ByLaws

archived ByLaws OF Ubuntu Local Community Team for New York State

The bylaws were removed per a 3-0-0 vote (1 of four leaders was not present) on May 18th 2010. The bylaws were replaced with an informal structure. These bylaws were well crafted considering the original intentions of becoming a Not For Profit corporation. The original members of the NY State LoCo put in a great deal of time and effort in to crafting them.

  • Note this page should be archived permanently -- cprofitt 2010-05-19 02:40:46

*** DO NOT CHANGE THIS DOCUMENT WITHOUT CONSULTING Jeremy AustinBardo ***

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

==== ARTICLE I — NAME AND PURPOSE ====

 Section 1 — ''Name:'' The name of the organization shall be Ubuntu Local Community Team for New York State (``NY``Lo``Co). 

 Section 2 — ''Purpose:'' ``NY``Lo``Co shall be organized to encourage the use of Ubuntu Linux Operating System through networking, supporting and educating of citizens and businesses in the State of New York, USA. 

 Section 3 — ''Status:'' (a) ``NY``Lo``Co shall operate as a Section 201a nonprofit organization under the laws of the State of New York. (b) ``NY``Lo``Co shall operate as a 501c3 not-for-profit organization under the laws of the United States of America. (c) It shall be at the leadership's discretion to seek the legal statuses stated herein.

==== ARTICLE II — MEMBERSHIP ====

 Section 1 — ''Eligibility:'' (a) Each member shall live or work within the state of New York. (b) Each member shall agree to abide by the ''Ubuntu Code of Conduct'' as found at http://www.ubuntu.com/community/conduct. (c) Each member shall support ``NY``Lo``Co's purpose as stated in Article I, Section 2. (d) Each member shall either use, support, or express a desire to use or support the Ubuntu Linux Operating System.

 Section 2 — ''Process:'' (a) Interested individuals shall visit the ``NY``Lo``Co Launchpad account at https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-newyork (Launchpad) and select the ''join this team'' link. (b) Leadership shall decide whether to finalize the approval for membership.(c) Additional membership information may be requested of prospective members beyond selecting the link on Launchpad before they are approved.

 Section 3 — ''Dues:'' (a) The amount and manner of dues, if any, shall be decided by a majority vote of leadership. (b) In the event that dues are introduced, continued membership shall be contingent upon being up-to-date on membership dues.

 Section 4 — ''Fees:'' (a) There shall only be minimal fees or nothing collected for activities and events. (b) Fees shall consist of only actual or foreseeable reasonable costs and expenses.

 Section 5 — ''Resignation and Suspension:'' (a) A member may resign by selecting the ''leave the team'' link on Launchpad. (b) A member may chose to leave temporarily by editing their status on Launchpad. (c) Resignation shall not relieve a member of unpaid dues, or other charges previously accrued. (d) A member can have membership suspended by a majority vote of leadership.

==== ARTICLE III — LEADERSHIP ====

 Section 1 — ''Role:'' (a) Leadership shall be responsible for overall policy and direction of the organization. (b) Leadership shall delegate the responsibility of day-to-day operations to committees. (c) Leadership shall function in accordance with the ''Ubuntu Leadership Code of Conduct'' as found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LeadershipCodeofConduct.

 Section 2 — ''Composition:'' (a) Leadership shall have up to 9(nine), but not fewer than 3(three) regional leaders. (b) Each leader shall reside in one of the designated regions as established by leadership. This shall be done for better local communication within each region. (c) 4(four) executive positions shall be established within leadership: president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. (d) Up to 2(two) executive positions may be shared by a designated leader. (e) Founding leaders, Salvatore Carini and Yosef Harrow, shall maintain an advisory non-voting leadership position when not elected to leadership. (f) Founding leaders will decide approval when a tie occurrs in leadership matters.

 Section 3 — ''Executive Positions:''  Duties of the office are as follows:

  * ''Duties of President:''  Convenes regularly scheduled board meetings. Presides or arranges for vice president to preside at meetings. Oversees the overall progress of reaching goals set by membership and leadership for ``NY``Lo``Co. Officer may not hold any other office.

  * ''Duties of Vice-President:'' Chairs committees on special subjects as designated by leadership. Provides assistance to other committees formed by leadership. Presides in absence of president or arranges for secretary to preside at meetings. Officer may hold another office.

  * ''Duties of Secretary:'' Keeps the business records of ``NY``Lo``Co. Oversees the taking of minutes, announcement of meetings and posting the agenda and minutes on the team wiki at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/NewYorkTeam/Meetings. Assures records are being maintained in accordance with the nonprofit laws ``NY``Lo``Co is operating under. Presides in absence of president and vice president or arranges for treasurer to preside at meetings. Officer may hold another office.

  * ''Duties of Treasurer:'' Keeps financial records of ``NY``Lo``Co. Oversees the tracking of income and expenses, budgeting for future financial needs, and preparing financial information for ``NY``Lo``Co and the public. Assures that records are maintained in accordance with the nonprofit laws ``NY``Lo``Co is operating under. Presides in absence of president, vice president and secretary at meetings. Officer may hold another office.

 Section 4 — ''Compensation:'' Leadership shall receive no compensation other than reasonable expenses when agreed to by membership. 

