By-laws

ARTICLE I:  NAME, BOUNDARIES & ASSETS

Sec. 1. This organization shall be known as the Middle Island Civic Association.

Sec. 2. The territorial limits of the Association shall be confined to Middle Island, NY 11953.

Sec. 3. The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on the first day of May and end on the thirtieth day of April.

Sec. 4. Upon dissolution of the Association all assets will be donated to charity chosen by the membership.

Prosser Pines

ARTICLE II:  PURPOSE

Sec. 1. The object of the Association is to discuss and study the needs of the community and to promote cooperation among the residents to the end of civic betterment.

Sec 2. This organization shall listen, advise and act in a manner deemed appropriate by this constitution and by a majority of its members concerning all matters in the public domain brought before it by its membership.

Sec. 3. We shall further unite as an Association to accomplish the following objectives:

1. To improve the appearance of Middle Island and the quality of life for Middle Island residents.

2. To provide residents some relief from an “otherwise continuous development pattern.”

3. To foster the preservation of the Pine Barrens.

4. To insure the availability and quality of our ground water.

5. To encourage the preservation of open space for recreational purposes.

6. To support the preservation of farmland.

7. To discourage strip development along our highways.

8. To advocate the availability of a quality education to all our children.

9. To protect and cherish our historical heritage.

10. To support diverse cultural opportunities.

11. To create a line of communication between the community and all those concerned in civic issues.

Sec 4. This Association in its activities shall be non-partisan and non-sectarian, and shall take no part in, or lend its influence to, the election or appointment of any candidate for national, state, county, or town office.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Sec. 1. a. Any adult resident or property owner, aged 18 years or more, shall be eligible to membership in this Association.

Sec 1. b. Any adult owner of a business in Middle Island shall also be eligible to membership in this Association.  However, business members who are not residents or property owners may not run for or hold elected office in this Association.

Sec. 1c. Non-voting annual Student Memberships on a participating basis will be permitted for students in the 7th to 12th grade levels who are residents in the 11953 zip code and are under the age of 18 with written parental approval. Annual dues for Student Membership are waived.

Sec. 1d. Non-voting annual Guest Memberships on a non-participating basis will be permitted for non-residents/business owners over the age of 18 upon payment of the annual dues.

Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2010, membership fee shall consist of $10 per person per year, the payment of which shall entitle any adult resident or property owner to membership in the Association.  Each member shall be entitled to a single vote, with the exception of student and non-resident members.

Sec 3. Thirty days after the executive board notifies members of delinquent dues, all membership rights are subject to suspension.

Sec.4. A member shall be considered in “good standing” if his membership dues have been paid for that calendar year and if said member has done nothing to warrant his expulsion as outlined in Section 5 of this Article. Only members “in good standing” shall have a voice in the affairs of the Association.

Sec. 5. Reasons for expulsion of members: a member whose action or behavior is detrimental to the ideals and purposes of the Association, or to the members thereof, may be requested to resign by the Executive Board of the Middle Island Civic Association.

Sec. 6. Prior to the executive board making any recommendation regarding expulsion of a member, the Executive Board shall first notify such member of the charges against him and permit him to appear before the Executive Board to answer such charges. The accused member shall be presented with such charges in writing at least a week prior to this meeting.

Sec. 7. No member shall have the right to publicly declare as a representative of the Association any view not sanctioned by the Association.

ARTICLE IV:  THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Sec. 1. The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, a First Vice President, a Second Vice President, a Recording/Corresponding Secretary, a Membership Secretary, a Treasurer and the immediate Past President if available and willing.

Sec. 2. Duties of the President.

The President shall preside at all meetings. The President shall be ex-officio of all committees except the nominating committee. The President may appoint a member of the Civic Association to represent the President at the Town Board or any meeting the President feels imperative to attend on behalf of the Civic Association.

Sec. 2A. The President shall enforce all rules and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be required of the office.

Sec. 3. Duties of the First Vice President. The First Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in his or her absence at a meeting,  assume the office of President in the event it becomes vacant, and assist the President whenever it is deemed necessary.

Sec. 4. Duties of the Second Vice President. The Second Vice President shall assume duties of the President in the absence of the President and the First Vice president.  The Second Vice President shall also assist the Executive Board in whatever ways are deemed appropriate and necessary.

Sec. 5. Duties of the Recording/Corresponding Secretary. The Recording/Corresponding Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings, shall assist in maintaining records of the Association as deemed necessary by the Executive Board, and shall receive communications intended for the Association; read them at meetings and dispose of them per instructions given at the meetings, and shall perform such duties as may from time to time be deemed necessary.

