Preamble
The Western Pima County Community Council (henceforth "the Council") came into being on January 23, 1989, by popular vote of the area residents. The Council is a representative body whose duties are outlined below. All members of the Council are expected to abide by these By laws, to maintain stability, integrity and dedication to the goals and objectives for which the Council was formed, and to hold the WELFARE OF WESTERN PIMA COUNTY TO BE PARAMOUNT AT ALL TIMES. The members of the Council will serve without compensation.
The name of this council shall be the Western Pima County Community Council.
This Council does not have the power to tax or govern. It acts as an intermediary between Western Pima County (henceforth "the Community"), various governments, and other external bodies. It has the responsibility and duty to research and study issues relevant to the community, relate them to the county, state, and federal governments and agencies, and to make recommendations to the concerned community. It is a body which the various governments and agencies may contact in order to obtain and disseminate information relevant to the community.
The Council has the purpose of serving the needs and welfare of the general Ajo- Why Lukeville areas. It also has the purpose of developing civic consciousness in the residents of the community, encouraging their participation in constructive projects which will improve quality of life for all residents and visitors in the Western Pima County area, and maintaining the unique character of the area for the continued enjoyment of the residents and visitors in the western section of Pima County.
The community served by the Council is those people residing within Pima County Precincts 1 and 2 which lie outside the boundaries of the Tohono O'Odham Reservation. Action to change these boundaries may be initiated at the discretion of the Council. This community is divided into seven (7) districts for the purpose of the election of the Council members. These districts are delineated in Article III.
The newly elected Council shall meet within two weeks following each general election, but not later than the first Thursday in January, for the purpose of electing the following officers.
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Officers, after agreeing to serve for a one year term, shall be nominated and elected by written secret ballot.
The Council Chair is the chief executive officer of the Council. The Chair presides at all meeting and serves as ex-officio member of all committees.
The Vice Chair presides at Council meeting in the absences of the Chair. In the absence of the recording Secretary or Treasurer, the Vice Chair serves in these roles.
Treasurer has charge of all financial records, shall receive and deposit all funds in a financial institution approved by the Council, and make payments or expenditures as approved by the Council. The Council shall establish those legitimate expenditures. The Council will not approve payments or expenditures not documented by vouchers, bills, or receipts. The additional signature of another elected officer is required for checks or withdrawals which are in excess of a hundred dollars ($100.00).
Each month, the Treasurer shall submit a financial report, including expenditures and the current balance. The Treasurer shall prepare books and accounts for examination or audit at the end of each fiscal year. When the treasury reaches five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), the Treasurer shall be bonded at the expense of the Council.
The Treasurer shall chair the Budget Committee.
The Secretary takes minutes of the Council meetings, provides all Council members with copies and reads the minutes of the previous meeting unless the reading is waived. The Secretary shall give reasonable notice of any changes of regular and of any special meeting as herein after set forth.
The Secretary shall have a valid copy of the By Laws and the Articles of Incorporation available at every Council meeting for review.
In the absence or disability of both Chair and Vice Chair, the Council shall appoint a Chair pro-temp ore.
The Council shall have regular monthly meetings, preferably on the first Thursday of the month. Notice of meetings must be posted in the local media at least twenty four (24) hours prior to the meeting. Meeting of the Council may be suspended or dates and locations may be changed at the discretion of the Council, but notice of such changes must be at least twenty four (24) hours before the meeting. In the event of an emergency change of location, the chair must appoint a person to stay at the original location and notify the public and Council members of the new location.
Special meetings may be called at the request of four (4) Council members for the purpose of specified business only. The purpose of the meeting shall be set forth in a notice posted in the local media at least twenty four hours before the meeting, and all members must be notified at least twenty four (24) hours before the meeting.
Executive sessions may be held by the Council to set up agenda and for discussion of issues. Persons other than Council members may be invited to these meetings. NO MOTIONS OR VOTES MAY BE TAKEN AT EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
No regular, special or any other Council meeting shall be held without advance public notice of at least twenty four (24) hours.
A quorum consisting of five (5) Council members is required for the legal convening of any Council meeting.
Decisions of the Council shall be made by a simple majority vote, except where stipulated otherwise in these Bylaws. Any Council members having, or appearing to have, a conflict of interest shall abstain from voting on the issue so affected.
