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Bylaws of
Progressive
Action -
Duluth, Minnesota
HEAR YE! HEAR YE!
Progressive Action is in the process of modifying the Bylaws to reflect the organization’s expanding outreach to NE Minnesota and NW Wisconsin.
BYLAWS
Preamble:Progressive Action is a group of local citizens dedicated to creating a better Duluth.
Our Mission: Progressive Action is a coalition of progressive individuals
and organizations committed to forwarding the progressive agenda on a
local level through collective action, community education, and effective
communication.
Our Statement of Principles: Fundamental to our understanding
of a progressive agenda is our belief that change is necessary to create
a world of individual and collective freedom and security and to address
the root causes of the problems we face. Integral to this progressive
philosophy are the following values:
- Justice: Individuals have a fundamental right to live in
a world of social, political, environmental and economic justice.
- Empowerment: In a just and democratic society all individuals and groups
have access to and influence over policy-making.
- Community: Embracing diversity is central to strong communities and celebrating differences
are core to building a sense of shared
community
through collective concern and cooperative action.
- Self-Determination: Within the context of a shared common good, just and democratic societies support the right of self-determination of all people.
- Stewardship: A just and democratic society understands
that actions taken today impact future generations, and
we strive to act responsibly to enjoy, protect and sustain a world
rich in
cultures and resources.
- Integrity: Our actions reflect and shape the values we espouse
and our struggle for change requires self-examination
to make our actions consistent with our progressive political philosophy.
- While we think globally, we will act locally
Our Goals: The following
is a broad statement of our shared goals:
- To act as a clearinghouse and network for Duluth area progressives
to collectively develop and implement
local progressive policies
- To develop mechanisms for communicating
among Duluth area progressives
- To engage the larger Duluth public with
progressive issues and perspectives.
- To increase the political participation
of progressives and to help develop and support emerging progressive
leaders
- To develop and implement a coordinated strategy to elect
progressive leaders to local office
- To create a system of accountability
for public officials, and to then
hold public officials accountable
- To link our local actions with state, national and global progressive efforts
Name: Progressive Action
Location: Duluth, Minnesota
Purpose: To serve as a Political Action Committee (PAC) in the service of the Mission and Principles of Progressive Action (see “The Mission and Principles of Progressive Action Duluth,” attached).
Membership: Progressive Action is a voluntary organization that encourages broad participation by all who support the Mission and Principles of Progressive Action. To be a member of Progressive Action in good standing, an individual must:
a. endorse the Mission and Principles of Progressive Action, as indicated by signature
b. attend at least 2 Progressive Action membership meetings annually
c. pay the annual membership dues, as determined by the Steering Committee
Officers: Progressive Action has two officers: President and Secretary/Treasurer. Officers are elected at the Annual Meeting by a simple majority vote of the members of Progressive Action in good standing in attendance at the meeting. Progressive Action members must attend the Annual Meeting in order to vote.
Duties of the President: The duties of the President are:
a. to serve on and chair the Steering Committee
b. to represent Progressive Action, in person or by delegation
c. to maintain liaison with other organizations, in person or by delegation
d. to authorize the dispersion of funds
e. to assure that all necessary documents and reports are submitted to maintain Progressive Action’s status as a PAC
Duties of the Secretary/Treasurer:
The duties
of the Secretary/Treasurer are:
a. to serve on the Steering Committee
b. to maintain minutes of Progressive Action’s membership and Steering Committee meetings
c. to maintain membership records
d. to maintain the fiscal records of Progressive Action
e. to disperse funds, as directed by the President
f. to arrange and participate in an annual audit of Progressive Action’s fiscal records
Steering Committee: Progressive Action has a nine member Steering Committee. Two of members of the Steering Committee are the officers of Progressive Action (the President and the Secretary/Treasurer). Three members of the Steering Committee are appointed: one each by the Duluth Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party, the Duluth Green Party, and the Duluth Central Labor Council. Four members are at-large, and are elected at the Annual Meeting by the members of Progressive Action in good standing who are in attendance at the meeting. Progressive Action members must attend the Annual Meeting in order to vote. The four candidates who receive the most votes are elected to the Steering Committee. The President of Progressive Action serves as the Chair of the Steering Committee. All members of the Steering Committee, including appointed members, must be or become members in good standing of Progressive Action within three months of their appointment. The number of seats for appointed members may not exceed one-third of total number of seats on the Steering Committee.
