Introduction

Bylaws, Policies and Procedures are essential documents that CapitolRiver Council (CRC) board members and staff use to govern the organization’s operations.

• Bylaws require approval by the general members at the CRC Annual Meeting or at a CRC board meeting to update bylaws.
• Policies are adopted or updated by the CRC Board of Directors (board).
• Procedures are developed and implemented by staff, with input from board members and general members.
• Bylaws, policies and procedures all need to be reviewed periodically for consistency and compliance with state and federal laws for nonprofit organizations.

This manual generally follows the structure of the bylaws.

Purpose / Overview

The CapitolRiver Council Board of Directors is the steward of CRC’s mission and resources. Its duties include defining the mission, values, and strategic goals; allocating resources; setting policy; and ensuring that CRC activities are aligned with legal regulations and ethical standards.

The following policies and procedures are intended to guide the CRC board and staff in their shared roles of providing services that meet the needs of District 17 stakeholders and funding partners.

Article 2: Members

Stakeholders (defined in bylaw 1.5) become General Members (they may be referred to as “Voting Members”) by attending at least one CRC meeting or event (virtually or in-person), or by providing requested feedback on one or more local issues. General Members serve on committees, bring concerns to the board, elect board members at the Annual Meeting, vote on amendments to the CRC Bylaws, and are eligible to be board members.

Policy: General Members

1. A person’s attendance at the previous Annual Meeting is counted when determining eligibility to vote, even if the time between Annual Meetings is more than 365 days (see Bylaws 2.1, which requires a stakeholder to attend at least one meeting per year to be a General Member).
2. A General Member may be terminated (voting rights removed) for violating the code of ethics or code of conduct (see bylaw 2.3).

Procedures:

1. A sign-in sheet must be available at all in-person meetings.
2. An updated list of General Members must be maintained throughout the year. A new list of General Members is created each year, starting with the people who attended the Annual Meeting. New General Members are added as people sign in when they attend each CRC committee meeting, board meeting, community engagement event, or another meeting with one or more CRC board member(s) and / or CRC staff.
3. At the Annual Meeting, the current list of General Members is used to calculate the quorum (15 percent of General Members).
4. A majority vote by the CRC board is needed to terminate a General Member, and the motion must specify the amount of time that voting rights will be removed.
5. A person whose General Membership has been terminated must be allowed to appeal the decision to the CRC Officers. The Officers may designate a committee or person to administer the appeal.

Article 3: Board of Directors

CRC Bylaws Article 3 specifies the number of board members, elected and appointed, term of office and tenure, responsibilities and general powers, organizational focus, compensation, vacancies, and resignation and removal.

Policy: Appointed Members (see bylaws 3.2 Composition)

The City requires a majority of a district council’s board members to be elected. The CRC board is comprised of 10 elected members and up to 7 appointed members. The board may invite associations and organizations that operate in District 17, and share similar goals and concerns as CRC, to appoint a person to serve as a CRC board member.

Any CRC board member may nominate an organization to be eligible to appoint a CRC board member candidate at any time throughout the year. Before the Annual Meeting, the CRC Recruiting Committee shall

a) create a list of organizations that should be offered the opportunity to appoint a CRC board member, and

b)present the list of organizations to the CRC board for a vote, and

c) recommend strategies for informing all District 17 stakeholders about the CRC appointed member process.

The term for all members appointed during the year expires after the next annual meeting. 

Procedures: Appointed Members

A CRC representative informs an organization that they may appoint someone to serve as a CRC board member to a one-year term. Representatives of the organization determine who will serve as the appointed CRC board member. If an appointed member resigns, the organization may appoint someone else to serve the remainder of the term. The meeting minutes should indicate when an appointed member is added or changed. 

Article  4: Officers

The CRC board elects officers to serve in leadership roles and to meet as needed to make time-sensitive decisions and / or recommendations for the organization.

