The name of this organization shall be the Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council, hereinafter referred to as "NWSPNC."

The purpose of the NWSPNC is:

A. Provide an open forum to discuss issues of community importance.

B. Provide a mechanism to communicate community needs with our Elected Officials and the various City Departments.

C. Solicit opinions from stakeholders regarding issues and events that will affect them.

D. Inform and educate stakeholders of forthcoming projects, events, and available City resources.

E. Develop a sense of pride and responsibility for our neighborhood through community participation.

The NWSPNC is established in accordance with the authorized plan of the City of Los Angeles Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (hereinafter referred to as “DONE”), and shall encourage all stakeholders to participate in all NWSPNC activities. The NWSPNC will not discriminate in any policies, recommendation or actions against any individual or group in the basis of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, income, or political affiliation.

A. Stakeholder: A stakeholder is any person who meets one of the following criteria:

1. Lives, works, or owns property or a licensed business within the boundaries of the NWSPNC area; or

2. Attends, or whose children or siblings attend an educational facility within the boundaries of the NWSPNC area;

3. Involved in a religious, community, business, or non-governmental organization active within the boundaries of the NWSPNC area.

B. Voting Stakeholder. A voting stakeholder is a stakeholder who is 16 years of age or older. Only voting stakeholders may vote for or are eligible for election to the Governing Board.

A. All regular and special Governing Board meetings, and all community forums, shall be open to the public.

B. Regular Governing Board meetings shall be held on a regularly scheduled day of each month selected by the Board.

C. Special Governing Board meetings may be called at any time by the President or by a majority of the members of the Board. Board members must be notified and fliers must be posted at the Board designated areas at least 24 hours before the time of the meeting as specified in the notice. The notice shall specify the time and place of the special meeting and the business to be transacted or discussed. No other business shall be considered at these meetings by the Board.

D. Governing Board Elections shall be held annually in June with Governing Board members elected for terms as provided in Section VIII D

E. In the event of urgent necessity requiring immediate action, such as natural disaster, Governing Board Meetings may be called by the President without complying with either the 24-hour notice requirement or the 24 hour posting requirement. The Board must be notified in a timely manner.

For purposes of this section, “urgent necessity” means any of the following:

1. Work stoppage or other activity, which severely impairs public health, safety, or both.

2. Crippling disaster, which severely impairs public health, safety, or both.

Any actions taken by any member or Officer of the Board in the name of the NWSPNC during a period of urgent necessity shall be submitted for ratification at the next regular or special meeting of the Board following the period of urgent necessity.

No matter shall be formally considered at any meeting unless it has been included on an agenda published and posted at least 72 hours before the meeting (exception: See V. C., & D.) in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act of the State of California. A copy of notices for all meetings shall be provided to the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment.

B. Every agenda will provide an opportunity for general public comment.

C. No Board or committee vote shall be taken without the opportunity for public comment at the meeting on that item.

D. Public comment shall be limited to three minutes per speaker unless modified by the chair.

E. A maximum length for public comment by all speakers may be established by the chair.

F. In the event that maximum length is established, speakers from all sides of an issue shall be allowed to speak.

A. The Board shall consist of seventeen stakeholders and shall reflect the diversity of the stakeholders to a reasonable extent. The 17 members are to be elected in the following categories:

1. Two voting stakeholders who live or own property in Census Tract 2951.

2. Two voting stakeholders who live or own property in Census Tract 2963.

3. Two voting stakeholders who live or own property in Census Tract 2964.

4. Two voting stakeholders who live or own property in Census Tract 2970.

5. Two voting stakeholders who own or work at a licensed business with a business address within the boundaries of the NWSPNC.

6. Two voting stakeholders representing Non-Governmental Organizations active within the boundaries of the NWSPNC such as non-profits, religious organizations and labor organizations.

7. Two voting stakeholders, each representing a school serving the NWSPNC area.

8. One voting stakeholder under 21 years of age at the commencement of his or her term.

9. Two voting stakeholders elected at large.

All candidates for Governing Board must qualify as a Voting Stakeholder as defined in Section III B, at the time of election.

B. Duties. The Board and each member shall carry out the purposes of the NWSPNC, as defined in Section II, in good faith. The Board will decide any official position of the NWSPNC, taking into the account the comments of the stakeholders

The Board shall also:

1. Require any officer or employee, having custody of or handling funds of the NWSPNC, perform his/her duties in accordance with DONE requirements, or in the absence thereof, requirements determined by the Board.

2. The Board shall establish a budget each fiscal year and oversee the spending of NWSPNC, subject to the approval of the majority vote of the Board and in accordance with DONE requirements.

3. Employ, fix the compensation, and prescribe the duties of such employees as may, at the discretion of the Board, be necessary, and have the power to remove such employees.

4. Properly follow up on the actions of the Board.

C. Quorum. A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Therefore nine members must be present to conduct a vote. If the youth member is less than 18 years of age, he or she may not vote on matters where a person of that age would be legally incapable of acting as an individual, such as contracting.

D. Term Except for the youth member [Section VIII A 8] whose term shall be one year, the term for all Board members shall be two years (or less if serving the remaining term of a vacant seat). Terms shall be staggered so that half of the terms expire each year. The term for all officers shall be one year, ending June 30. Board members and officers may be re-elected for a new term. No person may serve more than eight consecutive years on the governing board.