Duties of the Steering Committee:
The duties
of the Steering Committee are:
a. to serve as the governing body of Progressive Action between membership meetings
b. to establish and monitor the Progressive Action’s strategic plans
c. to call membership meetings
a. for routine Progressive Action business
b. to consider endorsement of candidates
c. to fill vacant offices or Steering Committee seats
d. to call the Annual Meeting in November or December of each year
e. to establish annual membership dues
Steering Committee meetings: Steering Committee meetings are open to all Progressive Action members in good standing. Meetings are announced to the members on the Prog Action listserve, with at least 48 hours advance written notice whenever practicable. Five members of the Steering Committee constitute a quorum. All decisions are by simple majority vote of Steering Committee members present at duly convened Steering Committee meetings.
Terms of Office: Officers and Steering Committee members serve one-year terms, commencing on January 1st of each calendar year. Officers and Steering Committee members may serve two consecutive one-year terms, and may serve one or two one-year terms again after one or more years out of office. Term limitations apply to elected and appointed positions.
Recall of Officers and Steering Committee members: Officers and Steering Committee members may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the Progressive Action members in good standing at any membership meeting, provided that 14 days written notice is given for the meeting and that the written notice states that a recall will be on the agenda of the meeting. A recall may be placed on the agenda of a membership meeting by either the Steering Committee or by a petition signed by 20% of the members of Progressive action in good standing.
Filling of vacancies: The Steering Committee may call a membership meeting to fill a vacancy in the Offices or Steering Committee. A minimum of 14 days written notice is to be given for such meetings. The written notice is to state the purpose of the meeting. Offices or Steering Committee seats may be filled by simple majority vote of the Progressive Action members in good standing who attend the meeting.
Annual meeting: Progressive Action’s Annual Meeting is held in November or December of each year, as determined by the Steering Committee. Officers and at-large Steering Committee members are elected at the Annual Meeting. A minimum of 14 days written notice is to be given for the Annual Meetings. The written notice is to state the purpose of the meeting.
Endorsement process: Progressive Action may endorse candidates for political office at membership meetings called by the Steering Committee for that purpose (an endorsement meeting). A minimum of 14 day written notice is to be given for the meeting, and the purpose of the meeting must be stated in the written notice. To be eligible to stand for a Progressive Action endorsement, a candidate must be a member of Progressive Action in good standing, and must participate in a screening meeting, unless one or both of these requirements is waived by the Steering Committee. Endorsement of candidates requires an affirmative vote by 60% of the Progressive Action members in good standing who attend the endorsement meeting.
Amendment of the bylaws: Proposed amendments to these bylaws are to be presented to the President in writing a minimum of 14 days before action. Action on bylaws amendments may be taken at membership meetings, providing that at least 14 days written notice for the meeting has been provided and that the written notice states that bylaws amendment(s) are to be considered at the meeting. The bylaws may be amended by simple majority of the Progressive Action members in good standing that attend the meeting. Whenever possible, bylaws amendments are to be taken up at the Annual Meeting.
Amendment of the Mission and Principles: Proposed amendments to “The Mission and Principles of Progressive Action Duluth” are to be presented to the President in writing a minimum of 14 days before action. Action on such amendments may be taken at membership meetings, providing that at least 14 days written notice for the meeting has been provided and that the written notice states that such amendment(s) are to be considered at the meeting. “The Mission and Principles of Progressive Action Duluth” may be amended by simple majority of the Progressive Action members in good standing that attend the meeting. Whenever possible, such amendments are to be taken up at the Annual Meeting.
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