Carlington Community Association

Constitution

Article 1 - Name

This Association shall be known by the name Carlington Community Association and is referred to hereinafter as the "Association".

Article 2 - Boundaries

The boundaries of the Association shall be as follows: Carling Avenue on the north, Fisher Avenue on the east, Baseline Road on the south, Clyde Avenue on the west, and for the purposes of business membership shall include the Westgate Shopping Centre.

Article 3 - Purposes

The purposes of the Association are:

a) to promote the interests of the community in the decision-making process at all levels of government;

b) to encourage a sense of community among all residents of Carlington;

c) to work with representatives of other groups in the area, such as tenant, recreation, church and school associations, in the pursuit of common goals.

Article 4 - Membership

Section 1: membership in the Association shall be open to all residents of Carlington over the age of 17.

Section 2: the annual membership fee shall be three dollars, to be amended each year, as required, at the Annual General Meeting, and shall be payable as of May 1st in each year to April 30th.

Section 3: any person may be elected an Honourary Member of the Association by a unanimous vote at a General Meeting. He or she shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership except holding office or voting and shall not be liable for dues.

Article 5 - Association Year

The Association year shall end on April 30th of each year, the new year commencing immediately thereafter.

Article 6 - Executive Committee

Section 1: the affairs of the Association shall be administrated by an Executive Committee, elected annually, consisting of the President, the Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, the immediate Past President, the Chairman of the Policy and Research Committee, the Chairman of Publicity, the External Liaison Coordinator, and up to 5 Members-at-Large.

Section 2: at meetings of the Executive Committee, a quorum shall consist of 50% of its membership and must include either the President or the Vice-President.

Section 3: should a vacancy exist on the Executive Committee, a member of the Association may be appointed by this Committee to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the Association year, subject to the approval of the Association at the next General Meeting.

Section 4: the Executive may, from time to time, establish special committees of Association members under its direction to carry out prescribed activities.

Article 7 - Duties of Officers

Section 1: The President

Section 2: The Vice-President and Distribution Coordinator

Section 3: Secretary

Section 4: Treasurer

Section 5: Chairman of the Policy and Research Committee

Section 6: Chairman of Publicity Committee

Section 7: External Liaison Coordinator

Section 8: Remuneration

The members of the Executive Committee shall serve without remuneration.

Article 8 - Meetings

Section 1: the Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held during the Month of May.

Section 2: regular meetings shall be prescribed by by-laws.

Section 3: additional General Meetings may be summoned by either the President or by a simple majority of the Executive in committee.

Section 4: due notice of Annual and General Meetings shall be given to the members of the Association; a telephone message or written notice delivered to the member's address shall constitute this notice.

At any General Meeting, other than Special General Meetings, pertinent matters may be raised by any member or the Association and discussed in their proper order.

A General Meeting called for a specific purpose shall be restricted to that purpose only.

Section 5: a quorum for a General Meeting shall be 20% of the membership.

Section 6: at General Meetings of the Association, all proposals shall be voted upon by the members thereat and shall be decided by simple majority vote.

Section 7: in the absence of the President and the Vice-President, a General Meeting shall be chaired by a member of the Executive elected by the Executive members present.

Article 9 - Amendments of Constitution, By-Laws, and Rules of Order

Notice of all proposals for amendments to the Constitution, By-Laws, and Rules of Order of the Association shall be given, in writing, to the Secretary, who will advise the membership of the proposal and the subject will then be placed on the agenda of the following General Meeting.

A decision thereon shall be by simple majority of the members present at the following General Meeting.

Article 10 - Suspensions of the Rules of Order

A Rule of Order may be suspended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any meeting, but the suspension shall apply only for that meeting.

Article 11 - Nomination and Election of Executive Committee

Section 1: a Nominating Committee of a least three members shall be appointed by the Executive Committee not less than two months prior to the Annual Meeting. This Committee shall consider nominees for election to the Executive Committee for the ensuing year. The President and Vice-President shall be excluded from Nominating Committees. The Committee shall elect a Chairperson from among its members at its first meeting.

Section 2: a slate of nominees will be presented at the General Meeting. Nominations from the members present thereof, properly seconded, shall be accepted from the floor.

