SAULT NATURALISTS CONSTITUTION

 

 

AS AMENDED 1993

 

 Article 1 – NAME 

     This organization shall be known as the SAULT NATURALISTS.

 

 Article 2 – OBJECTIVES 

     The objectives of this organization shall be to provide its members with a common meeting ground for the exchange of ideas and for broadening their knowledge and understanding of natural science, to promote the appreciation, preservation conservation of our natural heritage and to support and cooperate with other organization with similar aims.

 

 Article 3 – MEMBERSHIP

    Any person or family shall, upon payment of dues, become a member of this organization.  Payment of the Annual Dues as set out in the Bylaws shall be a condition for maintaining membership.  Membership classifications in the club are:  Family, Student, Senior Citizen and Honorary Life and Charter members. 

1. Individual members may hold office and vote at business meetings

2. Family members consist of parent(s) and dependent children.  Adult members may hold office and vote at business meetings.

3. Charter members are members who were present at the first, second , or third meeting of  the Sault Naturalists.

4. Honorary members shall be elected on recommendation of the Board of Directors by a majority vote of the general membership in recognition of distinguished service related to the purposes of the club.

5. Life members shall be those persons form whom the club has accepted a lump sum for such membership as outlined in the bylaws.  Such person’s shall be entitled to hold office and vote at business meetings.

 

Article 4 – FUNDS

1. The CURRENT FUND shall contain the working moneys of the club for current operations.  It shall receive all normal income such as regular membership fees and other monies not allocated to specific purposes.

2. The PROPERTY FUND shall contain money invested so as to maximize long-term capital growth while maintaining sufficient flexibility to provide money on short notice for special requirements as needed.  The chairperson of the property committee or the president is authorized to pay the municipal taxes of the property (ies) under club management.  Withdrawal of funds for any other purpose must be approved by the general membership.

3. Money received for life memberships shall be deposited in an interest generating account and only the interest there from shall be used for club expenses, except by express permission from the general membership.

 

Article 5 – OFFICERS

     Officers of the club shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Observation Secretary, and Properties Chairperson who shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of the club.  A special election may be held at a regular meeting to fill an official vacancy upon notice of such election to members.  Such notice shall be given in the newsletter.

 

Article 6 – BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR EXECUTIVE BOARD

    The Board of Directors or Executive Board shall consist of the elected officers of the club and chairpersons of standing committees.  Upon retirement of the President from office, the president shall continue to be a member of the Board of Directors for one year.  The Board of Directors shall meet from time to time at the call of the President or any two of its member; it shall manage all matters affecting the welfare and activities of the club; it shall manage all matters of the funds of club; it shall present at the Annual Meeting a report on the year’s work.  It shall have power to accept any resignation and to appoint any member of the club to fill such vacancy for the remainder of the term office.

 

Article 7 – TERM OF OFFICE

     All persons elected or appointed shall commence their duties at the close of the meeting at which they are elected or appointed and shall serve until the end of the next Annual Meeting or until their successors are elected or appointed.

 

Article 8 - QUORUM

      Twenty members shall constitute a quorum to conduct business of the club and five members shall constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors.  If membership declines below thirty a general membership meeting shall determine the future of the club.  In case of dissolution, assets of the SAULT NATURALISTS shall be turned over to one or more affiliated organizations as decided at that general membership meeting.

 

Article 9 - DUTIES OF OFFICERS

1. The President shall preside at regular meetings of the SAULT NATURALISTS and at meetings of the Board of Directors.

2. The President shall be, ex-officio, member of all committees of the SAULT NATURALISTS.

3. The Vice-President shall assist the President in his/ her duties and shall in his/her absence or at his/her request act in his/her stead.

4. The Secretary shall keep minutes of the proceedings of the regular meetings, the Annual Meetings and the Board Meetings and handle correspondence and filing copies of same.

5. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the funds of the club.  The Treasurer shall submit a quarterly and annual financial statement.

6. The Observation Secretary shall record bird and mammal observations reported by members and shall maintain such records to provide information on population dynamics to members and other interested parties.

