Continuum Bylaws
 

ARTICLE I: ORGANIZATION

  1. Name: The name of this affiliation shall be the Greater Virginia Peninsula Continuum of Care Council, hereinafter referred to as the Council.

  2. Service Area: The Council will provide services to the geographic area known as the Greater Virginia Peninsula. This includes the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Gloucester, and Williamsburg and the counties of York, James City and Isle of Wight.

  3. Address: The principal office of the Council shall be determined by the Executive Committee in accordance with the need for continuity in contacts regarding Council correspondence, etc. The Council will be notified of the office mailing address and changes as required.

ARTICLE II: MISSION

Mission: The Greater Virginia Peninsula Continuum of Care Council is an organization that maintains a current and viable process to address quality of life issues for the residents within the service area.

ARTICLE III: COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP

  1. Membership: Membership on this Council may include: agencies with or without 501 (c) (3) status, interested individuals, and public agency representatives.

  2. Representation and Voting: Each agency/organization/unit of government shall have at least one official representative and shall have one vote regardless of the number of representatives present at any given meeting.

  3. Fees: Member organizations shall be required to pay yearly dues in the amount of $20 per year. Special programs as deemed necessary or appropriate by the Council may require an additional charge to the members in order to meet the expenses of that particular program.

  4. Meetings: The full Council shall meet monthly and all Standing Committees shall meet monthly. The regular annual meeting shall be at the July meeting. Special meetings of the members may be called by the Executive Committee or by a majority of the Council members so indicating in writing or by telephone to a member of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall give adequate notice to the members not less than seven (7) days before any special meeting date. The Council shall establish the date, time and place, of each meeting. The Executive Committee shall give notice of the annual meeting at least fourteen (14) days before the meeting date.

  5. Quorum: Those members present at any meeting will constitute a quorum. The act of a majority of the members present shall be the act of the full membership except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute or these Bylaws. All votes will be taken by roll call of all member organization representatives.

  6. Minutes of Meetings: Minutes shall be kept of every meeting and shall include, at a minimum, the date, time and place of the meeting, the names of the attending organizational members, the topics discussed, the decisions reached and actions taken, the list of roll call votes on all motions, any reports made, and any other information as may be deemed necessary by the Chairperson or Acting Chairperson.

ARTICLE IV: COUNCIL GOVERNANCE

  1. Officers: The Officers of the Council shall consist of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary-Treasurer, and Immediate Past Chairperson, all of whom must be members in good standing of the Council. Each Officer shall be elected to hold office as noted in Article IV, Section C.

  2. Duties of the Executive Committee: the Executive Committee shall conduct the business of the Council. It shall determine the general policies and guidance of the affairs of the Council and be comprised of the Officers and Chairperson of each Standing Committee.

  3. Terms: The officers shall be elected for terms of one year by a majority vote of the Council. The only exception of the one-year term is for the office of Vice-Chairperson who will succeed the Chairperson at the end his/her term and complete the subsequent year as Council Chairperson.

  4. Vacancies: Vacancies on the Executive Committee occur by the expiration of the normal term, resignation, death, or removal by the Council. Vacancies shall be filled by nomination by the Council members in the same manner as original appointments. Such appointment shall be for the remainder of the un-expired term, and the member shall then be eligible for re-appointment to a full term on the Executive Committee.

  5. Election of Officers: Members, at their May meeting, shall elect officers for the coming year in terms as noted in Article IV, Section C. The term of leadership begins at the July meeting. The Council shall have the power to appoint such other Officers as may be necessary to conduct business.

  6. Resignation and Removal: Any Officer, except the Chairperson, may resign by tendering a written notice to the Chairperson. The Chairperson may resign by tendering written notice to the Council. Any Officer may be removed by the Council whenever, in the judgment of the Council, the best interests of the organization will be served thereby. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Council present and voting shall be required to remove an Officer.

  7. Duties of the Chairperson(s):

    1. To preside at all meetings of the Council

    2. To approve all Committees deemed necessary for the operation of the Council.

    3. To be an ex-officio member of all committees.

    4. To represent or appoint a representative for the Council for all meetings where representation may be required.

    5. To be a signer on all checks as required, for conducting the business of the Council.

  8. Duties of the Vice-Chairperson:

    1. In the absence of the Chairperson(s), preside at meetings of the Council

    2. Assist the Chairperson(s) in approving all Committees deemed necessary for the operation of the Council.

    3. To be an ex-officio member of all committees

    4. To be a signer on all checks as required, for conducting the business of the Council.

    5. To perform all other such duties as assigned by the Chairperson(s) or Executive Committee.

  9. Duties of the Secretary-Treasurer:

    1. To complete and maintain accurate records of all meetings of the Council, Executive Committee and Standing Committees.

    2. To assure that notices of all meetings as required by the Bylaws, statutes or resolutions are provided to all members of the Council.

    3. To take attendance at all meetings and retain attendance records as part of the Council records.

    4. To maintain the financial records of the organization and provide financial reports as required by the Executive Committee.

    5. To be a signer on all checks as required, for conducting the business of the Council.

  10. Duties of the Chairpersons of Standing Committees:

    1. Attend all meetings of the Council, Executive Committee and individual committees as required.

    2. To coordinate the activities of each Standing Committee and report back to the Executive Committee and Council as required.

    3. To perform all other duties as assigned by the Chairperson(s) or Executive Committee.

ARTICLE V: COMMITTEES

  1. Executive Committee: see Article IV, Section B.

  2. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees: The Executive Committee may establish standing and ad hoc committees as the need arises. The Chairperson(s) and Vice-Chairperson shall approve membership to all committees that are established. Chairpersons of each committee shall be elected from their membership and approved by the Executive Committee.

  3. Committee Activities: Business conducted within established committees will follow the same rules established herein for the overall Council activities.

  4. Limitations on Committee Authority: the Executive Committee or Council must approve all recommendations of the Standing and Ad Hoc Committees before action can be taken. No commitments on behalf of the Council may be made by any committee chairperson or any member of any committee without the approval of the Executive Committee or Council.

  5. A Homeless Continuum of Care Task Force Standing Committee shall be maintained as a permanent  standing committee of the Greater Virginia Peninsula Continuum of Care Council.  

ARTICLE VI: FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

  1. Secretary-Treasurer will maintain the Council checking account(s) and present a financial report at least monthly or as deemed required by the Executive Committee.

  2. Signers on Council accounts will be the Chairperson(s), Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary-Treasurer.

  3. An annual internal audit will be conducted on Council financial records in May or prior to new Secretary-Treasurer taking office.

  4. All total expenditures in excess of $100.00 must have Executive Committee approval.

  5. The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain Council attendance records to determine all funding eligibility.

ARTICLE VII: GENERAL PROVISIONS

  1. Fiscal Year: the fiscal year of the Council shall be July 1 to June 30.

  2. Parliamentary Authority: Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedures not specifically covered by these Bylaws.

  3. Dissolution of the Council: In the event the Council is dissolved and, the Council owns any assets in excess of those needed to discharge fully its obligations, such assets shall be distributed exclusively to other non-profit human service organizations devoted to the health, welfare and well-being of citizens on the Greater Virginia Peninsula. The Executive Committee will make determination of recipient(s) of any funds.

ARTICLE VIII: ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

These Bylaws may be amended at a regular or special meeting of the Council by a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the members present and voting. Amendments must be in written form and distributed to the members of the Council at least two (2) weeks prior to presentation and vote.

Revised October 21,  2003