Civano Neighbors Bylaws

Article I. Name and Boundaries

A. The name of this neighborhood association is Civano Neighbors.

B. The boundaries of Civano Neighbors are:

North – Irvington Road
East – Pantano Wash
South – Bilby Road
West – Harrison Road/Davis-Monthan Air Force Base eastern boundary

Article II. Purpose

A. The purpose of Civano Neighbors is to provide a forum for community dialogue and a mechanism for community action to enhance sense of place, neighbor connectivity, and neighborhood quality of life for the residents and businesses within the boundaries of the Civano Neighbors neighborhood association.

Article III. Membership

A. All residents (all ages), all non-resident homeowners, and all businesses within the boundaries of Civano Neighbors are members of this neighborhood association. If consensus cannot be reached on a particular decision and a vote is necessary to move forward with an action, each household, non-resident owner, and business may cast one vote.

B. No dues will be collected, though Civano Neighbors may solicit contributions from members and others to provide financial support for neighborhood association services and activities.

Article IV. Decision-Making Process

A. Civano Neighbors operates on a modified Consensus Process that allows all sides of an issue or proposal to be heard and discussed in a free exchange of information prior to reaching consensus and moving forward. Discussions will be led by facilitators from the Leadership Team or the Civano Neighbors general membership, as appropriate.

B. Consensus is defined as general agreement to move forward among Civano Neighbors members in attendance at a general meeting. Consensus discussion time frames may be established by the Leadership Team, and the Leadership Team has the authority to set aside new and emerging discussions in order to reach consensus on the initial issue or proposal.

C. The Leadership Team has the authority to use other rulemaking procedures for making decisions when consensus cannot be reached after a specified period of discussion. For example, less important or more specific decisions may use Robert’s Rules of Order, current edition, while decisions that will impact the whole community may require a longer consensus-based process.

Article V. Leadership Team

A. In lieu of traditional “officers,” Civano Neighbors is directed by a Leadership Team. The Leadership Team is comprised of seven elected positions and a varying number of appointed or ex officio positions.

1. Elected Positions

• Association Spokesperson—The Association Spokesperson is the official Contact Person between the City of Tucson and Civano Neighbors, and also serves as the association’s representative to the general public and media.
• Treasurer—The Treasurer is responsible for the financial authority and well-being of Civano Neighbors, and directs campaigns to solicit contributions to provide neighborhood association services and activities.
• At-Large Member (5)—Five At-Large Members help ensure broader community representation and perform other Leadership Team duties as necessary, including those outlined in a., below.

a. Additional functions and responsibilities that would rotate among the elected members of the Leadership Team, may include:

• Membership Advocate—A Membership Advocate would serve as the primary contact person for Civano Neighbor’s general membership, ensuring resident, business, and stakeholder concerns are brought before the Leadership Team and properly addressed by the Civano Neighbors membership.
• Meetings Manager—A Meetings Manager would be responsible for facilitating agenda-setting by the Leadership Team for general and annual Civano Neighbors meetings and managing or chairing the meeting.
• Communications Coordinator—A Communications Coordinator would serve as the “town crier,” ensuring information is communicated to the membership in a regular and timely manner.
• Meeting Facilitator—A Meeting Facilitator would be available during Civano Neighbors meetings to assist the membership in reaching consensus on issues that the Leadership Team determines would be best addressed through a consensus approach.
• Meeting Recorder—A Meeting Recorder would be responsible for documenting decisions reached by the membership.
• Other Roles and Responsibilities—Other roles and responsibilities may be created by the Leadership Team, and addressed by elected At-Large Members, as necessary.

b. Terms shall be staggered so that three or four positions are re-elected every year. On the first election, the Association Spokesperson, Treasurer, and two At-Large Members shall be elected to two-year terms; and three At-Large Members shall be elected to one-year terms. Thereafter, all elected positions will have two-year terms.

c. No person may hold more than one elected Leadership Team position at any given time. No more than one person from each household or business may hold an elected Leadership Team position at any given time.

d. Elected Leadership Team members may not serve on any Homeowner’s Association (HOA) or related Board or subsequent homeowner-related, decision-making body, including the Civano I Neighborhood I HOA Board and Advisory Council.

