Constitution and Bylaws

Article 1 – Name

The name of the Corporation shall be Scioto Southland Civic Association, Inc. Hereafter it may also be known as “Scioto Southland Civic”, “SSCA”, “SSC”, the “Civic”, the “Association”, or the “organization”.

Article 2 – Place of Office

The place in Ohio where the principal office of the corporation is to be located shall be the City of Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. 

Article 3 – Boundaries

The physical boundaries of the association area shall be an area bounded in the Northwest corner by the intersection of the Scioto River and State Route 104, following State Route 104 E to the CSX railroad tracks to Williams Rd. East to the intersection of Williams Rd. and Groveport Road, Southeasterly to Hamilton Rd./ State Route 317, S to Pontius Rd. South to the Franklin County line on the South, W to Jackson Pike/ State Route 104, N to Interstate 270, East to the Scioto River, and North to State Route 104 (excluding the village of Obetz, the village of Groveport, the village of Lockbourne, incorporated portions of Grove City, Hamilton Township, Jackson Township, Madison Township, and Truro Township).

Article 4 – Organizational Purpose

  1. An exclusive charitable and educational organization that provides leadership for the association area through regularly scheduled meetings and programs for the purpose of sharing information, raising issues, and reaching consensus.
  2. To interact and cooperate with other community organizations, boards, commissions, governmental bodies and city leaders as the Scioto Southland Civic Association, in order to assist the residents, tenants, landowners and business entities within the association area in meeting their civic needs and presenting their opinions to the community.
  3. To provide information and otherwise cooperate with the requests of boards, commissions, and other governmental bodies as the Scioto Southland Civic Association.
  4. To study the social, economic, and civic needs of the association area.
  5. To protect the general welfare and unity of the association area, as a non- commercial, non-partisan, non-sectarian association.
  6. To improve the association area through public and private programs; to promote restoration, preservation, and maintenance of the association area.  
  7. To encourage development in accordance with the guidelines of the Scioto Southland Area Plan as adopted by the City of Columbus and to do all things necessary to support these goals.
  8. To engage in any other lawful act, activity or business not contrary to and for which a not-for-profit corporation may be formed under the laws of the State of Ohio, and to have and exercise all powers conferred by the laws of the state of Ohio on not-for-profit corporations.

Article 5 – Restrictions

  1.  No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of any private individual or entity.
  2. No substantial part of the activities of the civic shall involve carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation except as provided in section 501(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
  3. The civic shall not participate in, or intervene in, any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
  4. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these articles of incorporation, the civic may not engage in any activity that is not permitted for an organization under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Service Code.
  5. Officers and trustees will disclose any personal or financial interest in matters before the civic. Individuals with a conflict of interest shall recuse themselves from voting or influencing decisions related to that interest.

Article 6 – Membership

  1. Membership is open to all individuals aged 18 and older who reside or own property within the boundaries of the association according to Article 3 of our bylaws. Each qualifying individual is entitled membership and voting rights.

    Occasionally, an individual who does not meet the residency or property ownership requirement but has a vested interest in the community may be granted membership through a majority vote of members present at a regular meeting.

    Proxy voting is not allowed.
  2. Membership shall be governed by such additional qualifications as may be established from time to time by the Scioto Southland Civic Association membership.  All changes to membership requirements shall be made in writing to these bylaws and shall be voted upon by the membership and approved by a majority of members present and voting at the meeting.
  3. Membership applications for business entities shall be restricted to the owner or a designated representative of the organization. Each business entity shall be granted one membership and one vote in matters of the association.

    Article 7 – Dues

    1. Dues for members will be collected annually at the monthly meeting in June.  The dues shall be $5.00 (Five Dollars) per member per residential address. The dues shall be $25.00 (Twenty-Five Dollars) per business entity.
    2. Past presidents do not pay membership dues after they conclude their elected position. This is a courtesy and recognition extended to them for their service to the association.

    Article 8 – Additional Funds and Donations

    1. The membership may be asked for voluntary donations to assist in defraying unexpected costs of the organization.
    2. Donations will be accepted from organizations and persons both within and outside the boundaries of the organization. Donations will be recorded by the treasurer and a list of the donors and donations will be available at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the organization.
    3. Fundraising events will be approved by the officers or trustees of the organization.
    4. If the Scioto Southland Civic Association should cease to exist or disband, then the remaining membership shall hold a final business meeting.  At that final business meeting, all members will hold a vote and select a local, not-for-profit organization that the remaining balance of our treasury (after payment of the Civic Association’s final expenses) will be donated to. Selection of this charitable organization will be made by a simple majority vote of those members in good standing present at the final meeting.

