The Directors shall be divided
into three (3) classes, each class to be as near as equal in number
as possible. The terms of the Directors of the first class shall
expire at the first annual meeting of the Members after their
election; the terms of the Directors of the second class shall
expire at the second annual meeting after their election; and terms
of the Directors of the third class shall expire at the third annual
meeting after their election. At each annual meeting after such
classification, the number of Directors equal to the number of the
class whose term expires at the time of such meeting shall be
elected to hold office until the third succeeding annual meeting.
Directors, as such, shall not receive any stated salary for their
services, except as provided for by state law.
Upon the death or resignation of a Director, a successor shall be
appointed by a majority of the existing Directors to serve until the
next regular or special Membership meeting, at which time the
general Membership shall elect a successor for the remaining balance
of the previously vacated term.
Section 2. Officers and Directors may be removed from office in
the following manner, except as otherwise provided in Article V: Any
Member, Officer, or Director may present charges against a Director
or Officer by filing such charges in writing with the
Secretary-Treasurer of the Corporation. If presented by a Member,
the charges must be accompanied by a petition signed by at least ten
(10) percent of the Members of the Corporation. Such removal shall
be voted on at the next regular or special meeting of the Membership
and shall be effective if approved by a vote of 2/3 majority of
those voting if a quorum is present. The Director(s) or Officer(s)
against whom such charges have been presented shall be informed in
writing of such charges at least twenty (20) days prior to the
meeting, and shall have the opportunity at such meeting to be heard
in person or by counsel and to present witnesses; and the person or
persons presenting such charges shall have the same opportunity. If
the removal of a Director(s) is approved, such action shall also
vacate any other office(s) held by the removed Director(s) in the
Corporation. A vacancy in the Board thus created shall immediately
be filled by a qualified person other than the removed Director upon
a vote of a majority of the Members present and voting at such
meeting, in accordance with the written annual or special meetings
procedures as adopted by the Board. A vacancy in any office thus
created shall be filled by the Board of Directors from among their
number so constituted after the vacancy in the Board has been
filled.
Section 3. The President of the Board, or Vice-President, shall
preside at any meeting of the Members convened to consider removal
of an Officer or Director as provided under Section 2, unless the
President is the subject of charges, in which event the
Vice-President shall preside. In the event both the President and
the Vice-President are the subject of charges, those Directors
who are not the subject of any charges shall appoint one of their
number to preside over the meeting. Any meeting convened to consider
the removal of an Officer or Director shall be conducted in
accordance with the procedures prescribed by the Board. The fact
that the President, Vice-President, or any other Officer or Director
has been made the subject of charges does not otherwise prevent such
individual from continuing to act in the capacity as an Officer or
Director of the Corporation. Any Director that has been removed
under the provisions of this Article shall not be precluded from
subsequent election to a position on the Board of Directors.
Section 4. The Board of Directors shall adopt and maintain a
conflict of interest policy designed to promote the business of the
Corporation and serve the interests of the Membership. Such policy,
at a minimum, shall be in conformance with the provisions of the
Texas NonProfit Corporation Act pertaining to duties and
responsibilities of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE V
Section 1. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at
such time and place as the Board may determine at the previous
meeting, and shall include posting of the meeting as required by the
Texas Open Meetings Act. The Board of Directors shall ensure that
all meetings comply with the requirements of the Open Meetings Act,
Chapter 551, Texas Government Code, including any subsequent
amendment thereto. In the event of any conflict between the
provisions of these Bylaws and the requirements of the Open Meetings
Act, the provisions of the Open Meetings Act shall prevail.
Section 2. Any Director failing to attend two (2) consecutive
meetings may be given written notice by the balance of the Board of
Directors that failure by said Director to attend a third
consecutive meeting, without justifiable cause acceptable to the
balance of the Board of Directors, shall give rise to removal of
said Director from the Board. A successor shall be appointed by a
majority vote of the Directors remaining to serve until the next
regular or special Membership meeting, at which time the general
Membership shall elect a successor for the balance of the term.
Section 3. The Board of Directors shall provide access for the
public, new service applicants, or Members to the meetings of the
Board of Directors by setting aside a time for hearing of
suggestions, proposals, or grievances; however, there shall be no
deliberations or actions by the Board unless such has first been
noticed in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act. The Board of
Directors shall establish reasonable rules for access to such
meetings.
