MMASC Bylaws

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Bylaws by Article

Article I - Organization Name

This organization shall be known as the Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC).

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Article II - Mission

The mission of MMASC is to serve as a catalyst for public service excellence through the professional development of the leaders who serve our Southern California communities. We provide a forum for local government professionals to establish meaningful connections, exchange resources and stimulate innovation.

Article III - Purpose

This organization shall have the following primary purposes:

A

. To provide the opportunity for professional self-improvement through training and education and the opportunity for advancement of the profession of public administration.

B

. To increase two-way communication between public academician and practitioner by providing a forum to exchange points of view on public administration issues.

C

. To review, evaluate and propose policy and to suggest new programs leading to the advancement of municipal management.

D

. To take direct aim at creative approaches to, and longer range perspectives of, urban affairs, thus continually presenting new ideas concerning urban affairs to the public administration community.

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Article IV - Membership

Categories of membership shall be: Full, Business, Student, Veteran and Honorary.

A

. The membership period shall be one year from the date of membership activation or renewal.

B

. Full Membership shall be open to any person employed in a position assisting in the management of governmental agencies in Southern California, except the Chief Administrative Officer. Assistants who work in public agencies other than municipalities are encouraged to join MMASC. This includes persons in county, state, and federal governments; colleges and universities; regional governments; legislative assistant positions; special districts, and other government agencies.

C

. Business Membership shall be open to any person interested in promoting the purposes of the organization, but who does not qualify for Full Membership. Such members shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of the organization, except the right to vote or hold office.

D

. Student Membership shall be open to college and high school students, or recent graduates within the last twelve months, who do not qualify for Full Membership. Such members shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of the organization, except the right to vote or hold office.

E

. Veteran Membership shall be extended free for one year to any U.S. Military Veteran interested in a position assisting in the management of governmental agencies in Southern California. This includes interest in county, state, and federal governments; colleges and universities; regional governments; legislative assistant positions; special districts; and other government agencies. Veteran Memberships are intended to assist with transition from military service to local government and each Veteran Member will automatically be enrolled in the MMASC Mentorship Program. Full-time employees of local governments (or other qualifying organizations) are not eligible for this membership category. Those qualifying under Veteran Membership shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of MMASC, except the right to vote or hold office.

F

. Honorary Membership shall be extended to the Chief Administrative Officer of all municipalities in the MMASC region and for all MMASC past presidents. Such members shall be entitled to all rights and privileges of the organization, except the right to vote or hold office. Honorary Memberships are free.

G

. Members in Transition shall be granted a no-cost membership for one year. Current members in transition shall be exempt from the agency requirement for the remainder of their current membership year. Members in Transition within the 6 months of their membership renewal period can request for a no-cost membership renewal.

H

. MMASC recognizes its affiliate organization, MMANC, and will extend Full Members of that organization the membership rate to MMASC events.

Article V - Dues

A

. Dues for "Full Members" shall be $90.00 per membership period.

B

. Dues for "Business Members" shall be $105.00 per membership period.

C

. Dues for "Student Members" shall be $40.00 per membership period.

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Article VI - Regions

A

. MMASC shall be divided into eight (8) regions:

Central Coast
Channel Islands
Desert
Inland Empire
North Los Angeles County
South Los Angeles County
Orange County
San Diego County

The specific cities which make up each region are listed in Attachment A of the Bylaws.

B. As new cities are incorporated they shall be placed into the specific region in which they reside. Any other changes in regional structure shall be considered an amendment to the Bylaws.

C. Representatives from each region shall be appointed by the Executive Board as Region Board Members based on the location of their employment. The Region Board may organize in a manner of their own choosing. The region will select a chairperson or co-chairpersons each year. When the region selects a chairperson, the region shall notify the Director of Programming of the election of the new region chair each year. Region Board Members shall serve one-year terms beginning December 1. Region Board Member(s) must be Full Members, not student or business members, and must be in good standing. They must have been a member for at least one year. All above requirements may be waived by a majority of the Executive Board for special circumstances.

D. Each region shall have one vote on the Board of Directors regardless of the number of chairpersons.

E. Region board members are to plan in advance and sponsor a minimum of four (4) professional events annually. The details of the four events should be planned and communicated to the Director of Programming. These activities should not conflict with general membership activities and other regional events whenever possible.

Article VII - Meetings

A

. There will be an Annual Business Meeting of the membership. This meeting will be held during the Annual Conference unless there is no scheduled conference. At this meeting, business of the organization shall be conducted.

B

. General meetings of the membership will be held throughout the year. The number of meetings, location, and topic will be determined by the Board of Directors. Specific committees of the organization may also hold programs from time to time throughout the year.

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Article VIII - Executive Board, Duties, and Elections

A.

Executive Board of this organization shall be President, Vice President, Director of Communications/Secretary, Director of Finance/Treasurer, Director of Programming, Director of Membership Services and immediate Past President. They shall serve one-year terms, beginning on December 1 of each year.

