About LACA

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The Lake Arbor Civic Association represents all homeowners and residents in about 3,000 homes in the Lake Arbor Subdivision of Central Prince George's County, in Mitchellville, Maryland.

HISTORY

The Lake Arbor Civic Association was established in March 1988 by a small group of Lake Arbor residents concerned about news of a new shopping center about to be built in the midst of their pastoral setting. While the shopping center was still built (it is now the Lake Arbor Shopping Center), the concerned residents quickly learned that by banding together, citizens could actually influence the outcome of development. LACA’s efforts resulted in improvements in the facade, the lighting, and the tenant mix of the new shopping center. Thus was the beginning of a successful journey that has led to the Lake Arbor Civic Association’s current status as one of the most influential citizens groups in Prince George’s County.

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BOARD MEETINGS & GENERAL MEETINGS

LACA Board meetings are held the first Wednesday in each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Arbor Room on the Golf Course, except for the months of July and August. LACA general community meetings for all residents are held three times a year, with specific dates announced in advance. All residents are invited, encouraged, and welcome to attend and participate in both the Board and the General meetings.

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DUES

LACA membership dues, which are just $20 per household per year, are voluntary. The fiscal year covers July 1 to June 30. In spite of inflation, LACA membership dues have not been increased since LACA was founded, making the $20 dues one of the best investments LACA members can make to protect the value of their homes.

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MISSION

LACA’s mission is to serve as a non-partisan community advocate; stimulate pride in the community; enhance the health, safety, general welfare, and quality of life of all Lake Arbor residents; improve educational opportunities for Lake Arbor youth; protect the character of the community with regard to zoning and land use; promote friendship; enhance cooperative relationships; and foster mutual assistance among the members of the community.

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OBJECTIVES

Specific LACA objectives are to:

Monitor all zoning issues affecting Lake Arbor and positively influence zoning decisions in the best interest of Lake Arbor and our sister associations;

Communicate pertinent issues affecting Lake Arbor, and provide a vehicle through which community action may be taken;

Collaborate with the Lake Arbor Foundation, Inc., Lake Arbor Homeowners’ Associations, and other civic groups on issues of common concern;

Arrange and promote social and recreational activities for the community; and

Represent the interests of Lake Arbor and our sister associations with political entities, private interests, government groups, and other groups, as appropriate, on matters such as zoning and development, safety and police protection, beautification, upscale shopping, and education advocacy.

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VISION

Our Vision for A New Decade:
The Lake Arbor Civic Association Community Mobilization Plan - "Lake Arbor 2010"

Lake Arbor is an upscale, thriving and desirable community located in central Prince George's County, Maryland. It is a residential community that is heavily sought after by realtors and home purchasers, on the one hand, and successful and promising businesses seeking to locate nearby.

Lake Arbor has schools that are known for outstanding academic achievement and venues for recreation and relaxation that are second to none. Parents with children love the community. Young people are encouraged to learn, socialize, grow and contribute to the community and the elderly feel secure, loved and appreciated for the wisdom they return to the community.

Businesses are proud to locate and relocate nearby and bountiful employment opportunities are within walking/short-driving distance. Elected officials respond quickly to community concerns and the community residents are politically, socially and culturally aware, and astute.

Lake Arbor is proud of its socioeconomic and ethnic diversity and celebrates differences and contributions from all of its community residents. When community residents are asked, "If you had to do it again, would you choose to purchase a home in Lake Arbor?" almost all community residents resoundingly reply "Absolutely!"

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CONSTITUTION OF THE LAKE ARBOR CIVIC ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Lake Arbor Civic Association, hereinafter referred to as the LACA. Lake Arbor is a development located in central Prince George's County, Maryland. The address of the LACA shall be P.O. Box 4912, Upper Marlboro, MD 20775-0912, at the Watkins Park Plaza, United State Post Office.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE, OBJECTIVES AND MISSION

SECTION 1. The purpose of the LACA is to protect and promote the interests of all residents of the Lake Arbor community.

SECTION 2. The objectives and mission of the LACA are as follows:

A. To do any and all things necessary to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of the Lake Arbor community, Prince George's County, Maryland.

B. To monitor all zoning issues affecting Lake Arbor and positively influence the decisions of County planners and officials, developers, politicians and other appropriate entities to act in the best interest of the LACA subdivision.

C. To bring pertinent issues to the attention of the residents of the Lake Arbor; to cause them to be discussed and clarified; to provide factual information bearing upon such issues to the residents and to provide a means through which community action may be taken.

