Bylaws

Fort Pierce South Beach Property Owners
& Business Association, Inc.
A/K/A South Beach Association
A/K/A SBA

Article I – Name

The name shall be the Fort Pierce South Beach Property Owners and Business Association, Inc. also referred to as the South Beach Association or SBA with its principal office located on South Beach, Ft. Pierce, Florida.

Article II – Purpose

The Corporation is organized as a not-for-profit, Section 501, (c) (4) Corporation whose mission statement is “To identify and address the concerns of property owners and businesses while insuring the ecological health, appropriate development, economic growth and overall quality of life on South Beach”.

All activities of the SBA shall be consistent with the mission statement and will include the following:

  1. To maintain lines of communication with the appropriate city, county and state officials.
  2. To support the extension of Fort Pierce Redevelopment Agency (FPRA), Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) financing projects on South Beach.
  3. To work with appropriate officials and staff on projects to ensure that our beaches and parks are environmentally sound, safe and visitor friendly.
  4. To work with appropriate officials and staff to improve roads, sidewalks, curbs, lighting, and landscaping on South Beach.
  5. To work with appropriate officials to insure adequate law enforcement on South Beach including presence, response time and enforcement of existing laws and regulations.
  6. To communicate concerns regarding general Fort Pierce issues, including port development and new downtown waterfront projects that affect South Beach residents and businesses.
  7. To work with appropriate officials to identify and insure that all properties on South Beach are in compliance with existing codes and ordinances.
  8. When appropriate, propose ordinances and legislation that are consistent with the SBA mission statement.

The SBA may not have any purpose nor engage in any activity, which would be inconsistent with the status of Section 501(c) (4) organization as exempt from federal income tax under the Internal Revenue Code.

The SBA may devote a substantial portion of its activities endeavoring to influence legislation, but shall not have the Corporation participate in or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office other than an issue, which would affect the operation of the SBA.

No part of the SBA membership fees or donations to the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of any member, director, officer or other private individual. This shall not prevent payment of reasonable compensation for services actually rendered to or for the SBA affecting its purposes.

In the event of dissolution of the Corporation, the Corporation’s assets shall be conveyed or distributed to such organization or organizations created and operated for nonprofit purposes similar to those of the Corporation as shall be determined by the SBA Board of Directors. These organization(s) must be a non-profit with federal tax exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding provision of any future IRS law.

Article III – Membership

  1. Any individual property owner/renter, condominium owner/renter or business owner with an interest in the mission and activities of the SBA, who legally owns or rents property or conducts business on Ft. Pierce South Beach, shall be eligible to become a member of the SBA. Other interested individuals/businesses not qualifying above can become associate members.
  2. The annual dues for each member of all classes of membership shall be established by the Board of Directors.
  3. Members who fail to pay their dues within sixty (60) days of notice to renew shall be dropped from the membership roll.

Article IV – Officers

  1. The elected officers of the SBA shall be a President, Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Treasurer, all of who will be elected by the Board of Directors
  2. The Board of Directors may combine any of the offices, except President and Corporate Secretary.
  3. All officers shall be members of the SBA.
  4. All officers shall serve a term of two years and may be reelected.
  5. The President shall preside at all meetings of the membership, Board of Directors and the membership and shall perform other duties as are normally incident to the office or as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors. The President shall be an ex-officio member (without vote) of all committees of the SBA except the Nominating Committee. The President shall make an annual report to the membership.
  6. The Vice President, in the absence of the President, shall preside at all meetings as necessary and represent the SBA as directed by the President.
  7. The Corporate Secretary shall perform duties as may be assigned or that are usual and normal for such office. The Board for each meeting of the Board shall appoint a Recording Secretary.
  8. The Treasurer shall keep an account of all monies received and expenditures made on behalf of the SBA, and shall make disbursements as authorized by the Board of Directors.

Article V – Executive Committee

An Executive Committee, consisting of the elected officers, shall act on behalf of the Board of Directors on any matters requiring attention between meetings of the Board of Directors.

Article VI – Board of Directors

  1. The SBA shall be governed by a Board of Directors consisting of no fewer than three (3) persons and no more than nine persons.
  2. The Board shall be composed of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President and other elected Directors, including any elected ex officio Directors.
  3. The elected directors shall be members of the SBA elected by the Board for a term of two years and may be reelected.
  4. The Board shall meet as needed. A quorum shall consist of the Board members present.
  5. Voting rights of a Director shall not be delegated to another nor exercised by proxy. This does not preclude mail ballots, email ballots or a teleconference meeting.
  6. Directors, including Officers, who fail to attend two consecutive Board meetings without due cause, shall automatically relinquish their positions and, in the case of an Officer, a special election shall be held to fill the position.
  7. Any Board member who ceases to qualify as a member of the SBA shall automatically cease to be an Officer or elected Board member.
  8. Board members, including Officers, may be removed only for cause by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire Board.

Article VII – Membership Meetings

There shall be an annual meeting of the membership. Special meetings may be called by the Board or the President. Written notice (mail or email) shall be given not less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting.

Article VIII – Committees

  1. There shall be Standing Committees and Special Committees of the SBA.
  2. The President, subject to the approval of the Board, shall appoint all committee chairs except for the Nominating Committee.
  3. Each Committee Chair shall select the members of their Committee, with recommendations from the Board, except for the Nominating Committee.
  4. The Nominating Committee of 3 persons will be selected by the Board and shall elect their own chair.
  5. The President may create Special Committees as the need arises.
  6. Standing Committees:
    1. Beach Parks Committee – To maintain and further enhance the beauty and safety of South Beach parks through a collaborative effort of the city/county and their staffs.
    2. Code Enforcement Committee – To work with appropriate officials to identify and ensure that residential and business properties on South Beach are in compliance with existing codes and ordinances.
    3. Membership Committee – To solicit new and renewal members and maintain records of same.
    4. Nominating Committee – to prepare a slate for the election of all officers.
    5. Communications/Website Committee – To maintain and update the SBA website and communicate with the membership via email

Article IX – Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in “Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised” shall govern the conduct of all meetings in all cases to which they are applicable and not in conflict with these Bylaws.

Article X – Amendments

The Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Directors present at a Board meeting, provided such amendment is circulated in writing at least ten (10) days prior to such meeting of the Board. Unless otherwise specified, all such amendments shall become effective immediately.

Revised May 2, 2020