Bylaws

Ratified by vote on 7/14/2020

VISION AND PURPOSE

Mission Statement

The 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice, an Independent Political Organization (‘IPO’), is dedicated to supporting leftist causes and representing the political interests of the multiracial working class in Edgewater, Andersonville, Uptown, and neighborhoods across the city. Through direct action, issues-based campaigns, and electoral organizing, we believe in taking back power from entrenched political and corporate interests by building an alternative source of power within the ward.

Land Acknowledgement

As we engage in local, place-specific organizing, it is crucial to acknowledge the Native people whose land was stolen to create the city we live in today. We sit on the ancestral homeland of the Anishinaabeg, in particular the Niswi-Mishkodewin (Council of the Three Fires)—the Ojibwe, Odawa, & Potawatami nations—as well as the Menominee, Miami, and Ho-Chunk nations, and many other nations who molded and cared for this land. We acknowledge the people who have been dispossessed of this land as well as the Native people who live here today.

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

Definition

The IPO shall consist of a general membership as defined in Article III.

Steering Committee

A Steering Committee shall be elected by the general membership by the procedures set out in Article IV. The composition, powers, and responsibilities of the Steering Committee shall follow the provisions of Article VI.

MEMBERSHIP

Qualifications

Membership is open to individuals who accept and abide by the bylaws, principles, and stated values of 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice, complete the membership application, and contribute dues of money or time.

A member:

Must be a resident of the 48th Ward or otherwise have a demonstrable tie to the 48th Ward, as determined by the Membership Committee.
Must not be a sitting elected official.
Must disclose any potential conflicts of interest to the Membership Committee upon applying for membership, including but not limited to: current or former employment by current or former elected officials who preside over 48th Ward boundaries (including the Mayor’s Office); close association (e.g., family, employment, or volunteer work) with political campaigns in opposition to candidates endorsed by the 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice during the current election cycle.

In addition:

For the safety and well-being of POC members, the IPO does not allow law enforcement to be members of 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice. This includes, but is not limited to, the Chicago Police Department, Cook County Sheriff’s Department, prosecutors, ICE, FBI, correctional officers, and private police departments. This is in accordance with the IPO’s values and mission as a multiracial coalition dedicated to racial justice.
Elected officials may participate in 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice meetings only at the invitation of the Steering Committee.
Under these bylaws Members of Chicago Public Schools Local School Councils are not considered elected officials and are exempt from any restrictions placed on such persons.

Dues

There shall be monthly dues, with both monetary and volunteer work options, the minimum amount of which shall be determined as part of the annual budget process prior to the commencement of each annual dues cycle. Monetary dues can be collected either electronically or in cash.

The cost of monetary dues should never be an impediment to becoming a member. Members can decide for themselves whether they will pay monetary dues or commit to volunteer work approved by the IPO (such as data entry, marshalling an event, etc., but not to include attending general membership meetings), and communicate this to the Membership Committee. The amount and type of dues paid will remain confidential between an individual and relevant parties on the Membership and Finance Committees.
Members who typically pay monetary dues but are not able to pay in a given month or year can remain current on their dues by notifying the Membership Committee that they need a volunteer work assignment for that time period instead.

Good Standing Requirements

No member may harass or discriminate against anyone on the basis—real or perceived—of race, religion, creed, ethnicity, age, disability, gender, gender presentation or expression, sexual orientation, or national origin.
Any member who is past due on monetary or volunteer work dues for more than thirty (30) days without making arrangements with the Steering Committee or Membership Committee shall be considered in default on dues. A member in default on dues shall be notified and shall have all membership privileges suspended until dues are made current or other arrangements are made with the Steering Committee or Membership Committee.

Responsibilities and Powers of Members

May attend, offer feedback, and vote on decisions relating to organizational priorities during general and Standing Committee meetings.
May plan and participate in actions, canvasses, and virtual or in-person events.
May start their own committees or caucuses, with general membership approval.
May nominate self or other members for Steering Committee or Standing Committee chair positions.
May circulate petitions calling for the removal of an officer.
May circulate petitions calling for amendment of bylaws.
May cancel membership at any time, for any reason, but will not receive a refund on membership dues.