D. To work with civic associations of other communities on issues of common concern.

E. To arrange and promote social and recreational activities for the residents of Lake Arbor.

F. To represent the interests of the Lake Arbor community with political entities, private interests, government groups and other civic groups and inform the residents of such.

G. To provide a clearinghouse of information for Homeowners' Associations within Lake Arbor.

SECTION 3. The LACA shall be voluntary in nature and shall not be operated for gain or profit.

SECTION 4. The LACA shall not engage in partisan political functions and shall not pursue partisan political purposes of any kind or character whatsoever.

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BY-LAWS

Article I - Term	Article II - Membership	Article III - Dues	Article IV - Meetings	Article V - BOD
Article VI - Appt Positions	Article VII - Committees	Article VIII - Elections	Article IX - Amendments

ARTICLE I - TERM (FISCAL YEAR)

The fiscal year for the LACA shall be July l through June 30.

ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1.	Each household in the Lake Arbor community, Prince George's County, Maryland, shall be eligible for membership. Membership will not be denied any person on the basis of race, creed, religion or political affiliation. Membership is established by paying the annual Association dues within the membership year.

SECTION 2.	Each member household shall be entitled to one (1) vote in the affairs of the LACA. Said vote is to be cast by one (1) representative of the member household; however, a representative under the age of 18 years must have written authorization from a parent or legal guardian to represent the member household.
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SECTION 3	Membership in the LACA shall terminate when a member household ceases to reside in the Lake Arbor community. Membership in the LACA shall also end if a member household fails to pay association dues for the current fiscal year.
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ARTICLE III - DUES

SECTION 1.	The LACA annual dues are $20.00 per household. This payment is due July 1 for the upcoming LACA fiscal year.
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ARTICLE IV - MEETING

SECTION 1.	The Board of Directors shall meet monthly and at the call of the President.

SECTION 2.	The President or Vice President and at least one (1) additional officers and two (2) Homeowners' Associations (HOAs) representatives shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 3.	General meetings of the LACA shall be held at least two times a year. The date, time, and place of said meetings shall be determined by the President with the advice of the other members of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 4.	Special meetings of the LACA may be called at any time at the discretion of the President (or the Vice President in his/her absence), or upon the written request of twenty (20) or more member households.

SECTION 5	A quorum of any general or special meeting of the LACA shall consist of five percent (5%) of the membership. For the purpose of a quorum, not more than one (1) member shall be counted per household.

SECTION 6.	Written notice of all general meetings of the LACA setting forth the date, time, and place of said meeting shall be posted in public areas one (1) week prior to the meeting. Written notice of all special meetings of LACA setting forth the date, time, and place of said meeting, shall be posted in public areas at least three (3) days prior to the meeting.

SECTION 7.	The order of business at all meetings of the LACA shall be as follows:
	A.	Call to order.
	B.	Minutes of previous meeting.
	C.	Correspondence.
	D.	Officers reports.
	E.	Committee reports.
	F.	Unfinished business.
	G.	New business.
	H.	Adjournment.

	The order of business may be altered or suspended at any meeting by a majority vote of the members present.

SECTION 8	Unless otherwise provided in this Constitution or By-laws, Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern all meetings and proceedings of the LACA.

SECTION 9.	All meetings, except closed executive sessions, are open to the Association membership.

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ARTICLE V - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION 1.

The Board of Directors is comprised of the elected officers and a representative from each of the Homeowners Associations (HOAs). Each Board member must be an member (current dues paid) at the time of election/appointment.

The elected officers of the LACA shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Correspondence Secretary, a Recording Secretary, and a Treasurer.

LACA officers will serve for a period of two (2) years. Other entities (HOA and Boundary Club representatives), as approved by their Boards of Directors shall serve for two (2) years unless otherwise directed by their Board of Directors.

One representative from each of the HOAs will be appointed/elected by the respective HOA to represent the geographic areas of Lake Arbor as follows:

	1.	Arbor Park, including the Vistas
	2.	Arbor View
	3.	Eastlake
	4.	Newbridge
	5.	Northlake
	6.	Ridgewood Park
	7.	Southlake
	8.	Westlake
	9.	Woodview Village
	10.	Boundary Club (NOTE: Approved by the Board.)

	Any other HOAs or other entities, as deemed appropriate by the LACA Board of Directors, that shall be established within the Lake Arbor community shall be eligible for representation.

Appointed/elected HOAs representatives shall serve for period of two (2) years or as otherwise designated by the respective HOA.

SECTION 2.

All members of the Board of Directors shall have equal voting rights.

SECTION 3.