Section 4. The Board of Directors may, upon lawful
notice to the public, meet in executive session when permitted, in
the manner and for such limited purposes as provided for in the
Texas Open Meetings Act, as amended, and for no other reason. All
proceedings of any meeting at which a quorum of Directors is present
to discuss the business of the Corporation shall be recorded in the
manner required by the Texas Open Meetings Act.
Section 5. In conducting their duties as members of the Board,
Directors: (1) shall be entitled to rely, in good faith and with
ordinary care, on information, opinions, reports, or statements,
including financial statements and other financial data, concerning
the Corporation or the Corporation's affairs that have been prepared
or presented by one or more officers or employees of the
Corporation, or by legal counsel, public accountants, or other
persons retained by the Corporation for the development of
professional advice and information falling within such person's
professional or expert competence; (2) may believe, in good faith
and with ordinary care, that the assets of the Corporation are at
least that of their book value; and (3) in determining whether the
Corporation has made adequate provision for the discharge of its
liabilities and obligations, may rely in good faith and with
ordinary care, on the financial statements of, or other information
concerning, any person or entity obligated to pay, satisfy or
discharge some or all of the Corporation's liabilities or
obligations; and may rely in good faith on information, opinions,
reports, or statements, including financial statements and other
financial data, prepared or presented by one or more Officers or
employees of the Corporation, legal counsel, public accountants, or
other persons provided the Directors reasonably believe such matters
to fall within such person's professional or expert competence.
Nevertheless, Directors must disclose any knowledge they may have
concerning a matter in question that makes reliance otherwise
provided herein to be unwarranted.
ARTICLE VI
Section 1. There shall be a regular meeting of the Members
annually, on the second Thursday in February, to transact all
business that may be properly brought before it. The
Secretary-Treasurer shall give at least fifteen (15) days written
notice of such annual meeting to the Membership indicating the time,
place and purpose of such meeting, and shall address and mail the
notice to each Member at the address last known to the Corporation.
Failure to hold or call an annual or special meeting in accordance
with these Bylaws shall give each Member rights to compel the Board
of Directors to properly hold an annual or special meeting of the
Membership. Voting by proxy shall be permitted. Members holding ten
percent (10%) of the votes entitled to be cast, represented in
person or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business.
Section 2. The Board of Directors shall adopt, and from time to
time may revise, written procedures for conducting annual or special
Membership meetings, including the proxy and/or ballot form which
shall be the official proxy and/or ballot for such meetings;
procedures for proper notification of the Membership of such
meetings and delivery of the Corporation’s official proxy and/or
ballot forms to the Membership; procedures to determine, qualify and
register the eligible voters for such meetings; and procedures for
canvassing all votes and recording the results of all elections at
such meetings of the Membership.
Section 3. The Board of Directors shall establish a standing
Credentials Committee of three (3) Members, of which the
Secretary-Treasurer shall be the chairperson. This committee shall
at no time have sufficient board members appointed to constitute a
quorum of the Board of Directors. This committee, in accordance with
procedures adopted by the Board under Section 2, shall notify
the Membership of annual or special Membership
meetings and deliver the Corporation’s official proxy and/or
ballot forms to the Membership; determine, qualify, and register the
eligible voters for such meeting; validate proxies, determine
presence of quorum for conducting the meeting, canvas all votes, and
record the results of such elections. Should the individual holding
the office of Secretary-Treasurer be running for re-election, the
President shall appoint an officer not currently running for
re-election to serve as chairperson of this committee.
Section 4. After fixing a date for the notice of a meeting, the
Board of Directors shall prepare an alphabetical list of the names
of all voting members who are entitled to vote as of the record date
of the meeting. The list must show the address of each voting
member. No later than two (2) business days after the date notice is
given of the meeting, and continuing through the meeting, the list
of voting members must be available for inspection by any member
entitled to vote at the meeting for the purpose of communication
with other members concerning the meeting at the Corporation’s
principal office or at a reasonable place identified in the meeting
notice in the city where the meeting will be held. Any voting
Member, or voting Member’s agent or attorney, shall be allowed, on
written demand, to inspect and, at a reasonable time and at their
expense, copy the list. Further, the Board shall make the list of
voting Members available at the meeting, and shall allow inspection
of such list by any voting Member or voting Member’s agent or
attorney at any time during the meeting, including any adjournments
thereof.
