MARIN COUNTY GREEN PARTY BYLAWS
ADOPTED June 14, 2006
Article 1. Name
The name of this organization is the Marin County Green Party (County Greens). The administrative body of the County Greens is the Marin County Council of the Green Party (Council).
Article 2. Purpose
Section 2-1. The County Greens
2-1.1 The purpose of the County Greens is to further the following ten key
values through political and social action:
1. Ecological Wisdom 6. Community-Based Economics
2. Grassroots Democracy 7. Post-Patriarchal Values/Feminism
3. Social Justice 8. Respect for Diversity
4. Nonviolence 9. Personal and Global Responsibility
5. Decentralization 10. Future Focus/Sustainability
2-1.2 These bylaws govern the organization, operation, and function of the County Greens and the Council.
Section 2-2. The Council
2-2.1 The Council will administer the County Greens according to these bylaws.
In the event of an omission or ambiguity in these bylaws, the County Greens
will look to the bylaws of the Green Party of California (GPCA) for guidance.
2-2.2 The Council is accountable to the membership of the County Greens and must enact all decisions reached in accordance with these bylaws.
Article 3. County Greens Membership
Members are: all persons residing in Marin County with a current and valid registration in the Green Party of California.
Article 4. The Council
Section 4-1. Mission and Purpose
4-1.1 The Council will serve as the elected representative body of the County
Greens. The Council's mission is to contribute to the ongoing empowerment
of the members of the County Greens so that they may continue their work.
The Council will serve to promote the ten key values in all its actions
and statements.
4-1.2 The Council shall fill the role served by the County Central Committees pursuant to Division 7 of the California Election Code.
Section 4-2. Membership
4-2.1 The number of voting members on the county council is determined by
the GPCA based on the number of registered Greens in the county. These voting
members are elected in a countywide, at-large district during the direct
primary election held by the State of California in even years.
4-2.2 The Council will notify the GPCA Coordinating Committee of any bylaws changes affecting council elections or size no later than 150 days before the direct primary election.
4-2.3 Council members will serve until the succeeding primary election and the new Council convenes its first meeting.
4-2.4 A Council member may appoint an alternate in her/his absence. The alternate must reside in Marin County and be a registered member of the Green Party. Alternates shall have full consensus and voting rights only with the written authorization of their appointing Council member. An alternate member shall be subject to the rules of the Council and may vote only while the elected member is absent.
4-2.5 A Council member automatically resigns if s/he:
a) moves out of Marin County; or
b) is no longer a registered Green; or
c) misses three consecutive Council meetings, without appointing an alternate.
4-2.6 When a vacancy occurs on the Council that vacancy shall be filled by appointment by a General Meeting according to the decision-making procedures specified in Section 5-3.2.
4-2.7 A sitting council member can be recalled if both (a) and (b) occur:
a) Three members of the County Greens present a written statement to the
Council member specifying why they would like the Council member recalled.
The statement must be presented at a Council or General Meeting.
b) The Council shall allot equal times for the two positions at the next
General Meeting. If that meeting results in a consensus (minus the member
being recalled) or in a 2/3 fallback vote at a following General Meeting
(at least seven days apart) in favor of recall, the Council member is removed
from office.