The Board of Directors shall:

Execute the policies and decisions of the membership;

Have authority to conduct the affairs of the LACA between general and special meetings of the LACA;

Keep complete and accurate records of its proceedings;

Approve and execute an annual budget;

Review all appointed positions and standing/ad hoc committees for retention/new appointment within first ninety (90) days following election.

SECTION 4.

If a member of the Board of Directors fails to uphold LACA's objectives and purpose as stated in the Constitution, and as determined by the vote of a quorum of LACA members, the member of the Board shall be removed from office.

SECTION 5.

Any member of the Board of Directors who has three consecutive unexcused absences shall be asked to resign from the Board of Directors.

SECTION 6.

Whenever a vacancy occurs in any elected office, the same shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term by a majority vote of the Board of Directors at its next meeting, except that a vacancy in the office of the President shall automatically be filled by the Vice President for the balance of the unexpired term and a new Vice President shall be appointed by the Board of Directors for the unexpired term.

SECTION 7.

The President shall be the chief officer of the LACA and shall preside at all meetings of the LACA and of the Board of Directors. The President shall perform such other duties as are necessarily incident to the office of the President.

SECTION 8.

The Vice President shall, in the event of the absence or inability of the President to perform the duties of that office, assume and perform the duties of the President. The Vice President shall perform such other duties which may be assigned.

SECTION 9.

The Correspondence Secretary shall maintain and report the correspondence of the LACA. The Correspondence Secretary shall give such notices of meetings of the LACA and Board of Directors as required, and shall perform other such duties as are necessarily incident to the office of Correspondence Secretary. At the expiration of the Correspondence Secretary's term of office, the Correspondence Secretary shall deliver all records to the successor by July 1.

SECTION 10.

The Recording Secretary shall keep complete and accurate written records of all LACA meetings (Board of Directors, general and special), including documented records of meeting attendees. At the expiration of the Recording Secretary's term of office, the Recording Secretary shall deliver all records of the LACA to the successor by July 1.

SECTION 11.

The Treasurer shall compile the annual budget based on written input from the committees, collect all dues and keep an account of all funds received and expended by the LACA. The Treasurer shall make disbursements which are authorized by the Board of Directors within budget authorization, to be drawn on the signature of the President or the Vice President and the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall deposit all funds of the LACA in a FDIC insured bank or other financial institution designated by the Board of Directors. All funds, books and vouchers of the LACA shall be subject to an annual audit by a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who is not a member of the LACA.

The Treasurer shall give a written financial report at each monthly and general meeting covering at a minimum the period of time since the last meeting. At the expiration of the Treasurer's term of office, the Treasurer shall deliver to the successor all books, funds, and property of the LACA. The position shall be insured by a surety bond, to be paid for by the LACA.

The Treasurer shall be the Resident Agent with responsibility for ensuring the filing of documents and ensuring payment of required fees or taxes to maintain the Corporation in good standing. The Treasurer will ensure that all Federal and State tax returns are filed and that any taxes due are paid on a timely basis.

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ARTICLE VI -APPOINTED POSITIONS

SECTION 1.	The Business Manager shall develop standard operating procedures; note, track and follow up on action items of the Board; seek ways to streamline, expedite and reduce costs in all LACA operations; help to define role and responsibilities of new committees/positions to ensure that duplication does not occur; seek ways to promote the LACA business and activities and make recommendations to the Board of Directors in these areas of responsibility.

SECTION 2.	The Parliamentarian shall ensure that all LACA meetings are carried out in accordance with Robert's Rules of Orders, Revised. Serves as the timekeeper for the Board of Directors

SECTION 3.	The Historian receives and maintains all LACA historical documents. All historical documents will be inventoried and released to the historian within three (3) months after each biennial election. The Historian will inventory the documents in his/her possession and provide a written report to the Board of Directors annually.
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ARTICLE VII -COMMITTEES

SECTION 1.	The committee chairpersons shall be appointed by the President and shall be responsible for staffing their committees. The committee chairpersons shall report all committee activities to the Board of Directors at the monthly meetings in writing and other intervals to be determined by the Board of Directors. The LACA shall have the following standing Committees:

	A.	Adopt-A-Road. Monitors all of Lake Arbor for cleanliness and beautification, including areas under jurisdiction of HOAs. Works with HOAs to solve problems, such as the appearance of the common areas, the Golf Course appearance, traffic circles, shopping center, etc.

	B.	Community Day. Coordinates annual community day activities.

	C.	Education. Liaison with schools, Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), School Board members and other appropriate entities, on issues impacting the education of Lake Arbor children.