Policy: Election and Tenure of Officers

1. Officers shall be elected at the first board meeting after the Annual Meeting.
2. Officers from the immediate past year remain in office until the election for new officers is held.
3. The board may elect an officer to fill a vacancy at any time.
4. Officers may not hold any combination of offices for a total of more than 5 years without being out or office for a least 1 year.  

Article 5: Meetings

The CRC seeks to be open and transparent and to actively seek public participation in meetings. This section contains policies and procedures for conducting meetings and seeking public input.

Policy: Notifications

1. Pertinent information including dates, times, locations any other necessary information shall be published electronically in advance when conducting public business.
2. A meeting notification including date, time, and place of the Annual Meeting shall be sent to General Members 60 days before the Annual Meeting and shall be posted on the CRC website.
3. The date, time and place of CRC board and committee meetings should be posted on the CRC website 10 days before the meeting.
4. The Annual Meeting agenda shall be posted on the CRC website and sent to all General Members at least 15 days before the Annual Meeting.
5. Name, biographical information, General Membership designation of all candidates for the CRC board of directors who met the deadline for submission shall be posted online 15 days before the Annual Meeting.

Article 6: Committees

Committees exist to advise or carry out the mission of the CRC. The board may create or eliminate a committee.

The board shall specify the powers, duties and responsibilities of each committee. Current standing committees: Officers Committee; Arts, Culture and Entertainment Committee; Development Review Committee; Finance Committee; Public Realm Committee; Recruiting Committee; and Skyway Governance Advisory Committee.

Policy: Recruiting Committee (Bylaws 6.4)

The Recruiting Committee is a standing committee to establish a list of board member candidates reflecting as wide a diversity of stakeholders as possible to stand for election at the Annual Meeting. 

1. The Recruiting Committee shall consist of the CRC officers and committee chairs, and the committee may choose to add other board members and / or general members who are interested in recruiting CRC board members.
2. A representative of the Recruiting Committee shall introduce the candidates at the Annual Meeting.

Procedures:

1. Review board member candidate applications to confirm eligibility to seek election.
2. Board member application forms shall be posted on the CRC website and sent to General Members at least 60 days before the election.

Article  7: Elections

The Annual Meeting and board member election is held in June. Moving the Annual Meeting to a different month would require an amendment to Bylaws 5.6.

Elections Procedures Before the Annual Meeting:

1. Notify all General Members of the date, time and location of the Annual Meeting (60 days before the meeting).
2. Post information (application forms, etc.) about how to seek election to the CRC board on the CRC website.
3. Use the updated General Member list to determine how many attendees will constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting (15 percent of General Members).
4. Identify a representative of the Recruiting Committee to introduce the candidates at the Annual Meeting.
5. Post bios of candidates on the CRC website (15 days before the Annual Meeting).
6. Prepare a ballot with the list of the candidates, sorted in random order, and voting instructions. Allow space for write-in candidates.
7. Prepare 5 vote tally sheets and one sheet to mark the total number of votes for each candidate, or develop a similar method for online or electronic voting.

Elections Procedures at the Annual Meeting:

1. Give a ballot to each General Member when they sign in at the Annual Meeting.
2. Before voting begins, a Recruiting committee representative introduces each candidate, and each candidate may give a short (1 to 2 minutes) statement about their interest in serving on the board and qualifications.
3. The presiding officer solicits additional candidate nominations. People who are nominated and are eligible to be CRC board members may receive votes as write-in candidates. Names of these candidates should be written on a large piece of paper or otherwise displayed on a screen so that voters are able to see the names of these potential write-in candidates.
4. Select a vote tally committee of people who are NOT candidates, including 2 CRC board members, one CRC officer, and other volunteers (5 people total).
5. Provide instructions to voters and collect ballots after sufficient time has been provided to vote.
6. The vote tally committee should divide the ballots into 5 stacks of ballots, and distribute one stack of ballots and a vote tally sheet to each person who is counting ballots. Each stack should have approximately the same number of ballots (it doesn’t need to be exact). After tallying all of the votes from each ballot in a stack onto the vote tally sheet, initial the sheet and give the stack of ballots and tally sheet to another committee member to verify. Once each stack of ballots has been counted and verified, add the vote totals for each candidate onto the sheet that contains the total vote count for each candidate. When the committee agrees on the results, announce them to the group.