Section 4-3. Duties and Powers
4-3.1 The duties and powers of the Council are:
a) to propose the agenda and choose Facilitators for General Meetings;
b) to make sure that minutes of General Meetings are kept, and that the
records of the County Greens are maintained;
c) to set dates for General Meeting sessions, and to inform the membership
of those dates;
d) to make recommendations and proposals to General Meetings;
e) to make every reasonable effort to carry out faithfully the decisions
of General Meetings;
f) to make such decisions as are normally reserved to a General Meeting,
but cannot be delayed until the next possible General Meeting session (such
decisions shall be subject to revision or rejection at the next General
Meeting);
g) to set up new Working Groups, and dissolve Working Groups that are not
meeting or functioning;
h) to ask for and to receive reports and recommendations from Working Groups;
i) to coordinate the efforts of the various Working Groups;
r) to act as a conduit for information between Working Groups, and to make
recommendations to Working Groups, as necessary;
j) to carry out any necessary action which does not fall within the duties
of any particular Working Group;
k) to develop strategy and implement policy for the County Greens;
l) to be ultimately responsible for seeing that the legal and fiscal responsibilities
of the County Greens are met;
m) to raise funds and make expenditures as necessary; two Council members’
signatures (including the Treasurer’s) are required for any expenditure
over $150.00;
n) to retain and direct legal counsel;
o) to speak for, or to authorize individuals to speak for the County Greens,
within the general parameters of established County Green policy, the State
Platform, or recognized Green values;
q) to carry out any duties required of it by the GPCA;
r) to make any decisions which, within reason and without abusing either
the spirit or letter of these bylaws, help to carry out the powers and duties
of the Council, any Working Group, or the General Membership, as stated
here and elsewhere in these bylaws.
Section 4-4. Officers
4-4.1 Co-Coordinating Team
a) The Council shall select two of its members as a gender-balanced Co-Coordinating
Team. The Council will promptly notify the County Clerk of the names, addresses
and phone numbers of the team. A Co-Coordinator may not serve more than
one two-year term consecutively.
b) The team will act as sole liaison between the County Greens and the County
Clerk. The team will promptly forward all decisions and communications made
under these bylaws.
c) Either Co-Coordinator, or the Treasurer, will sign all checks drawn of
the County Greens’ account.
4-4.2 Treasurer
a) The Council shall select a Treasurer from among its members. The Treasurer
may serve up to two consecutive two-year terms.
b) Each month, the Treasurer shall:
1) provide the Council with written reports of all transactions during the
preceding month; and
2) file all required reports with the Treasurer of the GPCA
c) The Treasurer shall be responsible for fulfilling all the requirements
of the Political Reform Act and the FPPC.
d) The Treasurer is responsible for keeping accurate records of all funds
at the Council's disposal. These records will be made available in a timely
fashion to any member of the County Greens for examination, upon request.
4-4.3 Secretary
a) The Council shall select from among its members a Secretary. The Secretary
may serve up to two consecutive two-year terms.
b) The Secretary shall take written minutes of all Council meetings. Minutes
of all regularly and specially scheduled Council meetings shall be made
available to Council members by the following Council meeting.
c) The Secretary will act as conduit for all reports to the Council.
Section 4-5. Decision-Making
4-5.1 The Council shall use the consensus-seeking process, as defined in
5-3.2, for decision-making. The Council may, however, establish its own
rules of procedure subject to these bylaws (such as creation of officers,
agenda, etc.). All Council meetings shall be open to any member of the County
Greens, who may participate in discussion, but only members of the Council
may have full consensus and voting powers, unless the Council chooses otherwise.
4-5.2 A quorum of the Council shall be 2/3 of the current members of the Council, rounded down to the nearest whole number, and not to be less than three if there are four or more current members.
4-5.3 The Council may delegate any of its duties and powers to committees.
These committees may contain non-council members who are County Green members,
but they shall remain responsible to the Council.
Article 5. Meetings
Section 5-1. Council
The Council shall hold regular meetings. An announcement of upcoming meetings
will be posted. Additional meetings may be held whenever necessary. Council
meetings shall be open to observation and participation of all County Green
members, except that only Council members shall have full consensus and
voting powers. The Council may impose reasonable time limits. The Council
may also impose a “closed” session, as circumstances require.
Section 5-2. General Membership
The County Greens shall hold regular General Meetings. The Council may call
additional meetings whenever necessary, as long as two weeks notice is given
to all current County Green members who have attended at least one General
Meeting, with priority given to more recent meetings, or who have requested
to be added to the meeting notification list.
