Bylaws of The Glen Echo Heights Citizens' Association

BYLAWS OF THE GLEN ECHO HEIGHTS CITIZENS’ ASSOCIATION

Initially adopted January 2007 (Revised March & September 2010 Membership Meetings. Revised again May 2024 and 2025 Membership Meetings to include the Mohican Hills neighborhood.)

 

ARTICLE I. NAME

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The name of this organization shall be the Glen Echo Heights Citizens’ Association, hereafter in these Bylaws referred to as the “Association.”

 

ARTICLE II. BOUNDARIES

A. Glen Echo Heights is a neighborhood in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. It is adjacent to the Mohican Hills neighborhood. The outer boundary is as follows: Starting at the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard and Walhonding Road, going clockwise, the boundary runs along the center of Walhonding Road abutting the southern boundary of the Mohican Hills neighborhood. It travels up Walhonding Road and encompasses properties south of the center of Walhonding Road through the south ends of Tuscarawas, Waneta, Wapakoneta, and Wehawken Roads. It follows the center of Walhonding Road to the center of Sangamore Road. It then turns south and runs along the center of Sangamore to the north edge of Westpath Way encompassing all the properties north of Westpath Way but not including Westpath Way itself. It then follows along the east side of the Conservation Park to MacArthur Boulevard and encompasses properties north of that boundary. When the boundary hits MacArthur Boulevard it turns north and travels north along MacArthur Boulevard back to where it intersects with Walhonding Road.

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B. Mohican Hills is a neighborhood in Bethesda, Maryland, USA. It is adjacent to the Glen Echo Heights neighborhood. The outer boundary of Mohican Hills is as follows: Starting at the intersection of Mohican Road and MacArthur Boulevard, going counterclockwise, the boundary follows MacArthur Boulevard south to the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard and Walhonding Road. It then turns east up the center of Walhonding Road abutting the northern boundary of the Glen Echo Heights neighborhood. It travels up Walhonding Road through the north ends of Tuscarawas, Wiscasset, Wapakoneta, and Wehawken Roads encompassing the properties to the north of Walhonding Road. It travels to the top of Walhonding Road to the center of Sangamore Road. The boundary then turns north and follows the center of Sangamore Road to the center of Massachusetts Avenue. It then turns west and follows Massachusetts Avenue northeast to Bent Branch. All properties south of Bent Branch Road, but not Bent Branch itself are included in Mohican Hills. All properties stemming from Mohican Road are included in the Mohican Hills neighborhood.

 

C. For purposes of the Association, the boundary includes all properties within the Glen Echo Heights and Mohican Hills neighborhoods and is defined by the properties east of the center of MacArthur Boulevard, the properties south of Bent Branch Road (not including properties on Bent Branch Road), properties west of the center of Massachusetts Avenue between Bent Branch Road and Sangamore Road, properties northwest of the center of Sangamore Road between Massachusetts Avenue and Westpath Way, and properties north of Westpath Way (not including properties on Westpath Way), and along the north side of Conservation Park. A map of the Association boundary area is attached for clarification. 

 

ARTICLE III. ASSOCIATION PURPOSE AND ACTIVITIES

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A. The purpose of the Association is: to represent the residents of Glen Echo Heights and Mohican Hills in seeking to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood in matters of land use, environmental protection, public services, and preservation of the unique character of the community; to provide support in other matters of neighborhood concern, and to promote and participate in the civic life of Montgomery County, Maryland.

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B. The Association will work to:

1. represent and advance the interests of members and other residents in Glen Echo Heights and Mohican Hills

2. serve as a means of uniting residents and promoting the civic betterment of the Glen Echo Heights and Mohican Hills region

3. encourage active involvement of residents in civic, developmental, environmental, educational, recreational, social, and maintenance matters in and around Glen Echo Heights and Mohican Hills

4. monitor and keep all members and residents informed of issues vital to the neighborhood and related Association actions through printed and electronic communications and scheduled and special Association meetings

5. uphold the principles of good government while remaining a politically non-partisan organization

6. promote the ecological well-being of Glen Echo Heights and Mohican Hills, placing special emphasis on the significant contribution of trees and wildlife to the ambience of the neighborhoods, by encouraging and supporting neighborhood, County, and State environmental stewardship actions that offer benefit to Glen Echo Heights, Mohican Hills and their residents

7. encourage, support, and participate in local, County, and State environmental programs that offer benefit to Glen Echo Heights, Mohican Hills and their residents

8. undertake such other activities as may be directed by the members

 

ARTICLE IV. POLICIES

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A. This Association shall be non-partisan and non-sectarian. It is authorized to host non-partisan political events for public information purposes.

