Colonial Acres Neighborhood Association
Constitution and By-Laws

Constitution

Article I.  Name
The name of the organization shall be Colonial Acres Neighborhood Association (CANA), hereafter referred to as the Association.

Article II.  Purpose
The purpose of the Association shall be:
To maintain and improve the dignity and integrity of the homes located in the area.
To preserve the residential quality of the area.
To insure orderly and compatible land use in the area.
To encourage homeowners living in the area to improve their homes and real estate investors with property in the area to improve their holdings.
To work together on problems and issues of common concern.

Article III.  Policy
The policy of this Association shall be non-profit, non-commercial, and non-partisan.
It may engage in the raising and contribution of funds only if these funds are used for the maintenance of the Association and for the benefit of the organization.

Article IV.  Membership
Membership in the Association shall be restricted to persons residing in the city of Memphis and in the following areas (here-in called the Area), bounded as follows:
	on the North:	Park Avenue
	on the East:	Mt Moriah
	on the South:	the I-240 expressway
	on the West:	Cherry Road
Provided, however, that any person residing in a contiguous area or owning property in the Area but not residing in the Area may, upon application to the Association, be accepted for membership by the Association.
Any duly qualified member shall have the right to vote at the regular meetings of the Association or any special meeting thereof, so long as his or her membership is in good standing (which includes up-to-date payment of membership dues) and he or she attends the meeting.

Article V.  Officers and Executive Committee
The officers of the Association shall be the president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer, and shall be members in good standing thereof.  The officers must attend at least half of the scheduled meetings and must pay membership dues.
The officers of the Association together with the chairpersons of various standing committees shall constitute the Executive Committee.

Article VI.  Election of Officers
The officers shall be elected at the annual July meeting of the Association and shall take office immediately upon conclusion of said meeting.  The officers shall serve for a term of one (1) year and not to exceed two (2) consecutive years, or until their successors are elected and qualified.
Nominees for office must receive a simple majority of the votes of the members present.
The Executive Committee shall present at the Annual Meeting in July a slate of nominees for officers to serve for the ensuing year.  Nominations may also be made from the floor.
Credentials of nominees shall be cleared through the secretary and the treasurer.

Article VII.  Duties of Officers
The President:
Shall preside at all meetings of the Association and the Executive Committee.
Shall be chief executive officer and have general management and control of the affairs of the Association.
Shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
Shall perform all other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him or her by the Association.
The Vice-President:
Shall, in the absence of the President, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President.
Shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as may from time to time be assigned to him or her by the Association.
Shall, along with the Treasurer, sign all checks written by the Association.
Shall serve as the program chairman.
The Secretary:
Shall attend all meetings of the Association.
Shall record all votes and the minutes of all proceedings in a book kept for that purpose.
Shall give, or cause to be given, all notices necessary and proper.
Shall perform all other duties as may be prescribed by the Association or the President, under whose supervision he or she shall be.
Shall be responsible for validating all deposits from the treasury.
The Treasurer:
Shall have custody of the Association funds.
Shall keep full and accurate records.
Shall disburse the funds of the Association as authorized by the Association (or the Executive Committee as authority is delegated from time to time by the Association).
Shall, along with the Vice-President, sign all checks written by the Association.
Shall present a written financial statement at each meeting.
The Treasurer’s accounts shall be subject, at the direction of the Executive Committee or the Association, to audit.  The auditor will be appointed by the President of the Association and approved by the Executive Committee, with the exclusion of the Treasurer.
The Executive Committee:
Shall exercise all the powers given it by the Association and the Constitution and By-Laws.
Shall act on all matters arising in the intervals between regular and special membership meetings and shall report such action at the next regular or special meeting of the Association.
Shall coordinate the carrying out of the objectives of the membership and administer the objectives of the Association.
Shall recommend and submit new policies and changes in the By-Laws for approval by the membership at its next meeting.
Shall meet on call of the President on two (2) days’ notice.
Shall have a majority as quorum.
Shall assist the Treasurer in preparing an annual budget for submission to the Association for approval.

Article VIII.  Meetings
Regular meetings shall be held monthly at a specific week, date, and time to be determined by vote of the Association.  An Annual Meeting of the Association shall be held in conjunction with the July regular meeting.  At the vote of the Association, regular meetings in November, December, and/or August may be canceled.
Special meetings of the Association shall be held at such time and place as the Executive Committee may select.  A special meeting may also be called by five members in good standing with three (3) days’ notice.  No business shall be transacted at any special meeting unless notices of such business was included in the notice to members.
A written or printed notice stating the place, day, and hour of the meeting, the person or persons calling the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called shall be published in available communication media (church bulletins, retail stores, newspapers, flyers, et cetera) and announced at any previous or special or regular meeting of the Association.
Those members present shall constitute a quorum at regular and special meetings.

Article IX.  Dues
The Association shall have the right to assess dues for the support of the Association.  Dues shall be $10.00 per family and $25.00 per business or professional.

Article X.  Amendment
This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting or special meeting, provided that at least thirty (30) days’ notice is given all members of any proposed constitutional amendment.









By-Laws

Article I.  Voting
Each adult dues-paying member eighteen (18) years of age or older shall be entitled to one vote.
Members may vote by proxy, designating in writing the person to so vote for them, but such proxy may be given only if such qualified voter is to be out of the City or is ill at the time of the regular meeting or any special meeting of the Association.

Article II.  Standing Committees
The following committees shall be established, with members of the Association volunteering to work on those committees.  Each committee shall elect its own Chairperson who, according to the Constitution, shall be a member of the Executive Committee.  The duties of each committee are outlined below.
Organization and Membership:  To establish a basic organizational framework for the Association and to solicit memberships from all qualified individuals in the Area.
Land and Use Committee:  To represent the Association in insuring orderly and compatible land use in the Area.
Safety Committee:  To establish block clubs in every block for the support and protection necessary for a quality and safe environment and also to establish the mode by which information is distributed to the neighborhood.
Beautification Committee:  To work in the Area to help and encourage residents and owners to maintain and improve their property and streets to maintain our neighborhood residential corridors and scenic drives.
Friendship and Hospitality Committee:  To welcome new neighbors and members to the Association, to keep membership posted on illnesses, to serve as hosts and hostesses for meetings, and to initiate an annual summer social for the Area.
Publications, Mail-outs, Publicity, and Telephone Committee:  To contact members for meetings and matters of importance to the Association, to publish and distribute an Association newsletter, and to post meeting notices in regular outlets.
Neighborhood Services Committee:  To be alert to specific needs of Area residents and make recommendations as appropriate.
Finance Committee:  To plan the budget, raise funds, and provide accurate financial information to the Association membership.
Code Enforcement Committee:  To preserve existing housing stock.

Article III.  Amendments
The By-Laws may be amended at a regular meeting or a special meeting called for that purpose.  At least thirty (30) days’ notice of proposed amendments must be given to the membership before the regular or special meeting.
Any proposed change in the By-Laws presented at the regular or special meeting by the Executive Committee must be approved by a majority of the qualified members present at the regular or special meeting.





DATE CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS ADOPTED OR AMENDED:
Adopted, March 7, 1983
Revised, June 5, 1984: Articles VI and VIII
Revised, October 14, 1991: Articles IV and VII
Revised, February 17, 1998: Article VIII
Revised, April 20, 1998: Article VIII
Revised, July 15, 2003: Constitution Articles I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and By-Laws Articles I, II, III
Revised, September 16, 2003: Constitution Article VII.A, By-Laws Article II.10
Revised, January 20, 2005: Constitution Articles I, IV, VII, VIII, and By-Law Article II