Article  8: Financial Management

(Adopted: April 2017, revised February 28, 2018 by the Board of Directors.)

The CRC board is responsible for the overall fiscal management of the CRC and has adopted the following policies:

Policy – Financial Management Generally: CRC manages its financial records to provide accurate and complete financial data for internal use, and to be available for independent review and reporting.  Internal controls over accounting tasks are necessary to ensure reliability of accounting records. The CRC Executive Director and the contracted accountant will a) follow generally accepted accounting practices and regulations for nonprofit organizations, and b) implement the internal controls under the supervision of the Treasurer and the CRC officers.

Policy -- Bank Accounts:

• Authorized signers on CRC bank accounts are the Board Chair, Board Treasurer, and Executive Director. 

Policy – Paying Invoices:

1. The Executive Director is authorized to pay the following invoices: Rent, parking, Internet and phone, insurance, and website hosting.
2. The Executive Director is authorized to pay other invoices if the amount is less than $300, provided that all other state and federal regulations and CRC policies and procedures are followed.
3. All other checks with an amount equal to or greater than $300 must be signed by two of CRC’s authorized signers.
4. Products and services may be purchased by an employee or board member and reimbursed, if the purchase has been approved by the Chair. No authorized check signer may sign a check to himself or herself, even if the purchase has been approved by the Chair.

Policy – Making Deposits:

1. The Executive Director must make deposits into the appropriate account and inform the Accountant of the amount and purpose of the deposit (for example, if a board member makes a donation, inform the accountant that it should be considered “Board support”). Paper and electronic records of each deposit must be maintained according to the CRC Record Retention Policy.
2. The Executive Director is authorized to transfer the appropriate fiscal agent fee from a fiscal agent account to the CRC checking or savings account.

Procedures – Fiscal Management:

• CRC Executive Director will notify the Accountant when a check is needed, and will provide a copy of the invoice. The Accountant will prepare a check to be signed by an authorized check signer.
• The checkbooks and checks are held in a locked file cabinet.
• The CRC Executive Director will review and confirm financial statements prepared by the Accountant and send them to the Treasurer and Finance Committee in a timely manner.
• The Treasurer and Finance Committee will review the statements before they are sent to the CRC board.
• All monthly and annual financial reports will be reviewed by the CRC board, and annual financial reports require approval by the CRC board. The motion must be in the meeting minutes, and the date of the meeting needs to be written on the annual report that is sent to the Minnesota Office of the Attorney General.
• CRC’s financial institution is Hiway Credit Union. Hiway must be informed when there is a change in authorized signers (for example, when a new Chair or Treasurer is elected).
• Bank reconciliation is prepared by the Accountant. Reconciling items will be addressed on a timely basis and reviewed by the CRC Executive Director and the Treasurer.

Policy -- Fiscal Agency (Bylaw 8.3): CRC acts as Fiscal Agent on behalf of the Principal (an organization, such as an unincorporated community group, that receives donations, whose work aligns with the mission of CRC). Fiscal agent agreements must be approved by the Board.

