{"id":2280,"date":"2026-05-15T13:46:04","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T13:46:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/?page_id=2280"},"modified":"2026-06-29T20:40:23","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T20:40:23","slug":"bylaws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/bylaws\/","title":{"rendered":"Bylaws"},"content":{"rendered":"

Adopted November 14, 2024<\/p>\n

MAYORS\u2019 PARTNERSHIP FOR PROGRESS\u2028CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS<\/p>\n

Preamble<\/p>\n

We, an Association of concerned Mayors and City Managers, organized for the express purpose of supporting and bettering the lives of our citizens, contend that the interests of our cities and villages\u2028can best be served in an enlightened, objective and democratic manner. As members of the Mayors\u2019 Partnership for Progress, we whole-heartedly subscribe to these fundamental tenets:<\/p>\n

Article I<\/strong>
\nNames and Objects<\/strong><\/p>\n

Section 1. The name of the Organization shall be the Mayors\u2019 Partnership for Progress.<\/p>\n

Section 2. The Objects of the Organization shall be:\u2028(a) To encourage and promote equality of cities and villages\u2028(b) To encourage members to promote their cities and villages\u2028(c) To do all within our power to assure that our area of the state receives its fair share of state funds.\u2028Section 3. The members of the Mayors\u2019 Partnership for Progress shall adopt, and may, from time to time,\u2028revise such by-laws as may be required to carry out these objectives.<\/p>\n

Article II<\/strong>
\n\u2028Membership<\/strong><\/p>\n

Section 1. Eligibility. There shall be three types of membership: Mayors or Managers of Cities, Mayors\u2028or Managers of Villages and Associate Members.<\/p>\n

Section 2. Dues. Membership dues shall be four-tiered: $400.00 for Cities with populations of 10,000 or\u2028greater, $300.00 for Cities with populations between 5,000-9,999, $200.00 for Villages with populations\u2028between 1,000-4,999, and $100.00 for Villages with populations up to 999, payable on or before March\u202831 st of each year. No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current year. Associate Member\u2028dues are $100.00.<\/p>\n

Section 3. Election to Membership. Membership in the Mayors\u2019 Partnership for Progress is open to any\u2028Mayor or Manager, interested in better government, regardless of sex, race, creed or national\u2028origin, subject to the approval of the Organization’s Board of Directors, who are elected from the\u2028following 32 Appalachian Counties as designated by the Appalachian Regional Commission: Adams,\u2028Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Gallia, Guernsey,\u2028Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mahoning, Meigs, Monroe,\u2028Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, and Washington.\u2028Associate Membership is open to any individual, group or business who has an interest in good\u2028government and whose membership is sponsored by a regular Mayors\u2019 Partnership for Progress member,\u2028subject to the approval of the Organizations\u2019 Executive Board. All Associate Members can neither vote nor hold office.<\/p>\n

Section 4. Termination of Membership. Membership may be terminated\u2028(a) By resignation. Any member in good standing may resign from the Organization upon written notice\u2028to the Executive Director.\u2028Adopted November 14, 2024\u2028(b) By lapsing. Membership will be considered as lapsed and automatically terminated if such a member’s\u2028dues remain unpaid 30 days after the first day of the fiscal year, unless the Executive Board waives dues\u2028under special circumstances (i.e., Fiscal Emergency). In no case may a person be entitled to vote at any\u2028Association meeting or by mailed or e-mailed ballot whose dues are unpaid as of the date of that meeting\u2028or of the mailing of the ballot.\u2028(c) By expulsion. Any membership may be terminated by expulsion as provided in Article VI of these by-\u2028laws.<\/p>\n

Article II<\/strong>
\nMeetings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Section 1. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the Mayors\u2019 Partnership for Progress shall be held\u2028in the month of November at a place, date and hour designated by the Board of Officers.\u2028Written notice of the annual meeting shall be mailed or e-mailed by the Executive Director to each\u2028member, at least 30 days prior to the date of the annual meeting. The quorum for the annual meeting shall\u2028be 25% of the voting members in good standing.<\/p>\n

Section 2. Special Organization Meetings. Special Organization Meetings may be called by the\u2028President upon a majority vote of the Board of Officers. Meetings shall be held at such a place, date and\u2028time as may be designated by the Board of Officers. Written notice of such a meeting shall be mailed or\u2028e-mailed by the Executive Director to each member at least 14 (and not more than 30) days prior to the\u2028meeting. The notice of the meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting and no other business may be\u2028transacted. The quorum for such a meeting shall be 25% of the voting members in good standing.<\/p>\n

Section 3. Officer Meetings. The initial meeting of the Officers shall be held immediately following the\u2028announcement of the Officers\u2019 election results. Other meetings of the Officers shall be held at such times\u2028and places as are designated by the Executive Director or by majority vote of the Officers. Written\u2028notification of each such meeting shall be mailed or e-mailed by the Executive Director to each Officer\u2028member at least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for an Officers\u2019 meeting shall be a\u2028majority of the Board voting in person, by mail, e-mail, fax, or telephone conference call.<\/p>\n