Revocation of Status/Removal

Any member found to be in violation of the bylaws will be subject to removal without refund of membership dues as decided by the Restorative Practices committee and/or the Steering Committee if restorative practices are not applicable. Every reasonable effort will be made by the member and the involved committees to rectify any bylaws violation before removal.
The Steering Committee reserves the right to remove any member who does irrevocable harm to another member and/or the organization at large, without refund of membership dues.

Restorative Practices and Grievance Resolution

Purpose of using restorative practices. Restorative justice seeks to repair the harm caused by an action that is harmful or perceived as harmful. According to the Centre for Justice and Reconciliation, restorative justice “emphasizes accountability, making amends, and—if they are interested—facilitated meetings between” the parties involved in the incident and other mediating persons.
Submission Process
Members who seek to resolve a conflict can submit a Google form that will be received by the Restorative Practices Committee, or send email to individual Restorative Practice Committee members.
Members may submit conflicts on behalf of themselves, or on behalf of another member with their consent.
Conflict of Interest. Any Restorative Practices Committee member involved in a conflict under review must recuse themselves from the process, and any member of the Steering Committee involved in a conflict under review must recuse themselves from relevant meetings.
When should you go to the Restorative Practices Committee?
It’s important to assume best intention of our comrades, per feminist process. However, it is also important to take ownership of the impact your actions cause.
If you do not feel comfortable addressing your comrades when you feel that they have done something harmful, this might be the time to involve the Restorative Practices Committee.
If you have addressed your comrade and have not been able to resolve the issue in a satisfactory manner, or would like assistance with accountability for harm that you have caused, this would be when the Restorative Practices Committee would be involved.
The IPO does not tolerate harassment of any kind. If you are experiencing harassment by one of your comrades within the IPO, immediately notify the Restorative Practices Committee. Times to immediately involve the Restorative Practices Committee could include intentional or repeated misgendering, use of harmful language (including ableist, sexist, racist, homophobic language), threats of violence, or inappropriate behavior.
Grievance/Conflict Resolution process
- Upon the Restorative Practices Committee’s creation, its members will draft a policy detailing the restorative justice-based grievance/conflict resolution process and specifying training requirements for committee members. The policy will be presented for ratification at a general membership meeting, and, once ratified, made available to all members. The Committee may adjust the policy by similarly bringing any proposed substantial changes to a general membership meeting.

ELECTIONS

Process

Elections shall take place each year during the general convention. The standing Rules and Bylaws Committee (see IX.c.1) shall oversee elections, and any member within the committee running for office shall abstain from the oversight process. Members in good standing retain the right to vote.

Eligibility

To run for office, a person must be a dues-paying member (in money or time) in good standing with the IPO and have attended a minimum of six events, including at least three general membership meetings.

Nominations

Nominations for elected office shall be taken at least ten days prior to the start of voting, and may be submitted by others or oneself. The deadline to nominate someone other than oneself will be one week before the start of voting, and the nominee shall be notified by the election officiants by or immediately after this deadline.
Nominees should submit a short statement of intent to the Rules and Bylaws Committee by the end of the nomination period to signify their desire to run for office.
Write-in nominations may be submitted during the convention, thus waiving the requirements of a nomination period and prior submitted statement of intent.

Ballots

Ballots will contain the names of those who have accepted nominations prior to the convention, as well as space to write in names.
Ballot order will be determined by random lottery.
Elections will be conducted by secret ballot.
Elections will be conducted through electronic voting, with an open voting period of at least seven days. If a member does not have access to electronic ballots, a paper ballot or other method of voting will be provided by the Rule & Bylaws committee.
Only members in good standing shall have voting privileges.

Vacancies

A vacancy shall be filled by the same process as normal elections, except that nominations and elections shall be held at successive monthly membership meetings.

Temporary Vacancies

If a member becomes unable to serve temporarily, the other members of the Steering Committee shall appoint a member to serve in the interim. A member may only be appointed if they are eligible to run for the vacant office. A temporary vacancy may become permanent if the seat has been vacated for a period longer than 3 months. When a temporary vacancy becomes permanent it must be filled by election as per IV.e, except that the interim appointee may continue to serve until the election has been ratified.

Results

Ballots will be counted by the Rules and Bylaws Committee. Members of the aforementioned committee must recuse themselves from tabulating results if they are current candidates for elected office with the IPO.
The candidates receiving a majority of votes as counted via an instant run-off voting system shall be declared the winners, ratified during the meeting following the convention. They shall take office following the adjournment of the meeting at which they are ratified.

