Adams Hill

Adams Hill

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ADAMS HILL, BATTLE OF. The so-called battle of Adams Hill occurred on May 9, 1861, between federal forces under Lt. Col. Isaac Van Duzer Reeve and Texas Confederate troops under Col. Earl Van Dorn.qv The confrontation took place on the military road between San Antonio and El Paso, about fifteen miles west of downtown San Antonio. Under the terms of the surrender of the Department of Texas, Reeve proceeded from Fort Bliss to the Texas coast to join other federal troops in the evacuation of Texas. His force consisted of companies B, E, F, H, I, and K and a detachment of Company G, Eighth United States Infantry,qv which represented the garrisons of Fort Bliss, Fort Quitman, and Fort Davis. Reeve reported the total strength of his command at 320 men, including two hospital stewards, twelve musicians, and ten officers. Col. James V. Bomford of the Sixth United States Infantry also accompanied the column.

Upon arriving at Fort Clark, Reeve became aware of the Confederate internment of paroled federal troops in Texas and of concern by Confederate officials in San Antonio that Reeve's force was, in fact, hostile. He nevertheless resolved to continue his march to the coast to evacuate his command in compliance with former Department of Texas commander David Twiggs'sqv terms of surrender. On May 8 Reeve camped his command on the east side of the Medina River opposite Castroville. At midnight, having received further word of Van Dorn's advance from San Antonio with the purpose of confronting the column, Reeve resolved again to push forward to San Antonio.

Upon the advice of Lt. Zenas Randall Bliss,qv Reeve halted his column on a high hill a few hundred yards from San Lucas Springs. There was a small collection of buildings and corrals, which Reeve supplemented with his wagons for defense purposes. At around nine that morning, two officers representing Colonel Van Dorn arrived under a white flag with the Confederates' demand that Reeve surrender unconditionally. With no actual hostile force in sight and his position a strong one, Reeve declined.

Van Dorn, on the march, soon arrived in full force. His command, which consisted of six companies of Col. Henry E. McCulloch'sqv cavalry regiment, a squadron of Col. John S. Ford'sqv State Troops (under the command of Lt. Col. John Robert Baylor,qv) Capt. William Edgar's battery of light artillery, and a battalion of infantry under Lt. Col. James Duff,qv comprised nearly 1,370 men and six pieces of artillery. Van Dorn's representative now offered Reeve an opportunity to inspect the Confederate force. Lieutenant Bliss was sent forward and examined it, then quickly reported the strength of the force to Reeve. Inasmuch as the federals' effective strength had been reduced to 270 by sickness, desertion, and stragglers, Reeve resolved that resistance would be futile and surrendered his command to Van Dorn. The Confederates, satisfied with this turn of events, retired, allowing Reeve to continue his march, under arms, at his own leisure. The federals arrived at San Antonio on May 10, and the next day a Confederate officer was sent to recover all arms and public property.

Period accounts of the confrontation refer to the event as having taken place at San Lucas Springs. Later accounts say Adams Hill. There were no shots fired; it appears that both sides were eager to avoid bloodshed.

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About our association

ADAMS HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

BYLAWS

Table of Contents

Article I - Name
Article 2 - Office
Article 3 - Boundaries
Article 4 - Objectives
Article 5 - Policies
Article 6 - Membership
Article 7 - Sources of Revenue
Article 8 - Meetings
Article 9 - Board of Directors
Article 10 -Duties of Directors
Article 11 - Parliamentary Authority
Article 12 - Amendments
Article 13 - Audits
Article 14 - Dissolution
Article 15 - Adoption of Bylaws











Article 1 - Name

The name of this organization shall be the Adams Hill Neighborhood Association.

Article 2 - Office

The Association's principal office shall be the residence of the Association's President. The Board of Directors may designate another location at its discretion.

Article 3 - Boundaries

The boundaries of the Association are Marbach Road to the north, Hunt Lane to the east, from intersection of Hunt Lane and Rasa Drive going west to include the baseball/softball fields to the south, and both sides of Ellison Drive to the west.

Article 4 - Objectives

The Association shall enhance the livability of our neighborhood by working to create a beautiful, safe, and healthy environment. These objectives shall include:

Present concerns as a unified voice to the City.
Raise awareness of problems and solutions to fellow residents.
Elevate and promote the image of the neighborhood.
Encourage the neighborhood to become involved in community affairs.
Promote a sense of pride and identity among the residents.
Establish relationships with other neighborhood associations and coalitions.

