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Farviews – Pattee Canyon Neighborhood Council Bylaws (Revised April 10, 2008) – Page 1 of 4 Farviews - Pattee Canyon Neighborhood Council Bylaws Revised April 10, 2008 Preamble: We the people of Farviews / Pattee Canyon Neighborhood Council will pool our resources and creativity to make this a safe and involved neighborhood, one where the neighbors have an opportunity to recommend what will happen in their immediate neighborhoods and in the Farviews / Pattee Canyon area in general. We will be an informed Neighborhood Council that seeks advice from and acknowledge all neighbors, and will be appreciative of their support and input. ARTICLE 1. NAME and NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL DISTRICT BOUNDARY 1.1 Name. The name of this organization shall be “Farviews / Pattee Canyon Neighborhood Council” (or “Neighborhood Council”). 1.2 Area. The Farviews / Pattee Canyon Neighborhood Council district, as per City designated Neighborhood boundaries, shall encompass the following geographic area, which is subject to change: • northern edge: westward, beginning at the intersection of Pattee Canyon Drive and South Higgins Avenue where it becomes S.W. Higgins Avenue, around the curve along the south/odd-numbered side of S.W. Higgins Avenue, to its intersection with Hillview Way; • western edge: southward, along the east/even-numbered side of Hillview Way, up the hill to, and including both sides of, Woodbine Place and Landon’s Way; • southern edge: eastward, including both sides of Parkview Way and Marilyn Court to Whitaker Drive, southward up the hill to the top and southern boundary of Mansion Heights, eastward again to include all of Mansion Heights, then northward down the hill following the City/County boundary line to and along the eastern edge of Hemayagan Park, then eastward again along the City/County boundary line and the southern edge of Takima-Kokaski Park to Pattee Canyon Drive; • eastern edge: northward, down both sides of Pattee Canyon Drive including Canyon Gate Drive, Hillcrest Loop, and West Hillcrest Drive, to the intersection with South Higgins Avenue where it then curves and becomes S.W. Higgins Avenue. ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL 2.1 General. This Neighborhood Council was organized in 1999, in accordance with Missoula City Council Ordinance 3030 [first effective in 1997], and as set forth in Chapter VI of the City of Missoula Charter [approved in 1996], for the following purposes: • to increase neighborhood and individual participation in city government; • to provide a forum for and to promote the involvement of neighbors in matters affecting their neighborhood; • to increase the awareness of neighborhood as a community. ---PAGE BREAK--- Farviews – Pattee Canyon Neighborhood Council Bylaws (Revised April 10, 2008) – Page 2 of 4 All Neighborhood Council and Leadership Team meetings are open to public attendance and for public comment. 2.2 Advise City Government. The Neighborhood Council shall advise the City government on neighborhood and citywide issues. Each Neighborhood Council shall determine the issues on which advice will be given. Those members of the Neighborhood Council who disagree with advice to be given to the City government shall have a reasonable opportunity to produce a minority report. If such a minority report is produced it shall accompany the advice submitted to the City government. Decisions and advice to City government shall be made by a meeting of the Neighborhood Council and shall not be delegated to any individual or subcommittee. 2.3 Authority. Neighborhood Councils shall not preclude any individual or individuals from access to, or participation with, the City Council, the Mayor, or City departments. ARTICLE 3. MEMBERSHIP and VOTING 3.1 All residents physically located in the Farviews - Pattee Canyon neighborhood district, or encompassed area as defined by Article 1, Section 2, and described by the Community Forum, are members of the Farviews - Pattee Canyon Neighborhood Council and are eligible to vote at meetings on all issues that come before the Neighborhood Council. No person shall have more than one vote. Representatives from Businesses, schools, and other organizations are welcome to participate in neighborhood councils and the Community Forum, but are not recognized as members and may not vote. ARTICLE 4. LEADERSHIP TEAM 4.1 Composition. The Leadership Team shall consist of between five and seven persons. Any Neighborhood Council member may serve on the Leadership Team. The Leadership Team shall reflect the diversity of the neighborhood in both age and gender. 