BYLAWS

OF THE BERWYN DISTRICT CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC.

Adopted March 17, 2011

ARTICLE 1. NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the “Berwyn District Civic Association, Inc.”

(BDCA). The BDCA’s official address is P.O. Box # 535, College Park, MD, 20740.

Section 2. The Berwyn neighborhood is the area bounded on the east by the CSX railroad

tracks, on the west by the Paint Branch, on the north by Maryland highway 193

(University Boulevard) and on the south by the subdivision lines of Lakeland and the

greater Washington Realty Company’s addition to Berwyn.

Section 3. The purpose of the BDCA is to stimulate the community’s interest in promoting civic,

community, and general welfare, giving special attention to public improvements

beneficial to the Berwyn neighborhood.

Section 4. BDCA activities shall be conducted on a non-partisan, non-political, and non-

sectarian basis. The BDCA reserves the right to advocate or oppose any legislation

affecting the welfare of the Berwyn neighborhood.

Section 5. A copy of these bylaws shall be kept as a public record in the Maryland State Hall of

Records, Annapolis, MD, and posted on the BDCA web site

ARTICLE 2. MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

Section 1. Membership in the BDCA is open to individuals eighteen (18) years of age and older

who reside in the Berwyn neighborhood, City of College Park and whose dues are paid

to date.

Section 2. Annual membership dues shall be determined by the BDCA’s Executive Board.

Section 3. Failure to have paid dues shall automatically deprive members of the right to vote in

the business of the BDCA until said dues are paid.

Section 4. Members who paid individual dues shall have one vote.

Section 5. A family membership entitles a family to having two separate voting members.

Section 6. There shall be no proxy voting.

ARTICLE 3. OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of the BDCA shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Second Vice-

President, Recording and/or Correspondence Secretary, and a Treasurer. None of the

officers shall receive any salary or compensation for services rendered to the BDCA.

Section 2. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the BDCA and shall preside at

all regular and special meetings. The President shall prepare the agenda for all regular

and called meetings, sign all contracts and agreements in the name of the BDCA,

normally serve as the representative of the BDCA in meetings and discussions with

other organizations and agencies, provide leadership to the board in expediting the

goals of the BDCA, and cast the deciding vote in case of a tie when votes are taken

during Board or regular meetings. The President shall appoint the Chairs of all

committees unless otherwise directed by the bylaws or by an affirmative vote of a

majority of the members present when a committee is appointed. The President may

also appoint Representatives to keep the BDCA informed of pertinent measures

deemed important by the BDCA.

Section 3. The Vice President(s) shall perform all the duties of the President in his/her absence

or inability to act. They shall also assist the President in performing official duties

when requested to do so, and perform other tasks as may be assigned by the Board.

Section 4. The Recording Secretary shall keep a correct and complete record of the proceedings

of the BDCA, maintain the Minutes Book of the BDCA with a roll of members and

guests present at each called and regular meetings, and maintain a current listing, with

phone numbers and addresses of the officers of the BDCA. The Recording Secretary

is responsible for notifying the members of all meetings as directed by the bylaws. The

Recording Secretary maybe a shared position.

The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct all correspondence ordered by the BDCA

pertaining to its business, and shall file all communications and copies of

correspondence for preservation.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall be responsible for all funds for the BDCA and receive and deposit

all funds into the proper account, record and monitor receipts and disbursements from

the account at the directions of the BDCA, keep accurate books and records of the

finances of the BDCA; prepare a financial accounting for BDCA meetings, and

prepare end of the year accounting, including filing all federal and state tax reports.

ARTICLE 4. EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers, the chairs of standing committees,

and three (3) delegates elected from the membership. Vacancies occurring between

annual meetings shall be filled by the Board.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall have the authority to act for and to represent the BDCA in

the interim between meetings.

Section 3. A majority of Executive Board members in attendance shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE 5. COMMITTEES

Section 1. Committees necessary to carry out the business of the BDCA may be appointed as

deemed necessary by the by-laws of the BDCA.

Section 2. Special Committees. The President shall have the power to appoint special

committees when they have been authorized by the BDCA in response to a specific

need determined by the Board. The Nominating committee is an example of a special

committee.

