Constitution

ASSOCIATION OF LAKE MANITOBA STAKEHOLDERS’ CONSTITUTION

 ARTICLE I.           NAME

 The full name of this association shall be “Association of Lake Manitoba Stakeholders” which may be abbreviated to “ALMS” when deemed expedient by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE II.          OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the association are:
1) To present a unified voice for all property owners affected by the man-made flooding of Lake Manitoba.
2) To lobby politicians and bureaucrats, in a non-partisan way.

ARTICLE III.         MEMBERSHIP

All Presidents, or their designates, and two other members of each Beach, and cottage or residents’ associations, bordering Lake Manitoba, to a maximum of 3 members from each of those associations, are eligible for membership in ALMS; including, but not limited to, Twin Lakes Beach Association, Manitoba Association of Cottage Owners, Delta Beach Association, Johnson Beach Association, Laurentia Beach Association, Pioneer Beach Association, Sandpiper Association, Benyk’s Point, Big Point Retreat, Manipogo, Lundar Beach / Sugar Point, Maple Beach, Deighton Beach and The Narrows.

ARTICLE IV.        DUES AND VOTING PRIVILEGES

SECTION A:     All eligible members described in Article III, if ultimately approved for membership in ALMS by its Executive Board, shall be members in good standing of ALMS and entitled to vote.

SECTION B.    There shall be no annual dues unless duly approved by a majority vote of the membership at an Annual General Meeting (“AGM”).  

 

ARTICLE V.          OFFICERS

SECTION A.    The Executive Board shall be comprised of the past president, and the following elected officers: president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and two directors.

SECTION B.    A nominating committee shall be appointed by the Executive Board which will submit a slate of officers to the Executive Board at least two weeks prior to the AGM.  Further nominations may be made from the floor of the AGM. For the first election of an Executive Board, nominations shall be from the floor, at the first meeting of the membership following the meeting at which this Constitution is adopted. Voting shall be by a show of hands and a simple majority shall elect.

SECTION C.    After the election of the first Executive Board, subsequent elections of its officers shall take place at each AGM, with that portion of the meeting to be chaired by the nominating committee chair.

SECTION D.    The terms of office shall be 2 years for the past president, president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer; and 1 year for each director.

SECTION E.    Installation shall take place at the Annual General Meeting.  New officers shall take over from the former officers immediately.

SECTION F.    Three absences from Association or Executive Board meetings, without notice, will justify replacement of a member of the Executive Board.

SECTION G.    Vacancies may be filled by motion passed by the Executive Board, or elected by the members at the Annual General meeting, or at a regular or special meeting of the Association. 

SECTION H.    Officers having completed their term of office may seek re-election to any Executive Board elected position.

 

ARTICLE VI.        DUTIES OF THE ELECTED OFFICERS

SECTION A.    The president shall:

1.                     Call regular and special meetings, approve and prepare the meeting agendas, and
preside at all meetings.
2.                     Be an ex-officio member of all Association committees.
3.                     Have general supervision of all day to day activities of the Association, including
                        being its spokesperson and its signing officer.                         

SECTION B.    The vice-president shall:
1.                      Preside at the meetings in the absence of the president.
2.                      Undertake such duties as requested by the Executive Board or by majority vote of the members.

 SECTION C:    The secretary shall:
1.                   Take accurate minutes of all meetings.
2.                   Send out agendas and other correspondence as directed by the President.
3.                   Keep records and files as directed.
4.                   Assume other duties as directed.

SECTION D:    The Treasurer shall:
1.                    Receive monies, issue receipts, and make disbursements upon the approval of the Executive Board.
2.          Choose the Association’s bank, with the approval of the Executive Board.
3.          Sign cheques, together with the president.
4.          Keep an accurate record of funds and have the books reviewed before leaving office.  The review shall be conducted by two members of the Executive Board, other than the   President and Treasurer.  The review shall be presented first to the Executive Board, and then to the Annual General Meeting.
5.         Assume other duties as warranted by the office or as directed.

SECTION E:     The two directors shall:
1.            Assume duties as requested by the president or the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII.       MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION

SECTION A.    The annual general meeting shall be held in June, or at such other time as determined by a duly passed motion at a regular or special meeting of the Association. Regular meetings of the Association will be held, at least every three months, at a place and time as determined by the President, or as determined by a majority vote of the membership at a regular or special meeting.

SECTION B.    Special meetings of the Association may be called by a majority of the Executive Board, or by a group of five individual members signing a written request to any Executive Board officer, for a special general meeting of all members of the Association.

SECTION C.    The members present at all meetings of the Association shall constitute a quorum, provided reasonable advance notice of the meeting was given to all members of the Association. “Reasonable notice” will generally mean an email to each Association member, one week before the meeting, with the agenda for that meeting attached thereto.

SECTION D.     Only the Association’s membership, at a duly called meeting, shall have the power to create new committees, define their mandate, and appoint the chair and members of those committees.

ARTICLE VIII.       MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

SECTION A.     Between meetings of the Association, its Executive Board may meet in person, or by e-mail, at the call of the President, or at the call of a majority of the Executive Board officers, to implement the decisions of the membership, and / or to pass Executive Board motions for matters such as accepting or rejecting new Association members, paying bills, inviting guests to meetings, and such other similar issues that cannot reasonably wait until the next meeting of the Association’s membership.

SECTION B.      Providing reasonable written notice of the time and place of a duly called Executive Board meeting has been given to each of its officers, any four officers attending that meeting shall constitute a quorum.

SECTION C.    All motions passed by the Executive Board shall be subject to review and ratification by the Association at its next meeting, except any motions that were passed unanimously by the officers present at that Executive Board meeting.

ARTICLE VIII.         ORDER OF BUSINESS

The order of business at all meetings shall be:
1.                   Call to order.
2.                   Reading and approval of the minutes.
3.                   Correspondence.
4.                   Treasurer’s report and approval for payment of bills.
5.                   Other Officers’ reports.
6.                   Committee reports.
7.                   Unfinished business.
8.                   New business.
9.                   Adjournment.

ARTICLE IX.          AMENDMENTS

This Constitution may be amended at an Annual General Meeting of the Association, but only if the Motion to Amend the Constitution is provided in writing to all Association members at least one week before the Annual General Meeting, and only if it is passed by two-thirds of those members personally present at the Annual General Meeting.