 Section 5 — ''Terms:'' Each elected leader shall serve for 2(two)-years, but are eligible for re-election.

 Section 6 — ''Elections Procedures:'' (a) A candidates' committee shall be formed to present a slate of candidates for leadership. (b) Candidates shall be selected that represent each designated region of ``NY``Lo``Co and its diverse membership. (c) Membership present at the annual election meeting as defined in Article V, Section 2 shall be eligible to nominate additional candidates for open positions in leadership on the slate. (d) Each new or current leader shall be elected or re-elected by a simple majority of membership present at the annual election meeting.

 Section 7 — ''Resignation, Termination, and Absences:'' (a) Resignation from leadership must be in writing and received by the secretary. (b) Any leader with more than 2(two) unexcused absences from leadership meetings within a year shall be terminated from leadership. (c) Any leader can be removed for any other reason by a 3/4(three-fourths) vote of the remaining leadership.

 Section 8 — ''Vacancies:'' (a) Vacancies amongst leadership that exists mid-term shall be filled by majority vote amongst remaining leadership. (b) Nominations shall be received by the secretary at least 2 (two) weeks in advance of a leadership meeting. (c) Nominations to be voted upon shall be sent out with the leadership meeting announcement. (d) Vacancies shall be filled only to the end of the vacating leader's term.

==== ARTICLE IV — MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS ====

 Section 1 — ''IRC Meetings:'' Membership shall meet at least monthly, at a date and time as designated by the president on Freenode IRC channel #ubuntu-newyork (IRC). 

 Section 2  — ''In-Person Meetings:'' (a) Membership shall meet at least semiannually at a date and time as decided by leadership. (b) The location shall be within the state of New York, unless agreed upon by a majority of membership. (c) Meetings shall be made convenient to and rotate with the various designated regions.

 Section 3 — ''Notification:''  (a) Membership shall be given notice of meetings by email. (b) Notices shall be posted on the team wiki at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/NewYorkTeam (Team Wiki). (c) Notification of IRC meetings shall not be less than 1 (one) week prior to a meeting. (d) Notification of In-Person meetings shall not be less than 1 (one) month prior to a meeting.

 Section 4 — ''Quorum and Voting:'' (a) Membership, as defined in Article II, present at any properly announced meeting shall constitute a quorum. (b) All issues to be voted on by membership shall be decided by a simple majority of those present.

==== ARTICLE V — LEADERSHIP MEETINGS ====

 Section 1 — ''Leadership Meetings:'' (a) Leadership shall meet at least quarterly, at an agreed upon date and time either on IRC or in-person. (b) Meetings must be public, unless discussing legal matters. (c) Leadership shall review reports of past and forthcoming ``NY``Lo``Co activities, and work on future activities for discussion with membership.

 Section 2 — ''Annual Election Meeting:'' (a) The meeting shall be held in the month of ### at a date, time and place designated by the president. (b) Membership shall elect leaders to the board and fill other positions as defined in Article III, Section 6,. (c) Membership shall help leadership determine the direction for the coming year.

 Section 3 — ''Notification:'' (a) Notice of leadership and election meetings shall be given 2 (two) weeks in advance. (b) Notice shall be given to leadership by email. (c) Notice shall be given to membership and public on the Team Wiki.

 Section 4 — ''Quorum:'' A quorum for a leadership meeting must be attended by simple majority of leadership, as defined in Article III, for business to take place and motions to pass.

==== ARTICLE VI — OTHER MEETINGS ====
 Section 1 — ''Special Membership Meetings:'' (a) Special meetings of membership may be called by the president, or a simple majority of leadership. (b) A petition signed by 2/3(two-thirds) of membership may also call a meeting. 

 Section 2 — ''Special Leadership Meetings:'' Special meetings of leadership may be called by the president, or 1/3 (one-third) of leadership.

 Section 3 — ''Notification:'' Special meetings require that meeting participants by emailed no later than 1 (one) week in advance.

 Section 4 — ''Quorum:'' A quorum for a Special meeting shall use the same quorum as normal meeting of that type.

==== ARTICLE VII — COMMITTEES ====

 Section 1 — ''Committee formation:'' (a) Committees shall be created by leadership as needed, such as fundraising, public relations, data collection, etc. (b) The president shall appoint all committee chairs. (c) The vice president shall oversee committee progress and be the liaison at leadership meetings.

==== ARTICLE VIII — AMENDMENTS ====

 Section 1 — ''Amendments:'' (a) These bylaws may be amended when necessary by 2/3 (two-thirds) majority of leadership. (b) Proposed amendments must be submitted to the secretary and sent out with leadership meeting announcements.

==== CERTIFICATION ====

 These bylaws were [approved] at a meeting and via proxy of active membership and leadership by a 2/3(two-thirds) majority vote on Sept 5th, 2007.

Acting Secretary Jeremy Austin-Bardo Date September 5th, 2007
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (GNU/Linux)

iD8DBQFG4JGnk/HGMR0KSCkRAp83AJ9pIpPP/r0Kz1xsephJTG9Cr1Ln7ACfYZaF
T5qHA2KFCCTmmmJZEnTc7nc=
=jC1K
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

NewYorkTeam/Archives/ByLaws (last edited 2010-05-19 02:40:46 by cpe-66-67-141-64)