	D.	Legislative. Monitors and keeps LACA abreast of legislative issues impacting the Lake Arbor Community.

	E.	Membership. Conducts the annual membership drive, maintains a current roster of members, and compiles annual/biennial Membership Directory.

	F.	Newsletter/Communications Network. Publishes regularly publish (according to a schedule approved by the Board of Directors), distribute/mail newsletters. Publish special editions, as deemed necessary and approved by the Board of Directors. Serves as a primary vehicle for any distribution of information.

	G.	Public Relations. With the prior approval of the Board of Directors, takes action to project a positive image and dispel any negative image of Lake Arbor with the media and others, as necessary or appropriate.

	H.	Neighborhood Activities. Coordinates a variety of actions or special events for residents of the Lake Arbor community.

	I.	Safety (Crime, Neighborhood Watch). Monitors traffic safety and home and neighborhood security issues impacting the Lake Arbor community and provides recommended solutions, including organizing Neighborhood Watch.

	J.	Zoning. Monitors all zoning issues affecting the Lake Arbor community and recommends appropriate action to the Board of Directors. Represents the LACA or arranges for LACA representation at pertinent hearings; negotiates with developers to ensure that all design, development, and infrastructure of any facility meet the community standards and enhance the property value.

SECTION 2.	The LACA shall have such Ad Hoc Committees as the Board of Directors may establish from time to time, for example:

	A.	Bylaws
	B.	Election
	C.	Hospitality
	D.	Recognition
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ARTICLE VIII - ELECTIONS

SECTION 1.	The officers of the LACA representing the Lake Arbor community shall be elected for a two (2) year term at the biennial meeting held in May and shall assume office on July 1 following their election. All elected officers, HOA representatives and other entities shall assume office at the beginning of the LACA fiscal year following their election or appointment.

SECTION 2.	A.	Not later than forty-five (45) days prior to the biennial meeting, the President shall appoint three (3) members to the Election Committee, which is responsible for seeking and nominating candidates and conducting the election. A nominating report shall be filed by the Election Committee with the President not less than twenty (20) days before the biennial meeting and shall be included in the notice of the meeting. The election notice shall be distributed to the membership in writing not less than seven (7) days before the date of the meeting.

	B.	Additional nominations may be made by a petition in writing signed by five (5) members and the nominee which is directed to the Election Committee fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting.

	C.	Nominations must be accepted by the nominees before their names are included on the ballot. The report of the Election Committee shall include committee certification that the nominees have accepted.

	D.	Elections shall be held in the following order: President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Correspondence Secretary and Treasurer.

	E.	Elections shall be by written ballot. The Chairperson of the Election Committee shall conduct the election and be responsible for counting and certifying the vote for each office.

SECTION 3.	A majority of the votes cast shall be necessary to elect the President and Vice President. In the event no one candidate for President or Vice President receives a majority of the votes cast for their respective office, the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be voted upon again in a run-off election during this election meeting. All other officers shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast.

SECTION 4.	Absentee ballots will be honored provided:

	A.	The Election Committee is in receipt of the written notification from the household stating intention to use an absentee ballot which shall set forth the reasons that no qualified member of the household can vote in person. This written request must be received by the Election Committee not later than seven (7) days prior to the election .

	B.	The Election Committee shall determine whether to allow absentee ballots.

	C.	Should the Election Committee grant the use of an absentee ballot, the applicant shall receive a written ballot which must be returned to the Election Committee not later than 6:00 p.m. the day preceding the election. Said ballot must be returned signed and sealed in an envelope with the member's name and address indicated thereon. Said ballot shall be opened only by the counters of the votes at the time of the actual election.

	D.	Absentee ballots may be countermanded only by the member appearing in person at the time of the election.
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ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1.	This Constitution and Bylaws may be amended, repealed or modified in whole or part at any general meeting of the LACA upon an affirmation vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present, provided however, that:

	A.	The proposed change was submitted in writing to the Bylaws Committee for consideration and was approved by said Committee.

	B.	If not approved by the Bylaws Committee, the member sponsoring the proposed amendment can, after obtaining a petition containing at least twenty (20) signatures of members of the LACA (one signature per member household), have the Bylaws Committee present the Amendment for consideration by the membership at the next regularly scheduled general meeting, with the Bylaws Committee noting its reasons for disapproval thereon.

	C.	At least ten (10) days written notification is to be given to the President or Chair of the Bylaws Committee prior to the meeting at which a vote on the proposed amendment is to be taken.
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APPROVED AT MAY GENERAL MEETING, MAY 17, 1995
SAMUEL H. DEAN, PRESIDENT
CLEVE PERKINS, CHAIRMAN
BYLAWS COMMITTEE

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