Bylaws

Here are the current bylaws for the Capitol Hill Community Council

PDF of bylaws

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Capitol Hill Community Council Working Bylaws

Not Approved by Council
Approved by Community Feb 26, 2025
Revision Date March 6, 2025

PREAMBLE

Bylaws are designed to be iterated and living documents reflecting the needs of the community. This document was drafted by boosters of the community council, not by elected officials. It is our hope that it acts as a transitory backbone and aids in organization and understanding until a more robust set of revised bylaws can be ratified after community consultation. 

ARTICLE I NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Capitol Hill Community Council (“CHCC” or the “Council”). 

ARTICLE II PURPOSE

Principles of Governance– The purpose of the CHCC is to participate as a body on issues concerning our neighborhood in a transparent, inclusive, collaborative, accountable and viable manner and to promote the interests of the denizens of Capitol Hill.

ARTICLE III BOUNDARIES

Capitol Hill, as it pertains to the CHCC, is bounded

  1. To the West by I-5 (just east of downtown Seattle);
  2. To the North by Roanoke Street and by Interlaken Boulevard;
  3. To the East by 24th Avenue East and 23rd Avenue East; and,
  4. To the South by E Pike Street from I-5 to Broadway, and then Broadway to East Madison Street and then East Madison Street to 23rd Avenue East; 

These boundaries are inclusive of both sides of any street listed as a boundary. This boundary does not affect any other community council or similar organization’s boundaries or representation. 

ARTICLE IV VOTING MEMBERSHIP 

Section 1: Membership Requirements

Eligibility to vote requires that a person:

  1. Identifies as someone who lives, works, attends school in, or has personal physical attachment to Capitol Hill AND
  2. Be at least 16 years of age AND
  3. Be actively registered to vote for the CHCC

    Section 2: Membership Rights

    1. Members may vote in CHCC elections 
    2. Members may run in CHCC elections

    ARTICLE V GOVERNING COUNCIL

    The governing body shall be the Capitol Hill Community Council (the “Council”)

    Section 1: Composition – The Council shall consist of seven (7) community members, as defined in article IV Voting Membership, elected by the community membership or appointed by the Council. 

    Section 2: Quorum – The quorum shall be defined as a simple majority of the given group, four (4) for General Meetings. An exception is made for committee meetings which may be made up of council members, community members, and outside individuals, at least 1 council members must be in attendance for committee meetings. Any official vote can be taken only when a quorum exists. Floating quorums are not allowed.

    Section 3: Official Actions – A simple majority vote (more than half) by the Council Members present, not including abstentions, at a meeting at which there is a quorum shall be required to take official action, unless specified otherwise in these Bylaws. Any member of the CHCC who has a financial or material pecuniary interest in an item, as defined by State, Federal or local laws, shall recuse themselves from voting on any item in question.

    Section 4: Terms and Term Limits – Council Members shall serve a two (2) year term unless elected by special election or appointed by the Council. Elections will be held annually with three (3) members being up for election on even numbered years and four (4) on odd. Council Members may only serve up to six (6) consecutive years. More information on elections can be found in Article X Elections. 

    Section 5: Duties and Powers – The primary duties of the Council shall be to govern the CHCC and to carry out its objectives. No individual Council Member shall speak for the Council or otherwise publicly represent a Council position unless an official action of the Council has been promoted at a public meeting. The Council may, by official action, delegate to any Council Member the authority to present before any public body a standing CHCC position previously adopted by the Council or a statement that the CHCC has had insufficient time to develop a position or recommendation on a matter before that body; such authority may be revoked at any time by the Council.

    Section 6: Filling Vacancies – If a Council Member resigns, is expelled or is recalled from their position, or if there were not enough candidates to fill the council during the election, the Council Members can nominate individuals to fill those vacant positions, all candidates must verify voting membership status by completing a candidate application form. The Council can then vote to appoint the candidate(s) to the Council until the next election period.

    Section 7: Absences – Any Council Member who misses three (3) consecutive regularly scheduled General Meetings during any twelve (12) month period will be automatically removed from the Council. Each Council Member’s absence shall be recorded in the CHCC meeting minutes or other manner of CHCC record keeping, and that, upon missing the required number of Council meetings for removal, the CHCC Presiding Officer shall notify the Council and provide notice to the offending Council Member that their seat has been declared vacant.

    Expulsion from the Board shall not affect their Voting Member status.  

    Section 8: Censure – The CHCC can take action to publicly reprimand a Council Member for actions conducted in the course of CHCC business by censuring the Council Member at a Council meeting. Censures shall be placed on the agenda for discussion and action. The Recording Secretary must file a copy of the Censure in Council Members file. 

    Section 9: Removal of Governing Board Members – Council Members may be removed with cause by a majority vote of the remaining Council Members. Council Members may also be removed without cause by eighty percent (80% rounded down) majority. In the event that any such termination is contemplated, the Council Members shall notify, in writing, the reasons for the proposed action, and of the time and place of the meeting of the Governing Council at which termination is to be considered, not later than ten (10) days prior thereto. At the meeting, the accused member shall be entitled to respond to the stated reasons, and be heard in his/her own defense. 

