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VI. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP(From the Bylaws, Article II, Paragraph Three, Section A):
"The term of membership (provisional and full combined) is for the life of the member, unless voluntary termination of membership or expulsion occurs."
A. GOING INTO THE LABOR HOLE OR MONEY HOLE - see current Labor Hole and Money Hole policies.
B. VOLUNTARY TERMINATION (from the Bylaws, Article II, Paragraph Four, Section B):
"Voluntary termination consists of a public statement by a member that co is resigning membership, which shall include, however, a member’s departure from the Community, and interpretation by the Community that co intended to terminate cos membership. The effective date of termination shall be set by the member with the consent of the Community, and shall be designated on the leaving document signed by the leaving member. If the member fails to set such a date, the date shall be set by the Community."
C. RETURNING WITHIN 30 DAYS (from Bylaws, Article II, paragraph Four, section C):
"In the event that a member, after leaving the Community...shall change cos mind within 30 days and wish to return, the Community may, at its discretion, readmit co to cos former status and treat the intervening time as if it had been vacation."
In the case of full members, resumption of membership is a planner decision. In the case of provisional members, this is a CMT decision.
If a member resumes membership within 30 days under this provision of the bylaws,
"...the Community is not obliged to provide the same housing or work or positions of responsibility that the member formerly had. Any spending of money or other financial transactions in which the member may have engaged during the interim which shall, viewed retroactively, be seen to have violated the Property Code (Article IV hereunder) shall be dealt with at the discretion of the Community. The former member may also choose to apply for provisional membership as a new candidate, should this be acceptable to the Community." (Bylaws, II,4,C.)
D. EXPULSION (from Bylaws, Article II, paragraph Four):
"D. Expulsion of a provisional member may occur at any time during the provisional period and for any reason, including but not limited to those specified in subparagraph (E) below, provided only that the Community believes that said provisional member is undesirable. Expulsion shall generally occur, except for unusual and exceptional cases, if said member does not become a full member or voluntarily terminate cos membership within a year of becoming a provisional member.
"E. Expulsion of a full member may, but need not, take place for any of the following reasons:
1. Co openly repudiates the principles of the Community and works against their implementation.
2. Co is found guilty by local, state or federal authorities of some crime or misdemeanor and the Community therefore feels it is no longer appropriate for co to remain a member.
3. Co consistently does less than cos share of the Community work.
4. Co absents coself from the Community for more than three weeks beyond the point of legitimate vacation according to current Community policy or without having made satisfactory arrangements with the Community with regard to cos absence.
5. Co physically, sexually and/or mentally abuses another member or guest of the Community or any child by any aggressive action and/or words which the Community interprets as sufficiently serious and/or likely to be repeated to warrant expulsion.
The application of the foregoing provision to abusive words is not intended to inhibit the free expression of information, opinion, belief or emotion. It is intended to apply when oral or written language is presented in a threatening, harassing, or violent manner such that it would be reasonably expected to cause physical, sexual or mental harm.
6. Co repeatedly and/or flagrantly violates the equality principle by appropriating to cos own use items (including but not limited to cash) intended for the use of the Community as a whole or property designated for other use, or if co repeatedly or flagrantly steals property belonging to someone else.
7. Co is discovered to have made bad faith declarations of the extent or disposition of cos property when entering the Community or subsequently, or co grossly violates the Community Property Code (Article IV below) with regard to the disposition of said property or the disposition of any income received while a member.
8. Co deliberately and overtly attempts to destroy or disband the Community by any legal, extralegal, or financial means or in any other manner, provided that this shall not be broadly interrupted to the holding of disapproved opinions or to behavior which from time to time might be considered dangerous. It is intended to refer specifically to deliberately making trouble between the Community and civil authority, involving the Community in a lawsuit, involving the Community in unauthorized financial obligations, and such similar hostile acts or attempted hostile acts.
"The above provisions shall not be taken as requiring the Community to expel a member, even for these reasons. The Community may, but need not, expel a member for any of the above reasons. The Community also has the option of substituting other remedies or sanctions.
"F. Expulsion Mechanism. The procedure for expulsion shall be as follows:
"Expulsion may be proposed by any voting member. The Board of Directors of the Community, and/or such body of members as the Board of Directors may authorize either ad hoc or as a matter of policy, shall hold a public meeting or meetings on the proposed expulsion -- provided, however, that at one meeting or another the member in question shall be given full opportunity to answer any accusations or to explain cos conduct or view and express cos desires concerning cos membership if possible. If, after the member in question has been heard, the Community desires cos expulsion, if possible, co shall be so informed, at which time co will normally be allowed at least three days before co is required to leave the Community premises. Extensions of this period may be made at the discretion of the Community."
E. TRANSITION POLICY
1. A full member who has decided to leave the Community may have two weeks off the labor system to prepare for leaving. Cos membership will terminate at the end of this two-week transition period. Provisional members will be granted transition at the discretion of the labor manager. The leaving member is exempt from the Property Code for the last four weeks of membership.
2. A Leaving Fund (as budgeted) is available to any full member who leaves the Community. The Leaving Fund should be paid at the time the person formally gives up cos membership. Only full members can receive a Leaving Fund. Rejoining members must live at Twin Oaks at least a year upon rejoining before receiving another Leaving Fund.