Metro Detroit Greens Bylaws

1. Name

1.1 The name of this local chapter of the Green Party of Michigan is the Metro Detroit Greens.

2. Purpose and Values

2.1 The purpose of this organization is to work towards a "Green" society as represented by the Ten Key Values of the international Green movement. These values are as follows:

Ecological Wisdom, Grassroots Democracy, Social Justice, Nonviolence, Community Based Economics, Decentralization, Respect for Diversity, Feminism, Personal and Global Responsibility, Future Focus

2.1 The Metro Detroit Greens (MDG) will work to manifest the Ten Key Values in political law making and social movement decisions made on issues affecting Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties, the State of Michigan, the Nation and the World.

2.2 MDG will use a consensus model of decision making wherever possible as outlined in section (8). Where percentages are given as voting guidelines in these bylaws, it is only intended as a fallback safeguard when reasonable efforts to achieve consensus have failed.

2.3 The Metro Detroit Greens is a local chapter of The Green Party of Michigan. The Green Party of Michigan is an affiliated state party within The Greens / Green Party USA. The Green Party of Michigan is an affiliated state party within the Association of State Green Parties.

2.4 MDG will adopt an annual platform to address and take action on issues of local, regional, national and international concerns as deemed appropriate by the local's membership.

3. Membership Rights and Responsibilities

3.1 To be a member of MDG, a person must sign a statement agreeing to support the Ten Key Values, and must endorse generally the local party platform as developed, updated and adopted by the membership each year. Members must also abide by the decision making process of the local chapter.

3.2 Membership is open to anyone regardless of age, race, gender, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, appearance, or physical ability.

3.3 To be a member in good standing, annual dues must be paid and current to both the local chapter and to the state party. The required membership dues for the local chapter will be $10 each year and the required dues to be sent to the state party will be $10 more each year, for a total of $20 per year. The treasurer of the local, in cases of financial difficulty, may waive an applicant's local chapter dues.

3.4 Active members must satisfy section 3.3 and must have attended at least two (2) regular local chapter meetings or one (1) state level meeting in the past four months.

3.5 A member in good standing may vote at any meeting of the local chapter, based on the principle of one-person one vote. Proxy votes are acceptable if accompanied by a signed letter of authorization and if acceptable to a simple majority of those in attendance at the chapter Meeting where the vote is held.

3.6 Members of the Metro Detroit Greens should participate in the GPMi County Committee or Congressional District Committee appropriate to their residence for the purposes of nominating candidates for political office under Michigan law.

3.7 Any member of the local chapter may nominate her/himself or another member for any open office of the local chapter as outlined in section (5).

3.6 Any member of the local chapter may nominate her/himself or another member for any open committee position of the local chapter as outlined in section (6).

3.7 Members in good standing of a local chapter may vote on state issues at general state meetings and may serve as Green Party of Michigan Officers as outlined in Green Party of Michigan bylaws.

3.8 The membership of an individual in MDG and in the Green Party of Michigan can be revoked for failing to abide by the Ten Key Values or for disrupting the work of MDG members or committees. Revocation of membership is achieved by a 75% vote of the local chapter's membership attending a regular meeting or by a 75% vote of the members attending a Green Party of Michigan state meeting. Any individual must be informed, in writing, of the potential revocation of membership at least two weeks prior to the vote and have a chance to present his or her defense at the meeting when the vote is held.

4. Structure

4.1 The Metro Detroit Greens shall have, as a minimum, two officer chairpersons for the local chapter.

4.2 Local chapter meetings and committee meetings should be set by MDG members at a time and location generally understood by all members. An official local chapter meeting shall convene when any two members notify all members of the meeting and publish an agenda at least 3 days (72 hours) in advance.

A list of current members and contact information (telephone number, e-mail address, and/or mailing address) shall be maintained by the secretary of the local chapter and shall be made available to any two members wishing to call a meeting. Members not wishing to have their contact information made public in this manner will not be counted on the listing of "all members" who must be notified for an official local chapter meeting.

4.3 A regular chapter meeting *is* also an official meeting and shall convene at a time and location published in the MDG newsletter as agreed upon by 75% of members present at the previous regular meeting and a complete agenda for the meeting has been made available to the general membership. The agenda for a regular meeting shall be published and made available to the general membership at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting is scheduled to start. Currently, regular MDG local meetings occur each Tuesday at 7:30pm in the MDG Clearinghouse offices at 22757 Woodward, Ferndale, MI.

4.4 The MDG co-chairs will collect agenda items from chapter members and publish the agenda for regular local chapter meetings. Co-chairs will also decide on issues needing expedient attention between meetings, monitor progress of standing and ad-hoc committees, ensure MDG administrative tasks are attended, and act as representatives to the media on local issues.