Section 3. Committee Limitations. No committee shall commit the BDCA to the advocacy or

opposition to any subject without prior confirmation of the BDCA, unless such

confirmation is clearly granted under the general powers delegated by the bylaws.

Section 4. Standing committees of the BDCA include Neighborhood Watch, the Neighborhood

Preservation Task Force, and the Welcoming Committee.

ARTICLE 6. ELECTIONS

Section 1. The election of BDCA officers shall be held during the annual meeting in June. Any

office becoming vacant in the interim by reason of death, resignation, or for any other

cause, shall be filled at the next regular meeting in such manner as a majority of the

membership present shall determine.

Section 2. All officers shall be elected for a term of one year.

Section 3. A Nominating Committee of three members shall be elected at the regular meeting in

April prior to the Annual meeting in June. To form the Nominating Committee, any

member in good standing shall have the right to nominate or be nominated from the

floor. The Nominating Committee shall nominate one person for each office and

place their nominations during the Annual meeting. After the Nominating committee

has placed the nominations for officers, additional nominations may be taken from the

floor. Any person nominated to an office of the BDCA must be a member in good

standing. The nominating committee is adjourned following the Annual meeting.

Section 4. Voting for all elections shall be by hand count; if more than one candidate, it shall be

done by ballot. A majority of votes cast shall be required to elect. In the event of a

tie, a second ballot shall be cast with the President also casting a vote.

Section 5. All officers elected at the annual meeting, or at any other meeting, shall assume their

duties at the conclusion of the meeting at which they are elected. The retiring officers

shall continue to perform their duties as officers until the conclusion of the meeting at

which their successors are elected.

ARTICLE 7. MEETINGS

Section 1. The annual meeting of the BDCA in which new officers are elected shall be held in June

of each year of at such time as practical thereafter as determined by the Executive Board.

Section 2. Regular meetings of the BDCA shall be held on the third Thursday of each month,

except for the months of July and August during which regular meetings shall be

suspended. The BDCA shall have the power to select and designate the place of its

meetings.

Section 3. The presence of five (5) members in attendance shall be required to constitute a legal

quorum at any regular or special meeting of the BDCA.

Section 4. Regular meetings shall start promptly at 8:00 p.m. and adjourn not later than 10:00

p.m., except when a motion is adopted to continue for a limited time.

Section 5. Special meetings shall be called by the President whenever, in his/her judgement, it

may be necessary. It shall be mandatory for the President to call a special meeting if

asked to do so in a written request signed by five members. Business at special

meetings shall be confined to the purposes of the meeting as stated in the notice of the

meeting.

Section 6. Notices of regular and special meetings shall include of the time and place and must

be delivered not less than three (3) days preceding the date of the meeting. In cases

of special meetings, the notice shall also state the nature of the business to be

considered.

Section 7. Any meeting of the BDCA shall be conducted in accordance with the parliamentary

procedure prescribed by the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order or by any

other generally accepted procedure agreed upon by the Executive Board and

announced to the members.

The following shall be the order of business:

Procedure at meetings.

Roll-call of officers

Approval of minutes from the prior meeting

New business

Treasurer’s Report

Committee Reports

President’s Update

Unfinished business

Berwyn Updates

Adjournment

Section 8. The regular order of business may be suspended at any meeting by a majority vote of

the members present.

ARTICLE 8. AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These bylaws may be amended or altered so long as the suggested policy or

procedure is not contrary to law or these bylaws.

Section 2. The suggested change(s) or additions may be offered by resolution or in writing by

any member at any regular meeting of the BDCA. The resolution shall then be tabled

until the next regular meeting. Notice of the resolution shall be posted on the web site

and the community bulletin board. Any member of the BDCA can submit a written

request (P. O. Box 535) for a copy of the proposed bylaws no less than seven (7)

days prior to the meeting at which the proposed changes or additions are to be

considered. A two-thirds vote of the members present shall be required to adopt the

resolution.

I, the undersigned, being the Corresponding Secretary of the Berwyn District Civic Association, Inc.,

hereby certify that the above is a true, complete, and accurate copy of the Bylaws as adopted by the

Executive Board.

Timothy Triplett

Corresponding Secretary

Date : 03/17/2011