Please join us for our annual meeting on November 17 at 6 pm. In addition to our usual neighborhood discussions, we will also be voting on proposed changes to the by-laws of the Association.

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Please review them carefully and be prepared to vote on them at the meeting. The by-law changes are significant.  In the meantime, the primary changes to the amended by-laws are as follows:

1.     The number of board members will be increased from seven to eleven and the only officers elected by the community will be the President, a Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.  See Article 7

2.     Board member terms shall be increased to three years and the terms will be staggered so that one third of the members are elected at a time.  To transition to staggered terms, at the next annual meeting directors will be elected for one year, two years or three years.  The officers (President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) shall be elected to three-year terms at the first meeting of the transition.  See Articles 7 and 7A.

3.     The number of standing committees shall be reduced to five:  Membership, Landmark Preservation, Cobble Hill Park, Historical and Police and Sanitation.  The following committees shall be reduced to ad hoc committees: Trees, Communications and Schools.  The Board will have the discretion to create new ad hoc committees to cover current issues, such as a traffic committee to deal with BQE issues.  See Articles 11-17.

4.     Committee chairs shall report to the board quarterly by attending a board meeting.  See Article 12.

5.     The right to vote is no longer limited to residents of the Cobble Hill Historic District.  Instead, anyone who completes a membership form and pays Annual Dues may vote.  See Article 4.  The reason for this change to the CHA definition of membership is to conform it to that of surrounding community associations.  The Brooklyn Heights Association, the Boerum Hill Association and the Carroll Gardens Association do not have geographical limits for membership.  Historically, the CHA has always allowed anyone to become a member, and then restricted voting to people who live within the boundaries of the historic district, creating two classes of members.  Many of the paying members lived in areas that people consider “Cobble Hill” such as the blocks between Court and Smith, on the south side of Degraw and the Columbia Waterfront District as it borders Cobble Hill.  Allowing all people who pay membership dues and show up at meetings to vote is more inclusive and aligns the CHA with its neighboring associations. 

6.     A new provision dealing with board member conflict of interests has been added to comply with current law.  See Article 21.