B. The duties of the President shall be to preside at all meetings of the organization, to coordinate the activities of the organization, to develop training programs and materials, and to represent the organization in its various activities. The President shall attend the Annual Conference of the League of California Cities whenever possible and serve as a full member of the City Manager's Department of the League of California Cities. The President shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees of this association. The President shall have been an Executive Board Member of this association for at least one year.

C. The duties of the Vice President shall be to assist with program preparation and other duties as assigned by the President. The Vice President shall act as President in the President's absence. The Vice President shall have been a member of the Board of Directors of this association for at least one year.

D. The duties of Director of Communications/Secretary shall include the preparation of agendas, minutes, the e-newsletter, management of all communication tools and other duties assigned by the President. The Director of Communications/Secretary shall have been a Full Member of this association for at least one year.

E. The duty of the Director of Finance/Treasurer shall be to manage the fiscal affairs of the organization including accounting, budgeting, financing, investing, and other duties as assigned by the President. The President (or designee) and the Director of Finance/Treasurer will be authorized to deposit and withdraw funds of the organization. The Director of Finance/Treasurer shall have been a member of the Board of Directors of this association for at least one year. The annual critical tasks of the Director of Finance/Treasurer will include:

Assist the President to prepare the proposed budget no later than December 31st,
Adopt a budget no later than January 31st,
Submit quarterly reports of Revenues, Expenditures and Financial Standing to the Executive Board,
Publish the adopted budget on the organization’s website and notify all current members of its adoption no later than January 31st,
Prepare, present, and publish any approved amended budgets on the organization’s website and notify all current members of its adoption as soon as possible after adoption by full board vote,
File the organization’s tax returns no later than May 15th, or within the IRS identified extension period, and
Prepare and publish on the organization’s website the prior calendar year fiscal report and year-to-date report within 30 days after filing the tax return,
Transmit all records, accounts, and undistributed funds to a successor.

F. The duties of the Director of Programming are to assist Region Board Members in the development of consistent and timely program offerings. The Director of Programming will liaise between the Executive Board and each Region in executing educational events in support of the association’s mission. The Director of Programming shall have been a member of the Board of Directors of this association for at least one year.

G. The duties of the Director of Membership Services are developing marketing and promotional programs aimed at attracting new members and retaining existing members. The Director of Membership Services shall direct Association Manager in managing membership records. The Director of Membership Services shall have been a Full Member of this association for at least one year.

H. A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President and shall accept and consider all nominations for the positions of President, Vice President, Director of Communications/Secretary, Director of Finance/Treasurer, Director of Programming, and Director of Membership Services. The Nominating Committee shall be comprised of no less than three Full Members. The Committee shall solicit nominations from City Managers, former officers, Full MMASC Members in good standing and through placing announcements in MMASC publications and emails. The Nominating Committee will solicit nominations fourteen (14) days prior to the Summer Session. Additional nominations will be received during the presentation of candidates at the Summer Session. If the Summer Session is cancelled, the President shall designate another [special] event for the Nominating Committee to solicit and receive nominations.

I. Elections: The election of officers shall be conducted by the Nominating Committee using an electronic ballot. The Nominating Committee shall distribute an electronic ballot on a date determined at the Summer Session, or other (special) event designated by the President. Ballots shall be distributed to all Full Members. The ballot period will last fourteen (14) calendar days. Each Full Member in good standing may only vote once and will have only one vote count in the election process. In deciding the election, the following conditions shall apply:

In the case where there is only one candidate for each office, the Nominating Committee shall notify the candidates, President and Full Members that an election shall not take place and the election shall be called.
All electronic ballots shall be collected, but not counted, until the election period has ended. At the conclusion of the election period, the Nominating Committee shall meet within seven (7) days to count the ballots. The Nominating Committee shall notify the candidates and the President of the election results immediately upon completion of the vote tabulation.
In the case where there are only two (2) candidates for an office, the winner is that individual receiving the highest number of votes.
In the case where there are more than two (2) candidates for an office, the winner is that individual receiving the highest number of votes. If no candidates received at least 40% of the votes cast, a run-off election between the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be held by either electronic or mail ballot. The run-off ballot shall be made available within twenty-four (24) hours following the tabulation of the original ballots. The electronic or mail ballot period will last fourteen (14) calendar days. The winner shall be determined according to paragraph 3 above.
Any candidate wishing to challenge the results of the election must file a written protest to the President within five (5) business days after the vote tabulation; otherwise the results of the election become final. If the election is protested, the President shall call a special meeting of the Board of Directors to consider the protest. The election results related to the protested seat(s) may be nullified and a new election held upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors. Procedures for the new election shall be set by the Nominating Committee and approved by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Any vacancy in office shall be filled by an appointment of the President with confirmation by a simple majority of the entire Board of Directors at their next meeting. If the Presidency becomes vacant, the Vice President would automatically assume the office and appoint a Vice President to be confirmed by a simple majority of the Board of Directors at the next meeting.

