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Bylaws of The Indigenous Circle

Article 1: Name
Article 2: Purpose
Article 3: Membership
Article 4: Council
Article 5: Committees
Article 6: Conduct of Meetings
Article 7: Meeting Dates & Locations
Article 8: Amendment(s)

Article 1: Name
The name of our affinity group shall be called the Maricopa County Indigenous Circle.

Article 2: Purpose
The purpose of the Indigenous Circle shall be:

To be receptive to the needs of all Native American employees at Maricopa County.
To provide an institutional forum that will improve the continuing education of Native American employees.
To advise Maricopa County Administration on issues affecting its Native American employees.
To provide programs and services that will assist in the recruitment and retention of Native American employees at Maricopa County.
To support other organizations and services at Maricopa County.

Article 3: Membership
Section 1: Membership Eligibility
Membership is open to any Maricopa County employee, or any student within Maricopa County.

Full Membership: Full members have voting privileges and may hold Indigenous Circle elected offices.
Student Membership: Students at the undergraduate and graduate levels are eligible to become Indigenous Circle members. Student members may vote and participate in Indigenous Circle activities, but may not hold Indigenous Circle elected offices.
Associate Membership: Non-Maricopa County employees may become Associate Members, provided they subscribe to the goals and objectives of the Indigenous Circle. Associate Members may vote and participate in Indigenous Circle activities, but may not hold Indigenous Circle elected offices.

Section 2: Membership Dues
The Executive Committee (Indigenous Circle Council) shall determine the annual membership dues for each member. Upon application, annual dues shall be payable to the Indigenous Circle and annually thereafter on that date. Dues will not be required for Student members.

Article 4: Council
Section 1: Council Members

The elected officers of the Indigenous Circle Council shall be:

Chairperson
Vice-Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
Members-At-Large

Section 2: Council Eligibility
To be eligible as a candidate for any Council position, a person must be an employee of the Maricopa County.

Section 3: Term of Office
The term of office shall be two (2) years from January 1st through December 31st.

A Council member can serve no more than two (2) full terms in one position.

A Council member shall continue to fulfill the obligations of the office until the newly elected member has been duly installed in that position.

Section 4: Election of Council Members
The Indigenous Circle members shall submit nominations to the Executive Committee members at least one (1) week prior to the regularly scheduled December meeting. Nominations from the floor shall be accepted during the December meeting.

Election of officers, by members present, shall be held during the regularly scheduled January meeting and every other year thereafter.

Voting shall be by secret ballot.

Section 5: Duties of Council Members
The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings; appoint Ad Hoc committees as needed; appoint standing committee chairs; establish and maintain liaisons with administrative, advisory and diverse networks at Maricopa County; and perform all other necessary and responsible duties relevant to the stated purposes of the Indigenous Circle.The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings; appoint Ad Hoc committees as needed; appoint standing committee chairs; establish and maintain liaisons with administrative, advisory and diverse networks at Maricopa County; and perform all other necessary and responsible duties relevant to the stated purposes of the Indigenous Circle.

The Vice-Chairperson shall become the Acting Chairperson in the absence of the Chairperson. The Vice-Chairperson at the end of the Chairperson’s term shall be ratified by the Board.

The Secretary shall take minutes at each meeting and maintain a typed written record of these meetings to be read and approved at the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Secretary is responsible for providing members with advance and reasonable notice of scheduled meetings or special functions.

The Treasurer is responsible for an accurate record of all financial transactions of the Indigenous Circle. The Treasurer shall present and distribute a financial report at each regularly scheduled meeting, and final annual report in December. The Treasurer shall collect dues as set by the Executive Committee, and to serve on the Project Committee and assist with the coordination of all financial and fund raising activities.

Members-At-Large actively participate in the affairs of the Indigenous Circle, and are responsible for communicating and promoting the goals and objectives of the Indigenous Circle.

Section 6: Vacancies of Council Positions
The Chairperson shall appoint eligible individuals to fill vacancies of officer or committee member positions. The appointee shall complete the remaining term of service. In the event the Chairperson is unable to complete a service term, the Vice-Chairperson will serve as Acting Chairperson for the remainder of the term.

Article 5: Committees

Section 1: Committee Types

Executive
Scholarship Awards
Project Planning

Section 2: Functions of Standing Committees
Executive Committee: This committee shall consist of the Indigenous Circle Council, including the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and Members-At-Large. It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee to plan the agenda for the regular meetings, to advise the Chairperson, and to oversee the functions of the Indigenous Circle when the group is in session as well as when not in session.

Scholarship Award Committee: This committee shall bear the responsibility for developing the process, guidelines, and criteria for awarding scholarships. The Scholarship Awards Committee is charged with implementing the goals and purposes of the Indigenous Circle as it pertains to granting a scholarship to a Native American High School student and/or a Native American employee of Maricopa County seeking a higher education. The committee shall, then, be responsible for advertising the availability of the scholarship in appropriate forums, including Native American publications, and organizational networks and within the Native American community.

Project Planning Committee: It shall be the responsibility of the Project Planning Committee to plan growth and outreach activities for the Indigenous Circle, including: sponsored leadership workshops; the creation of a Native American speakers bureau list and strategies for arranging for these individuals to come to Maricopa County to speak; and to participate in other activities that promote the goals and purposes of the Indigenous Circle.

Article 6: Conduct of Meetings
Section 1: Voting
All issues to be voted on shall be decided by a simple majority of members present. There shall be no voting by proxy.

Section 2: Quorum
Two (2) Council members, and three (3) or more members shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting regularly scheduled or special meetings of the Indigenous Circle.

Article 7: Meeting Dates & Locations
There shall be at least one regularly scheduled meeting each month. The meeting date shall be held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. These monthly meetings will be scheduled by the Chairperson, and may be conducted at various Maricopa County locations. Special meetings are to be scheduled by the Chairperson, when necessary.

The Council members may, at its discretion, cancel one (1) meeting per fiscal year (January 1st through December 31st).

Members shall be notified of special meetings by the most efficient means available.

Article 8: Amendment(s)
The Indigenous Circle By-Laws may be amended when such amendment(s) are submitted to the Secretary in writing, are distributed at least one week prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting, are read at a regularly scheduled meeting and when ratified by a majority of the members present.

The Indigenous Circle By-Laws may be amended when ratified. Requests for amendments must be submitted to the Secretary in writing. The requested amendments shall be distributed at least one (1) week prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. The Council and members will discuss during the request during the meeting and vote on whether to approve or reject the requested change. The revised amendment(s) will become effective only when ratified by a majority of the members present.