Associate members are interested people who may or may not live within the boundaries of the Association, and may be a member at the discretion of the Directors
Associate members may attend meetings, and shall be required to pay membership fees.
Associate members have no voting privileges, and are not eligible to stand for election to the Board of Director.
Hounorary Members
Honourary membership may be given to any member in recognition of his dedicated service and contributions to the Association.
Honourary members shall have the right to vote, and stand for election to the Board, but shall not be required to pay membership fees.
Individual Member Eligibility
Each and every resident, 19 years of age, of Wellington District is eligible to become a member of the association
The Association boundaries for membership purposes are defined as follows:
Southerly boundary being the Wellington Land District and City of Nanaimo boundary
Westerly boundary being City of Nanaimo boundary to Dover Road, to Schook Road to the Strait of Georgia.
Northerly boundary bordered by the Strait of Georgia to the easterly boundary of the District Lot 42, Wellington District.
Easterly boundary of District Lots 42, 49, 55, 43, 31, 18, and Sections 1, 2, 9, 15.
Sections 17, 18, 19, and 20, in Ranges 4, 5, and 6, Mountain District, south and east of our existing boundaries.
Former residents of Wellington District may be a member, at the discretion of the Directors.
Any person who is eligible to become a member may apply to the Directors for membership in the Association and, upon acceptance by the Directors, shall be a member.
Member Responsibilities
Every member must uphold the Constitution and comply with these bylaws.
Member in Good Standing
All members are in good standing, except a member who has failed to pay his current annual membership fee or any debt he owes to the Association.
Member Entitlements
An individual or Honourary member in good standing is entitled:
To attend, and vote after 30 days, on any issue at an Annual, Monthly or Special General meeting of the Association.
To stand for election to the Board of Directors thirty (30) days from admission to membership.
To benefits of the Association after a five (5) year membership, attending six (6) meetings in each of the five (5) years.
At his request, to receive free of charge, one (1) copy of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.
Membership Termination
A person shall cease to be a member of the Association:
By presenting his resignation in writing to the Secretary
On his death
On being expelled
On having been in arrears of membership fees for twelve (12) months.
A member may be expelled for any action taken that is not in the best interest of the Association by a three quarters vote of the voting members at a general meeting.
The member shall be given fourteen (14) days personal notice, and the reason for the proposed expulsion.
The member shall be given the opportunity to be heard at the General meeting before the Special Resolution is put to vote.
Membership Fees
There is an annual membership fee payable on or before the first (1) day of March of each and every year
The amount of the annual membership fee shall be decided by the members at any general meeting, on the recommendation of the directors.
The Board of Directors
Constitution of Board
The officers of the Association, which constitute the Board of Directors, shall consist of:
President,
Vice-President,
Secretary,
Treasurer, and
two (2) or more members who shall have the title of Director.
Election of Directors
The Board of Directors shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting, and they shall hold office for one (1) year or until successors are elected.
If no successors are elected the person previously elected continues to hold office.
Directors of the retiring board shall be eligible for re-election.
Removing Directors
The Association may by Special Resolution remove any Director before the expiration of his term of office and appoint another person in his stead.
Filling Director Vacancies
The Board may at any time appoint a member as a Director to fill a vacancy in the Directors.
A Director so appointed holds office only until the next following Annual General Meeting.
No Remuneration for Director duties
No Director shall be remunerated for being or acting as a Director, but a Director shall be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily and reasonably incurred while engaged in the affairs of the Association.
All Contracts must be approved by Membership
The Board of Directors shall have no power to enter into agreements or contracts with any person or persons to carry on the business of the Association unless each such agreement or contract is ratified by a general meeting.
The Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall be four (4) Directors: the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
The President may convene a meeting of the Executive Committee as often as necessary to fulfil the purpose of the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee shall act between meetings to carry forward the business of the Association, and at such times it shall have the authority of the Board, without the ability to modify any action taken by the board.
Duties of the Executive Committee
President
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Committee.
Vice-President
The Vice-President shall carry out the duties of the President during the President’s absence.