First Election

To guarantee an offset of Steering Committee member elections, the first election shall elect four Committee members at-large to two-year terms and four to one-year terms, decided by total vote count with the four members with the largest vote totals being granted the two-year terms. The Treasurer shall serve two-year terms in the first election and all subsequent elections.

DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES

General Meetings

Binding decisions made at general membership meetings, committee meetings, and caucus meetings shall first go through a vote to establish a 50% +1 majority.

If any member sees the need for an instant run-off vote to be called on any single issue during a general membership meeting, they may motion for such a vote to be overseen by the Rules and Bylaws Committee. This motion must be seconded. The vote will then take place at the successive general membership meeting.

Quorums

Quorum calculation shall apply to general meetings, Steering Committee meetings, all standing committee meetings (with the exception of Restorative Practices Committee meetings addressing specific conflict/harm), and meetings of other committees depending on the resolution that creates them.”
The requirements for a quorum are at least 50% of the average attendance of the previous three meetings of the particular body, committee, or caucus. A quorum must be established for the votes and proceedings of a given meeting to be considered valid. The Secretary is responsible for keeping the records necessary to determine quorum, with assistance from committee chairs for committee meetings; see VI.d.1.e–g.

Committee and Caucus Meetings

No binding vote on any motion that would impact the IPO as a whole may be taken at a Standing Committee or caucus meeting (with the exception of the Steering Committee). Such votes must be taken at general membership meetings.

Outside of Meetings

Voting on amendments, during elections, and other measures as the Rules & Bylaws Committee sees fit may be conducted online. The Rules & Bylaws Committee will contact the current member list to confirm that all members have access to the method of voting before any election or amendment process. If any do not, the committee will assist the members with gaining access or arrange an alternate voting mechanism.

ELECTED OFFICES

Composition

The Steering Committee shall be composed of seven (7) elected members in good standing, including an elected Treasurer, two members designated internally to serve as Co-Chairs, and one member designated internally to serve as the Secretary.

Steering Committee

Responsibilities and Powers

Hold power to execute binding rules and regulations concerning the operation of 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice.
Set the political agenda and priorities for the organization.
Determine the frequency and locations of meetings.
Serve as chairperson for general membership meetings, with duties rotating between Steering Committee members.
Hold ability to approve, deny, or veto decisions made by standing committee chairs.
Act as the main liaison to elected officials, government bodies, organizations inside and outside the 48th Ward, and the press.
Meet at least once per month as a committee.
Meet at least once per month with committee chairs.
Approve the annual budget at least 30 days before the Annual Convention.
Treasurer, Secretary, and Co-Chairs hold equal responsibilities and powers as Steering Committee members at large, but also hold additional position-specific responsibilities and powers outlined below.

Qualifications

May not receive personal benefit (such as compensation, employment, or other material benefit) from membership, Steering Committee, or outside people or organizations from holding this office.

Treasurer

Responsibilities and Powers

Hold one of the seven seats on the Steering Committee, with all of the responsibilities and powers thereof.
Hold custody of the organization’s funds.
Disburse funds as directed by the Steering Committee.
Maintain accurate and thorough financial records.
Present budget updates at general membership meetings once per quarter, as consistent with the quarterly filings required by the Illinois State Board of Elections.
Submit written reports to the Steering Committee and/or the general membership at large at quarterly general membership meetings and upon request.
Submit necessary documentation to the Illinois Board of Elections and other regulatory bodies when needed.
Act as the organization’s main point of contact with any bank that holds the organization’s funds.
Reimburse members of the organization for any purchases made on behalf of the organization, with prior permission granted by the Steering Committee or Committee Chairs.
Along with the Finance Committee, prepare an annual budget that shall be presented to the general membership for voting at a general membership meeting in the year prior. Expenditures that fall within that budget shall not require subsequent approval by membership.
The budget shall be reviewed against actual expenditures at least once per quarter, at which time adjustments to the budget can be proposed and voted upon.
Provide a financial report at the Annual Convention.

Qualifications

Must not concurrently run for a general Steering Committee position in IPO elections.
Must not hold a Treasurer position for any other political organization while serving as Treasurer for 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice.
Must not hold elected office or be a stated political candidate. If this becomes the case over the course of the Treasurer’s term, the Treasurer shall forfeit the position and notify the Steering Committee immediately.