2. Non-Elected Positions

Non-elected Leadership Team positions are appointed by the elected members of the Leadership Team to serve as long as necessary, but not exceeding 36 months, to facilitate consensus on specific issues or proposals. Non-elected positions may include:

• Neighborhood Victim’s Representative—The Neighborhood Victim’s Representative is the official contact between the City of Tucson and Pima County and the neighborhood regarding neighborhood crime right-to-know. This position may also serve as the contact for Neighborhood Watch and other public safety programs.
• Neighborhood Block Representatives—Neighborhood Block Representatives may be appointed to help facilitate communication and decision-making among blocks or areas within the boundaries of Civano Neighbors.
• Working Group Chairs/Coordinators—Working Group Chairs and Coordinators serve as leaders and facilitators for Working Groups created by the elected members of the Leadership Team.

B. Elections

1. Elections are held by ballot at the annual meeting (each November) for open elected positions.
2. Nominations are open two months prior to elections, and are closed one month prior to elections.
3. The seven elected positions of the Leadership Team shall be elected for a term of no more than 24 months.
4. No member of the Leadership Team shall serve more than two consecutive terms. An individual who has served two consecutive terms on the Leadership Team may be re-elected to the Leadership Team after not serving on the Leadership Team for a term of at least 12 months prior to re-election.
5. Leadership Team position terms begin at the close of the annual meeting.
6. All documents, records, and any materials pertaining to the duties of the position as designated in the bylaws that are in the possession of the outgoing position(s) shall be submitted to the newly elected counterpart within ten days of the installation.

C. Quorum for the Leadership Team is defined as representation of four elected positions.

D. Any vacancies occurring during the term of any Leadership Team position shall be filled through appointment by consensus of the Leadership Team.

E. Any member of the Leadership Team may be removed for cause by a 2/3 majority vote of the general membership in attendance at a general or special meeting.

Article VI. Working Groups

A. The Leadership Team shall have the power to appoint standing and/or ad hoc working groups as necessary to research and reach consensus on proposals for consideration by the general membership. Working group chairs shall serve as ex officio members of the Leadership Team not to exceed 36 months.

Article VII. Meetings

A. All meetings are open to the public, though only the general membership of Civano Neighbors may participate in elections or votes.

B. General membership meetings are held every other month, or more often if necessary.

C. An annual meeting shall be held each November. The purpose of the annual meeting is to review events and progress from the previous year (presented in a report by the Leadership Team), establish goals and objectives for the forthcoming year, hold elections, and review/revise bylaws as appropriate.

D. Using the resources of the City of Tucson’s Department of Neighborhood Resources, as appropriate, all meetings will be announced at least seven days in advance of the meeting. All meeting minutes will be posted on the CivanoNeighbors.com Website within ten working days after the meeting, and made available in hard copy upon request.

E. A quorum, for consensus and voting purposes, is defined as the attendance of 20 members at the meeting.

Article VIII. Fiscal Responsibility

A. Expenditure of funds of Civano Neighbors may not be made without the signatures of the Association Spokesperson and the Treasurer.

B. Financial records and funds, if any, of Civano Neighbors shall be audited every year by a committee of at least two members of the neighborhood association appointed by the Leadership Team, and at any other time necessary prior to transfer of the Treasurer position from one member to another.

Article IX. Amendment of Bylaws

A. These bylaws may be amended at any time by a 2/3 majority vote of the general membership in attendance at a general meeting.

B. Proposed amendments shall be made available to all members at least ten working days in advance of the meeting where action is to be taken.

Article X. General

A. If any part of these bylaws or the application thereof is hereafter held invalid or unenforceable, the remainder shall not be affected thereby, and only the affected portions are declared eliminated.

B. No Leadership Team position, representative, spokesperson, or member of Civano Neighbors shall have any financial liability of this neighborhood association.

Date Adopted: August 28, 2002
Last Revised: January 22, 2004

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