ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL

PHASE 1 | FORMAL PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENTS

For November 19, 2026 membership vote • Written submission to Interim Secretary

Purpose

This Phase 1 packet contains a comparison of the existing 2007 bylaws, the proposed changes and their reasons, followed by the exact amendment language proposed for adoption. Future governance matters are excluded from this submission.

PHASE 1 — Proposed for November 19 vote

2007 section	What the 2007 bylaw says	Phase 1 proposed change
Art. III §1(4)	Requires a printed newsletter and regular mailings.	Allow electronic member communications, with lawful alternatives.
Art. IV §2; Art. VI §1(2)	Lists four officers—President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary—plus three Trustees.	Add elected Directors of Operations and Communications; retain three Trustees.
Art. IV §3	Assigns general presidential leadership and spokesperson responsibilities but does not spell out the proposed banking review and continuity duties.	Clarify spokesperson/delegation duties, account signers and monthly review.
Art. IV §5	Assigns Treasurer financial duties, allows approved-budget payments, limits unbudgeted spending to $200, and calls for an annual committee audit.	Specify banking, reconciliation, monthly statements and filing coordination; retain existing spending and audit rules.
Art. IV §6	Assigns Secretary duties, but does not clearly distribute all current filing, records and communications work.	Clarify minutes, official records, agendas, bylaws, state filings and meeting arrangements.
Art. IV §8(1)	Provides that the Vice President automatically succeeds the President when that office becomes vacant.	Allow the Board to appoint an interim President and members to elect a successor.
Art. IV §9; Art. V §5	Provides for November elections and nominations but does not clearly address a midyear presidential election under the new succession process.	Clarify nominations, voting, annual terms and midyear presidential election.
Art. IV §11 (new)	No separate elected Director of Operations position or defined operational duties.	Create officer role for logistics, systems, website administration and secure account access.
Art. IV §12 (new)	No separate elected Director of Communications position or defined communications duties.	Create officer role for newsletters, social media, website content, branding and notices.
Art. V §4	Meeting notice language reflects older communication practices rather than a clear direct electronic notice process.	Specify lawful direct member notices and alternatives; website postings supplement notice.
Art. VI §§2–3	Board quorum is “four members, or a majority, whichever is smaller”; Board meeting notice rules are less specific.	Require majority of Board members then in office for Board quorum; clarify Board meeting notice.
Art. IX	Requires written amendments to Secretary 30 days in advance and good-faith publication through the Beacon and West Seattle Herald; requires a two-thirds vote.	Keep 30-day submission and two-thirds approval; use direct member notice and website posting for future amendments.

Not changed in Phase 1: general membership quorum (Article V §2), $200 unbudgeted expense threshold, existing conflict-of-interest duties, annual audit provision, and three Trustee seats.

APPENDIX A — Exact Phase 1 proposed amendment language

The text below is reproduced from the Phase 1 critical amendment draft. Only these provisions are proposed for the November 19 membership vote. All other provisions remain in force.

Article III, Section 1(4) — Replace

Resident members are entitled to Council communications and notices electronically where permitted by law, with a lawful alternative for members unable to receive electronic communications.

Article IV, Section 2 — Replace: General Officers

The Council officers are President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Director of Operations, and Director of Communications. Each officer serves on the Executive Board. The Council shall maintain the offices of President, Secretary, and Treasurer. An individual may hold more than one office except that the President may not also serve as Secretary. An individual holding multiple offices has one Board vote.

Article IV, Section 3 — Add presidential responsibilities

The President is the official Council spokesperson, coordinates external statements and media representation, and may designate another spokesperson. The President and Treasurer are authorized signers and co-administrators of Council bank accounts. The President reviews account expenses and bank records monthly. Other existing duties remain unchanged.

Article IV, Section 5 — Add Treasurer duties (existing paragraphs retained)

The Treasurer maintains financial and banking records, reconciles accounts monthly, and provides monthly bank statements and financial reports to the Board. The President and Treasurer are authorized bank signers and co-administrators. The Board may authorize the Secretary as an additional signer and shall approve changes to authorized signers.

The Treasurer completes required IRS annual filings, including Form 990-N when eligible, and applicable City and State tax filings. The Treasurer verifies actual filing deadlines each year, maintains a shared compliance calendar with the Secretary, and supplies filing confirmations for Council records.