4.5 All decisions concerning policy, finance, and objectives shall require a vote of at least 60% of the membership present at any official local meeting.

4.6 The membership of the Metro Detroit Greens may create any office position as needed with a 75% member vote at any official local meeting.

5. Officers

5.1 One co-chair will act as Treasurer of MDG, and the other co-chair will act as Secretary, unless the group has approved specific other persons for these duties in accordance with section 4.6. Co-chairs will be composed of one female and one male to maintain gender equity in the leadership. Co-chairs shall be the spokespersons for MDG if other members already appointed to this role cannot fulfill this responsibility.

5.2 Candidates for any MDG office must meet the following criteria: a) A candidate must embrace the Ten Key Values, sign a statement declaring fidelity to these values and use these values as a basis for their political decision-making. b) A candidate must maintain active Membership in good standing in MDG. c) Candidates chosen by MDG for any political office must be ratified at the appropriate County Committee or Congressional District Committee to ensure they meet legal requirements. d) A Metro Detroit Green or Green Party of Michigan candidate or political office holder shall not be a registered member of any other political party.

5.3 Any member of the MDG that meets the requirements in sections (5.1 and 5.2) may nominate her/himself or another member for any open office in the local chapter. Any member may assume an office after achieving at least 75% majority of votes among members present at a local meeting.

5.4 All officer positions shall expire at the end of the first local chapter meeting in May of each year.

5.5 If a MDG officer's position is vacated in between official meetings, the other chairperson of the local chapter may make a temporary appointment to the vacated office only after obtaining agreement with each remaining local chapter officer by voice or email. A temporary appointment shall remain valid until the next regular local meeting where a new officer can be nominated.

5.6 If any officer is found to be in contempt of the goals of MDG, or The Green Party of Michigan, a recall may be invoked by any two MDG members by notifying all local chapter members at least 3 days (72 hours) before an official MDG meeting. Reasons for the proposed revocation of officer status must be clearly stated in the agenda of the meeting and the officer must be given adequate time to present his or her defense at the meeting. A 75% majority of voting members present at the meeting is required to revoke officer status of a member.

5.7 Any MDG member who has been elected to the Green Party of Michigan's National Delegate Pool may represent MDG as a delegate to the Green National Committee (GNC) of the Greens / Green Party USA.

6. Committees

6.1 Committees of the local chapter are formed by a simple majority vote at any MDG meeting.

6.2 Committees must have at least two chair positions available for nominees to fill. Committee chairs are responsible for scheduling, announcing, facilitating and recording committee meetings.

6.3 Any member of the local chapter may nominate her/himself or another member for any open committee position of the local chapter. A nominee receives the right to join a standing committee when his or her nomination is announced and 'seconded' by another MDG member attending the meeting. A nominee maintains the right to refuse the nomination. Committee members have the right to access and participate in all committee discussions and vote in all committee decisions based on the principle of one person one vote.

6.4 Any committee member who intends to vacate a committee position must notify all committee members and one MDG chair of plans for leaving the committee as soon as possible

6.4 Ad-hoc committees shall be formed for achieving specific goals set forth at their formation. Ad-hoc committees must be given a specific agenda to focus on, a time frame with deadline(s) for accomplishing the goal(s) and a date for dissolution.

6.6 Standing committees remain standing until dissolved by a simple majority vote at any official meeting.

6.7 A list of standing committees and their chairs and members shall be maintained by the Secretary and made available to members at meetings. A list of ad hoc committees, chairs, members, goals and dissolution dates shall also be maintained by the Secretary and made available to members at meetings.

7. Amendments

7.1 These bylaws may be amended on a 75% vote by members present at a regular local meeting where a quorum of at least 25% of the local's membership is present. A written copy of adopted bylaws (with any current amendments) will be maintained by the co-chairs.

8. Decision Making

Decisions at all meetings of The Greens will be made primarily by consensus and a serious attempt at all times will be made towards achieving consensus. Sufficient time will be allowed for discussion of different views, including provision for non decision making meetings.

To ensure maximum participation in decision making, use should be made of small group discussion at all meetings of The Greens, where all those attending can participate freely.

Working Groups should be set up to work on particular issues and to assist in the decision making process in reference to these issues.

If after a reasonable period of time, disagreement persists over a particular proposal, and a decision cannot be deferred, a procedural motion may be put that a vote be taken. A procedural motion will be deemed carried by a two-thirds majority.

If a procedural motion is carried to vote on a proposal, a vote will be taken. To change the status quo a vote on the proposal requires a two-thirds majority.