SCRANTON-LACKAWANNA COUNTY

TAXPAYERS AND CITIZENS’ ASSOCIATION, INC.

 

                                                                  Bylaws

 

ARTICLE I – Name & Purpose

 

                        The name of the organization shall be the SCRANTON-LACKAWANNA COUNTY TAXPAYERS AND CITIZENS’ ASSOCIATION.

 

                        The Scranton-Lackawanna County Taxpayers and Citizens’ Association’s purpose is to provide Lackawanna County citizens an opportunity to express viewpoints and exchange opinions, which shall lead to those decisions and actions, which shall help to create good government, quality education, responsible use of the citizen’s monies and renewed credibility in those officials who are placed in offices of trust. The Scranton-Lackawanna County Taxpayers and Citizens’ Association is a non-partisan, non-political, and does not support or oppose any candidate. The Association is accountable to the people. The Scranton-Lackawanna County Taxpayers and Citizens’ Association is a volunteer organization and it welcomes new people.

 

ARTICLE II – Membership

 

            Application for voting membership shall be open to any resident of Lackawanna County that supports the purpose in Article l, and continuing membership is contingent upon being up-to-date on membership dues. Membership shall be granted upon the majority of the members. The members shall have the right to deny, or terminate, the membership of the Association, upon the majority of the members. The annual membership dues of the Association shall be $12.50 annually, and must be paid up prior to voting on a matter on the agenda. (Tabled until January 2006 meeting)

 

ARTICLE III – Meetings

 

            The date of a regular meeting shall be set by the members who shall also set the time and place. Special meetings may be called by the President or Vice-President, or a simple majority of members. A petition signed by a majority of the voting membership may call a special meeting. A quorum of seven (7) voting members must be established to conduct official business. There will be no proxy vote. The Association will meet every two weeks, the first and third Mondays of the month.

 

ARTICLE IV – Nominations and Elections

 

            A President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by the voting members of member organization. A Nominating Committee of three voting members shall be selected at the first November meeting. Nominations for a slate of offices will be made by a Nominating Committee at the first December meeting. The election of offices shall take place on the first meeting in January of the calendar year. The Officers shall take office for the calendar year only. There is no limit on terms in office.  Also, a member may be nominated from the floor at the December meeting. When a vacancy occurs, nominations to fill the office must be presented at the meeting preceding the next regular meeting. An Officer shall be dropped for missing two regular meetings in a Calendar year, unless he or she has an excused absence, but not more than two excused absences within one calendar year. An Officer may be removed from office by a secret individual ballot cast by each member

 

ARTICLE V – Committees

 

            At the call of the chair, or a majority of those present at the meeting, a committee may be formed for public relations, finance, data collection and others that are deemed necessary by the chair or majority of the members at each meeting. There will be two Standing Committees: Executive and Finance Committees. The four Officers will serve as the members of the Executive Committee. The Treasurer is the chair of the Finance Committee, which shall include at least three other, voting members. The Finance Committee is responsible for developing and reviewing fiscal procedures, a fundraising plan, and if needed, an annual budget. The Finance Committee chair, shall prepare a financial statement of income and expenditures for each regular meeting.

 

ARTICLE VI – Fiscal year

 

            The fiscal year shall be from January 1st to December 31st.

 

ARTICLE VII – Anti-Discrimination

 

            All discrimination laws and regulations in accordance with Federal, State and Local laws will apply to the Association and its members.

 

ARTICLE VIII – Amendments to Bylaws

 

            These Bylaws may be amended when necessary by a two-thirds majority of the voting membership. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the Secretary at the meeting previous to the voting meeting, which voting meeting will be the next regular meeting of the Association.

 

 

APPROVED:             SEPTEMBER 27, 2005