AMENDED BY-LAWS of COASTAL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, INC. (A Florida Corporation Not-For-Profit 501 (c) (4)) ARTICLE I OFFICES FISCAL YEAR
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1.01 - Bylaws. These Bylaws constitute the rules and regulations of the Coastal Community Association, Inc. (the "Corporation"); a voluntary voting membership is open to property owners of South Gulf County, Florida (Beginning at the Port St. Joe Eastern City Limits and going to the Franklin/Gulf County line and to include all of Indian Pass Peninsula and St. Joseph's Peninsula bordering the Gulf of Mexico and St. Joseph's Bay) and voluntary associate membership is open to other individuals who are property owners in Gulf County, Gulf County Homeowners' Associations, and businesses incorporated in Florida which have a primary location within Gulf County.
1.02 - Place of Business. The principal place of business of the Corporation shall be South Gulf County, Florida. The Corporation may have offices within or without the State of Florida.
1.03 - Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be determined by the Board of Directors ("Board") and may be changed from time to time by the Board. The Calendar Year is established as the fiscal year.
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP, VOTING, DUES AND MEETINGS OF MEMBERS
2.01 - Membership. Members shall be property owners of South Gulf County, Florida, within the area described by Sec. 1.01, whose dues are current and Associate members shall be of three categories whose dues are current.
A) Individuals who are property owners in Gulf County outside the geographic boundaries defined for voting members in 1.01 of these By-Laws.
B) Businesses which are incorporated within the State of Florida and which have a primary business within Gulf County.
C) Homeowners' Associations which are incorporated in the Sate of Florida representing properties in Gulf County.
2.02 - Associate Members. Associate members shall be one of three categories, whose dues are current.
A) Individuals who own at least one parcel of land identified by a tax identification number in Gulf County outside the geographic boundaries defined in 1.01 of these By-Laws. These members may not vote but may serve on committees, if appointed by the Board of Directors, but may not serve as Chair and may not serve on the Executive Committee.
B) Businesses which have incorporated in the state of Florida and which have a primary location within Gulf County. The associate members representing businesses shall have no vote but may have one representative serve on committees, if appointed by the Board of Directors, but may not serve as chair and may not serve on the Executive Committee in the capacity of representing a business.
C) Homeowners' Associations which are incorporated in the State of Florida and which have a primary location within Gulf County. The associate members representing the associations shall have no vote but may have one representative serve on committees, if appointed by the Board of Directors, but may not serve as Chair and may not serve on the Executive Committee in the capacity of representing a Homeowners' Association.
2.03 - Voting. Voting privileges shall be granted to members in good standing who own at least one parcel of land identified by a tax identification number. No individual or entity shall have more than one vote regardless of how many parcels are owned. The parcel shall only be counted once in awarding a vote regardless of number of owners for any given parcel. Any disputes concerning the right to vote shall be settled by the board. A member is entitled to vote in person, by mail, by electronic means when available, or by proxy executed in writing by the member. No proxy shall be recognized as valid after three months from the date of its execution unless expressly provided otherwise in the proxy. Associate members shall not be granted voting privileges.
2.04 - Dues. Dues shall be set by the Board and due and payable at the beginning of each fiscal year.
2.05 - Place of Meetings. Meetings of members shall be held in such place as may be designated by the Board.
2.06 - Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting of voting members of the Corporation shall be held on or about May of each year, and shall be set by the Board of Directors.
2.07 - Special Meetings. Special meetings of the members may be called at any time by two (2) or more members of the Board, the President, or a majority of the voting members of the Corporation.
2.08 - Written Consent. Any action of the members which is required or permitted to be taken at any meeting may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing setting forth the action to be taken, signed by the voting members whose votes would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting, is filed in the minutes of the Corporation. Within twenty (20) days after obtaining such authorization by written consent, notice summarizing the action must be given to those members who have not consented in writing.
2.09 - Notice of Meetings and Waiver. Except as otherwise provided by statute or by the Articles of Incorporation, written notice stating the place, day, and hour of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered to each member of record entitled to vote at such meetings not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting, either personally, electronically or by first class mail, by or at the discretion of the President, the Secretary, or other person or persons calling the meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited, postage prepaid, in the United States mail addressed to the member at this address as it appears on the membership records of the Corporation.
A member may waive notice in writing of a meeting either before or after the time of such meeting, and the business or purpose of such meeting need not be specified in the waiver. Attendance by a member at a meeting shall also constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attending the meeting expressly protests the insufficiency of notice at the beginning of the meeting.
2.10 - Quorum. Except as otherwise provided by statute or by the Articles of Incorporation, a majority of the members present and in good standing or entitled to vote, represented in person or by proxy, shall constitutes a quorum at a meeting of members. After a quorum has been established at a meeting, the subsequent withdrawal of members, so as to reduce the number of those entitled to vote at the meeting below the number required for a quorum, shall not affect the validity of any action taken at the meeting or any adjournment thereof.
