GGS Plans
for 2023

  • Attending Planning Commission meetings, speaking for GGS and reporting on the issues.

  • Attending City Council meetings, speaking for GGS and reporting on the issues.

  • Attending Coffees with Mayor Blankley, speaking for GGS and reporting on the issues.

  • Writing newsletters based on the above issues, research and discussion about opportunities to act.

  • Maintaining an informative website where the Gilroy public can learn about issues and opportunities.

  • Watching, learning and reporting on development of High Speed Rail plans.

  • Watching, learning and reporting on Downtown revitalization and development plans.

  • Protecting our new Urban Growth Boundary against any challenges that may happen.

ABOUT MEASURE H: The Gilroy Urban Growth Boundary Initiative (Measure H) was a spectacular success with 11,972 votes in the final tally in the November 2016 election. Thanks to our many contributors and volunteers, this historic result is the culmination of a multi-decade effort to conserve open space and farm land and encourage compact development of Gilroy. It is also the beginning of a new phase that will have many of the same challenges and also new opportunities to be involved and to make a difference in the city.

GGS Bylaws

ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of this organization shall be Gilroy Growing Smarter, also known as GGS.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

The purpose of our citizens’ group is to protect the quality of life in Gilroy through the:

  • Protection of Gilroy’s voter-approved Urban Growth Boundary

  • Advocate for the protection of natural open space and farmland

  • Support of local agriculture

  • Conservation of natural resources

  • Advocate for the revitalization of Gilroy’s downtown

  • Support the efficient use of land and urban infrastructure

  • Provide information to Gilroy citizens through newsletters and website regarding quality-of-life issues important to them

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Membership in Gilroy Growing Smarter shall be open to any citizen of Gilroy who supports the above purposes. There are no membership dues.  Members may volunteer to be on the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IV. GOVERNING BOARD AND OFFICERS

Section 1.  There shall be a Governing Board (Executive Committee) composed of the following officers: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Committee Chairs and Members-at-Large. There shall be at least 5 but not more than 15 members of the Executive Committee.

Section 2.  These offices shall be filled by volunteers, confirmed by their fellow board members, at any regularly scheduled and noticed meeting of the organization.

ARTICLE V. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1.  The Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson shall conduct the regular meetings of this organization.

Section 2.  The Vice-chairperson shall assume the duties of the chair in the event of absence, incapacity or resignation

Section 3.  The Secretary shall record the discussion and decisions of each meeting and send out minutes to each board member and other members in attendance at the meeting. The Secretary shall maintain copies of these minutes for a permanent record.  The secretary shall also maintain a list of board members with their addresses (regular and e-mail) and telephone numbers as well as general membership lists and databases.

Section 4.  The Treasurer will be responsible for the safekeeping of organization funds and donations and for maintaining financial record.  The Treasurer shall deposit all monies received in a local checking or savings account in the name of Gilroy Growing Smarter.  The Treasurer shall pay all expenses incurred by GGS. Checks for more than $100.00 shall require two authorized signatures. The Treasurer is also responsible for filing FPPC Forms with the Gilroy City Clerks when required as well as any required Internal Revenue Service filings.

Section 5.  There shall be such standing committees as needed and authorized by the Chairperson 

Section 6.  At any meeting of the Executive Committee, a simple majority of the members existing at the time shall constitute a quorum.

Section 7.  Members shall join the Executive Committee by volunteering to assume a more active role in the organization or by request of incumbent Executive Committee members and the consent of the rest of the Executive Committee members.

ARTICLE VI. SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS

Meetings of either the Executive Committee or a General Membership meeting shall be held on an as-needed basis, but not less than four times per year, after prior notice by e-mail.

ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of those present.  All proposed amendments should be submitted in writing in advance.

We, the undersigned members of the Executive Committee of Gilroy Growing Smarter, hereby assent to the foregoing bylaws and adopt them as the bylaws of the said organization.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF we have subscribed our names on this date, March 28, 2017

Chairperson - Connie Rogers             

Vice-Chairperson – Carol Marques                         

Secretary – Dana Wolfe             

Treasurer – Carolyn Tognetti                    

Website Committee Chairs – Chrys Diskowski, Craig Diskowski