As Fiscal Agent, the CRC is responsible to:

a) Ensure that applications for new accounts are properly approved and on file prior to any account activity.

b) Verify that all authorized account signers are responsible status employees or CRC officers who have proven their integrity through past performance.

c) Allocate the account budget and transactions to proper line items and monitor the account balance to preclude overspending.

d) Ensure the reconciliation of the monthly budget reports and the correction of all discrepancies.

e) Review, annually, organizations for which the CRC is to act as Fiscal Agent to ensure ongoing legitimacy of the agency to receive charitable funds.

f) It is the duty of the Principal to approve payment.

g) It is the duty of the CRC to issue payments.

h) CRC maintains a bank account for the sponsored group, or otherwise accounts for the money so that it is only spent for the intended purpose.

i) Keep adequate records of all information provided by and transactions requested by authorized Members of the sponsored group’s governing body.

j) Maintain books of accounts with generally accepted accounting principles reflecting all transactions taken by CRC on behalf of the sponsored group.

k) Provide sponsored group with periodic activity reports and supporting bank statements and activity.

Groups seeking fiscal sponsor services from the CapitolRiver Council must:

1. Serve a community purpose that is consistent with the mission of the CapitolRiver Council.
2. Operate and benefit residents and businesses within District 17.
3. Possess sustainable, appropriate governing oversight (as determined by the CRC Officers).
4. Use funds administered by CRC on group’s behalf in accordance with the terms of an adopted budget by the group’s governing body.
5. Deliver all requests for payment and financial information as required by CRC in a timely manner, and allow a reasonable amount of time to process payment of signed invoices (not to exceed 30 days).
6. Notify CRC in writing of any changes to the Membership of the governing body.
7. Follow all standard accounting procedures and collect appropriate forms and information from companies, contractors and persons doing business with the sponsored organization.

Procedure: Additional terms and conditions may be included in specific Fiscal Agent agreements.

Dispute Resolution

If a CRC Board Member or employee disagrees with a decision of the board, or if there are complaints about potential violations of the code of conduct and or code of ethics, the purpose of this policy is to specify what steps may be taken to appeal the decision and resolve the dispute, if possible.

Policy: The first approach is to work with the Internal Relations Officer to determine next steps, if necessary.

Personnel

These policies are designed to attract and retain competent staff for the CapitolRiver Council (the Council, or, CRC). They have been established to ensure consistency and equitable treatment of the employees of CapitolRiver Council, to minimize conflict and misunderstanding, and to clarify the rights and obligations of employees as well as the board’s expectations of its employees. New employees must be provided a copy of these policies, a written job description specifying their duties and responsibilities, and an offer of salary and benefits. The scope of responsibility for the position will also be discussed at that time.

Policy:

A. Non-Discrimination

It is the policy of CRC to recruit and hire well-qualified people and to administer all compensation, benefits, and all other terms of employment without discrimination. In all of its personnel policies, procedures and operations, CRC must comply with the Saint Paul Legislative Code (Human Rights Ordinance) and the Rules Governing Affirmative Requirements in Employment. The statement “Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer” must be included on CRC letterhead, employment applications, contracts and subcontracts, and in advertisements recruiting employees and contractors. Copies of advertisements for employees will be kept on file for review by the Saint Paul Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Department. CRC must keep records of all personnel actions such as applicant flow, hiring, firing, lay-off, promotions, and actions taken to recruit and hire women, minorities, and people with disabilities, so that they may be reviewed on request.

B. Non-Partisan

1. The CapitolRiver Council shall not support or oppose any political party or any candidate. CRC is non-partisan.
2. CRC staff must not use their position to support or oppose any political party or candidate, but may serve as delegates, make donations, and give personal support to candidates as long as the support does not, in any way, imply support of the CRC.
3. Any CRC employee who gets elected to public office is considered to have resigned.

C. Organizational Structure

1. Board of Directors (Board)

The Board is responsible for the development and maintenance of policies and procedures of the organization, for the financial health of the organization, and for the oversight of its activities and programs.

2. Executive Director

The Executive Director is accountable to, and reports regularly to, the Board of Directors, and specifically to the Board Chair for day-to-day operations. The specific duties of the Executive Director are outlined in the job description. At no time will a CRC employee serve as a member of the Board.

