BY-LAWS OF THE RENTAL HOUSING COMMISSION

CITY OF MORRIS

 

Article I: Mission Statement

 

         The mission of the Morris Rental Housing Commission is to provide community stakeholders, including landlords, tenants, and other community members, with a place to develop and implement mutually agreeable solutions that address the city’s rental housing issues. Through the education of tenants and landlords on rights and responsibilities, increased access to information, and shared problem-solving ventures, the Commission seeks to improve rental housing experiences in the City of Morris.

 

Article II: Membership

 

A.   Composition: The Rental Housing Commission will be comprised of twelve members. In order to establish fair representation three members shall be landlords in the City of Morris, three members shall be tenants in the City of Morris, and two shall be neither tenants nor landlords.  The City Rental Property Enforcement Officer, the Executive Directors of both the City of Morris and Stevens County Housing Redevelopment Authorities (HRAs), the City Manager, and a representative of the Morris City Council shall serve as ex officio members without vote. 

 

B.   Appointment: The Rental Housing Commission will recommend its membership to the City Council, which appoints Commissioners.  Members will serve staggered two year terms, except in those cases where new members may be completing the term of a member who left the Commission before completing his/her term. There shall be no limit to the number of terms a person can serve on the Commission.

 

C.   Removal for Neglect: Commissioners may be removed for neglect if they are absent for three meetings over any six month period.  Such removal shall be considered and approved by 2/3 of the Commissioners present and voting.

 

Article III: Meetings

 

A.   Frequency: The Commission shall hold regular monthly meetings at a time and date determined by the membership of the Commission.

 

B.   Voting: A quorum consists of a majority of the membership.  A majority vote of the members present shall be sufficient to transact the business of the Commission.

 

C.   Special Meetings: The Commission may hold special meetings to complete or initiate business at the request of the Chair of at least two members of the Commission. Each member shall be notified in writing and/or by email, at least 48 hours previous to a special meeting, of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting. No other matters shall be considered at a special meeting without the unanimous consent of all members present.

 

D.   Transparency: All meetings shall be open to the public.

 

Article IV: Officers

 

A.   Election of Officers: The officers of the Morris Rental Housing Commission shall be elected by the members of the Commission at the January meeting of each year. They shall serve a period of one year and shall be eligible for re-election without limits.

 

B.   Positions: The officers of the Rental Housing Commission shall be a Chair, a Vice Chair, and a Secretary.

 

C.   Duties of Officers:

 

a.    The Chair shall:

                                        i.    Develop an agenda for meetings,

                                         ii.    Conduct and preside over meetings,

                                           iii.    Report to the City Council,

                                          iv.    Ensure that the Commission conducts its activities within the stated mission and by-laws,

                                         v.    Take needed action on behalf of the Rental Housing Commission in emergency situations. Such actions must be reported to the Commission at its next meeting at the latest.

b.   The Vice Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair when the Chair is not able to be present.

c.    The Secretary shall:

                                        i.    Record and distribute minutes for Rental Housing Commission meetings,

                                         ii.    Notify the Commission of meeting times in cooperation with the Chair,

 

D.   Vacancies: If the Chair of the Rental Housing Commission is unable to serve, the Vice Chair shall automatically become the acting Chair and a new Chair shall be elected to the vacated position at the next meeting.

 

Article V: Conduct of Business

 

A.   Call to Order: Meetings shall be called to order by the Chair. In the absence of the chair, the Vice Chair shall call the meeting to order.

 

B.   Rules: The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order Revised Edition shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these by-laws.

 

C.   Attendance: Attendance shall be taken at each meeting and a record made of those present.

 

D.   Minutes: The minutes of previous meetings shall be submitted for approval and any errors noted and corrections made; the agenda of the current meeting shall be approved.

 

E.   Amending the Rules: These rules and procedures may be amended by a vote of a majority of the members of the Rental Housing Commission.

 

Article VI: Amendments and Revisions

 

         These by-laws must be reviewed at least every three years and any recommendations for amendments will be considered by the Rental Housing Commission for action. These by-laws can be amended at any regularly monthly meeting of the Commission provided that notice of the proposed amendments have been sent to each member at least 7 days prior to the meeting.