ARTICLE VII
A special meeting of the Members or Directors may be called by
the President, or by demand by a majority of the board members or
one-third (1/3) of the Members.
Special meetings of the Directors may be held upon the posting of
notice of such special meeting, in the manner provided under Article
V of the Bylaws, at least two hours before the meeting is convened.
It shall be the responsibility of the President, or a designee of
that office, to ensure that proper notice is posted
and Directors are properly notified. In no event shall any special
meeting of the Directors be convened where the business of such
meeting could be considered at a regular meeting of the Directors
receiving at least seventy-two (72) hours notice as provided under
Article V of these Bylaws.
Prior to convening any special meeting of the Members, the
President shall request in writing that the Secretary-Treasurer give
at least ten (10) days prior notice to the Members, and that such
special meeting is otherwise noticed, as required under Article
1396-2.11, Texas Revised Civil Statute, and as provided under
Article V of these Bylaws. Such notice shall specify the time, place
and purpose of the meeting, and shall be addressed and mailed to
each of the Members at their address last known to the Corporation,
personally delivered to each Member, or sent by facsimile to each
Member.
ARTICLE VIII
The Corporation shall conduct its business on a non-profit basis,
and no dividends shall ever be paid upon the Memberships of such
Corporation. All profits arising from the operation of such business
shall be annually paid out to the persons who have, during the past
year, transacted business with the Corporation, in direct proportion
to the amount of business transacted, provided that no such
dividends shall ever be paid while any indebtedness of the
Corporation remains unpaid and, provided also, that the Directors of
the Corporation may allocate to sinking fund(s) and reserve accounts
such amount of profits as they deem necessary for maintenance,
operation, capital improvements, expansions and replacements of all
facility components, as provided by Section 67.008 (d) of the Texas
Water code. Funds allocated by the Board to a sinking fund for
replacement, amortization of debts, and the payment of interest that
are not required to be spent in the year in which deposited shall be
invested in accordance with the provisions of Section 67.014 (b) of
the Texas Water Code.
ARTICLE IX
The Directors of the Corporation shall establish and maintain, so
long as the Corporation is indebted to the Government, in an
institution insured by the State or Federal Government, or invested
in readily marketable securities backed by the full faith and credit
of the United States of America, a reserve account separate and
apart from other fund accounts of the Corporation. Securities so
purchased shall be deemed at all times to be part of the reserve
fund account. There shall be deposited in such fund the sum as
required by a total of all loan resolutions executed by the
Corporation. Such deposits shall be made monthly and shall continue
until the total amount deposited equals the sum as required by the
executed loan resolutions provided, however, that after any
withdrawals, such deposits shall be resumed until the amount
accumulated in the fund is restored to the sum as required by the
executed loan resolutions.
Withdrawals may be made from this fund only upon prior written
approval from USDA Rural Development, RUS. Approval shall be made
only for emergency repairs, obsolescence of equipment, improvements
to facility, and for making up any deficiencies in revenue for loan
payments.
ARTICLE X
Section 1. The Corporation shall have Members as defined by the
Texas Water Code. All customers of the Corporation must hold a
Membership or obtain their service through a Membership. A person or
entity that holds an interest in property solely as security for the
performance of an obligation or that only builds on or develops the
property for sale to others is not required to hold a Membership as
a condition to receive service on a limited basis. Every person
(which includes any legal entity) owning or having a legal right to
the control, possession or occupancy of property served, or which
may reasonably be served by the Corporation, shall have the right to
become a Member of the Corporation upon payment of the Membership
fee hereinafter provided and upon compliance with the Corporation's
conditions of water service as provided for in its published
charges, rates and conditions of service. Membership shall not be
denied because of the applicant's race, color, religion, sex, age,
marital status, familial status, handicap, income from Public
Assistance, disability or national origin. It is the intent of the
Corporation to provide service on a nondiscriminatory basis.
