If power in the command area is out for more than three to four hours, generators will be activated. This will allow folks to get hot coffee, charge phones, or heat a meal in the microwave. We’ll notify everyone if and when we reach that point.
Statement Regarding Community Civility & Online Conduct
The Independence Heights Super Neighborhood Council (SN13) is dedicated to fostering constructive, respectful, and transparent communication within our community.
Personal attacks, profanity, harassment, and targeted defamation against community leaders—such as the recent derogatory Facebook post shared by John Branch targeting Council President Amy and Past President Mardie Paige—have no place in our neighborhood dialogue.
Fabricated imagery, explicit name-calling, and abusive rhetoric distract from legitimate community work, undermine constructive progress, and violate the basic standards of decency our community expects. We strongly condemn these actions and encourage all stakeholders to engage in civil, fact-based discussions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Bylaws, Elections, & Governance
1. What is the status of the Super Neighborhood 13 (SN13) Bylaws?
2024 Bylaws: Revisions were discussed and approved by the SN13 Council on April 30, 2024, and confirmed as approved by the Department of Neighborhoods (DON) liaison Anita Ivery.
August 2026 Revisions: Further revisions were approved by the SN13 Council on August 17, 2026. These included adjusting council member attendance expectations, clarifying residency/stakeholder qualifications, and addressing voting procedures.
September 2026 Draft: A working draft was created to address unresolved questions and ongoing discussions regarding governance, administrative processes, and official DON feedback.
2. What are the rules regarding leadership elections and vacancies?
Regular Officer Elections: Per Section 6.8 and Section 6.10, officer elections take place every two years during the January meeting following an October notice and November nominations. Terms are staggered: the President and Treasurer are elected in even-numbered years, while the Vice-President, Secretary, and Sergeant-at-Arms are elected in odd-numbered years.
Special Elections for Vacancies: Per Section 6.11, if an officer position becomes vacant mid-term, a special election is held at the very next Super Neighborhood meeting. Nominations are taken from the floor, and the newly elected officer serves the remainder of the unexpired term.
3. Who is eligible to serve on the SN13 Council or hold an Officer seat?
Council Seats (Section 5.1): Eligibility includes residents who live within the SN13 boundaries, pastors of local churches within the area, or individuals operating a business in the neighborhood.
Elected Officers (Section 6.1): All elected officers (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Sergeant-at-Arms) must be residents of the Independence Heights Super Neighborhood.
4. What are the attendance requirements for Council Members?
Council Guidelines (Section 6.12): Under the August 2026 revisions, council members are requested to attend a minimum of 50% of meetings (ideally attending every other month).
DON Recommendations: The Department of Neighborhoods (DON) Division Manager, Rhonda Sauter, provided guidance suggesting that council members and officers should ideally aim for 90% attendance to ensure active engagement and continuity.
5. How does voting work between closed Council meetings and Public meetings?
Stakeholder Voting (Section 8.4): Community residents and stakeholders may participate in public general meetings and are involved in nominating and voting for Council members according to seat classifications.
Officer Voting (Section 6.10 & 8.4): The designated Council members vote to elect officers.
Transparency Commitment: To maintain full community oversight, any votes or actions decided during executive or closed Council sessions are required to be re-voted on publicly in front of the general neighborhood assembly.
6. Is SN13 required to be a registered 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) non-profit?
Non-Profit Status (Section 3.1): No. While the Council is organized for non-profit civic purposes, filing for formal IRS 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) tax-exempt status is optional and decided by the Council as needed. DON guidelines do not require a Super Neighborhood to operate as a formal federal non-profit entity.