign checks may be delegated by the Executive Committee to one of its members.
4. The Membership Committee shall consist of three members, the Chair of the Committee being required to be a member of the Executive Committee. The Committee shall check the qualifications of membership applications, receive dues, deliver dues to the Treasurer, and maintain an accurate roll of all members.
5. Special committees, task forces, etc., may be appointed from time to time by the President and Executive Committee to consider and report to the Executive Committee on matters assigned to it requiring investigation. Committee members may be appointed by the President to hold office until relieved, or their tenure can be restricted and limited at the time the committee is created.

X. Amendments to Articles & By-Laws

These articles and By-Laws may be amended by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members casting a vote at an annual or special meeting of the association, provided written notice of the amendment(s) shall have been given the membership by mail at least thirty days prior to the meeting at which said amendment(s) are to be presented for consideration and adoption.

Proposed amendment(s) originating with and sponsored by a majority vote of the Executive Committee shall be submitted at the annual or a special meeting of the association.

Proposed amendment(s) obtaining fifteen or more household membership sponsors by petition must be submitted at the annual meeting for consideration, unless presented at an earlier special meeting of the association by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

XI. Repeal of Articles & By-Laws

On the adoption of these Articles and By-Laws, all previously adopted articles and By-Lays are hereby repealed, and this association shall be governed in accordance with these Articles and By-Laws.

XII. Robert's Rules of Order

Unless otherwise provided herein, Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure.

XIII. Dissolution

In the event of the dissolution of this association, other than for the purposes of forming a non-profit corporation, all of its assets shall become the property of the Howson Branch of the Austin Public Library to be used by the librarian thereof for the acquisition of books, equipment, or services not otherwise regularly available at such branch.