Sec. 6.  Duties of the Membership Secretary.  It shall be the duty of the Membership Secretary to record all applications for membership, collect and record membership dues and then submit said dues to the Treasurer.  The Membership Secretary shall keep a roster of all members in good standing, along with their names, addresses and other contact information.  It shall also be the duty of the Membership Secretary to forward any reports pertaining to membership that may be requested by the President or Executive Board.

Sec. 7. Duties of the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall receive all monies, keep records of deposits and payments, submit monthly reports, and sign all checks. No payment shall be issued without the permission of two of the five designated officers of the Association.

Sec. 8. Any elected officer who shall without reasonable excuse, fail to perform the duties of office to which elected, and who is absent from three successive membership meetings, may be removed from office by the President, and the President may appoint a replacement.

Sec. 9. The business and property of this Association shall be managed by the Executive Board.

Sec. 10. All members of the Executive Board are the duly elected representatives of the Association, and represent the interests of the community as a Whole.

Sec. 11. A duly elected representative of the Association may be censored only by a majority vote of the Executive Board after that individual has been notified of said action in writing a week prior to Executive Board meeting. The individual may respond within 30 days and have case heard at a general membership meeting at which time a majority vote of those present can over-ride censorship.

Good Fishing
Good Fishing

ARTICLE V:  NOMINATIONS

Sec. 1. The nominating committee shall consist of 3 members in good standing.  These members shall be nominated from the floor and elected by the general membership. The nominating committee members will in turn select their own chairman. This committee will be formed at the February meeting.

Sec. 2. The nominating committee will prepare a slate of candidates, nominating at least one candidate for each office. The committee shall submit the slate of officers to the membership at the March meeting. Nominations from the floor will be accepted only at the April meeting, at which time the election by secret ballot will be held.

ARTICLE VI:  ELECTIONS

Sec. 1. Any adult resident or property owner, aged 18 years or more, who is currently a member in good standing, is eligible to be elected as an officer in the Association. Business members who are not residents or property owners may not run for or hold elected office in this Association.

Sec. 2. The officers shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting of the Association and hold office for a period of one year, or until their successors are elected and assume office.

Sec. 3. The officers shall be elected by secret ballot, and the candidates receiving the most votes shall be elected.

Sec. 4. The newly elected officers shall take office on the first day of the month of May after their election at the annual meeting in April.

Sec. 5. If the need arises, the President may fill a position on the Executive Board which has been vacated before the agreed upon term of office has expired.

ARTICLE VII:  MEETINGS

Sec. 1. Regular Association meetings will be held once a month and, if possible, on the third Thursday of every month. Special meetings may be called by the President or at the written request of at least three members of the Executive Board.

Sec. 2. The Executive Board, if deemed necessary by a majority of its members, shall meet once a month, two weeks after the regular membership meeting.

ARTICLE VIII:  COMMITTEES

Sec. 1. Committees may be formed at the request of a member in good standing and the concurrence of at least 3 members of the Executive Board. The Chair of the committee shall be elected by a majority of members of said committee, and shall serve for a period of one year. The Chairperson of said committee will report on deliberations and progress made by this committee at the Association’s regular monthly meeting.

Sec. 2. The purpose of said committees shall be to investigate and gather facts on any subject deemed too time consuming or complicated for the Executive Board or the membership at large to study and evaluate.

Sec. 3. The Chairperson of said committees shall have ongoing authority to speak on behalf of the Association in the context of this committee’s subject matter provided his statements are consistent with the goals and objectives of the Association.

Sec. 4. Any member of a committee who shall, without reasonable excuse, fail to perform the duties of the committee, and who is absent for three consecutive regular meetings after being duly notified, may be removed from that committee and a successor appointed by the President.

ARTICLE IX:  AMENDMENTS

Sec. 1. Amendments to the constitution and by-laws may be proposed at any regular meeting and voted on and adopted at the next regular meeting. The concurrence of two-thirds of the membership present shall be necessary to amend these by-laws.

Sec. 2. The President and Secretary shall have a master copy of the constitution and by-laws in which they will be required to insert all amendments. The copies will be turned over to incoming officers. Copies of the constitution and by-laws, including amendments and additions, will be made available to the members at meetings of the Association.

ARTICLE X:  BY-LAWS

Sec.1. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order unless otherwise stipulated in the by-laws to the contrary.

Sec. 2. The President will or will not take action in the name of the Middle Island Civic Association on the basis of majority rule; abstentions will not be considered in the tally.

Sec. 3. The order of business of a regular membership meeting shall be as follows: A. Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance,  B. Reading of Minutes, C. Treasurer’s Report, D. Correspondence,  E. Reports of Committees and Officers, F. Unfinished Business, G. New Business, H. Informal discussion or guest. I. Adjournment.