3. Other employees

From time to time, the organization may be in a position to hire other employees. These employees will report to the Executive Director, and will have their performance appraisals conducted by the Executive Director.

D. Classification of Employees

1. All staff is hired under “At will.”
2. Exempt employees are positions that are compliant with local, state, and federal status regarding exempt status. Exempt employees are paid on a salary basis, and are ineligible for overtime pay. CapitolRiver Council employees who are considered “exempt” are expected to work the hours necessary to get the job done. However, compensatory time for hours worked beyond the normal work day may be requested and reviewed by the Chair.
3. Volunteers are essential to the CapitolRiver Council and the operation of its programs. However, volunteers are not considered employees and therefore receive no wages, salaries, or employee benefits.
4. The organization may make use of interns who are either unpaid, or paid by another organization. CapitolRiver Council will comply with guidelines as established by the intern’s parent organization. Interns report to the Executive Director.

E. Paid Time Off (PTO) and Holidays

1. The Executive Director shall receive seventeen (17) days (136 hours) each year for Paid Time Off, accrued on an hourly basis.
2. CapitolRiver Council pays for time off for eight additional (8) holidays. The holidays include: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, either the adjacent Friday or Monday may be taken as the holiday. Part time employees will be paid only for those holidays in which they would ordinarily work according to their regular, approved schedules.
3. Paid Time Off will include vacation and sick time. There is no paid Disability Insurance.
4. Hours for PTO will begin accruing on the day of hire. However, PTO may not be used during the first ninety (90) days of employment without the approval of the Board Chair.
5. After two years, PTO will increase by one day each year until the Executive Director has served for five years, at which time PTO will be 20 days. After ten (10) years of employment, PTO will increase to twenty-five (25) days.
6. Up to five days of PTO may be rolled over to the next calendar year (beginning January 1) with the approval of the chair. It must be used within the first quarter of the new year.
7. Other than the first 90 days, as in paragraph 3, above, employees are allowed, with prior approval from the Chair, to use their hours in advance of the accrued rate as long as the negative balance does not exceed five days (40 hours).
8. In case of resignation, an employee cannot have used more hours than were accrued. If more hours were used than accrued, the employee owes CapitolRiver Council the difference in Paid Time Off. The employee agrees that the balance due will be withheld from the final paycheck. If the amount exceeds the final paycheck, the employee further agrees that the amount will be paid in full by employee to CRC within 30 days of employment termination. The Treasurer and Chair will finalize all accrued reconciliations and deferred benefits before a final paycheck for accruals and benefits is disbursed.
9. Part time employees earn Paid Time Off hours based on these standards, prorated according to the number of hours regularly worked by that part time employee.
10. If an employee will be absent or late, the Chair must be contacted in a timely manner. Absence without notice for three days may be considered a voluntary resignation.

F. Compassionate Leave

1. CapitolRiver Council will grant up to three (3) working days with pay for leaves of absence due to a death in the employee’s immediate family (parents, siblings, spouse/partner, child).
2. Two (2) days will be granted for death of an in-law or grandparents.
3. The Chair of the CapitolRiver Council will consider special cases on an individual basis.

G. Jury Duty

CapitolRiver Council will pay an employee who is required to serve on a jury the difference between their normal salary and any government reimbursement up to a maximum of two weeks. The employee must notify the Chair in advance. Documentation is required for reimbursement.

H. Unpaid Leave

1. After six (6) months of employment, an employee may request unpaid leave for personal reasons. All requests must be made in advance, in writing, to the Chair, with beginning and end dates, and the reason for requesting the leave. The Chair may grant or deny the request, in his/her discretion, depending on the circumstances of the request and/or the needs of CapitolRiver Council.
2. An employee does not accrue paid time off hours while on unpaid leave.
3. If a request for unpaid leave is granted, CapitolRiver Council will, in its discretion, determine whether any benefits will continue through the leave, and at what cost, if any, to the employee. This will depend upon a number of factors, including the nature and extent of the leave.

