Canoas Garden Neighborhood Association

Bylaws of
The Canoas Garden Neighborhood Association

Amended April 25, 2007

Article I

Name and Purpose

Section 1: Name.

The name of this association shall be “The Canoas Garden Neighborhood Association”.

Section 2: Purpose.

The purpose of this association shall be to represent, promote and protect the interests of the Canoas Garden neighborhood.

Article II

Membership and Membership Rights

Section 1: Membership.

The membership of The Association shall consist of the residents, 18 years of age or older, of legal single family dwellings located in the city of San Jose, California, on Nightingale Drive, Thrush Drive and Court, Skylark Drive, Rinconada Drive, Apple Valley Drive, Pebble Beach Drive and Court, Ironwood Drive, Redbird Drive, Hummingbird Drive, Kingfisher Drive, Wren Drive, Lanewood Drive and Court and Blue Jay Drive, excluding residents of “Board and Care” homes.

Section 2: Membership Rights.

Members of The Association shall have the right to nominate officers and Board members of The Association and to vote in Association elections.

Article III

Board of Directors

Section 1: Members, Powers and Duties of The Board.

• There shall be a Board of Directors of The Association consisting of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three (3) Members at Large.
• Powers and Duties.
  • The Board shall be responsible for the conduct and management of the business of The Association.
  • The Board shall determine the membership dues of The Association.
  • The Board shall approve or disapprove all expenditures of the funds of The Association.
  • The Board shall approve or deny the requests of the President:
    • to form committees of The Association.
    • to designate another person or persons to represent The Association for a specific task, meeting or event.
    • to address issues, projects or other business beyond the ordinary business of The Association.
    • to call a general membership meeting of The Association.
  • The Board may direct the President to address issues, projects or other business of The Association.

Section 2: Qualifications of Officers and Board Members

Officers and Board Members must be members of The Association.

Section 3: Election and Term of Office of Board Members.

Members of the Board of Directors shall be nominated and elected at the annual meeting in January. Their terms of office shall commence at the end of the annual January meeting and conclude at the end of the following annual January meeting. No person may hold a specific office for more than two (2) successive years.

Section 4: Meetings of The Board.

• The President shall call meetings of The Board and shall notify all Board members of the time and place of the meeting.
• The meetings of The Board shall not be open to the general membership and shall occur at least four (4) times per year in January, March or April, June or July, and September or October.
• A Quorum for Board meetings shall consist of the President, or Vice President, if the President is unavailable, and four (4) other Board members.
• The President or Vice President of The Board shall not attempt to exclude any other member of The Board from duly called Board meetings through inconvenient scheduling or other means.
• In all Board actions at duly called Board meetings with at least a quorum of Board members present, a majority vote of the Board members present shall determine the will of The Board.
• The President, in lieu of approval at a Board meeting, may obtain the approval of the Board in writing to act on minor issues, projects or business beyond the ordinary business of The Association.

Section 5: Political Endorsements.

• The Association shall not endorse any candidate for public office.
• The President or the Vice President shall not publicly endorse any candidate for public office.
• No member of The Board may allow his or her position on The Board of The Association to be cited as part of an endorsement for any candidate for public office.

Section 6: Vacancies on The Board.

• The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President upon the vacating of the office of President.
• For Board positions other than the office of the President, the Board may appoint a member of The Association to fill a vacancy on The Board of Directors for the remainder of the term of office.

Section 7: Removal from The Board.

• A Board member who fails to fulfill the duties of his or her position or has acted adversely to the interests of The Association may be removed from The Board upon the majority vote of the Board at a duly called Board meeting with at least a quorum of Board members present.
• The Vice President may call and preside at a meeting of The Board to discuss and act on the removal of the President from office.

Section 8: Duties of The Members of The Board of Directors.

• Duties of The President.
  • The President shall coordinate all Association activities, preside at meetings of The Association and The Board, and shall have the general powers of supervision and management of The Association as pertain to the office, and to such duties as may be designated by The Board.
  • The President shall be empowered to appoint committees with the approval of The Board.
  • The President shall be an ex officio member of all committees. The President shall, along with the Treasurer, cosign all checks drawn against the funds of The Association.
  • The President shall receive all communications addressed to The Association.
  • The President shall be the only person authorized to represent The Association. However the President, with Board approval, may designate another person or persons to represent The Association for a specific task, meeting or event.
  • The President shall arrange for the composition and distribution of the newsletter.
• Duties of The Vice President.
  • The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President in the President’s absence.
  • The Vice President shall take part in the deliberations of The Board.
• Duties of The Secretary.
  • The Secretary shall record and file the minutes of the general membership meetings and the meetings of The Board of The Association and submit copies to the other Board members.
  • The Secretary shall take part in the deliberations of The Board.
• Duties of The Treasurer.
  • The Treasurer shall maintain the finances of The Association and carry out all deposits, withdrawals, and banking transactions of The Association.
  • The Treasurer shall, along with the President, cosign all checks drawn against the funds of The Association.
  • At all general membership meetings, the Treasurer shall report the status of the finances of The Association.
  • The Treasurer shall take part in the deliberations of The Board.
• Duties of The Board Members At Large.
  • The Board Members At Large shall take part in the deliberations of The Board.

Article IV

General Membership Meetings

Section 1: The Annual Meeting.

There shall be at least one annual general membership meeting in January.

Section 2: Other General Membership Meetings.

The President may call a general membership meeting at any time with the approval of The Board.

Section 3: Notification

The President shall notify the membership of the time and place of a general membership meeting at least one (1) week before the meeting.

Article V

Amendments to the Bylaws

Section 1: Amendment by The Board.

These Bylaws may be amended by a unanimous vote of all of the members of The Board of Directors at a duly called meeting of The Board.

Section 2: Amendment by the Membership.

These Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the membership present at a duly called general membership meeting of The Association, if there are at least twenty-five (25) votes in favor of the amendment.

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Need to contact the Canoas Garden Neighborhood Association?  Email us or write to PO Box 18181, San Jose, CA  95158.