| By-Laws as Amended April 18, 1999
1999-04-18
SAR ALBERTA (SEARCH AND RESCUE ASSOCIATION
OF ALBERTA)
BY-LAWS AS AMENDED APRIL 18, 1999
- 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.
- d.
- Mail shall include communication by electronic
means including telephone facsimile transmissions (faxes) and electronic
mail systems including Internet communications (e-mail) where these
are available.
- 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 regions, based on
the eight RCMP Sub-Division boundaries as they existed in December,
1993, 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 region in which their corporate or registered address
lies. Members in each region shall elect a Director from their ranks
whose responsibility it will be to represent all SAR disciplines from
within their region. Regions may also elect a Deputy Director who can
perform the duties of the Director in his or her absence.
- 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 meetings of the Board shall be held as often as may
be required, but at least once every four 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.
- 8.
- Meetings of the Board shall be called by fifteen
days notice in writing mailed to each member or by seven days notice
by facsimile or telephone. At any meeting, attendance of Directors or
Deputy Directors from any five regions 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 meetings shall
be ratified at the next regularly called meeting of the Board; otherwise
they shall be null and void.
- 9.
- 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
- 10.
- 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 direction of the President and the Board.
- 11.
- 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 Transportation
and Utilities, Disaster Services.
- TREASURER
- 12.
- 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.
- AUDITING
- 13.
- 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.
- 14.
- The books and records of the society may be
inspected by any member of the society at the annual meeting provided
for herein or at any time 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
- 15.
- 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 by majority vote of the membership a President and Secretary
in odd numbered years and a Vice-President and Treasurer in even numbered
years. Normally one person will occupy each of these offices however
any two of these offices may be occupied by one person with the exception
of the offices of President and Vice-President. Upon being elected the
President shall vacate the position of Director if he or she holds that
position. 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 individual
member in good standing or the individual designated as the representative
of any group member in good standing shall be eligible to any office
in the society.
- 16.
- 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.
- 17.
- One-third of the members in good standing shall
constitute a quorum at any general meeting.
- VOTING
- 18.
- 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
- 19.
- 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
- 20.
- 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
- 21.
- The by-laws may be rescinded, altered or added to
by a ``Special Resolution''.
Brett Wuth 2001-01-10
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