I. Military Leave

CapitolRiver Council will comply with all scheduled guidelines with regards to an employee who is in the National Guard or state military reserve.

J. Employee Benefits

1. CapitolRiver Council will pay the Executive Director $300.00 a month, reviewed annually, for flex benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and the like.
2. CapitolRiver Council will pay Worker’s Compensation and Unemployment Insurance premiums as required by law.

K. Professional Development

CapitolRiver Council believes strongly in the value of the continued education of its employees. Staff development is budgeted annually. Requests for training may be discussed with the Chair. All costs associated with staff development must be approved by the Chair prior to any classes or training.

L. Reimbursement of Expenses

1. All requests for expense reimbursement must be approved by the board chair and must be accompanied by matching receipts. Off-site parking and mileage expenses must be documented, including expense amounts and reasons for the expense.
2. All requests must be submitted on an expense report that links each purchase to a budget line item or project of CapitolRiver Council.
3. Reimbursement of expenses will occur monthly.

M. Conflict of Interest for Staff

1. All employees of CRC must ensure that private interests and activities do not impact adversely, or conflict with, the mission of CapitolRiver Council. When speaking to the public or media representatives, employees must avoid expressing personal opinions which may be construed as CRC positions on neighborhood or city issues.

2. Employees of CRC must avoid any action that might create the appearance of:

• Using their position for private or political gain
• Giving preferential treatment to any individual or organization
• Affecting adversely the integrity or professional image of CapitolRiver Council
• Lending their name and status as an employee of CapitolRiver Council to endorse programs, agencies, or organizations that are in competition or conflict with CapitolRiver Council
• Profiting financially, or in any other manner, as a result of their affiliation with CapitolRiver Council
• Using proprietary information gained from their employment with CapitolRiver Council

3. If the Executive Director should pursue a teaching, speaking, or consulting opportunity with an organization or agency that may be considered in conflict or in competition with CapitolRiver Council, he/she must obtain prior approval in writing from the Chair.

4. Any fees obtained by speaking, teaching, or consulting as a representative of CRC will be collected as a contribution to CRC for the purpose of the general budget.

N. Performance Evaluation

1. Generally, performance reviews of employees will occur on an annual basis, on or near, the anniversary of employment.
2. Performance reviews allow both the employee and the board to determine whether or not the employment is satisfactory by identifying those aspects of the job that are being performed well, and those aspects that need attention. Performance reviews are a formal opportunity for employees to express concerns about the job. However, if an employee does have concerns, there is no need to wait until the next review. The Chair is available throughout the year to meet with the Executive Director or other staff about issues, problems, or questions related to employment.
3. New employees will have a review after ninety (90) days, followed by an evaluation six (6) months after being hired.
4. For all performance reviews, the evaluation forms are completed by the employee and supervisor. The employee and supervisor will meet to discuss differences between the employee’s self-assessment and the supervisor’s assessment. Employees should also be given the opportunity to assess the position description and recommend changes. For the Executive Director, performance reviews will be conducted by the Board Chair and Internal Affairs Officer, with prior input from the board.
5. All employees will receive a copy of the performance reviews, and a copy will be placed in the employee’s personnel file.

0. Job Performance and Conduct

1. Although it is impossible to anticipate in advance every possible kind of misconduct that would be of concern to CapitolRiver Council and that could lead to corrective action, including dismissal, the following conduct is prohibited and will not be tolerated by CapitolRiver Council. This list of prohibited conduct is illustrative only and is not intended to be exhaustive:

• Violations of any of the policies described in this Policy, or otherwise communicated to employees.
• Conduct, including speech, that physically harms or threatens others, or that is abusive to, or disrespectful of, the organization’s Directors, employees, contractors, volunteers, guests, or other persons involved with CapitolRiver Council.
• Failure to be honest in your communications with CapitolRiver Council and/or falsifying records or other documents.
• Theft or misappropriation of property owned by CapitolRiver Council, a co-worker, guest, or anyone who has property you may come into contact with through your employment.
• Unlawful conduct during non-work hours that might lead our membership or the public to lose confidence in you or CapitolRiver Council.
• Failure to conduct yourself in a professional and cooperative manner while carrying out your duties.
• Neglect of duty; failure to perform your responsibilities in a manner acceptable to CapitolRiver Council.