 

B. The name of the Association, or its officers in their capacities, shall not be used in connection with a commercial concern or with a partisan interest nor anything other than the regular work of the Association.

 

C. When possible, this Association will cooperate with like organizations of like purpose in other jurisdictions.

 

D. All formal communications from the Association shall be conducted by the President or by a person specifically delegated by the President.

 

E. All communications from the Association that represent the sense of the membership shall convey the substance and the strength of the majority and minority views.

 

ARTICLE V. MEMBERSHIP

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A. Any resident with the Association boundaries over the age of 18 shall be eligible to hold a membership in accordance with the rules below.

 

B. There may be one membership for each residential property within the boundary described in Article II.

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C. An Association membership may be for an individual or for a household.

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D. To become a member, a resident must pay membership fees to the Association in accordance with ARTICLE XI of these By Laws.

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E. The right to vote for officers, and vote on all matters and issues addressed by the Association at meetings, is reserved for members.

 

F. The Association encourages all residents of Glen Echo Heights and Mohican Hills to join the Association, attend meetings and participate in Association activities. However, the right to hold office in the Association, to serve on committees, and to make motions at Association meetings, is reserved for all persons over the age of 18 who are resident at properties with paid-up memberships.

 

ARTICLE VI. OFFICERS

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A. Positions and Terms of Election

 

1. The elected officers in this Association shall be President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

2. The officers shall be elected by ballot at the spring membership meeting in each even numbered year and shall serve for two years.

3. No officer shall hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms.

4. Officers’ terms shall run from 1 June to 31 May in the second year following their election.

5. Vacancies in elected offices shall be filled by a special election at the next membership meeting.

6. The Executive Committee shall propose at least one nominee and others may be accepted from the floor provided that they are current members and have presented written consent to serve if elected.

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B. Election of Officers

1. The President shall appoint the chair of an ad hoc Elections Committee of at least three members at the first meeting of the year preceding the election and shall publicize the names of the members in a timely manner. The Elections Committee shall have an odd number of members and shall resolve all disputes regarding nominations and elections.

2. The Elections Committee shall establish and publish fair procedures for nominations for office. No person serving on the Elections Committee may be eligible for nomination.

3. The Elections Committee shall endeavor to ensure that at least one candidate is offered for each office. Persons wishing to run for office should notify the Elections committee in writing of their intention to run for a particular office by March 15 prior to the election.

4. The Elections Committee shall convene and conduct a special meeting at least one month prior to an election to allow all nominees an opportunity to express their views on issues relevant to Glen Echo Heights and the Association. Persons not previously nominated may be nominated and also heard at that meeting provided that they are current members and have consented, in writing, to serve if elected. Nominations shall be closed at the end of the meeting.

5. The Elections Committee shall conduct the election, which shall be held at the spring membership meeting.

6. Absentee ballots for officer elections shall be available during the two weeks prior to the election and shall be provided in accordance with rules established by the Elections Committee and approved by the Executive Committee.

7. A plurality of all votes cast shall be necessary to constitute an election of an officer.

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C. Duties of Officers.

1. President. The President shall preside at meetings of this Association, shall cast the deciding vote on any question in case of a tie, shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, shall appoint all committee chairs and delegates, and shall have the power to create ad hoc committees.

2. First Vice-President. The First Vice-President shall act as aide to the President and is charged with the responsibilities of the President in times of his or her inability to serve. The First Vice-President shall also perform such other duties as assigned by the President.

3. Second Vice-President. The Second Vice-President shall be responsible for encouraging membership in the Association and such other duties as assigned by the President.

4. Secretary. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all proceedings, shall, in coordination with the Treasurer, keep a register of all current members and their street and e-mail addresses, shall duly record any amendments to these Bylaws and make them a part thereof, shall notify the members of the Executive Committee of meetings, and shall attend to correspondence.

5. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall receive all funds of this Association, make such disbursements as may be authorized by the Executive Committee or members at a regular or special meeting, and shall make the Association checkbook and current bank statements available for inspection at all Executive Committee and membership meetings.

6. All officers shall be expected to attend all meetings of the Executive Committee and all Membership meetings.

 

D. Removal of Officers

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Whenever, in its judgment, the best interest of the Association would be served thereby, any officer may be removed by a vote of a majority of the elected members of the Executive Committee.

 

ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEES

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A. There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the elected officers of this Association, the chairs of the standing committees, and the Past President. The Past President shall serve in an advisory capacity but without vote.

 

B. The six standing committees shall be as follows: Membership Committee, Newsletter and Communications Committee, Roads and Traffic Committee, Social Committee, Environmental, Tree, and Garden Committee, and Zoning, New Construction, and Architecture Committee.

 

C. The President shall name the chairs of the standing committees, who shall serve as full members of the Executive Committee.

 

D. The President may also establish such ad hoc committees and delegates to other organizations as he or she deems necessary.

 

E. All chairs of standing and ad hoc committees must be members in good standing in the Association.

 

ARTICLE VIII. RULES OF THE COMMITTEES

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A. Executive Committee.

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1. The Executive Committee shall hold at least five meetings per year, at which a quorum of at least three officers shall be required. The Executive Committee meetings shall be on a regular schedule chosen by the Committee.

2. When action is required between regularly scheduled Executive Committee or membership meetings, the President may call a special meeting of the Executive Committee, or he or she may poll its members individually on the matter.

3. The president shall ensure that notice of the topics discussed and the decisions made by the Executive Committee shall be reported promptly and completely to the membership.

 

B. Other Committees

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1. Each chair of a standing or ad hoc committee shall meet and act within the framework of the responsibility and authority of his or her committee as defined by the Association.

2. Each standing or ad hoc committee shall hold at least two meetings per year and shall provide minutes of those meetings to the Association Secretary.

 

ARTICLE IX. MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

 

A. The Association shall hold and conduct meetings in accordance with the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 10th Addition, November 2000.

 

B. There shall be at least two (remove four) membership meetings each year, including the spring membership meeting during which elections are held. The exact dates for meeting shall be set by the Executive Committee.

 

C. Additional membership meetings may be scheduled by the Executive Committee.

 

D. A special membership meeting shall be called upon receipt by the Secretary of a written request of at least 10 current members.

 

E. An item shall be placed on the next meeting’s agenda upon receipt by the Secretary of a written request of any member of the Association. 

 

F. Electronic and paper notice of any membership meeting and an agenda that includes items planned for discussion at that meeting shall be given to the membership at least seven days before the meeting.

 

ARTICLE X. MOTIONS AND VOTING

 

A. A quorum for a membership meeting shall consist of at least 10% of the current membership.

 

B. Any motion made at a membership meeting that is not related to a topic on the announced agenda and that the President considers significant, shall be tabled and placed on the agenda for the next membership meeting.

 

C. In the event that the substance of any tabled motion is time sensitive, the President may determine the sense of those present at the meeting and take appropriate action. The President shall inform the membership promptly of the majority and minority views on all issues involved and the rationale for taking the action.

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ARTICLE XI. MEMBERSHIP FEES

 

A. Membership fees shall be an annual amount set by the Executive Committee, but not less than $25 annually per address.

 

B. The membership term is congruent with the Association’s fiscal year which runs from 1 May to 30 April of the following year.

 

C. A member may request, in confidence, a waiver of dues on the basis of hardship, and the Executive Committee may grant a waiver by majority vote of the Executive Committee.

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ARTICLE XII. AMENDING THE BYLAWS

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A. These Bylaws shall be amended by majority vote of the members at a membership meeting provided that notice of the intent to submit such an amendment shall have been announced through the website at least 30 days in advance and by other means determined by the Executive Committee.

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B. These Bylaws and any amendments thereto shall take effect immediately upon approval by the membership in accordance with paragraph XII. A. above. 

 

 

Attachment A: Neighborhood Boundaries and Glen Echo Heights Citizens Association Boundaries Map

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​​*Note: the line on Massachusetts Avenue includes only the southwest side of the road, and the line on Sagamore Road includes only the west side of the road.

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