Article IX - Board of Directors

A.

MMASC shall have a fifteen-member (15) Board of Directors consisting of the following:

The President, Vice President, Director of Communications/Secretary, Director of Finance/Treasurer, Director of Programming, Director of Membership Services and Immediate Past President
A Region Board Member from each of the eight (8) regions

B. The Board of Directors shall be the policy-making body for MMASC and will approve the annual budget of the organization. The President, Vice President, Director of Communications/Secretary, Director of Finance/Treasurer, Director of Programming, and Director of Membership Services will coordinate day-to- day MMASC activities. All major programs, projects, and policy issues must be approved by the Board. The Board shall adopt operating policies at its first meeting to govern operation of the organization for the year.

C. All Board Members shall be Full Members of MMASC.

D. Terms of office for Board Members will be for a one-year period beginning December 1 of each year.

E. Vacancies of the non-elected members on the Board may be appointed by the President or by the region in which a Board Member vacancy occurs. Appointments will be for unexpired terms only.

F. Board Meeting will be called at the discretion of the President and the President will conduct the meetings and prepare agendas as necessary. A quorum will consist of a simple majority of Board Members. A simple majority of Board Members present will determine policy. Any Board Member who absents himself from any three (3) consecutive regular meetings of the Board or five (5) total meetings, unless excused by the President, shall thereby automatically forfeit his or her position as a Board Member.

G. Minutes will be recorded at each Board Meeting by the Secretary and a brief summary will be published on the MMASC website once approved by the Board.

H. All Board meetings will be open to any member who may wish to attend.

I. The Board shall approve an annual budget at the beginning of each fiscal year and publish it in a subsequent newsletter. The fiscal year shall be January 1 to December 31.

J. All Board Members take their positions with the understanding of their duties and responsibilities. Any Board Member that fails to fulfill their responsibilities at the detriment of the organization may be forced to forfeit their position by a majority vote of the Board. Such vote must be brought forth by the Executive Board.

K. Board Members who wish to resign their post shall submit a resignation letter to the President and Vice President. The position will become vacant two weeks from the date of the resignation.

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Article X - Committees

The President shall appoint such committees as deemed necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of the organization.

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Article XI - Dissolution

The corporation shall not be voluntarily dissolved except by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of all members. In the event of dissolution of the corporation in any manner and for any cause, after the payment or adequate provisions for payment of all its debts and liabilities, all of the remaining funds, assets, and properties of the corporation shall be paid or distributed as set forth in the Articles of Incorporation.

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Article XII - Corporate Seal

The corporation shall have a seal which shall be in such form and contain such matter as shall be specified by resolution of the Board of Directors. The seal shall be affixed to all corporate instruments, but failure to affix it shall not affect any instrument.

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Article XIII - Code of Conduct

The purpose of the Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC) is to provide a forum for the betterment of urban government and the professionals who serve them. As a Full Member of MMASC, I recognize the significance of my professional conduct and ethical responsibilities to the community I serve, the public agency I represent, and the other members of my profession.

I pledge to:

Principle 1

-- Support and promote effective representative democracy by upholding and implementing the policies of elected bodies while protecting the rights of individuals under our system of governments;

Principle 2

-- Refrain from all activities which knowingly erode the integrity and honesty of public agencies of the profession;

Principle 3

-- Provide the highest quality management assistance to the citizenry, elected officials, executive leaders, and fellow members for the betterment of all communities;

Principle 4

-- Strengthen the quality of public management through personal education, communication, the development of assistants, and by taking creative initiatives;

Principle 5

-- Promote the dignity and worth of public service through upholding of merit principles, maintaining a strong sense of social responsibility, and demonstrating the highest moral character in the service to the public.

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Article XIV - Contact Information

A

. It is policy that MMASC does not sell, distribute or share the membership database with any outside entity. This is in an effort to protect the privacy of members and to ensure that their information is not used for commercial purposes. Members and guests can find individual contact information for MMASC members through the MMASC website.

B

. It is the policy that a list of contact information for attendees of special events (e.g. Winter Forum, Annual Conference and Member Awards) is distributed in hard copy to all event participants. This list includes first and last name, title, organization and email contact information. For the Annual Conference, an advanced copy of the attendee list will be made available to conference sponsors in electronic format as indicated in sponsorship agreements for the purpose of contacting Conference participants for Conference-related business (e.g. invitations, follow-up and personalized messages). If members are contacted for non-Conference related business, the Board will determine future access for that sponsor to the participant list.

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Article XV - Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended at the Annual Business Meeting by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Full Members present. Such proposed amendments must be distributed to each Full Member prior to the Meeting at which the vote shall be taken with an explanation as to the reasons for the proposed changes. Additional amendments may be proposed at the Annual Business Meeting. Grammatical changes can be made by the Elections and Bylaws Committee at any time and don’t require a vote of the membership.

Bylaws last amended October 27, 2021.

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