2.11 - Adjournment. Except as otherwise provided by statute or by the Articles of Incorporation, if a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, it shall not be necessary to give any notice of the adjourned meeting if the time and place of adjournment is determined at the original meeting.
2.12 - Minutes. Minutes shall be made of all meetings of the members and Board and kept by the Secretary of the Corporation.
2.13 - Removal. At a meeting of members called expressly for the purpose of removing a member, any member may be removed, with or without cause, by affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members entitled to vote.
2.14 - Resignation. Any member of the Corporation may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board, the President, or the Secretary of the Corporation. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, and unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
2.15 - Transfers. No member may transfer a membership or any right arising therefrom. The Corporation may not purchase any of its memberships or any rights arising therefrom.
ARTICLE III DIRECTORS
3.01 - Duties. The powers of the Corporation shall be exercised by or under the authority of, and the affairs of the Corporation shall be managed under the direction of, the Board. The Board shall include the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer and elected directors.
3.02 - Number, Tenure, and Qualifications. The Board shall consist of no more than (10) members. The number of directors may be increased or decreased from time to time by vote of the members, but in no case shall the number of directors be less than three nor more than ten (10). No decrease shall have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent director. Each director shall hold office for two (2) years and until his successor shall have been elected, or until his earlier resignation, removal from office, inability to act, or death. Directors need not be residents of the State of Florida, but must be members in good standing in the Corporation and may not be associate members.
3.03 - Election. Directors shall be elected at the annual meeting of members. Directors shall be elected to specific corporate office which they will hold for two (2) years or until their successors have been elected and qualified. If directors are not elected at the annual meeting of the year their term of office expires, the incumbent directors shall continue in office until their successors are elected. The terms of office shall be staggered as determined by the Board of Directors.
3.04 - Vacancies. Whenever a vacancy occurs in the Board by death, resignation, removal, increase in the number of directors, or otherwise, the same may be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining directors though less than a quorum of the Board, and the director so elected shall hold office only until the next election of directors by Members.
3.05 - Place, Call, and Adjournment of Directors Meetings. Meetings of the Board may be held either within or without the State of Florida. Meetings of the Board may be called by the President of the Corporation or by any two directors. Except as otherwise provided by statute or by the Articles of Incorporation, a majority of the directors present at a meeting, whether or not a quorum is present, may adjourn any meting to another time and place. Notice of any adjournment of a meeting to another time and place shall be given, in the manner described above, to the directors who were not present at the time of the adjournment and, unless such time and place are announced at the meeting, to the other directors.
3.06 - Annual Meetings. The Board shall meet each year immediately or within thirty days after the annual meeting of members for the purpose of organization, and consideration of any other business that may properly be brought before the meeting. No notice of any kind to either old or new members of the Board for such annual meeting shall be necessary.
3.07 - Other Meetings. Except as otherwise provided by statute or by the Articles of Incorporation, other meetings of the Board may be held upon written notice by mail or electronic means two (2) days prior to the day for such meeting. Notice of any meeting of the Board may be waived in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time of such meeting. Attendance of a director at such meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice thereof, unless the director expressly protests the insufficiency of notice at the beginning of the meeting. The purpose or purposes of such meeting of the Board need not be specified in the notice, or waiver of notice of such meeting.
3.08 - Quorum and Acts. Except as otherwise provided by statute or by the Article of Incorporation, a majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Each director shall have one vote. The act of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except that any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action to be taken, signed by all of the directors, is filed in the minutes of the proceedings of the Board. Directors may authorize expenditures of no more than $2,000.00. To exceed that amount, the issue must come before the entire membership. Members of the Board or any committee thereof shall be deemed present at any meeting of the Board or the committee if a conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear and speak to each other is used. Any change from presented and approved annual budget shall require approval by two-thirds (2/3) of the Board.
3.09 - Removal. At a meeting of members called expressly for the purpose of removing a director of the Board, any director may be removed, with or without cause, by majority vote of the members then entitled to vote at an election of directors.
3.10 - Resignation. Any director of the Corporation may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board, the President, or the Secretary of the Corporation. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, and unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
3.11 - Committees. By resolution adopted by a majority of the Board, the Board may designate from among the voting membership an executive committee and from the membership with voting privileges and from associate members other committees, each to serve until the next succeeding annual meeting and/or until the purpose of the committee is completed. Homeowners' Associations and business members in good standing shall have only one representative allowed per committee and may not chair a committee or serve on the Executive Committee in the capacity of representing the Homeowners' association or business which is an Associate member. Each committee shall report directly to the Board. The Board may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any such committee, who may replace any absent member or members at any meeting of such committee, each to serve until the next succeeding annual meeting or as otherwise designated. Any committee created hereunder shall serve at the pleasure of the Board, and a member thereof may be removed or the entire committee dissolved, with or without cause, by majority vote of the Board. No action of any committee is valid until approved by the Board or the Membership.