Section 4. At any time, the Board of Officers may conduct its’ business by mail, e-mail, fax or telephone\u2028call through the President. Items voted upon and approved by the Board must be confirmed in\u2028writing by the Executive Director within 14 days.<\/p>\n

Article III\u2028<\/strong>
\nDirectors and Officers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Section 1. Executive Director, General management of the Organization’s affairs shall be entrusted to the\u2028Executive Director.\u2028(a) The Executive Director shall keep a record of all meetings of the Organization and the Officers and of\u2028all votes taken by mail, and of all matter of which a record shall be ordered by the Organization, have\u2028charge of their correspondence, notify members of members, notify new members of their acceptance into\u2028the Organization, notify officers and Directors of the election to office, keep a roll of the members of the\u2028Organization with their addresses and carry out such other duties as are prescribed in these by-laws.<\/p>\n

Section 2. Officers. All members of the Association shall be represented at the Annual Meeting of the\u2028Association by duly elected officers. The Board of Officers, consisting of the President, President-elect,\u2028Immediate Past President and Treasurer, shall serve in their respective capacities both with regard to the\u2028Organization and its meetings and the Board and its meetings,\u2028Adopted November 14, 2024\u2028(a) The President shall preside at all meetings of the Organization and of the Board and shall have the\u2028duties and powers normally appurtenant to the Office of President in addition to those particularly\u2028specified in these by-laws.\u2028(b) The President-elect shall have the duties and exercise the powers of the President in the case of the\u2028President’s death, absence, or incapacity.\u2028(c) The Immediate Past President shall have the duties and exercise the powers of the President in the case\u2028of the President and Vice-Presidents death, absence, or capacity.\u2028(d) The Treasurer shall collect and receive all monies due or belonging to the Organization. Monies shall\u2028be deposited in a bank approved by the Organization in the name of the Partnership. The books shall, at\u2028all times, be open to inspection of the Organization and a report shall be given at every meeting of the\u2028condition of the Organization’s finances and every item of receipt or payment not before reported; and at\u2028the annual meeting, an accounting shall be rendered of all monies received and expended during the\u2028previous fiscal year. The Treasurer is responsible for handling all required fillings for the Association.\u2028(e) All officers are required to attend a minimum of nine meetings a year, or 75% of the meetings.<\/p>\n

Section 3. Vacancies. Any vacancies occurring among the officers during the year shall be filled until the\u2028next annual election by a majority votes of all then-members of the Board; except that a vacancy in the\u2028Office of President shall be filled automatically by the President-elect, and the resulting vacancy in the\u2028Office of President-Elect shall be filled by a majority vote of the Partnership\u2019s voting members.<\/p>\n

Article IV<\/strong>
\n\u2028The Organization\u2019s Fiscal Year, Nominations, Elections<\/strong><\/p>\n

Section 1. Fiscal Year. The Organization\u2019s fiscal year shall begin on the first day of January, and\u2028end on the 31 st day of December.<\/p>\n

Section 2. Voting. At the Annual Meeting or at a special meeting of the Organization, voting shall be\u2028limited to those members in good standing who are present at the meeting.\u2028(a)Voting by proxy shall be permitted when accompanied by a signed letter from the member.<\/p>\n

Section 3. Annual Election. The election of Officers shall be conducted by a majority vote of members\u2028present in good standing at the Annual Meeting. If any nominee, at the time of the Annual Meeting, is\u2028unable to serve for any reason, such nominee shall not be elected and the vacancy created shall be filled\u2028by the Board of Officers in the manner provided by Article II, Section 3.<\/p>\n

Section 4. Nominations. Nominations for Officers shall be made yearly at the Annual Meeting by\u2028members in good standing that are present. The President, President-Elect, and Immediate Past President\u2028shall be elected to a one-year term, with a one term limit for each position. The Treasurer shall be\u2028nominated for a one-year term. The Treasurer is not term limited.<\/p>\n

Article V\u2028<\/strong>
\nCommittees<\/strong><\/p>\n

Section 1. The President, upon the approval of majority of the Partnership members, may each year\u2028appoint standing committees to advance the work of the Organization in such matters which may well be\u2028served by committees. Special committees may also be appointed by the President, subject to the approval\u2028of a majority of the Partnership, to aid the Executive Director on particular projects.<\/p>\n

Section 2. Any committee appointment may be terminated by a majority vote of the full membership\u2028of the Partnership upon written notice to the appointee; and the President, subject to the approval of the\u2028majority of the Partnership, may appoint successors to those persons whose service has been terminated.\u2028Adopted November 14, 2024<\/p>\n

Article VI <\/strong>
\nDiscipline<\/strong><\/p>\n

Section 1. Mayors\u2019 Partnership for Progress Suspension. Any member who is suspended from their\u2028respective office shall automatically be suspended from the privileges of the Mayors\u2019 Partnership for\u2028Progress.<\/p>\n