Secretary

Responsibilities and Powers

Hold one of the seven seats on the Steering Committee, with all of the responsibilities and powers thereof.
Keep minutes and notes at the Steering Committee and general membership meetings, and make available at regular intervals and upon request. Delegate minute-keeping when absent or otherwise necessary.
Ensure meeting agendas are provided prior to meetings, in accordance with meeting guidelines in Article VIII.
Maintain up-to-date records of membership status, including whether members are in good standing.
Maintain consistent records of IPO happenings and the voting record of the Steering Committee.
Oversee and store records submitted by Committee Chairs.
Track attendance at general membership meetings and funnel attendance records from committee meetings into central document.
Determine if quorums are met for general membership meetings, based on average meeting attendance numbers.
Assist election officiant with meeting attendance records to determine if candidates are eligible to run for elected offices.
Serve on the Rules & Bylaws Committee.

Co-Chairs

Responsibilities and Powers

Hold two of the nine seats on the Steering Committee, with all of the responsibilities and powers thereof.
Ensure that meetings of the Steering Committee and the general membership are adequately scheduled and facilitated.
Ensure that meetings have a meeting location.
Assist the Secretary in populating the content of meeting agendas.
Ensure that the IPO calendar is kept reasonably up to date.
Oversee the assignment and rotation of roles and functions to be fulfilled by the Steering Committee.

Resignation and Removal of Officers

Steering Committee members may resign by doing so in writing to the Steering Committee at large.
Any Steering Committee member may be removed by the Steering Committee at large if:
- The member would be considered derelict in duty and the seat shall be declared vacant.
- Financial impropriety is discovered.
- Confidentiality of meetings, events, platforms, or personal information is breached.
- An undisclosed conflict of interest is discovered or if a disclosed conflict of interest is not resolved to the satisfaction of the Steering Committee at large.
- The Restorative Practices Committee’s conflict resolution process reaches a determination that removal from office is necessary to address harm.
- A petition containing signatures from 25% of the general membership calling for the removal of an officer will trigger a removal vote at the next membership meeting providing that quorum is established.
- They miss two consecutive Steering Committee meetings without prior notification or just cause.
Officers removed by any process described in VI.f.2 are not eligible to run for or hold any office for a period of one year from the date of their removal.

Term Limits

Steering Committee and Treasurer. Each term shall last one year (12 months) (with the exception of the first election; see “First Election,” IV.h). An individual may not serve more than six consecutive one-year terms.
Standing Committee Chairs. Each term shall last no longer than two years (24 months). An individual may not serve more than three consecutive two-year terms.

MEETINGS

Convention

48th Ward Neighbors for Justice will meet annually to review the year’s work, elect Steering Committee members, and set a platform of policies and priorities for the coming year. The Rules & Bylaws Committee shall organize the annual convention.

Bylaws shall be revisited as part of the annual convention, with the goals of assessing whether they are continuing to serve 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice’s values, needs, and priorities as the organization changes over time. During the convention, all committee members, and any other members who choose to participate, will review the bylaws to that end. At such time, any member can propose changes to the bylaws, and the Committee may bring forward proposed amendments to the general membership in written form.

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee will meet in advance of each general monthly meeting to determine agenda items for group discussion. They will also solicit input on agenda items from general membership, and circulate the finished agenda, in advance of each full group meeting. Notes will be made available no more than 48 hours following meetings.

General Membership

General meetings open to all IPO members will occur monthly, except in the month of the annual convention. Meeting time, date, and location, will be circulated via all IPO communication platforms (such as Slack, email, Google calendar) at least seven days in advance, with the agenda being circulated at least 48 hours in advance. Steering Committee members will be responsible for ensuring all reasonable effort is taken to make meetings accessible to all members (e.g. considering needs for childcare, wheelchair accessibility, virtual attendance options, etc).

New Member Meetings and Onboarding

The Membership Committee will be responsible for holding periodic new member meetings as the need arises, as well as one-on-ones. As part of this duty, the Membership Committee will be responsible for ensuring that all new members have access to necessary communication platforms (e.g. Slack, email list, Google Drive, phone number list, etc.) as well as historical and governing documents.

