Bylaws
Green Party of St. Louis/Gateway Green Alliance
Approved November 12, 1990
Amended February 4, 2004
Amended April 14, 2004
Statement of Purpose
The Green Party of St. Louis/Gateway Green Alliance (GGA) strives toward transforming society in ways which both empower people in our community and foster the growth of new relationships between the community and the natural world. We can facilitate this process with the following ten key values:
Ecological Wisdom
Grassroots Democracy
Nonviolence
Global Responsibility
Decentralization
Feminism
Community-based Economics
Future focus/Sustainability
Respect for Diversity
Personal and Social Responsibility
As Greens, we understand that there is a close relationship between the environmental crisis and social problems, between the destruction of our world and political and economic systems. The major threat to life on this planet is its domination by multinational corporations and political and economic structures whose functioning requires them to place profit and short-term gain before ecological and human needs. Healing our world and improving human relations with the rest of nature for future generations means that we must actively explain the need for replacing the system of uncontrolled and destructive growth with one which respects the beauty and diversity of life.
The GGA is affiliated with the Missouri Green Party and Greens/Green Party USA.
Article 1: Introduction
These bylaws are designed to help the Green Party of St. Louis/Gateway Green Alliance (GGA) accomplish its goals, empower its participants, and become a model for social change. These bylaws aim to promote the sharing of responsibility and develop the capabilities of those who participate in GGA meetings and public actions. The General Meeting (GM) makes all fundamental decisions and committees have only those powers which are delegated to them. Any disagreements concerning interpretation of these by-laws should be resolved according to the principles in the first sentence in this introduction.
Article 2: Membership
2.1 Membership requirements. Any person who is in agreement with the 10 key values covered in the Statement of Purpose, strives to support and uphold the work of the GGA, and is not a member of another Green local, may pay dues and thereby become an active member of the GGA
2.2 Powers of members. Active members of the GGA have the power to determine all policy, call and endorse public actions, select and remove officers, and change the by-laws of the organization. This power is exercised at the monthly General Meetings (GM), which may delegate responsibility to committees.
2.3 Spokespersons. It is the responsibility of any spokesperson to represent GGA decisions made at GMs. Those who may make announcements for the GGA and speak publicly on its behalf include:
a. Members chosen at a GM for specific tasks,
b. Either Co-Coordinator,
c. An active member designated by both Co-Coordinators
2.4 Removal of members. An active member may be removed if:
a. Another active member presents written cause at a GM, and
b. Active members vote for removal at that meeting, and
c. At the next GM, active members vote to uphold the removal following an oral presentation of cause and defense, neither to exceed 15 minutes.
Article 3: Coordinating Committee
3.1 Members. The Coordinating Committee (CC) shall consist of the following five Officers: two co-Coordinators, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and an Outreach Coordinator.
3.2 Duties.
3.2.1 Between GMs, the CC shall make decisions and endorsements on behalf of the GGA which are consistent with its principles and membership decisions. The CC shall present all such decisions and endorsements to the next GM for review.
3.2.2 At least 7 days prior to each GM, the CC shall mail, e-mail, or otherwise publicly post on a website or listserv maintained by the GGA, the time and location of the upcoming GM to all active members. This notification should include notes from the previous GM, the proposed facilitator and agenda for the upcoming GM, and the dates and locations for all upcoming committee meetings.
3.2.3 The CC will be responsible for approving expenses up to $100 per purchase. The CC cannot approve expenses totaling in excess of $300 per month without first consulting the membership at a GM.
3.2.4 Paid Employees. Paid employees of the GGA shall not serve as officers on the CC.
Article 4: Committees
4.1 Creation. A GM may vote to create committees. The GM must approve the powers, scope and membership of any such committee.
4.2 Responsibilities. Committees will select a facilitator for each committee meeting and an annual Coordinator who will be responsible for ensuring that the committee report is delivered at the GM.
4.3 Projects, programs and expenses. Each committee must describe all proposed projects and programs at the GM. Committee expenses up to $100 per year may be approved by the CC.
4.4 Dissolution. Committees may be dissolved at any time by the vote of a GM. A committee may be temporarily suspended by the CC. Any such temporary suspension must be either revoked or made permanent by the membership at the next GM.
Article 5: Meetings
5.1 Attendance and announcement. All GMs shall be open to all active members. Therefore, all meeting locations, dates, and times shall be publicized at least one week before they occur.
5.2 Publication. Publication of meetings may be done by mail, electronic mail, and/or by posting the information on a listserv or website maintained by the GGA for that purpose. The CC shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the maximum possible number of members is given timely notice.