Article 5 - Policies

Section 1. The Association shall be a non-partisan, non-profit organization and shall not support candidates for public office. The Association may take positions on neighborhood issues by majority vote. The Board Member designated to speak for the Association will represent the position taken by the membership.

Section 2. The Association shall never be operated for the purpose of profit. Money collected from membership fees and fundraising shall be used for approved Association's projects and not for the benefit of private individuals.

Article 6 - Membership

Section 1. Resident Membership - Any resident (18 years old or older), living in the Adams Hill Neighborhood (as defined in Article 3, Boundaries) shall be eligible for Resident Membership. Resident Members shall have the privileges of voting, holding office, serving on committees, and speaking on the floor at membership meetings. Annual dues for Resident Members shall be $5.00 per household.

Section 2. Non-Resident Membership - Any person (18 years old or older) owning property in the Adams Hill Neighborhood (as defined in Article 3, Boundaries) shall be eligible for Non- Resident Membership. Non-Resident Members shall have all the privileges of "Resident Membership" with the exception of holding office. Annual Dues for Non-Resident Members shall be $10.00 per household.

Section 3. Supporting Membership - Supporting Membership shall be open to persons who are interested in the objectives of the Association. Supporting Members shall have all of the privileges of "Resident Membership" with the exception of holding office and voting. Supporting Members can serve on committees and speak on the floor at membership meetings. Annual dues for Supporting Members shall be $15.00.

Section 4. The Board may cancel, by majority vote, the membership of any member whose conduct is deemed prejudicial to the objectives, welfare, or character of the Association, including any member of the Board of Directors, provided notice of such alleged misconduct shall first be mailed to the said member at least 10 days prior to the meeting of the Board at which said misconduct is to be considered. The Member may appear in person to challenge the proposed action of the Board of Directors.


ARTICLE 7 - SOURCES OF REVENUE

Section 1. The fiscal year is the calendar year, unless otherwise identified by theBoard of Directors. Annual dues shall be paid by the 15th of January each year. Dues will not be prorated.

Section 2. The Adams Hill Neighborhood Association may engage in fundraising activities related to its purposes. The Board of Directors may accept or decline on behalf of the Association any contribution, gift, bequest, or device for the general purposes or for any special purpose of the Association.

ARTICLE 8 - MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular meetings of the Association shall be held monthly.

Section 2. The members present at a meeting plus a majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.

Section 3. There shall be an annual membership meeting to elect officers and to set general goals for the upcoming year in February of each year.


ARTICLE 9 - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. The Association shall have a Board of Directors consisting of the president, the vice-president, the secretary, the treasurer, and standing committee chairpersons. The immediate past president shall be President Emeritus and may serve as an ex officio member of the Board.In the case of a tie, the President Emeritus can vote on items.

Section 2. The Board of Directors shall be the policy making body of the Association and empowered to make decisions on behalf of the Association. The Board of Directors may choose to place questions before the membership for guidance or resolution of issues. If the Board seeks a vote of the membership to resolve an issue, the Board must be bounded by the conclusion of that vote.

Section 3. At the November meeting, the Board of Directors shall appoint a Nomination Committee of at least three members. The Nomination Committee shall present a slate of one or more nominees for each office at the January meeting. The president, the vice-president, the secretary, and the treasurer shall be elected by the voting membership at the annual meeting to serve for one year. Nominations may be made from the floor at either the January meeting or the annual meeting.

Section 4. Elected Directors shall hold office from the date of the annual meeting to date of the next year's annual meeting. Directors shall serve without pay.

Section 5. Vacancies in the elected Board members shall be filled by vote of a majority of the Neighborhood Association membership. The person or persons so appointed to fill such vacancies shall hold office until the conclusion of the term of the vacating office holder.

Section 6. If a member of the Board of Directors has three successive, unexplained absences from meetings of the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors shall have the authority at its discretion to remove the Director from the Board. The Director will be given notice of the proposed action to remove him or her from the board, and will be given a reasonable opportunity to defend himself or herself.

ARTICLE 10 - DUTIES OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. The president shall be the principal officer of the Adams Hill Neighborhood Association and shall:
Preside at all meetings of the Association,
Be the primary spokesperson for the Association except that the Board of Directors may designate another member to serve in this capacity as necessary.
With the assistance of members, set the agenda for the Association's meetings.
Appoint chairpersons for all committees with the approval of the Board of Directors,
Be one of three eligible signers for all the contracts and other legal documents,
Be one of three eligible signers for deposits and payments where two signatures are required for disbursement.
Conduct a report at the annual meeting outlining the Neighborhood Association's old issues, accomplishments, new issues, and goals.
Attend monthly meetings of the Far West Coalition of Neighborhood Organizations and report to the membership on subjects of concern and interest to our community.
Insure that a representative from the Association attends the monthly meetings/workshops at the Neighborhood Resource Center.