Governing Rules

The IPO uses Robert’s Rules of Order and Feminist Process as the operating rules which all of the above meetings will abide by. Meetings will also strive to use consensus decision-making as much as feasible, though this should not be construed to prevent the option of calling a decision to a vote.”

Feminist Process

Respect the discussion and the facilitators. Listen actively to your comrades when they speak. Listen to the facilitators, especially when they lay out the guidelines for discussion.
Share the air and encourage others. This is like the “step up/step back” rule: step up to encourage those who have not participated, step back to make sure you are not dominating the conversation.
Practice good faith. We cannot know the reasons that a person expresses an idea; assume the best of your comrades’ intentions in case of disagreement. Equally important, take responsibility for your own impact.
Consider your position. Think consciously of your social positions, allowing us to work across our race, gender, sexuality and social differences in ways that are supportive.
Make “I” statements. We all make mistakes, and however upset another comrade’s mistake makes you, you have a responsibility to deal with it in as empathetic a way as you can.
Remember to avoid jargon! If you find someone using jargon, raise your hand. If you feel yourself using jargon—especially acronyms—spell them out!

Robert’s Rules

Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised where use of such rules is applicable and consistent with these bylaws.
Any member in attendance may request that the meeting proceed pursuant to these rules.
At any meeting using Robert’s Rules of Order, a summary resource of those Rules shall be made available to meeting attendees.

COMMITTEES AND CAUCUSES

Purpose of Committees

The Steering Committee may create any committee that is necessary for the work of 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice. These committees may be tasked with making reports, proposals, or recommendations to the Steering Committee, or aiding in the essential administrative work of 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice.

Creating Committees

The resolution that creates a committee must determine its purpose and eligibility for membership as well as the time and location of its first meeting. Unless otherwise provided in the resolution that creates the committee, said committee may select its own chair, determine its size, fix the time and place of its meetings, and provide notice of said meetings as it sees fit. Committees have the following requirements:

All committees must operate according to 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice’s bylaws and values, and all formal appointees must be members in good standing.
Committees will be staffed by volunteers from the general membership. Initial committee members shall be determined at the first meeting.
Each committee must name a chair through internal election, held every two years at maximum. The chair is required, at minimum, to keep minutes of the committee including but not limited to date, location, participants, the names and affiliations of any guests, and a summary of any business or actions approved. Such minutes shall be provided to the Secretary within five (5) business days of any committee meeting taking place. This chair is also expected to represent the committee or designate a representative from the committee to attend any Steering Committee meetings that they are invited to attend.
The Steering Committee may call for a public meeting of the committee open to the general membership of 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice by passing a resolution with a majority vote.
The Committee Chairs may approve additional members, or motion to remove members by majority vote.
Members may serve on multiple committees.
Any non-standing committee that does not meet a minimum of three members cannot act as a committee, but members may petition or the steering committee may decide that the committee be reauthorized. If the membership of a standing committee falls below three people, a steering committee member shall temporarily join to assist with duties and recruitment until the standing committee has at least three members again.

Standing Committees

The following committees shall remain standing to assist in the essential business of 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice. Members may serve on more than one committee.

Rules and Bylaws Committee. The Rules and Bylaws Committee shall organize the annual convention. The Secretary shall serve on the Rules and Bylaws Committee.
Finance Committee. The Finance Committee shall assist the Treasurer in creating financial reports for the Steering Committee; submitting dues payment models to the Steering Committee, for general membership approval; planning and executing any fundraising projects; and working with the Steering Committee to prepare the annual budget for 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice’s activities. The Treasurer shall chair the Finance Committee.
Communications Committee. The Communications Committee shall organize 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice’s internal and external communications; report on the organization’s activities to the general membership; and develop social, digital, and print media to engage the membership and general public.
Membership Committee. The Membership Committee shall develop programs and practices to encourage new membership; help to retain current members; and work to develop programs and propose methods to prioritize equity and inclusion in 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice’s practices. The Membership Committee will track membership and provide updates as to membership count at general member meetings on a quarterly basis. Individual members seeking to petition the general membership should be provided with a current membership count within 72 hours of making a request to the membership committee.
Restorative Practices Committee. The Restorative Practices Committee shall employ a restorative justice framework to seek the resolution of any conflicts that arise between 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice members that impede the work of the organization and propose proactive methods of improving cooperative work.