Section 2. Charges. Any member may prefer charges against a member for alleged misconduct prejudicial\u2028to the best interests of the organization. Written charges with specifications must be filed in duplicate\u2028with the Executive Director. The Executive Director shall promptly send a copy of the charges to each\u2028Officer or present them at an Officer Board meeting, and the Officer shall first consider whether the\u2028actions alleged in the charges, if proven, might constitute conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the\u2028organization. If the Officers consider that the charges do not allege conduct which would be prejudicial to\u2028the best interests of the organization, it may refuse to entertain jurisdiction. If the Officers entertain\u2028jurisdiction of the charges, it shall fix a date of the hearing by the Executive Director or a Committee of\u2028not less than 3 members of the Partnership, not less than 3 weeks or more than 6 weeks thereafter. The\u2028Executive Director shall promptly send a copy of the charges to the accused member by certified mail\u2028together with a notice of the hearing and an assurance that the defendant may personally appear in their\u2028own defense and bring witnesses if the individual(s) wishes.<\/p>\n

Section 3. Board of Officers\u2019 Hearing. The Officers or committee shall have complete authority to decide\u2028whether counsel may attend the hearing, but both complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in\u2028that regard. Should the charges be sustained after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by the\u2028complainant and defendant, Officers or committee may by a majority vote of those present suspend the\u2028defendant from all privileges of the organization for not more than 6 months from the date of the hearing,\u2028or until the next Annual Meeting if it will occur after 6 months. And, if it deems that punishment is\u2028insufficient, it may also recommend to the membership that the penalty be expulsion. In such case, the\u2028suspension shall not restrict the defendant’s right to appear before following members at the ensuing\u2028Organization’s Annual Meeting which considers the recommendation of the Officers or Committee.\u2028Immediately after the Officers or committee have reached a decision, their findings shall be put in written\u2028form and filed with the Executive Director. The Executive Director, in turn, shall notify each of the\u2028parties of the decision and penalty, if any.<\/p>\n

Section 4. Expulsion. Expulsion of a member from the Organization may be accomplished only at the\u2028Annual Meeting of the Organization following a hearing and upon the recommendation of the Officers or\u2028committee as provided in Section 3 of this Article. The defendant shall have the privilege of appearing in\u2028their own behalf though no evidence shall be taken at this meeting. The President shall read the charges\u2028and finding and recommendations, and shall invite the defendant, if present, to speech in their own behalf.\u2028The Meeting shall then vote by secret ballot on the proposed expulsion. A 2\/3 rd vote of those present and\u2028voting at the annual meeting shall be necessary for expulsion. If expulsion is not so voted, the suspension\u2028shall stand.<\/p>\n

Article VII<\/strong>
\n\u2028Amendments<\/strong><\/p>\n

Section 1. Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws may be proposed by the Bylaw Review\u2028Committee or by written petition addressed to the Executive Director and signed by 25 percent of the\u2028membership in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall be promptly considered by\u2028the Board of Officers and Bylaw Review Committee, and must be submitted to the members with\u2028Adopted November 14, 2024\u2028recommendations of the Officers by the Executive Director for a vote within 3 months of the date when\u2028the petition was received by the Executive Director.\u2028Section 2. The Constitution and Bylaws may be amended at any time with two hearings and by a\u2028favorable vote of 2\/3 rd of the members present in good standing at any meeting.<\/p>\n

Article VIII\u2028<\/strong>
\nDissolution<\/strong><\/p>\n

Section 1. The Organization may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than 2\/3 rd of\u2028the members. In the event of the dissolution of the Organization, other than for purposes of\u2028re-organization, whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law, none of the property of the\u2028Organization nor any assets of the Organization shall be distributed to any members of the Organization,\u2028but after payment of the debt of the Organization, its property and assets shall be given to a charitable\u2028organization selected by the Board of Officers.<\/p>\n

Article IX<\/strong>
\n\u2028Order of Business<\/strong><\/p>\n

Section 1. At meetings of the Organization, the order of business, so far as the character and nature of\u2028the meeting may permit, shall be as follows:\u2028Call to order\u2028Minutes of the last meeting\u2028Report of Treasurer\u2028Old Business\u2028Report of Committees\u2028New business\u2028Presentation of annual awards (if such meeting is the Annual Meeting)\u2028Adjournment<\/p>\n

Section 2. At meetings of the Board, the order of business, unless otherwise directed by majority vote\u2028of those present, shall be as follows:\u2028Call to order\u2028Minutes of last meeting\u2028Report of Secretary\/Treasurer\u2028Old business\u2028Report of Committees\u2028New Business\u2028Adjournment\u2028Article X\u2028Parliamentary Authority\u2028Section 1. The rules contained in the current edition of Roberts’ Rules of Order. Newly Revised shall\u2028govern the Organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent\u2028with these by-laws and any other special rules or order the Partnership may adopt.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2280","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2280","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2280"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2280\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3008,"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2280\/revisions\/3008"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/voinovichacademy.ohio.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}