    Removal of Governing Board Members

    1.  Causes listed – lack attendance, disruption of meetings and council business 

    Section 10: Resignation – A Council Member may resign from the CHCC and the position shall then be deemed vacant. Any Council Member who no longer qualifies as a voting member, or chooses to resign, is required to submit their resignation to the Council in writing. 

    ARTICLE VI OFFICERS 

    Section 1: Officers of the Council – The Council shall have a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson.

    Section 2: Duties and Powers – The Chairperson will be in charge of running Council Meetings and verifying that council business has been attended to. 

    1. The Chairperson shall:
      1. Preside of the Council as the presiding officer of the general community council meetings.
      2. Prepare the meeting agenda with the assistance and approval of the Council. 
      3. Serve as the official representative, including as liaison with governmental agencies. 
    2. The Vice Chairperson shall:
      1. Preside and perform the duties in the absence of the Chairperson

    Section 3: Selection of Officers – Upon a new governing council term the council shall elect amongst themselves officers as prescribed in the herein and other governing documents. Only elected council members in good standing are eligible for officer positions.

    Section 4: Officer Terms – Officers are elected to a one (1) year term and serve at the pleasure of the Council. They may stand for re-election every year. In order to encourage diversity and innovation in leadership, no Officer shall serve more than four (4) consecutive years in a single position. 

    ARTICLE VII COMMITTEES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

    All Standing and Ad Hoc Committees shall be established by the Council. Suggestions for committees may come from the Voting Membership, and such suggestions shall be voted upon by the Council. All committees shall be chaired by a Council member. 

    Section 1: Standing Committees – Standing Committees are permanent committees. Standing Committees must have at least one (1) Council Members and may include additional interested parties at the discretion of the Council. 

    Section 2: Ad Hoc Committees – The Council may approve Ad Hoc Committees which shall deal with temporary issues. Ad Hoc Committees shall have at least one (1) Council Member and may include additional interested parties at the discretion of the Council. 
    Section 3: Reporting Community Organizations – The Council may have working relationships with existing community organizations doing work within the Boundaries and supporting the goals of the CHCC. Those community organizations may report to the Council and Voting

    Membership. Community Organizations are not required to have a Council Member present at their meetings nor are they required to publicly announce their meetings.  

    ARTICLE VIII MEETINGS 

    Section 1: Meeting Time and Place – All meetings shall be held within the bounds of Capitol Hill as outlined in Article III Boundaries at a location, date, and time set by the Council or Committee. A calendar of regular meetings shall be established by the Council at its first regular meeting after elections.  

    1. Community Governance Meetings – Regular meetings shall be held at 3 times and may be held more frequently as determined by the Council. Prior to any action by the Council shall be a period of public comment. The Council shall determine the length and format of the period as appropriate. The governing council election shall count as one of these meetings. This meeting shall also be considered a meeting of the Governing Council.
    2. Regular Gatherings – Other meetings of presentations, discussions and interactions for the good of the community. 
    3. Committee Meetings – Committee meetings may be called by the committee chairperson to be held at reasonable times and locations as necessary to achieve quorum.
    4. Special Meetings – The Chairperson or a majority of the Council shall be allowed to call a Special Meeting as needed. Time and place to be determined by the members involved. The date, time, and place of this meeting shall be advertised on the council website as soon as practical. 

    Section 2: Notification/Posting – Notice of regular meetings shall be posted a minimum of three (3) days (72 hours) in advance of the Capitol Hill Community Council Community Governance Meeting and at least one (1) day (24 hours) in advance of a Special Meeting. 

    ARTICLE IX ELECTIONS

    Section 1:Administration of Elections – Administration of the first CHCC Elections is to be managed by Chris Paulus who has volunteered to run the first election of this council since it was previously dissolved in 2021. It is expected that going forward after the initial election, a committee will be created to manage future elections.

    Section 2: Regarding Public Office – No elected official shall be allowed to serve on the Council, and if a CHCC Council Member is subsequently elected to City, County, State, Federal or other public office, they shall immediately tender their resignation from the CHCC. 

    ARTICLE X AMENDMENTS

    Section 1: Changing the Bylaws – These bylaws are intended to adapt over time with the needs of the Council and the community, to enact a change:

    1. Any Council Member may propose an amendment to these Bylaws. The Council will review and vote on the amendment. 
    2. Any CHCC Voting Member may propose an amendment to these Bylaws during the public comment period of a Community Governance Meeting by submitting a petition of a total of 100 signatures or 10% of CHCC Voting Members, whichever is higher, in favor of the proposed amendment. The number of Voting Members must be made available upon request.   
    3. Any proposal to amend the Bylaws shall be formalized in writing and noticed on the agenda for public discussion and Council vote at the next Community Governance Meeting. 
    4. Any amendment to the Bylaws requires one (1) month of public notice to allow for public comment before the CHCC can act on it. 
    5. An amendment to these Bylaws requires a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the Council present at a duly announced Community Governance or Special Meeting. All changes shall be posted and a record of current and past bylaws shall be made available to the public. 

    ARTICLE XI DISSOLUTION

    Section 1: Bylaw Revision Timeline – These bylaws must be adopted, replaced or modified and adopted by the Council within 6 months of the first election, else the council is dissolved.