E. Removal of Board Members or Officers

1. If a Board Member or officer no longer qualifies as a stakeholder, his/her seat will be declared vacant.

2. The Board may, at its discretion, remove any Member or officer who has two unexcused absences from regular or special Board meetings within any consecutive 12 month period during their term. An unexcused absence occurs when the Board member fails to notify the President or Secretary that he or she is unable to attend the meeting and states the reason he or she cannot attend.

3. The Board may also remove any Member or officer who has failed to perform their duties as a Board Member or officer.

Members may be removed as provided in Sections E 1 and E 2 above by resolution of the Board adopted by a majority vote of the members present at any meeting where there is a quorum.

Members may be removed as provided in Section E 3 above only after notice and hearing, by a two thirds vote of the Board members present at a meeting where there is a quorum.

F. Vacancies. Vacancies on the Board shall be filled by appointment by a majority of the Board members voting at a regular or special meeting of the Board, except that such appointment shall be only until the next regular election at which time the position held by such appointed member shall be subject to election for the remainder of the term, if any, of the position held by the appointed member.

A. President. Solicits items, prepares agenda and presides at all meetings. Creates committees and appoints chairs with concurrence of the Board. Acts as spokesperson and representative of the Board. Receives all communications and presents them promptly to the Board. Determines what items should be posed on NWSPNC web site (or may delegate responsibility to another officer). Enforces bylaws.

B. Vice-President. Performs the duties of President in the absence of the President or when asked to do so by the President. Assist the President in deciding what issues or problems may require a special or emergency meeting. Coordinates work of committees and tracks items of interest to the Council

C. Secretary. Acts for the president in the event both the President and the Vice-President are absent. Keeps all minutes and records of the NWSPNC. Responsible for ensuring that all notices are posted in accordance with these Bylaws and as required by law (with assistance of Communication and Outreach Committee). Monitors the actions of the Board to be sure they are implemented.

D. Treasurer. Responsible for all funds belonging to the NWSPNC. Receives and disburses all NWSPNC funds, maintains the book of accounts as prescribed by DONE, provides quarterly financial reports to the Board, Stakeholders, and to DONE, as required.

B. Elections Committee: An Elections Committee shall be appointed by the Board. The Committee shall be comprised of members who are not themselves candidates for the Board. The Committee shall recruit potential candidates (with the assistance of the Communication and Outreach Committee for advertising the election), provide a method for submission of names (including self-nominations) for consideration, and review resumes or applications of potential members to verify that the candidates meet stakeholder qualifications for the category in which they are running. The Elections Committee shall organize and administer the elections in accordance with DONE approved NWSPNC election procedures.

C. Election of Officers. The Board shall elect its officers from among its members at the first meeting of the Board following certification of the Governing Board election. Candidates for an office may be nominated by another Board member or may nominate themselves.

The NWSPNC will promote collaboration with other San Pedro Neighborhood Councils as well as other Councils from throughout the City of Los Angeles.

A. Membership and Board meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, latest revision, and the Brown Act.

B. The Board shall communicate with stakeholders on a regular basis in a manner that assures that information is disseminated promptly and fairly to all stakeholders.

C. An official action by the Board shall be approved by a majority vote by the Board members present at a meeting where there is a quorum. An abstention is not counted as either a yes or no. All two-thirds votes shall be by roll call. Motions for reconsideration shall be governed by the latest edition of Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised and applicable law.

D. All committee votes are advisory and subject to Board approval for action.

The Board shall establish a procedure by which an individual Stakeholder or group of Stakeholders can address matters involving procedural disputes such as the Board’s failure to comply with its bylaws, the City’s charter, the adopted Neighborhood Plan, local ordinances, and/or state and federal law. The grievance procedure is not intended as a substitute or an addition to any matter properly treated as a motion for reconsideration, although the Board shall be entitled to resolve a grievance through a properly addressed motion for reconsideration.

The procedures shall provide for factual determinations and recommendations to be made by non-Board member(s) and for further determinations to be made by the Board. The Board will make an attempt to settle grievances internally. Said grievances may be referred to DONE if no resolution can be reached.

Amendments may be proposed by any Board Member and may be adopted at the next Board meeting by a two-thirds roll call vote of members present, provided the exact wording of the proposed change(s) is included in the agenda of the required notice of the meeting. All proposed changes in the bylaws are subject to approval by DONE before taking effect.

The NWSPNC shall prepare and submit an annual financial statement and a written report on its activities to the Mayor, City Council, DONE and to Stakeholders at the June meeting.

Neither the NWSPNC, nor any member purporting to speak for it, shall endorse any candidate for public office or any political party. Membership rosters of the NWSPNC shall not be used for political, commercial, or any other activity not directly related to the NWSPNC.

The Governing Board and its representatives will endeavor to conduct Board business in a professional and respectful manner. The Council and its representatives will refrain from violating Board rules and shall abide by all City, County, State and Federal laws that may apply, including any applicable provisions from the Governmental Ethics Ordinance [LAMC Sec. 49.5.5 et seq.].

Dissolution or termination shall be in accordance with the de-certification procedures established by the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment.

Reach us by E-mail at
Board@NWSanPedro.org