Meetings shall be open to the public, and participation of all Green registrants shall be encouraged, except that only County Green members shall have full consensus and voting powers. The Council shall maintain a sign-up list for meeting attendance.
Section 5-3. Decision-Making
5-3.1 All County Green Party members may participate in discussion. Any
County Green Party member who has attending two General or County Council
Meetings in the last six months shall have power to participate in decision-making
(i.e., hold blocking concerns or vote) at General Meetings.
5-3.2 Process
a) Decision-making shall be democratic, according to an amended consensus-seeking
process described below., as reached within an established time frame. Time
frames may be amended as necessary.
b) The facilitator and participants will adhere to the time frames approved
in the agenda, except by a majority vote by a show of hands among the participants
to amend the agenda and/or extend the time frame.
c) The following procedures shall be used to achieve consensus:
1) Presenter(s) explain the proposal:
2) Facilitator calls for clarifying questions; presenter(s) respond;
3) Facilitator calls for concerns (listed by the Scribe) and friendly amendments;
presenter may accept or reject amendments;
4) Facilitator calls for unresolved concerns. If none, consensus is achieved;
5) If members have unresolved concern(s), facilitator asks if the members
will stand aside; if so, the Scribe records the concern, and consensus is
achieved.
6) A member may ask for an approval vote in addition to this process, if
the member is unsatisfied that the lack of stated unresolved concerns truly
constitutes a consensus. The person requesting the vote may ask for a roll
call vote or a show of hands to verify the consensus. The result must be
recorded in the minutes.
d) If consensus cannot be reached within the established/amended time frame,
decisions may be made by vote. If the decision is not time-urgent and does
not involve irreconcilable political differences, it must come back to the
next general meeting before going to a vote. If a decision is time-urgent
or involves irreconcilable political differences, it can go straight to
a vote.
e) The purpose of delaying a vote, if feasible, is to allow more time for
consideration and resolution of concerns. The opposition should present
its views clearly to the presenters of the proposal, and the presenters
should make a good faith effort to resolve concerns, if possible. This should
include dialogue seeking understanding between the opposing viewpoints.
It may also include writing a report of the different positions and rebuttals
for the next regular meeting.
f) Voting: A 2/3 majority is required for bylaws amendments and changes
to long-standing policy. Otherwise, an IRV vote must be used (ranking choices,
seeking 50% +1 majority, and allowing None of the Above as an option).
g) In the case of a vote that is not unanimous, the minority is always entitled
to submit its views as a “minority report” to be made available
to the membership with the minutes.
Article 6. Delegate Selection to Green Party of California General Assembly
The Council shall select delegates to statewide meetings of the GPCA. These delegates shall be approved by the County Greens at a General Membership meeting. If there are as many or fewer people volunteering to be delegates than delegate positions, the delegates shall be approved by a consensus or simple majority. If there are more people than seats, single transferable vote shall be used to assign the available delegate slots. Before each statewide meeting, the Council shall provide the GPCA Coordinating Committee and the state Hosting Committee with the names of team members representing the County Greens delegate votes. If a vote needs to be taken at the statewide meeting, the team will caucus to decide how to use the allotted votes. If a consensus is reached on how to allot votes to best represent the county, delegates will vote accordingly. If consensus is not reached or if concerns regarding a proposal are resolved by amendment on the plenary floor, the delegates will do their best to represent the county with their vote and report this vote to the county afterward.
Article 7. Amendment of Bylaws
These bylaws may be amended at any time, through the following process:
a) Proposals for amendment must be addressed at a General Meeting;
b) Using the County Green decision-making process, the members will determine
whether the amendment is necessary, and, if possible, the general approach
to be taken;
c) If amendment is necessary, a Bylaws Working Group shall draft a proposed
amendment following the general approach determined at the membership meeting;
d) The proposed amendment or the originally worded amendment may be adopted
at the following General Meeting, either by consensus or, if necessary