Draft Documents

These documents are drafts for resident review and discussion. They are not yet formally adopted — bring your feedback to our first general meeting.

Association Document

Operating Agreement

Dartmouth Castleton Residents Association · Draft, May 2026

Article I

Name and Purpose

1.1 Name. The organization shall be known as the Dartmouth Castleton Residents Association (the "Association").

1.2 Purpose. The Association exists to:

Represent the collective interests of residents of 214 & 220 E 19th St, Minneapolis, MN 55403;
Facilitate open communication between residents and building management;
Advocate for safe, well-maintained, and fairly-managed housing conditions;
Educate residents about their rights under Minnesota law;
Build community among neighbors in the building.

1.3 Independence. The Association is an independent resident organization. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or controlled by building management or ownership.

1.4 Legal Basis. The right to form and operate this Association is protected under Minn. Stat. § 504B.212, effective January 5, 2025. Under that statute, a landlord may not retaliate against any resident for participating in a tenant association.

Article II

Membership

2.1 Eligibility. Any person who currently leases a residential unit at 214 or 220 E 19th St, Minneapolis, MN 55403 is eligible for membership in the Association.

2.2 Enrollment. Membership is voluntary. A resident becomes a member by completing the Association's interest form or by attending a general meeting and indicating their intent to participate.

2.3 Rights of Members. Members in good standing may:

Attend and vote at general and special meetings;
Nominate and be nominated for officer positions;
Propose agenda items;
Access meeting minutes and other Association records.

2.4 Good Standing. A member is in good standing if they remain a resident of the building and have not been removed from membership under Section 2.5.

2.5 Removal. A member may be removed by a two-thirds vote of members present at a meeting at which quorum is established, provided the member has received written notice of the proposed removal and the reasons for it at least seven days in advance, and has had an opportunity to address the membership.

2.6 Dues. The Association shall have no membership dues unless approved by a majority vote of the membership. Any dues proposal must be noticed on the meeting agenda at least fourteen days in advance.

Article III

Officers

3.1 Positions. The Association shall be led by the following officers:

President: presides at meetings, serves as primary contact with management, and represents the Association externally.
Secretary: records meeting minutes, maintains the member roster, and manages Association communications.
Treasurer: maintains any Association funds, provides financial reports, and ensures financial transparency.

3.2 Election. Officers are elected by a majority vote of members present at the inaugural general meeting, and thereafter annually. Any member in good standing may run for office.

3.3 Term. Each officer serves a one-year term. Officers may be re-elected without limit.

3.4 Vacancies. A vacancy in any officer position shall be filled by appointment of the remaining officers, subject to ratification at the next general meeting.

3.5 Removal of Officers. Any officer may be removed by a two-thirds vote of members present at a meeting at which quorum is established, provided the officer has received written notice of the proposed removal at least seven days in advance.

Article IV

Meetings

4.1 General Meetings. The Association shall hold at least two general meetings per year. The President, in coordination with other officers, shall schedule and notice general meetings.

4.2 Special Meetings. A special meeting may be called by the President, by majority vote of the officers, or by written petition of at least 20% of members in good standing.

4.3 Notice. Notice of any meeting shall be provided to all members at least seven days in advance, and shall include the date, time, location or video link, and agenda.

4.4 Quorum. A quorum for the conduct of business shall be ten percent (10%) of members in good standing, or five members, whichever is greater.

4.5 Decision-Making. Decisions shall be made by majority vote of members present, except where a higher threshold is specified in this Agreement. Voting by proxy is not permitted.

4.6 Format. Meetings may be held in person, by video conference, or in a hybrid format. The Association shall strive to hold at least one in-person meeting per year.

4.7 Minutes. The Secretary shall record and distribute minutes within fourteen days of each meeting. Minutes shall be made available to all members upon request.

Article V

Finances

5.1 Funds. The Association may accept voluntary contributions from members or third parties in support of its activities. All funds shall be held in a dedicated account controlled by the Treasurer.

5.2 Expenditures. No expenditure greater than $50 shall be made without approval by a majority vote of the officers. No expenditure greater than $200 shall be made without approval by a majority vote of the membership at a duly noticed meeting.

5.3 Reporting. The Treasurer shall provide a financial report at each general meeting.

5.4 Dissolution. Upon dissolution of the Association, any remaining funds shall be donated to HOME Line (homelinemn.org) or another Minnesota tenant advocacy nonprofit selected by the membership.

Article VI

Communications and Records

6.1 Member Communications. The Association shall maintain a confidential member contact list. Member contact information will never be shared with building management, ownership, any third party, or used for any purpose other than Association business.

6.2 Management Communications. Any written communication to building management or ownership on behalf of the Association shall be approved by the officers and distributed to members before or immediately after being sent.

6.3 Records. The Association shall maintain copies of this Agreement, meeting minutes, financial records, and all formal correspondence for a minimum of three years.

Article VII

Amendments

7.1 Procedure. This Agreement may be amended by a two-thirds vote of members present at a meeting at which quorum is established, provided the proposed amendment has been distributed to all members at least fourteen days before the meeting.

Article VIII

Effective Date

8.1. This Agreement shall take effect upon adoption by the founding membership at the inaugural general meeting of the Dartmouth Castleton Residents Association.

Adopted by the founding membership of the Dartmouth Castleton Residents Association

Date: _____________________________

President — Signature

President — Print Name & Unit

Secretary — Signature

Secretary — Print Name & Unit

Treasurer — Signature

Treasurer — Print Name & Unit

Association Document

Meeting Rules & Expectations

Dartmouth Castleton Residents Association · Draft, May 2026

These rules apply to all general and special meetings of the Dartmouth Castleton Residents Association. They are designed to make our meetings productive, fair, and welcoming for every participant.