2. Important Job Duties: Standard Operating Policies: This list of responsible conduct is illustrative and is not intended to be exhaustive:

• Attend, participate and support the outreach and administration of all CRC committee meetings and events.
• Phone calls returned within 1 business day of message left, or message left on answering machine when the call will be returned.
• Respond to e-mails within 1 business day or out of message response indicating when a response will be made.
• Contact Chair of Committee 7 days before committee meeting regarding agenda. Agendas e-mailed to committee members within 5 business days of meeting.
• 40 hours dedicated to CRC work per week.
• Provide a welcoming environment in the CRC office for employees, board members and stakeholders.

P. Harassment

1. It is the policy of CRC to ensure the workplace is free of harassment, discrimination, violence and offensive behavior. Harassment or bias will not be tolerated in any form. This applies to all CRC employees, board members and general members.

2. Sexual harassment, which can consist of a wide range of unwanted and unwelcome sexually-directed behavior, is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

• Submitting to the conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment;
• Submitting to or rejecting the conduct is used as the basis for an employment decision affecting employee’s status; or
• Such conduct has the purpose or results in unreasonably interfering with an employee’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

3. If a person’s behavior makes an employee uncomfortable, the employee should feel free to immediately advise the person that it is inappropriate and that he / she would like it stopped.

4. If the employee is uncomfortable discussing the issue with the person, or if the offending person fails to respect the employee’s request, the employee should report the incident to the Internal Affairs Officer or another board officer.

5. A prompt, thorough and fair investigation will take place in all instances when there are allegations of harassment. The investigation will be led by the CRC Internal Affairs Officer, unless he or she is the subject of allegations. If the Internal Affairs Officer is unable to conduct the investigation for any reason, the Board Chair will conduct the investigation or ask another board member with experience conducting such investigations. The investigation must be done in a manner that protects the rights and dignity of the people involved.

6. Any employee whose behavior is determined to be harassment will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

7. No retaliation of any kind will be tolerated because an employee has, in good faith, reported an incident of suspected harassment. Mutually agreed-upon safeguards will be established against retaliation while attempting to mediate any harassment complaint.

8. In determining whether the alleged conduct constitutes a violation of this policy, the person conducting the investigation will consider the surrounding circumstances, the nature of the behavior, past incidents, and the context in which the alleged incidents occurred.

Q. Grievances

1. CapitolRiver Council recognizes that differences of opinion regarding employment conditions and employee relations may arise. CRC encourages all employees to seek informal resolution of such differences.

2. If resolution of differences is not possible, the employee should present his/her grievance in writing to all CRC officers. A prompt and thorough investigation must be conducted by the Internal Affairs Officer or another CRC Officer who has experience conducting such investigations. The Officers may choose to seek the assistance of a person outside of the organization who has experience in human resources and / or dispute resolution.

3. The Officers will make a recommendation to the board of directors about a) the merits of the grievance, and b) disciplinary action that should be taken as a result. The Board’s decision will become final.

R. Termination of Employment

1. The Executive Director may terminate his/her employment by submitting a letter of resignation to the CapitolRiver Council Chair at least four weeks prior to the effective date of resignation.
2. Other employees may terminate their employment by submitting a letter of resignation to the Executive Director at least two weeks before the effective date of resignation.
3. Given the nature of this small organization and office, no PTO may be taken during the final two weeks of employment.

Special Status Attendees

Purpose:  District Councils exist as advisory groups to the City Council.