4.2 Assigned Duties. The Neighborhood Council may designate members from the Leadership Team to serve in the following capacities: 1. two Co-Chairpersons, a Secretary and a Treasurer, or a Secretary/Treasurer; 2. and shall elect from the Leadership Team a Community Forum Representative and an Alternate. 4.3 General Duties. The Leadership Team shall operate in compliance with Montana’s open meeting and public participation laws and shall collectively be responsible for the following duties: 1. meet at least four times per year; 2. report to the Community Forum as to events and issues in the Neighborhood; ---PAGE BREAK--- Farviews – Pattee Canyon Neighborhood Council Bylaws (Revised April 10, 2008) – Page 3 of 4 3. report to the City Council at least once per year on the state of the Neighborhood; 4. develop and maintain a communication system among Neighborhood volunteers, fellow residents of the Neighborhood, and fellow citizens of Missoula; 5. account for and report expenses and income in accordance with City fiscal policy; 6. identify and assist potential projects and project funding opportunities; 7. coordinate neighborhood volunteers and committees; 8. select members of a “nominating committee” to identify, recruit, and train future Leadership Team candidates; 9. organize and preside at Neighborhood Council general meetings; 10. hold at least one Neighborhood Council general meeting every spring for yearly elections; 11. give public notification of general meetings at least seven days and at the most 15 days prior to the meeting—such notice shall be made in the following ways: on sandwich-board signs at the three or four main intersections on S.W. Higgins Avenue, on the internet (see below), and sometimes by flyer, postcard, or newsletter, or as community news and events on television, radio, and in local newspapers; 12. set agendas for each general meeting and file it with the Missoula City Clerk’s office, for public posting on the City of Missoula Neighborhood Council and Community Forum Internet Website (www.missoula-neighborhoods.org); 13. record proceedings of the Neighborhood Council general meetings and file the minutes at the City Clerk’s office; 14. take attendance at Neighborhood Council general meetings and file the list with the minutes at the City Clerk’s office; 15. a member of the Leadership Team or their designee, will take resolutions passed by Neighborhood Council to Community Forum, appropriate City Council representatives, City Council as a whole, or appropriate City personnel within one week after adoption of said resolutions; 16. submit minority reports along with resolutions, when such reports are available. ARTICLE 5. ELECTIONS and BYLAWS 5.1 Elections. Leadership Team members and Community Forum representatives will be elected at a yearly general election meeting in the spring and must be approved by at least a two-third (2/3) majority vote of those voting. 1. Candidates may nominate themselves or be nominated by others from the floor. Nominees must be present at the election in order to qualify for election. 2. Leadership Team terms (and Community Forum representative and Community Forum alternate terms) shall be of two years duration. 3. In order to ensure a continuity of leadership, every attempt will be made to stagger terms so that half of the Leadership Team will be elected each year. 4. Limits as to number of terms served shall not apply to the Leadership Team, nor to the Community Forum representatives, as long as there are only a ---PAGE BREAK--- Farviews – Pattee Canyon Neighborhood Council Bylaws (Revised April 10, 2008) – Page 4 of 4 limited number of citizens who are willing to volunteer their time and efforts toward these positions. When there are more people willing to accept responsibilities for the Neighborhood Council, term limits on the number of terms able to be served by one person may be reapplied by amending the bylaws. 5. If a vacancy occurs on the Leadership Team due to resignation, moving out of the district, or death, nominations will be taken from the Neighborhood Council for replacement candidates and the vacant position shall be filled by at least a two-third (2/3) majority vote of those voting at the next meeting, whenever that may be. 6. Public notification of pending elections shall be given at least 15 days prior to the scheduled elections. 5.2 Bylaws 1. Public notification of a vote to approve bylaw changes shall be given at least 15 days prior to the scheduled vote. 2. Proposed revisions and amendments to the Neighborhood Council bylaws shall be provided for review either through a mailing, through the Office of Neighborhoods, and/or on the Neighborhood Council web page on the internet, at least 15 days prior to a vote to approve the changes.