Association Constitution

Amended to 27 March 2013

 

1.  The name of the Society is SIDNEY ANGLERS ASSOCIATION

2.  The purposes of the Society are:

(a)  To encourage and develop interest in sport fishing for all members.

(b)  To foster and actively promote conservation and to participate in activities designed to promote habitat restoration and salmonid
       enhancement.

(c)  To increase the awareness of the Sidney area as a sports fishing destination.

3.  In the event of the dissolution of this Society, any assets remaining after the payment of all debts and liabilities shall be transferred to some other non-profit Society having similar aims and objectives as this Society or as the members of this Society may then decide. This provision is unalterable.

 

Bylaws

 

ARTICLE 1: MEMBERSHIPS

 

1-1 Dues may be set by the membership at each Annual General Meeting and shall entitle any person or persons to an individual or a family membership in the Association for one year commencing January 1st. and ending December 31st. of that year.

 

1-2 Any member in good standing may recommend an individual to receive a Honourary Life Membership, or Honourary Annual Membership. The Executive will then consider any and all nominations, and through the course of an executive meeting and a majority vote of the Executive, the decision to grant a Honourary Membership may be made. A Honourary Membership shall entitle that person to all the benefits of an individual membership without the requirement of annual membership dues. Written notice of the pending recommendation of a Honourary Life or Annual Member must be presented no later than the September monthly meeting, for presentation at the Annual General Meeting.

 

1-3 Any person who pays the dues as set out by the membership shall be entitled to obtain either an individual or family membership in the Association for that year.

 

1-4 Family membership includes a spouse/partner, dependants eighteen (18) years or younger and extended family members. Any person eighteen (18) years or younger, fishing with a holder of a family membership, shall be considered part of that members extended family and shall be eligible to compete for Derby prizes as stipulated in Derby Rules.

 

1-5 Any member, who is eighteen (18) years or younger, shall be classified as a Junior Member and cannot be a member of the Executive or hold office in the Association.

 

1-6 A member in good standing is a member who abides by the rules as set out in the Constitution and Bylaws herein and who has paid the dues for that year.

 

1-7 Any person who pays the annual membership dues after October 1st. in any year shall be considered a member in good standing until December 31st. of the following year.

 

1-8 Any member failing to pay the annual membership dues within two (2) months from the first day of January in any year shall cease to be a member in good standing until the appropriate membership dues are paid.

 

1-9 Every member of the Association is entitled upon request, and without charge, to a copy of the Constitution and Bylaws.

 

ARTICLE 2: RESIGNATION AND FORFEITURE OF MEMBERSHIP

 

2-1 Any member who fails to abide by the Constitution and Bylaws or any rules or regulations made pursuant thereto, may have their membership suspended or revoked by a majority vote at an Executive meeting called specifically to decide upon the suspension.

 

2-2 The member so affected shall be notified of the meeting and shall be given the opportunity to attend and speak on their behalf.

 

2-3 A member may withdraw from the Association by tendering his or her resignation in writing to the Secretary.

 

ARTICLE 3: MEETINGS

 

3-1 The members of the Association shall assemble once a year for the purpose of conducting what shall be known as the Annual General Meeting. This meeting shall be for the purpose of receiving the annual reports of the officers and committees and to elect an Executive for the ensuing year.

 

3-2 The Annual General Meeting shall be held in November of each year.

 

3-3 The date and place of the Annual General Meeting shall be determined by the Executive and announced by the President, and shall be noted in the Tide Book issued by the Association in each year. At least fifteen (15) days written notice of the meeting shall be given to each member. The date and place of the Annual General Meeting may be amended from that listed in the Tide Book.

 

3-4 The attendance of twenty (20) members shall be necessary for the quorum at any Annual General Meeting or Monthly Meeting of this Association.

 

3-5 The Association shall hold Monthly Meetings to discuss the business of the Association. These meeting shall occur in the months of January to June and September to November each year. The dates for the Monthly Meetings shall be noted in the Tide Book issued by the Association in each year. The date and place may be amended from that listed in the Tide Book

 

3-6 Any member in good standing who is present at the Annual General Meeting or Monthly Meetings is entitled to vote, with the exception of a junior member who shall not be so entitled.

 

3-7 All meetings of the Association shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order.

 

3-8 An Executive meeting may be held monthly at the discretion of the President and Executive Committee

 

ARTICLE 4: APPOINTMENTS AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS

 

4-1 The Executive shall consist of the following Officers:

 

President

Vice-President

Immediate Past President or Member at Large

Secretary

Treasurer

Three (3) Directors

 

4-2 Five (5) members of the Executive shall constitute a quorum of the Executive at any Executive meeting.

 

4-3 The Executive shall have the power to appoint volunteer members from the general membership to any committee throughout the year.

 

4-4 The Executive shall have the power to suspend any Officer from the Executive during the year as per Article 2.

 

4-5 The new Executive shall assume their duties in January of each year at an Executive meeting called at the discretion of the President.

 

4-6 The President shall be the chief Executive Officer of the Association and shall preside over all meetings of the Association and of the Executive or shall designate a presiding officer. He or she shall be an ex-officio member of all standing and special committees, and shall perform such other duties as usually pertain to the office of President and shall represent the Association on all external matters or designate an Executive Officer to act on his or her behalf.

 

4-7 The Vice-President, in the absence of the President, shall substitute for the President. The Vice-President shall also perform such other duties as usually pertain to that office or as may be assigned by the President or the Executive.