Policy: The Board may designate a City liaison to attend CRC meetings.

1. The liaison may present a report on work or needs of the City Council and / or a City department.
2. The liaison is not a voting member of the Board.

Record Retention Policy

Purpose: State and federal regulations require nonprofit organizations to maintain copies of certain records, either permanently or for a specified amount of time. This policy contains those requirements, and thus provides guidance to CRC board members and staff concerning documents that must be maintained and / or may be disposed of. Questions regarding the retention of documents not listed in this chart should be directed to the CRC Secretary and / or Executive Director.

Policy: CRC staff should spend time at least once per year reviewing paper and electronic files that may be destroyed, so that CRC maintains only those documents that are required by law and those that are most relevant to the organization’s operations.

Procedures:

1. Electronic Documents and Records: Electronic documents will be retained as if they were paper documents. Backup and recovery methods will be tested on a regular basis.
2. Emergency Planning: The Organization’s records will be stored in a safe, secure, and accessible manner. Documents and financial files that are essential to keeping the organization operating in an emergency will be duplicated or backed up and maintained off-site.
3. Document Destruction: The Executive Director is responsible for the ongoing process of identifying CRC records that have met the required retention period, and overseeing their destruction. Destruction of financial and personnel-related documents will be accomplished by shredding. No documents may be destroyed if they are the subject of a legal hold or similar notice of a pending audit, investigation or similar activity that would require documents to be available to review.
4. Compliance: The Executive Director and Officers will periodically review these policies and update as needed when there are new or revised regulations.

The following table lists the Retention Period for each item:

Category / Item                                                                            Retention Period

Essential Organizational Records            

Articles of Incorporation                                                                             Permanent

Bylaws                                                                                                     Permanent

Current Organizational Policies                                                                   Permanent

Board and committee meeting agendas and minutes                                    Permanent

Board member rosters                                                                               Permanent

Code of Conduct forms (signed by board members and staff)                         4 years

Updated General Membership List                                                              Permanent

Insurance Records (Policies, Claims, related correspondence)                       Permanent

Accident reports                                                                                       7 years

Safety (OSHA) reports                                                                              7 years

Group disability records                                                                            7 years after end of benefits

IRS – Tax Exempt determination letter                                                       Permanent

IRS Form 990s                                                                                         Permanent

Annual Report filed with MN Attorney General                                             Permanent

Leases (expired)                                                                                      7 years after all obligations end

Finance and Accounting             

Financial statements (audited)                                                                  7 years

Auditor management letters                                                                     7 years

Payroll records                                                                                        7 years

Check register and checks                                                                        7 years

Bank deposits and statements                                                                  7 years

Chart of accounts                                                                                    7 years

General ledgers and journals (includes bank reconciliations)                       7 years

Contracts and agreements                                                                       7 years after all obligations end 

Restitution and Affiliated Files                                                                  Permanent

Human Resources

Employee personnel files                                                                         Permanent

Employee handbooks                                                                              Permanent

Workers comp claims                                                                              7 years after settlement

IRS Form I-9 (store separate from personnel file)                                     1 year after resignation, or 3- years (whichever is greater)

Technology

Software licenses and support agreements                                                7 years after all obligations end

Review

All policies and procedures must be reviewed annually.

Adopted Date: 8-2-2017

Revised Dates:

• 2-28-2018 (Article 8)
• 3-28-2018 (Article 3 and Record Retention)
• 5-23-2018 (Personnel)
• 12-27-2019 (reviewed by staff, Election procedures modified for clarity, and reference to former accountant removed from financial management procedures, because a new accountant was hired in 2019)
• 5-18-2021 (Introduction, Article 3 and Article 6 to align with CRC Bylaws)
• 7-20-2021 (Article 4, Officers -- repealed term limit of 2 consecutive years for the same office)
• 11-10-2021 (Article 8, financial institution changed)