THE WORDS | Return to the About YBP Page

The Yellow Bike Words
(By-Laws of the Collective) | Last Updated Febuary 2007

What are "The Words"?

The Words are our "bylaws". They deal with how the Yellow Bike Project operates as an entity and how the council members interact with each other and the community on a larger scale.

1 The Function of the Yellow Bike Project

1.1 The Yellow Bike Project began as a self-initiated effort of numerous volunteers, focusing on the assembly, distribution, and repair of bicycles for free use by the citizens of Austin, Texas. The Yellow Bike Project will continue to put Yellow Bikes on the road, operate community bicycle shop(s), teach bicycle mechanics, and act as a local bicycle advocacy group.

1.2 The corporation is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, and/or educational or scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

2 The Structure of the Yellow Bike Project

2.1 Structure of the Yellow Bike Project is composed of a large supporter base, part of which through particular levels of participation will serve as a Collective Council, which is the decision-making body of the group. The Collective Council will choose by consensus a Representative Council to act on the intent of the collective, and a number of Coordinators to ensure day-to-day operations.

2.2 Supporters

2.2.1 Anyone who contributes to the Yellow Bike Project in any way is a supporter. Contributions include time, money, or other donations.

2.3 Collective Council

The Collective Council is the self-initiating and open body of supporters who contribute 24 hours of work during each season. As the Collective Council is charged with defining and implementing the goals of the Yellow Bike Project, the initiators of these Words recognize that the donation of effort and work is more highly valued than money or material goods, and confers a stronger role in the collective decisions.

2.3.1 It is the responsibility of the individual members of the Collective Council to accurately and honestly reflect and promote the collective intent and goals of the Yellow Bike Project.

2.3.2 Membership in the Collective Council

2.3.2.1 “Work” as used above is defined as any effort performed to the direct benefit or promotion of the Yellow Bike Project, performed with consensus approval of the Collective Council.

2.3.2.2 “Twenty four hours” as used above is defined as 24 hours of volunteer work as defined above.

2.3.2.3 “Season” as used above is defined as any rolling contiguous three-month period.

2.3.2.4 Membership on the Collective Council is conferred once the volunteer attends a Collective Council meeting after completing 24 hours of work as defined above. Membership lapses if less than 24 volunteer hours have been completed in a three-month period

2.3.2.5 Collective Council membership is based on volunteer hours donated to the Yellow Bike Project. It is the volunteers’ responsibility to record hours worked in the appropriate volunteer logs, which are kept by the Coordinators.

2.3.2.6 Membership in the Collective Council is an earned privilege that may be revoked for just cause. The Collective Council can remove a Collective Council member with a simple majority (51%) vote at 2 consecutive Collective Council meetings.

2.3.3 Collective Council Functions

The Collective Council discusses and evaluates evolving situations with the input of the Representative Council, the Coordinators, and the community, and reaches consensus on decided actions.

2.3.4 Meetings of the Collective Council

2.3.4.1 Meetings of the Collective Council will be on the first Tuesday of each month.

2.3.4.2 Special meetings may be called at other times by agreement of 6 members of the Collective Council as necessary. At least 6 members of the Collective Council must be present at a Collective Council meeting or Special meeting for decisions to be final.

2.3.4.3 Notification of all meetings will be posted on the Yellow Bike Project information board and disseminated to the Collective Council membership as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

2.3.4.4 It is the responsibility of the members to confirm times and locations of the Collective Council meetings.

2.3.4.5 Meeting times, locations, and agendas will be drafted by the Collective Council based on input from the Collective Council membership and other concerned parties. All meeting agendas will include an “Open Agenda” period. Collective Council members are encouraged to submit agenda items in advance of any meetings though may submit items at meetings during the “Open Agenda” period.

2.3.4.6 Collective Council meetings will be open to the community at large.

2.3.4.7 Input into Collective Council meetings will be by informal discussion, except in circumstances when a “stack” will facilitate more organized discussion; a “stack” is an on-going list of speakers interested in voicing an opinion on issues relevant to the topic at hand. Anybody present at the meeting may move to “close the stack,” limiting the speakers to those already recorded as “on the stack.”

2.3.4.8 Except as outlined below, decisions are reached by the Collective Council via the method of consensus, defined as a process of discussion, compromise, and unanimous agreement. Only Collective Council members have the ability to block consensus. Issues or decisions may be tabled should agreement not be reached.

2.3.4.9 The Collective Council chooses the members of the Representative Council by consensus.

2.3.4.10 The Collective Council chooses the Coordinators from among the Collective Council by consensus.

2.3.4.11 Neither the Representative Council nor the Coordinators have the authority to act on decisions which are contrary to the will of the Collective Council.

2.3.4.12 The Collective Council can remove a Representative Council member, Collective Council member or Coordinator with a simple majority (51%) vote at 2 consecutive Collective Council meetings.

2.4 Representative Council

2.4.1 The Representative Council is the body appointed by the Collective Council, acting on the intent of the Collective Council to visualize and synthesize the future collective vision into day-to-day objectives.

