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ManorCare
Springhouse of Silver Spring
Independent and Assisted Living
2201 Colston Drive
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
Springhouse Family Council Bylaws
The Springhouse Family Council is an informal organization made up of family and friends of Springhouse independent and assisted living residents. The council meets on a regular basis to advocate for the well-being of residents and to provide support for one another.
Article I: Mission Statement
The mission of the Family Council is to provide a structure for families and friends of residents, as a consumer group, to:
- Discuss and take actions related to improving the care, well-being, and satisfaction of all Springhouse residents, and
- Provide support for family members and friends of residents, and a forum for them to learn more about the Springhouse community and concerns of other members.
Article 2: Membership and Attendance
Membership in the Family Council is open to relatives, legal guardians, and friends of current or former Springhouse residents. Family council members of former residents are welcome to continue their participation.
Article 3: Officers and Committees
Leadership of the Family Council is the responsibility of a steering committee, which includes the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary.
- The Chair will preside over meetings.
- The Vice-Chair will preside over meetings in the Chair’s absence.
- The Secretary will record the minutes of each meeting and maintain the minutes as a permanent record. In the absence of the Secretary, the Chair will appoint a recorder.
Committed members are welcome to volunteer for positions on the steering committee. In the absence of volunteers, the Chair may appoint additional members of the steering committee as needed. The chair may appoint committees as needed.
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Article 4: Elections
Elections will be held either yearly or as necessary. Committed members are welcome to volunteer for positions on the steering committee.
Article 5: Meetings
Meetings of the Family Council will be held monthly on the second Thursday of each month. Meetings of the Steering Committee will occur as needed.
Special meetings may be scheduled when necessary.
Meeting times may be changed when necessary.
In the event of inclement weather, meetings will follow the same cancellation policy as the Montgomery County schools regarding after-school activities.
Article 6: Amendments
Any Family Council member may propose amendments to the Bylaws at regular or special meetings of the Family Council. The Steering Committee will mail proposed amendments to members for their review either by:
- Email for those members whose email accounts are known by the steering committee or
- US mail for those members without email accounts or for those members whose email accounts are unknown to the steering committee. The proposed amendments will be mailed in the same mailing as the notification letter used to remind members of the upcoming monthly meetings.
Approval depends on majority vote of the attending members at the following meeting.
Article 7: Rules of Order
Each meeting will follow the agenda prepared by the Steering Committee.
Any member:
- Is welcome to speak at any meeting, and
- May submit contributions in writing (for example, by email, US mail, the Family Council box) to a member of the steering committee who will introduce those contributions at a subsequent meeting.
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Article 7: Rules of Order (continued)
Approval of decisions can occur on the day they are proposed as long as there is a quorum of twelve.
Approval of amendments to the Bylaws will depend on a majority vote of the attending members at the following meeting.
Article 8: Approval
Bylaws prepared, revised, and approved at the January 2008 meeting.
Steering Committee:
| Susan Taylor, | Chair |
| Harriet Malamut, | Vice-Chair |
| Diane Cornish, | Secretary |
| Sharon Spivey, | Special Projects |
| Luis Frenk, | Special Projects |