 

4-8 The Secretary shall record and keep correct Minutes of the Annual General Meeting, Monthly and Executive Meetings of the Association. All correspondence directed to the Association shall be delivered to the Secretary. The Secretary shall conduct all correspondence on behalf of the Association and perform other duties as may be designated by the Executive. The Secretary or an Appointee may publish a Newsletter to the membership prior to each Monthly Meeting or as required.

 

4-9 The Treasurer shall: receive all monies payable to the Association and deposit same in a bank designated by the Executive; collect all dues, fees, or monies owing to the Association and issue receipts; pay all regular charges against the Association, including but not limited to, Meeting Hall Rental, Ladder Board Coupons, Post Office Box Charges, Society Act Filing Charges, Newsletter Expenses, Tide Book Expenses and Treasurer’s Routine Expenses as they are due and report such payments regularly, other irregular charges to be presented to the Executive for payment approval; keep an accurate record of all monies received and disbursed; make a financial report at every Annual General Meeting, Monthly and Executive Meetings and perform such duties as may be designated by the Executive.

 

4-10 Each Director shall perform such duties as may be assigned to them by the President or the Executive. A person designated by the Executive shall keep a roll of all members of the Association.

 

4-11 In the event of a vacancy occurring in any office for any cause, the Association Executive may appoint an officer from the existing Executive or General Membership to fill the vacancy, until such time as a special election can be held.

 

4-12 The President shall appoint two members from the general membership and/or Executive Committee as a nomination committee two (2) months prior to the Annual General Meeting.

 

4-13 Any member in good standing is eligible for nomination to a position on the Executive Committee.

 

4-14 The Immediate Past President shall serve on the Executive Committee for a one year term. If there is no Immediate Past President at an election, a Member at Large shall be elected by the membership.

 

ARTICLE 5: AMENDMENTS

 

5-1 The Bylaws may be amended by a Special Resolution at any Annual General Meeting or Monthly Meeting of the Association, at which there is a quorum, by a 75% majority vote of the members present, provided the Executive has previously considered the merits of the amendment. Fourteen (14) days’ notice of the proposed amendment shall be given to the membership prior to the next Annual General Meeting or Monthly Meeting.

 

ARTICLE 6: BOOKS, RECORDS AND EXPENDITURES

 

6-1 The Executive shall see that all necessary books and records of the Association, required by the Bylaws of the Association or by any applicable statutory law, are regularly and properly kept.

 

6-2 The fiscal year of the Association shall terminate October 31st. in each year; the Treasurer shall have the financial books of the Association audited by a member in good standing appointed by the Executive and present the fiscal year financial statement of the Association’s affairs to the membership at the Annual General Meeting.

 

6-3 The Executive shall ensure: that all monies collected from the Tulista Park boat launch and Annual Ramp Passes in accordance with the User Agreement between the Town of Sidney and the Association are deposited into a bank on a regular basis, that an accurate record of all monies received and disbursed are kept; that the financial books are audited annually by a member in good standing appointed by the Executive and that a financial report be presented at every Annual General Meeting of the Association.

 

6-4 The Executive shall be authorized to approve an emergency expenditure up to the amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), within the period between any two (2) monthly meetings of the Association, prior to presentation to the membership.

 

6-5 Any cheques drawn on the Association bank account must be signed by the President and Treasurer, or the President or Treasurer and one of up to three signing officers appointed by the Executive.

 

6-6 The Association may maintain such other Committee bank accounts as deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the Association’s business. Any cheques drawn on these Committee accounts must be signed by the Committee Chairperson and one (1) of the Officers identified in Article 6-5.

 

6-7.1 The Association, by a majority vote of the members present at an Annual General Meeting or Monthly Meeting may approve monetary contributions to Charities or Community Projects outside the normal purposes of the Association. Notice of a pending donation must be presented to the Membership one Monthly Meeting prior to a motion being accepted.

 

6-7.2 The Executive shall have the authority to provide gifts, comforts and memorial remembrances to any member or their spouse/partner during times of illness or bereavement. Each individual expenditure shall not exceed $100.00.

 

ARTICLE 7: BORROWING

 

7-1 The Executive or Directors of the Association have no power or authority to borrow money on the credit of the Society.

 

7-2 The authorization to borrow money on the credit of the Society may only be sanctioned by a Special Resolution at any Annual General Meeting or Monthly Meeting of the Association, at which there is a quorum, by a 75% majority vote of the members present, provided the Executive Committee has previously approved the terms and conditions for any monies to be borrowed. Fourteen (14) days’ notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a Special Resolution shall be given to the membership prior to the next Annual General Meeting or Monthly Meeting.

 

ARTICLE 8: FISHING AREA AND BOUNDARIES

 

8-1 The fishing area and boundaries of the Association shall be as depicted in the Tide Book published by the Association each year.

 

ARTICLE 9: RULES, REGULATIONS AND DERBIES

 

9-1 The Association will be governed by regulations for Sports Fishing in British Columbia Tidal Waters as laid down by the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

 

9-2 Only Association members as defined in Article 1 may enter fish for any of the Association Derbies, and such fish must be caught in the Sidney Anglers’ Area and Boundary.

 

9-3 The rules and regulations and the distribution of prizes for all Derbies shall be as published in the Tide Book issued by the Association each year.

 

9-4 The rules and regulations for the purpose of derbies or special competitions may be amended at any Annual General Meeting or Monthly Meeting of the Association, at which there is a quorum, by a majority vote of members present, provided the Executive has considered the merits of the amendment.

 

9-5 No fish may be weighed in at any derby or competition that has been gutted, frozen or altered.

 

9-6 Any challenge of rules or regulations pertaining to any derby shall be heard by the Executive with its ruling being final.