Section 1

Before the Meeting

1.1 Agenda Distribution. The Secretary shall circulate a written agenda to all members at least seven days before each meeting. The agenda shall include the date, time, location or video link, and the items to be discussed or voted on.

1.2 Agenda Requests. Any member may propose agenda items by contacting the Secretary or President at least five days before the meeting. Members may also propose additions or removals at the start of each meeting during agenda approval. The officers decide which items to include based on relevance and available time, but any item supported by five or more members must be placed on the agenda.

1.3 Meeting Location. In-person meetings shall be held in a common space within or near 214 or 220 E 19th St, or at a nearby public venue. The location shall be accessible to residents with mobility limitations. Video conference meetings shall use a platform accessible to members without specialized software.

Section 2

Running the Meeting

2.1 Presiding Officer. The President chairs all meetings. If the President is absent, the Secretary chairs. If both are absent, members present shall elect a chair for that meeting.

2.2 Standard Agenda Format. Unless the membership decides otherwise, each meeting shall follow this order:

Standard Meeting Agenda

Call to order, quorum check, and agenda approval (members may propose additions or removals at this time)
Introductions (for any first-time attendees)
Approval of prior meeting minutes
Officer reports (President, Treasurer as needed)
Old business (items carried from prior meetings)
New business (items proposed for this meeting)
Open floor (member comments and concerns)
Announcements
Next meeting date
Adjournment

2.3 Quorum. Business may only be conducted once quorum is confirmed. Quorum is ten percent (10%) of members in good standing, or five members, whichever is greater. If quorum is not present within fifteen minutes of the scheduled start time, the chair may declare the meeting informational-only (no binding votes).

2.4 Time Limits. The chair may set reasonable time limits on individual speakers or discussion items to keep the meeting on schedule. Default speaker time is three minutes per turn unless the chair announces otherwise. The chair may grant extensions by majority consent of those present.

Section 3

Participation Expectations

3.1 Respect. All participants (members, officers, and guests) are expected to treat each other with basic courtesy and respect. Personal attacks, interruptions, and disruptive behavior are not permitted.

3.2 One Speaker at a Time. Only one person shall speak at a time. Participants wishing to speak shall indicate so to the chair (raise hand, use video platform hand-raise feature, or speak their name). The chair recognizes speakers in turn.

3.3 Stay on Topic. Discussion shall remain relevant to the agenda item under consideration. The chair may redirect off-topic comments or table them for the open floor.

3.4 Confidentiality. Members may share general topics discussed at meetings, but shall not attribute specific statements to named individuals outside the meeting without that person's consent. Sensitive personal matters discussed in meetings shall remain confidential.

3.5 No Recording Without Consent. Audio or video recording of meetings requires notice to and majority consent of those present at the start of the meeting.

3.6 Guests. Non-members may attend as observers unless the membership votes to hold a closed meeting. Guests may speak during the open floor with permission of the chair. Building management representatives are not permitted to attend general meetings unless explicitly invited by the membership.

Section 4

Voting

4.1 Who May Vote. Only members in good standing who are present at the meeting may vote. Proxy voting is not permitted.

4.2 Method. Votes shall be taken by show of hands or voice vote, unless any member requests a written (secret) ballot before the vote is called. The chair shall announce the result of each vote.

4.3 Standard Threshold. Unless the Operating Agreement or these rules specify a higher threshold, decisions require a simple majority (more than half) of members present and voting.

4.4 Declared Conflicts. Any member who has a personal financial interest in the outcome of a vote shall disclose that interest and shall recuse themselves from voting on that item.

Section 5

Minutes and Follow-Up

5.1 Recording Minutes. The Secretary (or a designated note-taker) shall record the following for each meeting:

Date, time, and location
Members present and absent (by name or unit)
Confirmation of quorum
Summary of each agenda item discussed
All motions made, who made them, and the vote results
Any action items assigned, with the responsible person and deadline
Time of adjournment

5.2 Distribution. Draft minutes shall be distributed to all members within fourteen days of the meeting. Members may submit corrections within seven days. The corrected minutes are approved at the following meeting.

5.3 Action Items. The President shall follow up on outstanding action items before the next meeting and report on their status at the start of Old Business.

Section 6

Meeting Roles

Role	Responsibility
Chair (President)	Opens and closes the meeting, follows the agenda, recognizes speakers, calls votes, keeps order
Secretary	Takes minutes, tracks attendance, manages action-item list
Treasurer	Reports on finances when relevant; holds Association funds
Members	Participate respectfully, vote on decisions, carry out action items
Timekeeper (optional)	Tracks speaker time; any member may volunteer for this role

Section 7

Handling Conflict or Disruption

7.1 Warnings. If a participant behaves disruptively, the chair shall give a verbal warning and request the behavior stop.

7.2 Removal from Meeting. If disruptive behavior continues after a warning, the chair may, by majority consent of members present, remove the participant from the remainder of the meeting.

7.3 Disagreement with the Chair. Any member may appeal a ruling or decision by the chair by raising a "point of order." The appeal is decided immediately by majority vote of members present, without debate.

Section 8

Amendments

8.1. These rules may be amended by a majority vote of members present at a general meeting, provided the proposed changes have been distributed to all members at least seven days in advance.

Note: These meeting rules are intended as practical guidance, not rigid procedure. The goal is meetings that feel fair, focused, and worth attending. If something isn't working, bring it up and we can change it.