    Article 9 – Meetings

    1. The organization will meet regularly on the second Monday of each month at a location and time to be announced. If the regular meeting day is a legal holiday, the meeting will be moved to the following Monday. Attendance by at least four dues paying members in addition to at least two officers or trustees shall constitute a quorum, for a general meeting.  For the purposes of a committee meeting, a simple majority of the committee members needs to be present to constitute a quorum.
    2. The monthly meeting in November will serve as the meeting at which elections of the officers will be held.  Elections will be held by a secret written ballot.  In the event of a tie, candidates will speak to the membership to make their final case for no longer than 3 minutes. After speeches are completed, an immediate runoff will take place. If following the runoff there is another tie, the tie will be broken by casting lots. Nominations for officers will be received at the monthly meeting in October. The December meeting is NOT a regular business meeting, but instead it is the annual holiday gathering. If the need to hold business in December arises, a special meeting will be announced in advance. New officers will assume office on December 1st of the year.
    3. The trustees shall meet as needed to review actions of the organization and proposed courses of action from the body of the organization to ensure that such actions and/ or proposed actions do not violate the nonprofit charter of the organization.
    4. Committees will meet as needed to review developments in their areas of responsibility but may meet more frequently if necessary. Each committee shall report business, activities and/or findings to the general membership meeting on a regular basis.
    5. The officers of the organization shall meet at least once monthly to prepare new business for the general meeting and to invite presentations and/or speakers to the general meeting.
    6. In the event of a tie the floor will open for discussion. Any amendments to the motion can be made if necessary and then revoted. If the motion does not pass, it fails. 

    Article 10 – Trustees and Officers

    1. General
      • The officers of SSCA will be President, Vice President, Treasurer and Recording Secretary. In the event of an unfilled office one officer, excluding the president, may be permitted to hold one additional office. All officers must be current members of the organization and serve on the board of trustees. The immediate past president may serve on the board of trustees after their term as president has expired as an ex-officio, non-voting member. The minimum number of trustees needed for the Board of Trustees is 5, not including the immediate past President.  The maximum number is 9.
      • Officer elections are held during the monthly meeting in November per Article 9 Section 2 of our bylaws.
    2. Trustees
      • The organization shall be controlled and managed under the direction of a board of trustees. 
      • The bylaws shall be updated automatically to reflect any resignation, removal, or addition of trustees. These updates are administrative and do not require an amendment vote.
      • Responsibilities of the Board of Trustees:
        • Ensure that all actions and decisions of the Association align with its mission, bylaws, and legal requirements.
        • Provide oversight and guidance to officers in managing the organization’s affairs.
        • Review and approve major organizational decisions, including financial commitments, fundraising initiatives, and policy changes.
        • Serve as a resource for problem-solving and strategic planning, helping the Association navigate challenges.
        • Assist in long-term planning efforts to ensure the Association continues to serve the community effectively.
      • The names and addresses of persons who will serve as the trustees of the corporation/ organization are:
        • Reba Jones
        • Pam Richards
        • Marsha Kessler
        • Curtis Brown
        • William Palmer
        • Brian Humphrey
        • Sharon Hoover
        • Diane Todd
        • Judy Campbell (ex-officio)
    3. President
      • The president of the organization will be elected by the membership for a period of one year. The president will preside over the monthly and any special meetings of the organization. 
      • The president will serve as an ex officio member of all committees.
      • The president shall appoint members to standing and special committees of the SCA. 
      • The president will perform other duties associated with the office as required.
      • The president will have signing authority with the organization’s bank. Upon election of a new president, the outgoing president shall go to the bank to transfer signing rights to the incoming president, at which point the outgoing president will lose signing authority.
    4. Vice President
      • The Vice President shall be elected by the membership for a period of one year and shall fulfill the duties of the President in the event of the President’s absence.
    5. Recording Secretary
      • The Recording Secretary shall be elected by the membership for a period of one year and shall keep minutes of general membership meetings and the meetings of the officers of the organization. Additionally, the Recording Secretary will be responsible for receiving and handling all correspondence on behalf of the organization and at the request of the President.
    6. Treasurer
      • The Treasurer shall be elected by the membership for a period of one year and shall be responsible for the collection of dues, donations, and funds. The Treasurer shall manage the distribution and administration of grant monies. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the disbursement of monies to defray the expenses of the organization. 
      • The Treasurer shall have signing authority with the organization’s bank account. Upon the election of a new Treasurer, the outgoing Treasurer shall go to the bank to transfer signing rights to the incoming Treasurer, at which point the outgoing Treasurer will lose signing authority.
      • The Treasurer shall present a financial report at the regularly scheduled monthly meeting and exercise all duties incident to the officer of Treasurer including compliance with all fiscal requirements of all grants and other federal regulations pertaining to 501c(4) organizations.
      • The Scioto Southland Civic Association will file their 501(c)4 tax documents with the Internal Revenue Service and the State of Ohio in the month of December, as this month is the close of our fiscal year.
    7. Officer Vacancies
      • If an officer position becomes vacant before the next scheduled election, a nomination process shall begin immediately. Nominations will be accepted until the next regularly scheduled meeting, at which time a special election shall be held to fill the vacancy. The elected officer will serve the remainder of the term.
      • If the President’s position becomes vacant, the Vice President shall assume the role of Interim President until the special election is held the following month. If the Vice President declines or is unable to serve, the Board of Trustees shall appoint an Interim President until the election takes place.
      • If multiple officer vacancies occur, leaving fewer than three active officers, a special election shall be held at the next regularly scheduled meeting to fill the open positions.
      • All elected officers shall have full voting and decision-making authority for the remainder of the term.

