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By-Laws as Filed December 22, 1994

1998-11-10

SAR ALBERTA (SEARCH AND RESCUE ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA)

BY-LAWS AS Filed 1994-12-22

BY-LAWS ----

The Name of the Society is SAR Alberta (Search and Rescue Association of Alberta)

 

DEFINITIONS
 
1.
In these by-laws, the following definitions shall apply:
 
a.
Member shall mean the member groups as represented by an individual duly elected or appointed by that group.
 
b.
SAR may be used as an acronym for ``search and rescue''.
 
c.
Board of Directors, Executive Committee or Board, shall mean the Board of Directors of the Society.
 
MEMBERSHIP
 
2.
Membership in the society shall be either regular or associate as follows:
 
a.
Any volunteer search and rescue (SAR) group residing in or serving the public of Alberta may become a regular (voting) member by a favourable vote passed by a majority of the members at a regular meeting of the society, and upon payment of the fee, if any.
 
b.
Associate (non-voting) membership may be approved by a favourable vote passed by a majority of the members at a regular meeting of the society, and upon payment of the fee, if any for applicants from the following:
 
(1)
Individual SAR specialists;
 
(2)
Federal, provincial or municipal government departments or agencies; or
 
(3)
Business or industry.
 
3.
Membership fee, if any, in the society shall be determined, from time to time, by the members at a general meeting.
 
4.
Any member wishing to withdraw from membership may do so upon a notice in writing to the Board through its Secretary. If any member is in arrears for fees or assessments for any year, such member shall be automatically suspended at the expiration of six months from the end of such year and shall thereafter be entitled to no membership privileges or powers in the society until reinstated. Any member upon a majority vote of all members of the society in good standing may be expelled from membership for any cause which the society may deem reasonable.
 
PRESIDENT
 
5.
The President shall be ex-officio a member of all Committees. The President shall, when present, preside at all meetings of the society and of the Board. In the absence of the President the Vice-President shall preside at any such meetings, and in the absence of both a chairman may be elected by the meeting to preside thereat.
 
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
6.
For the purposes of membership on the Board, the Province of Alberta shall be divided into nine zones, based on the present eight RCMP Sub-Division boundaries, plus the Edmonton Area. This Area shall consist of the City of Edmonton and the area served by the RCMP Sherwood Park Detachment. Members shall belong to that zone in which their corporate or registered address lies. Members in each region shall elect a Director from their ranks. In addition to these nine directors, one director shall be elected from the membership of each of the following SAR disciplines, if no member of that discipline has been elected as a zone director.
 
a.
Ground search and rescue (GSAR);
b.
Air search and rescue (ASAR);
c.
Canine search and rescue;
d.
Equine search and rescue; and
e.
Aquatic search and rescue.
 
7.
The Board shall, subject to the by-laws or directions given by the majority vote at any meeting properly called and constituted, have full control and management of the affairs of the society, and meeting 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. A special meeting may be called on the instructions of any three members thereof provided they request the President in writing to call such meeting, and state the business to be brought before the meeting.
Meetings of the Board shall be called by fifteen days notice in writing mailed to each member of by seven days notice by facsimile or telephone. Any eight members shall constitute a quorum, and meetings shall beheld without notice if a quorum of the Board is present, provided, however, that any business transactions at such meetings shall be ratified at the next regularly called meeting of the Board; otherwise they shall be null and void.
 
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 reasonable.
 
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. The Secretary shall have charge of the Seal of the society which seal whenever used shall be authenticated by the signature of the Secretary and the President, or, in the case of the death or inability of either to act, by the Vice-President. In case of the absence of the Secretary, these 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 director 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 shall collect and receive the annual dues or assessments levied by the society, such monies to be promptly turned over to the Treasurer for deposit in the Bank, Trust Company, Credit Union or Treasury Branch as hereinafter required. The Secretariat of the society shall be provided by Alberta Public Safety Services
 
TREASURER
 
11.
The Treasurer shall receive all monies paid to the society and shall be responsible for the deposit of same in whatever Bank, Trust Company, Credit Union or Treasury Branch the Board may order. The Treasurer shall properly account for the funds of the society and keep such books as may be directed. The Treasurer 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 as hereinafter set forth of the financial position of the society and submit a copy of same to the Secretary for the records of the society. The office of the Secretary and Treasurer may be filled by one person if any annual meeting for the election of officers shall so decide.
 
AUDITING
 
12.
The books, accounts and records of the Secretary and Treasury 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 1 April - 31 March.
 
13.
The books and records of the society may be inspected by any member of the society of the annual meeting provided for herein or at anytime upon giving reasonable notice and arranging a time satisfactory to the officer 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 31 May in each year, of which notice in writing to the last known address of each member shall be delivered in the mail fifteen days prior to the date of the meeting. At this meeting there shall be elected a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, (or Secretary-Treasurer), and directors. The officers so elected and remaining directors 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 by notice in writing to the last known address of each member, delivered in the mail eight days prior to the date of such meeting. A special meeting shall be called by the President or Secretary upon their 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 letter to the last known address of each member, delivered in the mail eight days prior to the meeting.
 
16.
1/3 of the members in good standing shall constitute a quorum at any general meeting.
 
VOTING
 
17.
Any regular member who has not withdrawn from membership nor has been suspended nor expelled as herein provided 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 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.
 
BY-LAWS
 
20.
The by-laws may be rescinded, altered or added to by a ``Special Resolution''.
Societies Act Application We, the undersigned, hereby declare that we desire to form a society under The Societies Act, R.S.A. 1980, and that:
1.
The name of the society is SAR Alberta (Search and Rescue Association of Alberta)
 
2.
The objects of the society are:
 
a.
To be the common voice for Search and Rescue in Alberta.
 
b.
To establish or adopt province-wide standards for Search and Rescue.
 
c.
To foster cooperation among all types of Search and Rescue resources in Alberta.
 
d.
To maintain a registry of all Search and Rescue resources.
 
e.
To increase public awareness of the importance of outdoor safety and the function of Search and Rescue.
 
f.
To promote and afford opportunity for friendly and social activities.
 
g.
To provide all necessary equipment and furniture for carrying on its various objects.
 
h.
To sell, manage, lease, mortgage, dispose of, or otherwise deal with the property of the society.
Dated this 27th day of November, 1994. Monica Ahlstrom, RR#3, Rocky Mountain House, AB, T0M 1T0 Ted Greenaway, 66 Garnet Crescent, Sherwood Park, AB, T8A 2S4 Rolf Drewitz, 9 Ivy Crescent, Sherwood Park, AB, T8A 1W3 Sandy Luckwell, 11105 - 94 Street, Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 1Y8 Dave Brundell, Deemark Ranch, 447, Wabamun, AB, TOE 2K0 Witness Ken Tryon, 10320 - 146 Street, Edmonton, AB, TEN 3A2 Certificate of Incorporation dated December 22, 1994.
Brett Wuth 2001-01-10

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