By-Laws

By-Laws
Probus Club of Nanoose Bay

Updated and Amended, April 2008
Approved by the Management Committee, March 20, 2008
Approved by members at the Annual General Meeting, March 28, 2008

download a copy of  By-laws – Probus Club of Nanoose Bay

Article 1 – Territory

Membership of this club shall primarily be from, but not exclusive to, the area of Nanoose Bay, B.C.

Article II – Membership

  1. An applicant shall require one member as a sponsor and approval by the Management
  2. Committee. The annual fee shall be established by the Management Committee and shall apply from January 1, each year. New members shall be accepted as of January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 each year. On the three latter dates, the annual fee will be prorated (i.e. to three-quarters, one-half, and one-quarter respectively of the annual fee). After acceptance and payment of the required fee, a new member shall be presented with a Probus lapel pin and name badge and be informed that copies of the Club’s Constitution and By-Laws are available upon request.
  3. The Management Committee may recommend that an individual be granted permanent honorary membership subject to approval by a majority of members at a general meeting of members. Honorary members shall not be required to pay annual dues and may enjoy  all privileges of membership except voting. No more than two percent of the membership may be Honorary Members at any one time.
  4. The Management Committee may recommend that Life Membership be conferred upon an existing member who has rendered outstanding service to the Club subject to approval by a majority of members at a general meeting of members. Life Members shall not be required to pay annual dues, and may enjoy all other privileges of membership. No more than two percent of the membership may be Life Members at any one time.
  5. Members of any Probus Club are welcome to attend club general meetings to a maximum of six meetings in a calendar year, upon payment of the monthly meeting fee.
  6. Guests of Probus members shall not attend more than six meetings in any one calendar year.
  7. An applicant for membership in the Club, who is a current member of another Probus Club, must live in Nanoose Bay at the time of application and will be added to the Club’s existing waiting list.
  8. When a Club-sponsored event, activity, or trip necessitates a limit on the number of participants, priority will be given to members and non-members as set out in Section 3 of Schedule A in the Club’s policy statement.
  9. The Probus Club of Nanoose Bay will comply with the B.C. Personal Information Protection Act in its dealings with members and prospective members.

Article III – Management

  1. The President or designate shall preside over all meetings of the Management Committee and Club.
  2. The Secretary shall be responsible for recording and distributing the minutes of all meetings and the maintenance of the Club’s records including the Constitution, By-Laws, Policy Statement, Management Committee Job Descriptions, Probus Insurance Policy and Minutes of meetings.
  3. The Membership Chair shall keep or have kept a register of members in which shall be recorded their name, address, former occupation, telephone, fax and e-mail address(es), mailing preference, and, if the member agrees, the day and month of birth. In order to comply with the B.C. Personal Information Protection Act, if a member does not want this information published, he/she must inform the Membership Chair, in writing, either at the time of application for or renewal of membership. A list of members shall be distributed to the members at least Annually and shall include a statement that the list is not to be used for commercial or other non-Probus Club purposes.

Article IV – Election of Officers

  1. A committee of four, who shall not be candidates, consisting of the President, Vice President with two Past Presidents, if available, otherwise two Club members in good standing, shall seek out candidates and present a list of nominees for each Office on the Management Committee.
  2. The nominating committee shall complete its slate of nominees who have agreed to stand for Management Committee positions prior to December 31 of the preceding year, for presentation to the membership at the February general meeting (a month prior to the Annual General Meeting).
  3. Properly proposed and seconded nominations from the floor will be accepted at the AGM.
  4. A returning officer and a scrutineer, neither of whom is a candidate for election, shall be appointed by the President before the election.
  5. Voting may be by show of hands or ballot. The Candidate with the greatest number of votes shall be declared elected.
  6. The President shall not be eligible for immediate re-election, unless the previous term is less than one year. All other Management Committee Members shall be eligible for re-elections for a period not exceeding four consecutive annual terms.
  7. The newly elected Management Committee shall take office following the Annual General Meeting.

Article V – Meetings

  1. Meetings of the Management Committee shall be held monthly prior to the regular Club meeting or as the need arises. A quorum shall be fifty percent of the Management Committee. In the event of a tied vote on an agenda item, or on a motion, the item shall be declared ‘lost’.  Committee members who have been temporarily appointed to serve for regular members who will be absent for two or more meetings, shall be eligible to vote on board matters at the second and subsequent consecutive meetings at which he/she is present as an alternate member.
  2. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Club shall be held on the regular meeting day in March each year. A quorum shall be twenty-five percent of registered members. If there is no quorum the AGM is to be adjourned until the next regular meeting when the members present shall constitute a quorum. At the AGM the members will be asked to accept the financial statements for the previous fiscal year, to appoint a financial reviewer for the ensuing year, and to elect members to the Management Committee. In the event of a tied on an agenda item, or motion, the item shall be declared ‘lost’.
  3. General meetings of the Club shall normally be held on the third Friday of each month with a program of business, a social period, and a guest speaker. A quorum shall be twenty-five percent of the membership. In the event of a tied vote on an agenda item, or motion, the item shall be declared ‘lost’.
  4. Any notice of motion shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary and shall be read to the general meeting of members prior to the meeting at which it is to be considered.

 

Article VI – Financial

  1. The Treasurer shall deposit all funds of the Club in a financial institution approved by the Management Committee. The signing officers shall be any two of the pre-approved signing officers.
  2. The Treasurer shall be responsible to provide monthly financial statements to the Management Committee. A copy of these statements will be made available to any Club member upon request. Annual financial statements, previously approved by the Club’s financial reviewer, shall be presented to the AGM.
  3. The Club’s financial reviewer may be appointed from the Club’s membership, provided he/she is not a member of the Management Committee and is deemed to have sufficient experience and knowledge of the Club’s affairs to fulfill the role. This does not preclude the appointment of a non-member of the Club.
  4. The Club’s fiscal year and membership year will coincide with the calendar year.

Article VII – Termination

The Management Committee may terminate the membership of any member failing to pay the annual dues by December 31 prior to the commencement of the January 1 membership year.

Article VIII – Amendment

Any clause in these by-laws may be amended by a two thirds majority of the members present at a general meeting and voting subject to the above quorum and notice of motion in Article V (4) of these by-laws.