3.12 - Advisory Committee. By resolution adopted by a majority of the entire Board, the Board may designate an advisory committee of persons, who need not be members, to counsel with the Board in respect of the affairs of the Corporation. The advisory committee may make recommendations to the Board on matters pertaining to the objects and purposes for which the committee was formed and shall conduct its operations in the manner provided for committees of the Board, but shall not have or exercise any of the authority of the Board.
3.13 - Compensation. Directors and committee members shall serve without compensation. Directors and committee members may be reimbursed for ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in furtherance of the tax-exempt purposes of the Corporation as described in the Articles of Incorporation and authorized, approved, or ratified by the Board in accordance with Paragraph 3.14.
3.14 - Interest of a Director in Transactions. No contract or other transaction shall be permitted between the Corporation and its directors if such contract or other transactions would constitute an act of self-dealing or otherwise contravene any of the requirements of the Articles of Incorporation.
No contract or other transaction between the Corporation and one or more of its directors or any other corporation, firm, association, or entity in which one or more of its directors or officers or are financially interested, shall be either void or voidable because of such relationship or interest or because such director or directors are present at the meeting of the Board (or a committee thereof) which authorizes, approves, or ratifies such contract or other transaction or because of his or their votes are counted for such purpose, if:
(1) The fact and the material aspects of such director's relationship or interest are disclosed or known to the Board or committee which authorizes, approves, or ratifies the contract or other transaction by a vote or consent sufficient for the purpose without counting the vote or consent of such interested director; or
(2) The fact and the material aspects of such director's relationship or interest are disclosed or known to the members entitled to vote and they authorize, approve, or are disclosed or know to the members entitled to vote and they authorize, approve, or ratify such contract or other transaction by vote or written consent; or
(3) The contract or other transaction is fair and reasonable as to the Corporation at the time it is authorized by the Board, a committee, or the members.
ARTICLE IV OFFICERS
4.01 - Officers. At the annual meeting the membership shall elect to those office whose incumbents terms are expiring, a President, one or more Vice Presidents, a Secretary, and a Treasurer and such other officers and assistant officers as may be deemed appropriate. Any two or more offices may not be held by the same person. All officers shall serve for two (2) years or until their earlier resignation, removal from office, inability to act, or death.
4.02 -Duties. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation and shall preside at all meetings of the members.
The Vice President shall assist the President, and shall temporarily or permanently take over the duties of President in the absence of the President.
The secretary shall have custody of and maintain all of the corporate records, except the financial records, and shall perform such duties as are from time to time assigned by the Board.
The Treasurer shall have custody of all corporate funds and financial records, shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements, and render account thereof at the annual meeting of members and whenever else required by the Board of Directors, and shall perform such duties as are from time to time assigned by the Board. Not later than four months after the close of each fiscal year, the Treasurer shall prepare the following and maintain such in the registered office of the Corporation:
a) A balance sheet showing reasonable detail the financial condition of the Corporation as of the close of the fiscal year;
b) An income statement showing the results of operation through the close of the Corporation's fiscal year;
c) The annual report to the Internal Revenue Service, the State of Florida, and any other governmental report; and
d) Such other financial or governmental reports as the Board shall determine from time to time.
4.03 - Compensation. Officers shall serve without compensation.
4.04 - Corporate Instruments. All checks and drafts on, and withdrawals from the Corporation's accounts with banks or other financial institutions, and all bills of exchange, notes and other instruments for the payment of money, drawn, made, endorse, or accepted by the Corporation, shall be signed on its behalf by the person or persons thereunto authorized by, or pursuant to resolution of, the Board.
ARTICLE V AMENDMENTS
5.01 - By Board or Members. Subject to Paragraph 5.02, the Board shall have the power to alter, amend, or repeal the Bylaws or adopt new Bylaws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Bylaw, whether adopted by the Board or by the members, may be altered, amended, or repealed by the members, and new Bylaws may be adopted by the members. The members may prescribe in any Bylaw made by them that such Bylaw shall not be altered, amended, or repealed by the Board.
ARTICLE VI BOOKS
6.01 - Keeping Books and Records. The Corporation will keep complete and accurate books and records, and will also keep minutes of the proceedings of its members, Board, and committees. The Corporation will keep a membership and the original or a copy of its Bylaws, including amendments to date certified by the Secretary of the Corporation.
6.02 - Inspection. All books and records of the Corporation may be inspected by any director or any member for any proper purpose at any reasonable time on written demand stating such purpose.
Approved and adopted as the Amended Bylaws of the Corporation by the Board of Directors and membership this 28th day of July, 2005.
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