Society Bylaws

Canmore Community Gardening Society

MEMBERSHIP

1.        Membership in the society is available to any person who applies and pays an annual membership fee.

2.        Any member wishing to withdraw from membership may do so upon a notice in writing to the Board through its Secretary. Any member may be expelled for any cause the Board of Directors may deem reasonable for explusion, and then call for a special meeting in which a majority vote of all members of the society in good standing may annul that person’s membership.

PRESIDENT

        3.        The President shall be an ex-officio member of all Committees. He/she/they shall, when present, preside at all meetings of the society and of the Board. In his/her/their absence, a chairperson may be elected at the meeting to preside.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

4.        Board of Directors, Executive Committee or Board, shall mean the Board of Directors of the society.

5.        The Board shall, subject to the bylaws or directions given it by majority vote at any meeting properly called and constituted, have full control and management of the affairs of the society, and meetings of the Board shall be held as often as may be required, but at least once every three months, and shall be called by the President. Meetings of the Board shall be called by 3 days notice by email to each member. A majority of members shall constitute a quorum, and meetings shall be held without notice if a quorum of the Board is present, provided however, that any business transactions at such meeting shall be ratified at the next regularly called meeting of the Board; otherwise they shall be null and void.

6.        A person appointed or elected a director becomes a director if they were present at the meeting when being appointed or elected, and did not refuse the appointment. They may also become a director if they were not present at the meeting but consented in writing to act as director before the appointment or election, or within ten days after the appointment or election, or if they acted as a director pursuant to the appointment or election.

7.        The term of a director is one year with the option to renew for a maximum of two additional years, during which he/she/they agrees to attend a minimum of ⅔ of the regularly scheduled meetings. If requirements are not met, then upon Special Resolution a director may be removed.

8.        Any director or officer, upon a majority vote of all members in good standing, may be removed from office for any cause which the society may deem

SECRETARY

9.        It shall be the duty of the Secretary to attend all meetings of the society and of the Board, and to keep accurate minutes of the same. He/she/they shall have charge of the seal/logo of the society. In case of the absence of the Secretary, his/her/their duties shall be discharged by such officer as may be appointed by the Board. The Secretary shall have charge of all the correspondence of the society and be under the direction of the President and the Board.

10.     The Secretary shall also keep a record of all the members of the society and their addresses, send all notices of the various meetings as required, and collect and receive the annual dues or assessments levied by the society. Such monies shall be promptly turned over to the Treasurer for deposit in a Bank, Trust Company, Credit Union or Treasury Branch as required.

TREASURER

11.     The Treasurer shall receive all monies paid to the society and be responsible for the deposit of same in whatever Bank, Trust Company, Credit Union or Treasury Branch the Board may order. He/she/they shall properly account for the funds of the society and keep such books as may be directed. He/she/they shall present a full detailed account of receipts and disbursements to the Board whenever requested and shall prepare for submission to the Annual Meeting a statement duly audited of the financial position of the society and submit a copy of same to the Secretary for the records of the society.

AUDITING

12.     The books, accounts and records of the Secretary and Treasurer shall be audited at least once each year by a duly qualified accountant or by two members of the society elected for that purpose at the Annual Meeting. A complete and proper statement of the standing of the books for the previous year shall be submitted by such auditor at the Annual Meeting of the society. The fiscal year of the society in each year shall be December 31.

13.     The books and records of the society may be inspected by any member of the society at the Annual Meeting or at anytime upon giving reasonable notice and arranging a time satisfactory to the officer or officers having charge of same. Each member of the Board shall at all times have access to such books and records.

MEETINGS

      14.     This society shall hold an annual meeting on or before March 31 in each year, of which notice to each member shall be sent by email 21 days prior to the date  of the meeting. At this meeting there shall be elected a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and at least two and not more than four directors. The officers and  directors so elected shall form a Board, and shall serve until their successors are elected and installed. Any vacancy occurring during the year shall be filled at the next meeting, provided it is so stated in the notice calling such meeting. Any member in good standing shall be eligible to any office in the society.

15.     General meetings of the society may be called at any time by the Secretary upon the instructions of the President or Board giving notice to each member, by email eight days prior to the date of such meeting. A special meeting shall be called by the President or Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by one-third of the members in good standing, setting forth the reasons for calling such meeting which shall be by email to each member, eight days prior to the meeting.

      16.     3 members in good standing shall constitute a quorum at any general or special meeting.

VOTING

       17.     Any member who has not withdrawn from membership nor has been suspended nor expelled shall have the right to vote         at any meeting of the society.  Such votes must be made in person and not by proxy or otherwise.

REMUNERATION

18.     Unless authorized at any meeting and after notice for same shall have been given, no officer or member of the association shall receive any remuneration for his/her/their services.

BORROWING POWERS

19.     For the purpose of carrying out its objects, the society may borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such manner as it thinks fit, and in particular by the issue of debentures, but this power shall be exercised only under the authority of the society, and in no case shall debentures be issued without the sanction of a special resolution of the society.

BYLAWS

      20.     The Bylaws may be rescinded, altered or added to by a "Special Resolution".

Approved by Special Resolution on November 10th, 2021