Caucuses

48th Ward Neighbors for Justice affirms the right of members to form caucuses within the organization, and for individuals and caucuses to slate candidates in internal elections. Like members, caucuses are expected to adhere to the bylaws and values of the organization. Any caucus seeking formal recognition in 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice must submit a statement of purpose to the Steering Committee.

AMENDMENT PROCESS

Proposing Amendments

Additions, deletions, or amendments to these bylaws may be proposed in multiple ways:

If one-fourth of the members at a general meeting vote in favor of proposing an amendment;
If a petition signed by at least 10% of the most recent quarterly member count from the Membership Committee proposes an amendment in written form; or
If the Rules & Bylaws Committee proposes an amendment in writing.
Individual members can bring an amendment to the Rules & Bylaws Committee for discussion and possible proposal to the entire membership at any time.

Engagement Process

The proposed amendment shall be discussed at a general membership meeting, with at least 10 days' notice of both the proposed change and the meeting provided to the membership. An alternative version of the amendment informed by the discussion can go to vote on the same ballot (for its own yes/no vote) if members vote to consider an alternative at the meeting in which the original amendment is discussed. If an alternative version of the amendment is added to the ballot, additional notice of a proposed change will be given, and voting will not open until three days after the additional notice.

Ratification

Bylaws may be adopted, amended, or repealed by a two-thirds vote of members in good standing. The ballot shall be accessible for no fewer than four days. If fewer than 50% of members vote, voting will remain open, and the results will be delayed until three days after the Rules & Bylaws Committee reaches out to all remaining members, in coordination with the Membership Committee, via individual email or phone call. At that point, the results of the voting will be valid even if fewer than 50% of members have voted.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Compliance

Any member or attendee of a meeting must comply with the IPO confidentiality agreement, to include general meetings, canvassing, or group-affiliated events.

Access to Information

Personal information of members will be shared with only the people who need access to it for their work within 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice. Personal information will not be shared with outside entities.

Meetings and Discussions

Anything said in meetings, whether personal or organization-related, is considered confidential and intended only for the individuals present unless otherwise specified.

Confidential Information

Confidential information shall include but is not limited to:

Members’ Personal Information. Phone numbers, addresses, place of work, or any other information that can be used to distinguish or trace a member’s identity.
Campaign Strategy. All strategy, plans, campaigns or any information used in any IPO-endorsed campaign.
Action Strategy. All strategy and information used to plan direct actions.
Slack/Social Media Platforms. Any internal communications, messaging, etc. within 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice communication platforms.
- Sharing any photos, opinions, or campaigns on behalf of the IPO must be approved by the necessary individuals/members before posting to public platforms
Group Affiliations/Partnerships. Any information pertaining to partnerships, planning of endorsed events, or other collaboration with groups.
Visitors/Potential Members. Anything said by those visiting general meetings, volunteers, speakers, or individuals who are deciding whether to become members.

PETITIONING

Right to Petition

General membership reserves the right to propose new processes, events, campaigns, and other ideas for the IPO.

General Membership Meetings

Members in good standing can submit agenda items for general membership meetings when the Steering Committee circulates the proposed agenda prior to the start of the meeting. The Steering Committee may set a deadline for agenda item submissions and may remove an agenda item if the Steering Committee deems it unnecessary to the functioning of a meeting.

Standing Committee Meetings

Members in good standing can submit agenda items for committee meetings when the Committee Chair circulates the proposed agenda prior to meeting start. Committee Chairs reserve the right to add or remove an agenda item if it deems necessary to the functioning of a meeting.

Ad Hoc

Members in good standing can submit ideas and proposals to any individual Steering Committee member for internal Steering Committee discussion.

Proposals

Members who submit ideas may be asked to lead or to help execute ideas.

Reconciliation

If a member feels their ideas have been unfairly ignored or rejected, they reserve the right to seek help from the Restorative Practices Committee, who may step in to repair relations.

Petitions Covered Elsewhere

See VI.f.2.f for petitioning to remove officers, VIII.b.7 for petitioning to reauthorize committees, and IX.a.2 for proposing amendments.

48th Ward Neighbors for Justice

Edgewater | Chicago, Illinois

admin@48thneighbors.org

Paid for by 48th Ward Neighbors for Justice. A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is available on the Board’s official website (www.elections.il.gov) or for purchase from the State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.