Article 1 - Name & Purposes

A. The name of this organization shall be Sunset Park Restoration Committee, d.b.a. Sunset Park Restoration.

B. The purposes of this organization shall be:

     1. To provide support for the current residents of the Sunset Park community in:

          a. promoting the positive aspects of the neighborhood

          b. resolving problems facing the community

     2. To help maintain a positive link between former community residents and current residents.

     3. To preserve and promote the history of the Sunset Park community.

 

Article 2 - Membership & Boundaries

A. Membership is open to anyone wishing to support the purposes of this organization.

B. Membership Designations

    1. General membership is limited by no boundaries.

    2. Local membership is limited to those who currently reside in Sunset Park.

C. Membership may be applied for in any of the following manners:

    1. Through Facebook - send a friend request to Sunset Parker.

         a. You will receive confirmation and be asked if you’d like “local” or “general” membership or neither.

    2. Via Email - send an email to SunsetParkRestoration2000@gmail.com and indicate “local” or “general” membershp.

    3. A written request submitted at a physical meeting.

D. Boundaries - For the purposes of this organization the boundaries of Sunset Park extend from the Prospect Expressway on the north to the old LIRR cut on the south and from New York Bay on the west to 9th Avenue on the east. (note: the City of New York recognizes the eastern boundary as the center of 8th Avenue).

E. "Friends" on the Facebook Sunset Parker webpage may be blocked if they insult others, or make racially/ethnically insensitive remarks.  Members should be proactive and not negative.  We will not tolerate posts meant to disrupt the process or waste the time of volunteers.

 

Article 3 - Voting

A. General members each have a single weighted vote.

B. Local members each have a single weighted vote.

C. Weighted voting will increase the value of each vote of the smaller group of cast ballots by a percentage to give the total a value equal to the larger group of cast ballots.

D. Elections for all positions will take place on July 1st of each odd numbered year.

    1. Vacancies will be filled by the Executive Board within 15 days.

E. Votes on issues can be posted at anytime with three days notice (notice given each day preceding the vote).

F. Voting is done by open ballot.

G. Nominations will be solicited June 1st in each odd numbered year.

H. The only qualification to vote is that you have been a member for at least 30 days.

I.  All voting will be determined by a simple majority of the votes cast.

    1. The secretary will certify vote results.

J. The president only votes in the case of a tie.

 

Article 4 - Officers, Executive Board & Board of Directors

A. President

    1. Only Local members may run for President.

B. Vice-President

    1. Only General members may run for Vice-President

C. Treasurer

    1. Only Local members may run for Treasurer.

D. Secretary

    1. Only Local members may run for Secretary.

E. The Board of Directors will consist of 16 members.

    1. Eight of the members of the Board are selected by weighted voting.

    2. An additional 8 Board members are appointed by the four Officers.

         a. Appointments must balance the number of Local & General Board members at and 8.

    3. The Board of Directors will select a Chair and Vice-Chair to preside over their meetings.

         a. Chair and Vice-Chair may not be from the same  membership designation.

F. The Executive Board will consist of all four Officers and Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors.

G. All Officers are ex-officio members of the Board of Directors.

H. Any Board member that fails to respond to email for three consecutive months will be deemed to have resigned.

I. Any Board member that uses Sunset Parker FB to attack a fellow Board member will be deemed to have resigned.

 

Article 5 - Community Issues

A. Any member may raise a community issue for this organization to address.

B. The issue will immediately be posted for the opinion of the membership as to whether to:

    1. Pursue, Drop, or Table for a 15 day review.

        a. All issues approved to be pursued will be addressed using our Problem Solving Process.

        b. All issues dropped may not be raised again for 90 days.

        c. All tabled issues will be reviewed by the Board of Directors and Officers who will issue a statement within 15 days. They can chose to drop the issue,

           or pursue the issue with specific steps that they deem more appropriate.

C. The President will report on the status of each issue at least once a month on the first day of the month.

D. Problem Solving Process

    1. A problem or concern is raised.

    2. We post it on Sunset Parker for input.

    3. We collect all available relevant facts.

    4.We report it to 311 & the Community Board.

    5. We report it to the appropriate elected official.

    6. We contact the responsible entities.

    7. We go to the media.

    8. We take matters into our own hands pursuing unorthodox methods.

 

Article 6 - Duties

A. The President

    1. Will preside at Executive Board meetings.

    2. Will be the chief spokesperson of the organization.

    3. Will make executive decisions not prescribed to other Officers or Board Members.

    4. Will make day to day decisions for the organization under advisement by the Executive Board.

B. The Vice-Chair

    1. Will assist the President in the performance of his/her duties.

C. The Secretary

    1. Will maintain and keep the records, minutes and communications of this organization.

    2. Will maintain a membership record.

D. The Treasurer

    1. Will maintain all financial records if any of this organization.

E. Executive Board will make all longterm decisions of the organization

F. The Board of Directors will actively advise and assist the Executive Board.

    1. The Board of Directors will oversee all elections and votes and report any irregularities or errors.

 

Article 7 - Meetings and Quorum

A. The nature of  the Internet and Social Media is such, that the organization is, in effect, in a state of continually "meeting".

B. Actual Time Meetings will be called by the President.

    1. At the joint request of any five members, or at the request of any Officer or member of the Board of Directors, the President must call an Actual Time

         Meeting.

    2. All members will receive notification of Actual Time Meetings.

C. Quorum is an outdated concept originally needed to prevent illegal or inappropriate actions on an organization.

    1. In place of Quorum, any action that is deemed to have been decided upon without appropriate review or through illegal or inappropriate actions may be

    brought before the entire membership for a Secondary Review.

         a. A Secondary Review can be called for by a group of ten members, two Officers or 4 Board Members.

D. Secondary Review is a vote of the full membership.

    1. The procedure for a Secondary Review is as follows:

         a. The Board of Directors will word an announcement to be made to the full membership and they will also set a date for the vote.

         b. A simple majority of affirmative or negative votes, non-weighted, will make the decision.

 

Article 8 - Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws

A. The Constitution and any By-Laws will be submitted to all individuals wishing to be a member and determined to be ratified by a simple majority vote.

B. Thereafter, all amendments or By-Laws will be determined by the same voting procedure as for issues.

C. In the absence of direction in this Constitution, decent, polite behavior will determine discussion procedures.