Section 2. The Vice-President shall:

Perform such duties as may be required by the Board of Directors or the president.
In the event of absence of the president, perform the president's duties.

Section 3. The Secretary shall:

Keep minutes of the proceedings of meetings of the Association.
Preserve in a file all records of value to the Association to include a chronological file of all minutes of all meetings.
Have knowledge of Robert's Rules of Order.
Be one of three eligible signers for all the contracts and other legal documents.
Be one of three eligible signers for deposits and payments where two signatures are required for disbursement.
Maintain a current roster of membership including the name, address, telephone number, and membership category of each member.
Conduct the correspondence of the Association
Perform such other duties as requested by the president or Board of Directors.

Section 4. The treasurer shall:

Administer all funds of the Association.
Deposit receipts in a financial institution in the Association’s name as approved by the Board of Directors.
Pay all bills and disburse funds as authorized by Board of Directors.
Be one of three eligible signers for all the contracts and other legal documents.
Be one of three eligible signers for deposits and payments where two signatures are required for disbursement.
Present all itemized financial status reports at all meetings.
Keep itemized and complete records of all receipts and expenditures in a permanent file.
Perform such other duties as requested by the president or board of directors.

Section 5. Standing and Ad Hoc Committees - Standing Committees and such others as may be required to carry out the purposes of the organization shall be appointed by the president, who shall designate the Chairperson for each such Committee. Each Committee shall be given the specific charge in writing. The President shall be an ex-officio member of such Committees. The Chairpersons shall report the activities of such Committees to the Board at its meetings.

Section 6. Standing Committees and their assignments - there shall be the following Standing Committees, each with its outlined assignment. Others may be appointed as necessary by the Board of Directors.

1.Membership Committee - The Membership Committee shall be responsible for all matters pertaining to membership, working with the general membership to enlarge the Association, keeping a roster of members and supplying information to the Board and Committees, introducing new members, and, in the name of the Association, taking note of significant contributions by Neighborhood Association Members. This Committee shall report regularly at meetings of the Board and the general membership and shall prepare a roster of the membership for distribution at the November meeting. The Membership Chairperson shall be responsible for collecting the annual dues of the organization.

2.Fund Raising Committee - The Fund Raising Committee shall undertake revenue generation activities for the benefit of the Association (i.e. block parties, neighborhood-wide garage sales, corporate donations).

3.Environmental Committee - The Environmental Committee shall protect the interest of the Association in matters concerning the quality of the environment (i.e. zoning, code enforcement, clean-ups, graffiti, roadway improvements, housing conditions).

4.Safety Committee - A representative of C.O.P. will serve as a liaison between that organization and the Association.

5. The Newsletter Committee shall publish the Newsletter.

6.Circulation - The Circulation Chairperson shall work with the street captains to distribute the Newsletter.

7.Webmaster - The webmaster shall manage the Association's web site.


ARTICLE 11 - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Section 1. The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order(newly revised) shall govern all proceedings of the association.

ARTICLE 12 - AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the Resident and Non-Resident Members present and voting at the annual meeting, provided that notice of such an amendment has been given to the membership in the notice for the meeting. A full text of such an amendment shall be mailed to all members at least fifteen days prior to the date the amendment shall be considered.

ARTICLE 13 - AUDITS

Section 1. At least one month prior to the annual election, the President shall appoint with the approval of the Board of Directors a committee of three (3) members to comprise an Audit Committee. These three members cannot be members of the Board of Directors. The Committee's duties shall be to audit the Treasurer's books and/or records. The report of the audit results shall be made at the regular membership meeting prior to the actual elections. A copy of the report shall be given to each member of the Board of Directors and a copy for the permanent file kept by the Secretary.

ARTICLE 14 - DISSOLUTION

Section 1. The Adams Hill Neighborhood Association may be dissolved by a majority vote of the Neighborhood Association membership. All moneys and properties will be disbursed to a nonprofit organization prior to dissolution.

ARTICLE 15 - ADOPTION OF BYLAWS

Adopted by a majority vote of the membership at the regular scheduled meeting held on the 1st day of February 2001.

Greg Evans, President
Geri Evans, Secretary