    Article 11 – Standing Committees

    1. The President shall appoint all committees and a chairperson of each committee. Committees shall consist of at least the chairperson and two other members. The standing committees of this organization will be the Executive Committee, Audit Committee and Community Relations Committee.
    2. The appointments to the committees will be made at the 1st monthly meeting in January and will be for a term of one year.
    3. A vacancy will be filled in the manner of the original selection.
    4. The president shall serve as an ex officio member of all committees.
    5. The president will appoint a chair of each committee and will designate at least two other members to serve on the committee.
    6. All committees will be required to make a report at the monthly meeting.
      • The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer. The Executive Committee shall meet at least quarterly to evaluate the plans for Scioto Southland Civic Association activities.
      • The Audit Committee will consist of an officer other than the Treasurer and two additional general members to oversee the integrity of SSCA financial statements and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The audit committee will meet biannually in January and July.
      • SSC Ambassadors will promote the activities and existence of the Scioto Southland Civic Association to the community including residents, businesses, other individuals, and organizations. Ambassadors will also promote safety, health, recreation, and social services in the area and make recommendations concerning such.  This committee will meet as directed by the committee chair.
    7. Other committees may be formed by the Scioto Southland Civic Association as needed and will follow the same organizational structure and rules as above. Any committee formed will have to present regular reports to the membership of the organization and will have to operate within the guidelines of the bylaws.

    Article 12 – Code of Conduct

    Members of the Scioto Southland Civic Association shall treat other members and guests of our organization with respect and consideration regardless of the others opinion, income, homeowner or renter status, political affiliation, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, familial status, or military status as defined in Columbus City Code 2331.  

    No member of our organization who is not a member of a committee, an officer or board member, or who is not acting with the direct written permission of an officer or board member, has the authorization/permission to represent the Scioto Southland Civic Association in any manner.  To do such is an expellable offense with no warning needed.  

    For all other offenses against the by-laws, an initial violation of these guidelines will result in a verbal warning by the presiding officer of the meeting.  A second violation will result in the offending members removal from the meeting. Repeated failure to adhere to this rule is grounds for removal from the organization; such removal will occur upon a 2/3 affirmative vote for removal by the membership present and voting at a regular monthly meeting of the organization.  The decision of the membership is final.

    Article 13 – Parliamentary Authority

    The most recent version of Roberts’ Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of our organization and meetings in all cases to which they are applicable and not inconsistent with these bylaws.

    Article 14 – Amendments

    Amendments to the By-laws shall be adopted by a majority vote of the membership present and voting at any regularly scheduled meeting. Reviews of these by-laws shall be handled by the executive committee members or by special written request of any dues paid member.  

    Any review of the by-laws that results in changes will require such changes to be voted on by the membership as above.  To be valid, all pages of this document must be initialed by the signer, and dated except the last, which must be signed and dated.

    Approved on this date by a vote of the membership:

    Date: April 14th 2025

    President, Scioto Southland Civic Association

    Please Note: The formatting of this page may differ from the printed constitution and bylaws. This is due to the nature of digital and print media and no content has been changed. The addresses of officers and trustees have been omitted from the digital constitution and bylaws, but are available upon request.