MHMC Bylaws

Please read before joining

The Bylaws of the Mountain House Mothers’ Club

  1. Name – The name of the club shall be Mountain House Mothers’ Club (hereafter referred to as “MHMC” or “Club”).

  2. Logo
    MHMC logo
  3. Purpose
    1. The MHMC is classified as a non-profit social organization under section 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Service. As such the club is organized exclusively for pleasure, recreation and other similar non-profit purposes. Such purposes include but are not limited to providing:
    2. A supportive community to mothers of children of all ages, as well as expectant mothers, and their families.
    3. Educational and recreational resources in the local community for our members.
    4. Opportunities and encouragement for members to participate in Community Service activities.
  4. Philosophy
    1. The MHMC is first and foremost a community. What we get out of the Club is directly related to what we put into it. Our focus is to nurture the nurturers. Our goal is to promote the well being of parents and children through support, friendship, education and sharing of resources, ideas, talents and experiences.
    2. We will always strive to create an open and supportive environment for all members. We seek to create a sense of belonging and openness, a place where all ideas are listened to, openly discussed and given merit. We work to achieve our vision by being non-discriminatory and welcoming of all caregivers.
  5. Definition of Club
    1. The MHMC is a not-for-profit, member-led group of Mountain House residents and residents of surrounding communities that provides support to mothers and children of all ages. Fathers, expectant mothers, and other caregivers are welcome.
    2. The MHMC is not political, partisan or sectarian and does not discriminate against any individual because of age, race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation or other legally protected condition or class.
  6. Membership Requirements and Privileges
    1. Membership is available to any parent/guardian residing in or near the Mountain House Community. Members may be mothers or expectant mothers, fathers, or other caregivers.
    2. Membership within this Club will not be limited in number.
    3. Potential Members are welcome to attend one MHMC Activity either for moms or children before deciding to join the Club.
    4. All members must fill out the Membership Request Form. Doing so attests that a member has read and agreed to the Bylaws of the Club.
    5. All members must pay dues.
    6. The Club maintains a Roster of currently paid members. The roster containing names, child(ren)’s name(s), and contact information will be available only to MHMC members and published on our website.
    7. Members who choose to renew their membership and pay dues should do so by Jan. 1 each year. Members who have not renewed by Jan. 15 will be dropped from the roster, playgroups and online groups, lists, and/or forums.
    8. All members are eligible and encouraged to attend all Club General Meetings, activities, events, etc.
    9. All members are eligible to vote and hold a Board or Director position.
    10. Male members or partners of members may attend Dad’s Night Out, all family activities, park playdates, and all activities that have been designated as co-ed. They may attend age-specific playgroups when the other participating parents agree to open the playgroups to men.
    11. Members acknowledge photographs are often taken and articles are written about MHMC events, which may be used for publicity and other types of sharing and communication; e.g. Facebook and our monthly newsletters.
  7. Dues
    1. Dues are non-refundable. The Membership Year goes from January 1st until December 31st.
    2. Dues are prorated; the current dues schedule is detailed on our Membership Page of this website.
    3. Dues must be paid by cash or check to the President, Treasurer, or the Membership Chair. Checks are payable to “MHMC”.
    4. Renewing members have the option to pay online
    5. Members are responsible for any fees that are charged to the Club for bounced checks.
    6. The President, with the approval of the Board, reserves the right to waive fees and give discounts or refunds to any Member due to financial hardship or special circumstances. Cases will be reviewed on a strictly confidential basis.
    7. Any changes in dues shall be decided by a simple majority vote of the Members.
  8. Termination of Membership
    1. Any Member may voluntarily terminate their Membership by notifying the President or Membership Chair. Any dues already paid will be forfeited.
    2. Membership of members who have not paid dues for a new year will terminate on January 15th.
    3. The Board may request termination for the following reasons:
      1. A member or their child(ren) consistently causes damage and/or harm to others, and the parent/guardian is unable/unwilling to prevent the damage/harm.
      2. The Board has determined that a Member’s conduct is consistently and significantly inappropriate and/or in conflict with the vision and Bylaws of the MHMC.
    4. The Termination Process is:
      1. First Offense: Verbal Warning
      2. Second Offense: Written Warning
      3. Third Offense: Member will be asked to leave the MHMC and their dues will be forfeited.
  9. Guests
    1. Guests are welcome at all Club General Meetings, activities, events, and playgroups, except those designated as Members Only, unless permission of that event or activity’s coordinator is expressly given.
    2. A guest may attend one Club activity, event or playgroup, and one General Meeting before being required to pay yearly dues.
  10. The Board and Governing Rules
    1. The Board consists of the President, Vice President, Playgroups Chair, Membership Chair, Treasurer, Events Chair, Activities Chair and Communications Chair.
      1. The Board reserves the right to add or delete any position with discretion.
      2. Some positions may be held by more than one individual (i.e. Co-Directors) during the same term.
      3. Board members who need a deputy to help fulfill their duties may do so at their discretion, with the exception of the President. The Vice President, by definition, is the deputy to the President.
      4. Board members may hold more than one position in a term of office if the need arises.
    2. Eligibility for the Board
      1. Only paid members are eligible for the Board.
      2. Board members who choose to continue in their position for a second year must keep their membership dues current.
    3. Terms of Office
      1. The Term of Office is 13 months, running from December 1 to January 1 of the following year, with the final month being transitional and concurrent with the incoming Board Member.
      2. Board members may choose to continue in their position for an additional 13 months.
      3. There are no limits on the number of terms a member can serve on the Board. We encourage courtesy, however, in filling long-held positions with new members when there is interest.
      4. Board members who cannot complete their term of service should notify the President as soon as possible.
    4. Selection Process