Section 3: the consent of all nominees must be obtained at the Annual General Meeting.

Section 4: elections shall take place at the Annual Meeting. Elections shall be simple majority vote.

Section 5: a Special General Meeting to hold elections for executive positions must be held within two months of the Secretary receiving notice of a request for such a meeting from one-third of the membership.

Article 12 - Funds

Section 1: only one bank account, which shall be a chequing account, will be maintained for Association funds.

Section 2: the Treasurer shall be responsible for the preparation of an Annual Financial Statement for audit. The statement shall be submitted to the Executive Committee for consideration and subsequent presentation at the Annual Meeting of the Association.

Section 3: collections made on behalf of the Association and profits accruing from any activities carried on in the name of the Association shall be turned over promptly to the Treasurer for deposit in the Association's bank account.

Section 4: the fiscal year of the Association will commence May 1st of each year and end April 30th.

Article 13 - Expenditures

Section 1: expenditures of up to $100 may be authorized by the President or Vice-President in the President's absence.

Section 2: expenditures between $100 and $1000, on behalf of the Association, may be authorized by the Executive Committee by a two-thirds majority vote. Expenditures in excess of $1000 must be authorized by a simple vote at the General Meeting.

Section 3: all accounts shall be sent to the Treasurer and all payment shall be covered by a receipt. Cheques will be numbered and signed by any two of Treasurer, President, Vice-President.

Section 4: accounts for all expenditures shall be presented by the Treasurer for approval at a meeting of the Executive Committee, who shall satisfy themselves that the expenditures have been properly incurred.

Section 5: the President, or the Vice-President in the President's absence, may authorize expenditures not to exceed $250 in an emergency situation.

Article 14 - Effective Date of Constitution

This Constitution, By-Laws, and Rules of Order, adopted at the founding meeting of the Association on l. February 1983, is in force and effect from that date.

Amendments to this Constitution shall be in force from the date that they are duly passed at any General Meeting of the Association.

By-Laws

Article 1 - Regular Meetings

Section 1 - regular Executive Meetings of the Association, in addition to the General Meetings, shall be held as summoned by the President. A minimum of one General Meeting shall be held annually.

Section 2 - at the request of a minimum of 10% of the membership, the President shall call a General Meeting of the Association.

Article 2 - Amendment of By-Laws

These by-laws may be amended and new by-laws adopted by a majority vote of the members present at the Annual General Meeting.

Rules of Order

  1. The Chairperson of a meeting shall be privileged to debate on all subjects under discussion on temporarily turning over the chair to the Vice-President or other member of the Executive during such debate and subsequent voting.

  2. An appeal may, in all cases, be made from any decision of the Chairperson. A two-thirds majority vote of the members present shall be necessary to sustain the appeal.

  3. Any member making an appeal from a decision of the President may state his or her reasons for doing so. The President may then give his or her reasons for his or her decision before the question is put. When the vote has been taken, the matter shall be considered as settled.

  4. When two or more members rise at the same time, the Chairperson shall name the one to speak.

  5. When a member is called to order by the Chairperson or any member, that person shall at once take his or her seat, and every question of order shall be decided by the chairman without debate, subject to the Rule of Order No. 2.

  6. No motion shall be debated until seconded.

  7. Appeals and motions to reconsider, or adjourn, are not debatable.

  8. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be received except to lay on the table, to postpone, to commit to a committee, or to amend.

  9. No person shall interrupt another while speaking, except in accordance with the Rule of Order No. 5.

  10. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, except when another motion is before the meeting.

  11. When a motion is made and seconded, the mover thereof may be called upon by the chairperson to reduce the same to writing and to hand it to the Chair, from which it shall be read before the meeting for debate.

  12. Any mover of a motion shall be at liberty to accept on amendment thereto; but if the amendment is not accepted by the mover, yet duly seconded, a vote shall be taken on the amendment prior to voting on the original motion.

  13. Every officer, on leaving his or her office, shall give to his or her successor all papers, books, documents, and money belonging to the Association.

  14. The Chairperson, at any meeting, may limit the time of any speaker on any motion or discussion.



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