Secretary
The Secretary must do the following:
Keep an accurate record of the minutes of all meetings of the Association, and the directors.
Keep a copy of the Constitution and Bylaws with the current Minutes book.
Have custody of the common seal of the Association.
Have custody of all records and documents, except those required to be kept by the treasurer.
Conduct the correspondence of the Association.
Give notices of the meetings of the Association, and the Directors.
Treasurer
The Treasurer must:
Keep an accurate account of all financial transactions of the Association.
Deposit all monies received by him in any one (1) chartered bank of Canada, in Nanaimo.
Countersign all cheques, signed by the President or Vice-President or Secretary.
Present vouchers for all expenditures.
Present a financial report of the receipts and disbursements to each General Meeting.
Present a financial report for the previous fiscal year ending the 31st day of December each year, which accounts shall first have been checked for correctness, and include a statements of the balance on hand of the Association, to the Annual General Meeting.
File a copy of the financial statement with the Registrar of Companies.
Provide a copy of the latest financial statement to a member, at his request.
Meetings of the Members
Monthly general meetings shall be held at the time and place that the directors decide.
The business at any General Meeting shall be limited to that provided by these rules and those further matters specified in the Notices convening the meetings.
Annual General Meetings
An Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of March at the time and place that the directors decide.
The following business shall be conducted:
The presentation and (if accepted) of the passing of the financial statement for the previous fiscal year ending the 31st of December each year, which accounts shall first have been examined for correctness.
The election of directors to the Board of Directors.
Such other business as shall have been communicated to the Secretary and included in the notice of the meeting.
Extraordinary General Meetings
An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened at any time by the Board, and shall be convened within twenty-one (21) days on the requisition of 10% of the voting members, in writing to the Secretary, stating the purpose for which such a meeting is required.
Voting
Every individual and honourary member in good standing present at a meeting of members is entitled to one (1) vote.
New members will be entitled to vote 30 days from admission to membership.
Associate members have no voting privileges
The President, or during the President’s absence, the presiding Director shall not have a vote as a Director but in the case of a tie vote, shall have a casting vote as the Chairman.
Voting by proxy is not allowed.
An ordinary resolution shall be passed by a simple majority vote of the voting members present at a meeting.
A Special Resolution shall be passed by a 75% majority vote of the voting members present at any General Meeting.
Borrowing
The Board of Directors shall have no authority to borrow any monies whatsoever, unless such authority be given them by a General Meeting, subject to the Society Act.
Constitution and Bylaws
The Constitution and these Bylaws may only be added to or altered by a Special Resolution.
The Constitution and these Bylaws are subject to the Society Act of British Columbia.
Dissolution
The Association may be dissolved, or wound up, by an Ordinary Resolution passed by the members present at any General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for that purpose.
Thirty (30) days notice of the meeting shall be given to all voting members listed in the Registrar of Members stating the purpose for which the meeting is called.
Notice to Members
A notice may be given to a member either personally or by mail to his registered address.
A notice sent by mail shall be considered to have been given on the second day following the day it was posted.
Notice of a general meeting shall be given to a member stating the place, day and hour, and in case of special business, the general nature of that business,
No other person is entitled to receive notice of any general meeting.
Quorum
The quorum at the Annual General Meeting and the monthly General Meetings shall be three (3) members present, excluding the Presiding Director, Secretary and Treasurer.
The presence of five (5) Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting of the Directors.
The quorum at meetings of the Executive Committee shall be three (3) Directors, one of who, shall be the President.
Seal
The Common Seal of the Association and the signature of the President or other such person designated for that purpose at a meeting of the Board of directors, and countersigned by the Secretary, shall be attached to all such instruments or documents pledging the Association.
Disbursement of Assets on Dissolution
In the event of winding up, or dissolution, of the Association, any funds or holdings remaining after payment of any debts shall not be paid or distributed to the members, but shall be given or transferred to an organization concerned with the same object as this Association. The organization to which the assets shall be given or transferred shall be determined by a motion of the general membership. This clause was previously unalterable.