      1. Announcements regarding positions open for the coming year will be made in October and a request made for volunteers.
      2. Announcements of vacant positions happening at other times during the year will be made as they occur and volunteers requested at that time.
      3. If there is more than one volunteer for a position, an election will be held or the volunteers may choose to serve as co-Chairs.
      4. If there are no volunteers, the Board will first solicit nominations, then if still necessary recruit a member, or finally take on the position in an “acting” role until it can be filled.
      5. In the event an election is necessary, a survey will be made providing the names and pictures of the candidates and a brief paragraph detailing why that candidate would like the position. Members will be asked to submit an anonymous vote ranking the candidates. The candidate ranked highest will win the Chair. In the event of a tie, the candidates will co-Chair. The Board will confirm the winner.
    5. Duties and Responsibilities
      1. Each Board member is given a job description at the beginning of their term. This description can change at the discretion of the Board. The Board works together to tailor positions to the skill sets of all Board members when desired or possible. A general, working description of each position can be found in the Policies document.
      2. Attendance at meetings:
        1. Board Members are expected to attend General Meetings and Leadership Team Meetings. Meetings are necessary to discuss timely issues and may be held virtually online, rather than in-person.
        2. The President will circulate a Meeting Agenda one week before the meeting. Board members who have agenda items should notify the President before this time.
        3. Board members shall come to meetings prepared to speak on their position. They should therefore keep an on-going record of all issues and information pertaining to their position. If unable to attend a meeting, Board members should notify the President and provide comments prior to the meeting.
        4. If more than two Board Meetings are missed, the position may be re-assigned.
      3. All Board members who use funds from the budget must consult with the President to help determine the MHMC Budget each January.
      4. Board members should take the initiative to introduce themselves at MHMC functions and welcome new members.
      5. All Board decisions are made on a consensus basis. An actual vote may be taken to resolve some issues.
    6. Removal Process
      1. Any Member may petition to have a Board Member removed from their position prior to the end of their term by:
        1. Circulating a petition stating the reason(s) said Board Member should be removed among the Membership for signatures and getting the signatures of two-thirds of the membership.
        2. Once two-thirds of the Membership have signed the petition, submit the petition to the President, or to the Membership Chair if one is seeking to remove the President.
        3. The President, or Membership Chair, will seek to verify all signatures by email within seven days. If the verifications are equal to two-thirds or more of the membership, the Board member in question will be removed.
      2. Any Board Member may initiate a closed process for removing another Board Member from their position prior to the end of their term by:
        1. Seeking consensus from two other Board members that there is an issue that needs to be addressed. These three Board members will then organize a meeting of the full Board, including the Board member in question, to discuss the issue(s) and possible resolutions.
        2. The Board member in question will be given the opportunity to improve in an agreed-upon time frame.
        3. If the Board member in question does not agree or does not make satisfactory changes with regard to the specific issue(s) discussed, the other Board members may ask the Board member in question to step down only if there is unanimous agreement to do so.
        4. If these Board members are unable to make a unanimous decision to remove the Board member in question, the member will remain in their position unless the General Membership is petitioned, as detailed above.
  11. Budget
    1. The MHMC operates on a fiscal year of January 1 to December 31.
    2. Timeline
      1. The President is responsible for presenting the current and transitioning Board members an estimated budget based on the former year and projected membership in December.
      2. In January, the Board will meet to determine which activities, events, and fundraisers the Club should sponsor in the coming year and the monies allocated to them.
      3. A completed budget will be presented to the General Membership thereafter.
      4. Adjustments to the budget can be made over the fiscal year as membership increases and/or at the discretion of the Board.
      5. The President, in consultation with the Treasurer, may approve expenditures up to $100. Expenditures over this amount require approval of at least two additional Board members.
      6. The MHMC is a not-for-profit organization. All monies raised either through member dues, fundraisers, or donations will be spent on activities and events for MHMC members and the community. Should a balance carry forward from one year to the next, the money will be spent on the next year’s activities and events.
  12. Fundraising
    1. The MHMC is permitted to fundraise for specific purposes. All fundraising efforts must be approved by the Board prior to implementation and supervised by the President.
    2. Fundraising for charitable organizations is allowed through Community Outreach. Each year, any member of the Board may take on the task of community outreach and philanthropy. They will present their ideas for this to the Board for approval before seeking support from the General Membership.
    3. Fundraising for specific club events is allowed. (i.e. hosting a garage sale or collecting recyclables to benefit the Fall Children’s Parade and Carnival).
    4. Fundraising by selling of door-to-door items is not permitted.
  13. General Meetings
    1. Meetings are intended for members and are held regularly.
    2. All members are encouraged to attend. Potential members are welcome.
    3. The agenda is set by the President and will be distributed prior to the meeting.
    4. Agenda items that Members or Board members wish to have added to the agenda need to be submitted to the President in advance.
  14. Amendment Procedures
    1. Bylaws will be reviewed annually at the first Board Meeting.
    2. Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the Members.
    3. Any Member of the Club wishing to amend the Bylaws will need to follow this procedure:
      1. Present a written proposal of the amendment at a Board Meeting or to the President between Board Meetings. The President will present the General Membership with a vote on the amendment.
      2. The voting results will be collected after one month and the results published. A proposed change carried by a two-thirds majority vote will be accepted into the Bylaws.
    4. The Board reserves the right to act outside these Bylaws when issues facing the Club deem it necessary with agreement by the majority of the Board.