Existing authorization for budgeted payments, the $200 threshold for unbudgeted expenses, and the annual audit provision are not amended.

Article IV, Section 6 — Replace: Secretary

The Secretary records minutes of membership and Board meetings; coordinates agendas with the President; maintains official records, bylaws, amendments, election results and notices; completes the Washington Secretary of State annual corporate report and coordinates Seattle business license renewal, confirming actual due dates; and coordinates meeting-space reservations and approved rent payments through the Treasurer. The Secretary uses the membership database for election and recordkeeping purposes; its day-to-day administration belongs to Operations. Routine member communications belong to Communications.

Article IV, Section 8(1) — Replace: Presidential Vacancy

The Vice President does not automatically become President when that office becomes vacant. The Board may appoint an eligible interim President until members elect a successor at a duly noticed regular or special membership meeting. The Vice President may stand for election but is not required to do so. Existing provisions for other officer and Trustee vacancies remain unchanged.

Article IV, Section 9 — Replace: Elections and Terms

Officers and Trustees are elected at the November Annual Meeting for one-year terms beginning with the next fiscal year, or until successors take office, subject to earlier resignation or removal. Voting shall be by ballot, except an uncontested office may be elected by voice vote if no eligible voting member objects. A special election to fill the presidency may be held during the year with required notice.

Article IV, Section 11 — Add: Director of Operations

The Director of Operations coordinates operational systems, meeting and event logistics, vendors and organizational continuity; oversees website administration and the Web Manager’s maintenance of the membership database; administers organizational Google Drive access and secure credential management; and coordinates transfer or removal of system access when officers and volunteers change.

Article IV, Section 12 — Add: Director of Communications

The Director of Communications coordinates member correspondence, newsletters, social media, website content, and communications materials for Council activities; maintains consistent Council branding; coordinates official statements with the President; distributes member notices with the President and Secretary; and provides copies of official notices and correspondence to the Secretary for Council records. The President remains the official spokesperson unless another person is designated.

Article V, Section 4 — Replace: Member Notice

Notice of annual and special membership meetings shall be delivered directly to members using lawful methods and time frames under applicable Washington nonprofit law. Notices shall identify the date, time, location, and business requiring special notice. Electronic notice may be used where lawful, with an appropriate alternative. Website and social media postings supplement, but do not replace, legally required direct notice. Communications coordinates distribution; the Secretary retains copies. Longer notice requirements in Article IX govern bylaw amendments.

Article V, Section 5 — Clarify: Nominations

The Board serves as the Nominating Committee or may appoint one. Nominations may be submitted to the Secretary or made from the floor. Nominees must be eligible voting members who consent to serve. The Board shall present eligible nominees for election. Existing provisions concerning nominations of serving directors remain unchanged except as expressly modified here.

Article VI, Section 1(2) — Replace: Board Composition

The Board consists of six officers—President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Director of Operations, and Director of Communications—and three Trustees, for nine positions. Board members must be voting members in good standing. Each person has one vote even if holding more than one office.

Article VI, Sections 2–3 — Replace: Meetings and Quorum

The Board meets at the President’s call or upon petition of a majority of the Board, at least once per fiscal year. Board members receive at least 48 hours’ notice, unless waived as permitted by law. Board meetings remain public except executive sessions. A majority of directors then in office constitutes a quorum, subject to applicable law.

Article IX — Replace: Amendments

These bylaws may be amended at a general membership meeting by a two-thirds vote of eligible votes cast with a quorum present, provided the proposed amendment is submitted in writing to the Secretary at least 30 days before the meeting. The proposal shall be included in direct member notice and posted on the Council website at least 30 days before the meeting, consistent with applicable law. References to the Beacon and West Seattle Herald are removed.

Adoption and effective date

Upon valid membership adoption, these amendments take effect immediately for establishing offices and conducting elections at the November 19, 2026 Annual Meeting. Officers elected for the 2027 term take office January 1, 2027. All unchanged bylaw provisions remain in effect.

Important adoption note

IMPORTANT: The November 19 adoption vote must follow the EXISTING 2007 Article IX notice requirements, including its good-faith newspaper publication wording. The new Article IX cannot be applied retroactively. Confirm legal compliance, membership quorum, and the exact proposed text before distribution.

ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL LEGAL NOTICE- Proposed Bylaw Amendments