Section 2. The Membership fee shall be as determined by the Board
of Directors. Payment of Membership fee or transfer of Membership
shall entitle an applicant to further qualify for one (1) connection
to the system or shall entitle a transferee of Membership to
continue to qualify for service to an existing connection to the
system by meeting the conditions for water as provided in the
Corporation's published rates, charges, and conditions of service. A
person may own more than one Membership, but each Member shall be
entitled to only one vote regardless of the number of Memberships
owned. Membership certificates shall be in such form as shall be
determined by the Board of Directors.
Section 3. The Membership fee may be revised by the Board of
Directors as the Board may determine to be appropriate. In
determining the amount of the Membership fee, however, the Board
shall ensure that the fee is sufficient to establish the potential
Member as being legitimately interested in securing water service
from the Corporation for such potential Members' own needs.
Furthermore, the Board shall determine and administer such fee in a
manner or in an amount which does not unreasonably deny service to
financially deprived potential Members. In no event, however, shall
the Membership fee exceed an amount equal to the sum of twelve (12)
charges of the Corporation's minimum monthly water rate unless
previously approved by USDA Rural Development, RUS. Membership fees
will be refundable.
ARTICLE XI
Where necessary for determining those Members entitled to notice
of, or those Members entitled to vote at any meeting or any
adjournment thereof, or where necessary to make a determination of
Members for any other proper purpose, ownership of Memberships shall
be deemed to be vested in those persons who are the record owners of
Memberships as evidenced by the Membership transfer book on the 15th
day of the month preceding the month of the date upon which the
action requiring such determination is to be taken. Nothing herein
shall preclude the holder of a Membership from mortgaging such
Membership or, upon notification of the Corporation, preclude the
holder of such mortgages from exercising legal rights pursuant to
such mortgages upon proper notice to the Corporation.
ARTICLE XII
Section 1. In order to ensure that business done by the
Corporation shall continue within the capacity of its facilities and
to prevent undue financial burden on the Members of the Corporation,
Membership in the Corporation shall be transferred in accordance
with the following:
(a) Except as herein provided, Membership in the Corporation
shall be deemed personal estate and a person or entity that is a
Member of the Corporation may not sell or transfer that Membership
to another person or entity except: (1) by will to a transferee who
is a person related to the testator within the second degree by
consanguinity (blood relative – mother, father, brother, sister,
son, daughter, but also including legally adopted children;) (2) by
transfer without compensation to a transferee who is a person
related to the owner of the stock or other interest within the
second degree by consanguinity; or (3) by transfer without
compensation or by sale to the Corporation.
(b) Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to a person or
entity that transfers the Membership to another person or entity as
part of the conveyance of real estate from which the Membership or
other right of participation arose.
(c) The transfer of Membership under this section does not
entitle the transferee to water service unless each condition for
water service is met as provided in the Corporation’s published
rates, charges, and conditions of service. Water service provided by
the Corporation as a result of Membership may be conditioned on
ownership of the real estate designated to receive service and from
which the Membership or other right of participation arose.
(d) The Corporation may cancel a persons or other entity’s
Membership if the person or other entity fails to meet the
conditions for water service prescribed by the Corporation’s
published rates, charges, and conditions of service, or fails to
comply with any other condition placed on the receipt of water
service under the Membership authorized under Subsection (c) of this
section. The Corporation may, consistent with the limitations
prescribed by Subsection (a) of this section and as provided in the
Corporation’s tariff, reassign a cancelled Membership to any person
or entity that has legal title to the real estate from which the
canceled Membership arose and for which water service is requested,
subject to compliance with the conditions for water service
prescribed by the Corporation’s published rates, charges, and
conditions of service.
Section 2. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary here-in-above
provided, the consideration for the transfer of any Membership in
the Corporation from the original Members, their transferees,
pledges, administrators or executors, or other persons, shall never
exceed the amount of the original costs of such Membership. No gain
or profit shall ever be realized from the sale or transfer of a
Membership.
ARTICLE XIII
The Board may employ a manager to handle the business of the
Corporation under the direction of the Board. The Board shall set
the salary for the manager.