Council members are expected to attend all meetings. Continued non-excused absence without sufficient cause for a period of three (3) consecutive months shall be deemed as failure to perform. The Council is empowered to remove said member from the Council. An affirmative vote of four (4) members is necessary to remove a Council member for the above reason.
Should any Council member fail to fulfill his/her term or office for reasons of health, death, resignation or removal from office for failure to perform, a new Council member shall be appointed from the same district by the Council for the duration of his/her term. If a member at large is a resident of a vacant district, they shall be deemed to represent the vacant district.
An interim Council member may be appointed for a specified period of time by the Council member in the event of an approved absence of a Council member. The interim member must be approved by the Council.
Should a Council member no longer be a resident in the District to which he/she was elected/appointed, but relocated within the Council area, that Council member shall be deemed to be representing the District for which he/she was elected or appointed for the duration of his/her term, but may not be elected to represent that District at the end of his/her term.
In the event that no Council member is elected or a vacancy cannot be filled from a District, the Council shall appoint a temporary member-at-large to fill that vacant seat on the Council and this appointment shall be for one year, the full term, or the remaining term, at the discretion of the Council.
The Council Chair shall appoint the Chairs of all Committees, the Liaison officers, and the Statutory Agency. The Standing Committees, Liaison Officers, and the Statutory Agent, some of whom may be persons who are not on the Council, shall serve for the duration of the year or at the discretion of the Chair. The Chair may also appoint special committees and their respective chairs. All appointments are subject to the approval of the Council.
The Standing Committees are:
This committee shall attend to the procurement of funds for the operation of the Council.
All fund raising efforts and/or events shall have prior approval of the Council. The Treasurer shall be a member of this committee.
This committee is responsible for the timely and proper annual election of Council members. Only non-candidates are eligible to serve on this committee.
This committee is responsible for setting the Council budget. The Treasurer will chair this committee. The committee will present a proposed budget for the next fiscal year to the Council before the completion of the current fiscal year. The fiscal year being January 1 to December 31.
The Audit committee composed of three (3) members shall be appointed by the Chair. This committee should audit all books before the end of each fiscal year, or as deemed necessary by the Council. Audit committee members shall not be members of the Council.
The Liaison Officers are to represent the Council to the following organizations but are not limited to these organizations:
Statutory Agent should be re-appointed each year, but if possible, the current Statutory Agent should be re-appointed. Notice of changes in Statutory Agent must be given the Corporation Commission in the annual report.
There are seven (7) electoral districts which shall have boundaries shown on the attached map:
In addition four representatives are elected from the aggregate community, and are called representatives at large. Each of the representatives shall be elected for and serve for a two year term. A candidate must run in the district he resides in if that district is open for election that year.
Representatives for District 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 are elected in even numbered years. Representatives for Districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 are elected in odd numbered years.
The elections of Council members shall be held on the first Thursday of December. In preparation for the election, the Council shall set the exact locations, date and time. The Council shall make appropriate announcement for these facts thirty (30) days prior to the election date.
The Election Committee shall begin to seek qualified candidates forty five (45) days prior to the election date.
All new candidates must:
Candidates for reelection must submit a form stating their intention to run and a statement declaring that the previous notarized statement is still true.
All paperwork must be completed and received by the election committee two weeks prior to the election.
Council members are elected by receiving a simple majority of votes in their districts. In case of a tie vote, lots shall be cast to determine the winner. The election shall be overseen by a disinterested body. If more than one person is running in a district. the names shall be in alphabetical order on the ballot.
At the time of election voters must:
The results of the election (Names, districts) shall be posted within twenty four (24) hours and published in the local news as soon as possible. The newly elected Council assumes their responsibilities on January 1.
Any and all property purchased with Council funds or donated for Council use shall become the property of the Council throughout its existence. Should the Council dissolve, property shall then pass to such public service department or nonprofit organization as designated by the Council before dissolution, be donated to a public department or nonprofit organization as designated by the Council prior to its dissolution as defined in Article VI of the Articles of Incorporation.
These Bylaws may be amended at any general meeting. There shall be thirty (30) days published notice of proposed changes in the Bylaws. Amendment voting will be by a majority vote of attendees at any meeting. A copy of any proposed changes will be made available to the public at the Ajo Public Library or Bud Walker Park. Amendments may be proposed by either referendum or initiative.
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised may be deferred to by general consensus or by order of the Chair.
Revised and amended on December 7, 2000 by majority general resident vote.
Last edited on 11/03/2007.
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