2.4.2 The Representative Council is an advisory body, which uses consensus to make recommendations to the Collective Council. It has no decision-making capabilities.

2.4.3 The positions on the Representative Council are as follows:

Community Chair – Position term is one year
1. Attends monthly Representative Council meetings
2. Acts on the will of the Collective Council in community matters

Education Chair - Position term is one year
1. Attends monthly Representative Council meetings
2. Acts on the will of the Collective Council in educational matters

Transportation Chair - Position term is one year
1. Attends monthly Representative Council meetings
2. Acts on the will of the Collective Council in transportation matters

Scribe – Position term is one year
1. Appointed from and by the Collective Council
2. Maintain and disseminate a historical record of meetings etc.
3. Take minutes (or delegate responsibility for such) at each meeting
4. Post minutes monthly online
5. Organize a file containing old minutes, appointments, Words amendments etc. for easy access by volunteers.

Treasurer – Position term is one year
1. Appointed from and by the Collective Council
2. May hire an accountant as needed.
3. Disburse funds judiciously.
4. Report monthly to Representative and Collective Councils on expenditures and income.
5. Maintain financial records that are available to the community. Financial records should be maintained at a quality that meets the standards of IRS taxes and Grant Applications.

2.4.4 Nominations for the Representative Council will be made at the February Collective Council meeting. Pending acceptance, term will begin at the May Representative Council meeting.

2.4.5 The Representative Council maintains communication on a monthly basis. Meetings will be announced to the Collective Council.

2.4.6 Collective Council members are invited to participate in Representative Council meetings.

2.4.7 Representative Council meetings will be open to the community at large.

2.4.8 Notification of meeting times and location will be posted on the Yellow Bike Project information board.

2.4.9 All meeting agendas will include an “Open Agenda” period. Representative and Collective Council members are encouraged to submit agenda items in advance of any meeting, though may submit items during the “Open Agenda” time.

2.4.10 Input into Representative Council meetings will be by informal discussion, except in circumstances when a “stack” will facilitate more organized discussion.

2.4.11 Decisions are reached by the Representative Council via the method of consensus, as defined as a process of discussion, compromise, and unanimous agreement. Only Representative Council members have the ability to block consensus. Issues or decisions may be tabled should agreement not be reached.

2.4.12 Representative Council members may petition the Collective Council for leave of absence from duties. Leaves of absence may extend to the equivalent of one season per year without jeopardizing Representative Council status.

2.4.13 A Representative Council member can be removed with a simple majority (51%) vote at 2 consecutive Collective Council meetings.

2.5 Coordinators

2.5.1 Coordinators are chosen from the Collective Council by consensus

2.5.2 Coordinators focus on specific task groups in ensuring the day-to-day functions of the Yellow Bike Project. Coordinators include:

Email/Phone Coordinator – Position term is 1 year.
1. Record and deliver messages to Coordinators.
2. Notify Treasurer of monthly bills.
3. Update voice mail messages according to current activities.
4. Keep up to date Collective email distribution list

Community Coordinator – Position term is 1 year.
1. Work with Community Chair of the Representative Council.
2. Compose and disseminate media releases and the newsletter.
3. Maintain necessary contact with media outlets.
4. Coordinate with the Representative Council to ensure accuracy of outgoing information, i.e. review press releases, flyers, pamphlets, etc.

Web - IT - Shop Log Database Coordinator – Position term is 1 year
1. Maintain and update the website.
2. Maintain and improve current computer infrastructure.
3. Maintain Shop Log Database.
4. Seek systems that are easier to use to reduce the skill-set requirements of this Coordinator position and allow more Collective Council members to contribute to the information on the website.

Education Coordinator – Position term is 1 year.
1. Work with Education Chair of the Representative Council.
2. Act as the point of contact for all educational programs.

Transportation Coordinator – Position term is 1 year.
1. Work with Transportation Chair of the Representative Council.
2. Arrange and coordinate Yellow Bike releases.

Quality Control Coordinator - Position term is 1 year.
1. Communicates with other coordinators regarding quality and completion of all outgoing bicycles.
2. Check inventory and supplies monthly and order as needed.

Workshop Coordinator – Position term is monthly
1. Open, close and maintain weekly workshops.
2. Ensure volunteers sign in .
3. Maintain accurate workshop logs.

2.5.3 Coordinators are responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date logs recording volunteer efforts donated to their areas of responsibility.

2.5.4 Coordinators maintain communication on a monthly basis at the Collective Council meeting.

2.5.5 A Coordinator can be removed with a simple majority (51%) vote at 2 consecutive Collective Council meetings

3 Changing the Yellow Bike Project Words

3.1 These Words may be changed

3.1.1 Consensus of the Collective Council is necessary to amend the Words, but if consensus is not reached after two consecutive monthly meetings, an 80% majority of the Collective Council members present at the third meeting must vote to amend the Words.