ARTICLE XIV
Notwithstanding the ownership of a Membership certificate, all
Members shall be billed, disconnected, or reconnected, and otherwise
shall receive service in accordance with the written policies of the
Corporation, including the tariff of the Corporation. In the event a
member should surrender the Membership certificate properly endorsed
to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Corporation, the water service
shall be discontinued and the obligation to pay for water service
shall terminate except as for the minimum charge for the current
month and the charge for water used during the current month, and
except as for any prior unpaid amounts due the Corporation.
Any remaining balance from the membership fee will be
refunded to the former member. In the event Membership is
terminated, cancelled, withdrawn, or surrendered, whether
voluntarily or involuntarily, the former Member’s rights and
interest in the assets of the Corporation will not be forfeited.
ARTICLE XV
Upon the discontinuance of the Corporation by dissolution or
otherwise, all assets of the Corporation shall be distributed among
the Members and former Members in direct proportion to the amount of
their patronage with the Corporation insofar as practicable. Any
indebtedness due the Corporation by a Member for water service shall
be deducted from such Member’s share prior to final distribution. By
application for and acceptance of Membership in the Corporation,
each Member agrees that upon the discontinuance of the Corporation
by dissolution or otherwise, all assets of the Corporation
transferred to that Member shall be in turn immediately transferred
by the individual Member to an entity that provides a water supply
service that is exempt from ad valorem taxation. By application for
and acceptance of membership in the Corporation, each Member grants
the Corporation’s Board of Directors that Member’s permission to
execute all instruments and documents necessary to effectuate such
transfers in order to preserve the Corporation’s statutory rights to
exemption from income and ad valorem taxation.
ARTICLE XVI
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be January 1st
to December 31st.
ARTICLE XVII
For so long as the Corporation is indebted for a loan or loans
made to it by the United States of America through the USDA Rural
Development, RUS, the Corporation shall insure with a reputable
insurance company such of its properties and in such amounts as is
required by the State Director of the USDA Rural Development, RUS,
for the State of Texas.
ARTICLE XVIII
Section 1. If at the end of the fiscal year, or in the event of
emergency repairs, the Board of Directors determines the total
amount derived from the collection of water charges to be
insufficient for the payment of all costs incident to the operation
of the Corporation’s system during the year in which such charges
are collected, the Board shall make and levy an assessment against
each Member of the Corporation as the Board may determine or as may
be required by USDA Rural Development, RUS, so that the sum of such
assessments and the amount collected from water and other charges is
sufficient to fully pay all costs of operation, maintenance,
replacement and repayment on indebtedness for the year’s operations,
but this provision shall not operate for the benefit of any third
party creditor other than USDA Rural Development, RUS, without a
favorable vote of the majority of the Members. Any assessments
levied to make up operations deficits in any year shall be levied
against Members in proportion to their patronage with the
Corporation.
Section 2. In the event a Member should surrender their
Membership certificate properly endorsed by the Secretary-Treasurer
of the Corporation, the obligation to pay such assessments shall be
limited to assessments made and levied prior to the date of
surrender of the Membership certificate provided, however, that this
paragraph and the second sentence of Article XIV shall not apply to
relieve a Member of their obligation under special arrangements
covering Multiple Membership certificates held by one Member which
may have been required or approved by the USDA Rural Development,
RUS.
ARTICLE XIX
The Corporation shall keep correct and complete books and records
of account and shall keep minutes of the proceedings of its Members,
Board of Directors, and committees, and shall keep a record of the
name and addresses of its Members entitled to vote at its registered
office or principle office in Texas.
Annually, the Board of Directors shall prepare or cause to be
prepared a report of the financial activity of the Corporation for
the preceding year including a statement of support, revenue, and
expenses and changes in fund balances, a statement of functional
expenses, and balance sheets for all funds or such financial reports
as required by USDA Rural Development, RUS. Such report shall be
approved by the Board of Directors. With prior written request,
corporate records, books, and annual reports, subject to exceptions
provided by the Public Information Act, Chapter 552, Texas
Government Code, including any amendments thereto, shall be
available for public inspection and copying by the public or their
duly authorized representatives during normal business hours subject
to a reasonable charge for the preparation of copies.
In the event of any conflict between the provisions of the Public