5.3 Frequency and length. GMs and shall be held monthly.
5.4 Special meetings. Special GMs may be called by a majority of officers or 20% of active members. The CC will be responsible for notifying members in advance of special GMs.
5.5 Quorum. All GMs must have a quorum present to make decisions. A quorum in a GM is 20% of all members, or ten (10) members present, whichever is less. A CC quorum is a majority of the general officers. A quorum for other committees is three active members.
5.6 Voting.
5.6.1 All active members may vote at GMs.
5.6.2 Any active member may call for a vote during the discussion of a proposal. The facilitator will determine if a majority wish to vote. Votes may have one or two steps (with no debate between them):
a. First, the facilitator will ask for consensus; and, if there are no objections, the vote is over;
b. If there is no consensus, then the vote shall be determined by a simple majority of those members voting.
5.6.3 For purposes of determining a majority, abstentions will not count as votes, but will be recorded in the minutes.
5.7 Order of issues at GMs.
a. The facilitator suggested by the CC will open the meeting and ask for approval of the notes of the previous meeting and the facilitator and agenda proposed by the CC. If there is not consensus on suggested changes, they will be made by majority vote.
b. Committee reports should include the dates of all meetings since the last GM, the number of active members who in attendance, ongoing and proposed activities, the date, time and location of the next meeting, and the phone number of the coordinator/contact person for the committee. A written copy of the committee report will be given to the Secretary. The CC report will be limited to 5 minutes and all other committee reports to 2 minutes.
c. Announcements of upcoming events by active members will precede those by guests and all announcements will be limited to two minutes per person.
d. Unfinished business.
e. New and/or unfinished business.
5.8 Regular meeting schedule. Except when change is necessary due to conflict with established holidays or other reason deemed appropriate by the CC,
a. The organization shall sponsor an educational assembly on the first Wednesday of every month, which shall be open to the public.
b. The GM will be held on the second Wednesday of every month.
c. Unless otherwise specified in writing by the CC, all such meetings shall start at 7:00 p.m. and be held at such location announced by the CC pursuant to section 3.2.2.
Article 6: Officers
6.1 Elections and terms of office. General officers include two co-Coordinators, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and an Outreach Coordinator. Terms of office are one year. Officers are selected by majority vote. Regardless of when an officer is elected to a position, elections for every General Office shall be held the first GM of each calendar year.
6.2 Vacancies. If a general officer misses three consecutive GMs, the other general officers should declare that position vacant at the next GM so members can elect a person to fill the remainder of the term during the following GM. The former officer may be re-elected by the GM.
6.3 Removal. The GM may vote to remove any officer for any reason.
6.4 Replacement. When a general office is vacated, or a general officer removed, an election to fill the office will be held during the following GM.
6.5 Interim Officers. In the event where a general officer vacates, resigns, or is removed from office, the GM may elect an interim officer to fill the office until a regular election can be held at the next GM.
6.6 Duties of general officers.
6.6.1. The co-Coordinators shall:
a. Ensure that there is a location for every GM.
b. Speak and/or select designees to speak on behalf of the GGA;
c. Ensure the development and maintenance of contacts with groups which share Green values and are working on projects similar to those of the GGA.
d. Supervise the activities of all committees, and/or any persons employed by the GGA.
6.6.2 The Secretary shall:
a. Record minutes of GMs which include all decisions made. The minutes will also contain committee reports submitted pursuant to section 5.7(b),
b. Ensure that notice of GMs is given pursuant to section 3.2.2,
c. Keep membership forms and solicit memberships at all GMs and,
d. Coordinate correspondence with other Green groups.
6.6.3 The Treasurer shall:
a. Ensure that a current list of all active (dues-paid) members is brought to every GM,
b. Receive all membership dues, donations, and other income,
c. Maintain an account of all funds,
d. Ensure that a report of receipts, expenditures & balance is delivered at each GM,
e. Mail reminders of annual dues to all members,
f. Prepare a financial report an the end of each fiscal quarter to be submitted to the CC and published to the membership pursuant to section 3.2.2,
g. Deliver an annual financial report at the December meeting and publish said report to the membership pursuant to section 3.2.2, and
h. Propose a dues structure during the January GM.
6.6.4 The Outreach Coordinator will,
a. Actively recruit new members,
b. Ensure the production and mailing of a newsletter to members at least quarterly;
c. Establish and maintain contacts with other groups and organization in the community,
d. Seek out suitable candidates for the Gateway Green Alliance/Green Party of St. Louis to run in local elections.
e. Strive to establish and maintain ethnic and gender diversity among the membership.