7. The Property Chairperson shall assume responsibility and manage all properties owned or controlled by the SAULT NATURALISTS.

8. Cheques and any banking documents shall be signed by the treasurer or in his or her absence the president or vice-president.

 

Article 10 – STANDING COMMITTEES

    There shall be four Standing Committees:  Program Committee, Field Trip Committee, Property Committee, and Environmental Action Committee.  The Properties Chairperson shall be elected at an Annual Meeting (see Article 5).  The president shall appoint chairpersons for the Program, Field Trip and Environmental Action Committees.  Each chairperson shall have the power to select members of his/her committee from among the members in good standing of the Club.  From time to time the Board of Directors may set up other committees to deal with specific questions.

 

Article 11 - AUDITOR

     An Auditor shall be appointed by the President, who shall examine the Treasurer’s accounts and certify as to their accuracy.  The treasurer shall present the audited report at the Annual Meeting.

 

Article 12 – ANNUAL MEETING

     The Annual Meeting of this organization shall be held at such time and place as specified in the Bylaws.

 

Article 13 – ELECTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS

     At the October meeting the president shall appoint a nomination committee to present a slate of officers at the Annual Meeting.  Other nominations will be accepted from the floor.

 

Article 14 – AFFILIATIONS

     The SAULT NATURALISTS is a Federated club of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists and affiliated with Michigan Audubon Society and Canadian Nature Federation.  Directors may appoint representatives to such affiliates from year to year.

 

Article 15 – AMENDMENTS

     An Amendment to this constitution may be made at an Annual Meeting of the SAULT NATURALISTS

By a two-thirds vote of members present, notice having been sent to the Secretary, who shall present it at a meeting of the Board of Directors at least two months previous to such Annual Meeting.  Notification of a proposed Amendment shall be published in the newsletter at least one month before the Annual Meeting at which a vote on the Amendment is to be taken.

 

Article 16 – BY-LAWS

     A Quorum may propose By-laws that are consistent with the provisions of the Articles of this Constitution.  The By-laws and any amendments thereto shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority at a general meeting.

 

 

SAULT NATURALISTS BY-LAWS

 

(Rewritten November 1993)

 

THESE BY-LAWS of the SAULT NATURALISTS (hereinafter referred to as the “Club”) shall be effective upon adoption by a quorum of the general membership of the Club, as voted at a regular membership meeting.

 

 I.  MEMBERSHIP DUES STRUCTURE

1. On an annual basis, January 1 through December 31, dues shall be in the following amounts:

a) Individual membership                    $15.00

b) Family membership (parents and children)            $20.00

c) Senior (at least 60 years of age)                $10.00

d) Student (including college or university)            $10.00

e) Life member – recognized upon a one time payment of           $150.00

2. The above amounts shall be acceptable in either Canadian or United States funds.

3. Monies received for the first four categories shall be applied against the earliest unpaid yearly dues.

4. Monies received for Life Memberships shall be set aside in a special endowment account, only the interest thereon may be used for current expenses of the Club, as specified in (Article 4-3) of the Constitution

 

II. DISCIPLINE

1. A member may be expelled from the Club for conduct or activities prejudicial to the well-being of the Club.  The procedure shall be as follows:

    a) A member who considers the actions or behaviour of another member to be prejudicial shall submit a complaint in writing to the President.

    b) The President shall convene a meeting of the general membership to discuss the complaint.

    c) If the complaint is of such a nature that, in the unanimous opinion of the members, it demonstrates prejudicial behavior, the member will be asked to resign.

    d) If the opinion of the members is not unanimous, the member shall be reprimanded but not asked to resign.

2. Any member of the Club convicted of violating any existing governmental law pertaining to   plant and animal life may be suspended for such period of time as the Board of Directors may deem appropriate.

 

III. MEETINGS

1. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS shall be held at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Board

2. The ANNUAL MEETING shall be held on the second Tuesday of February at such time and place to be determined by the committee responsible for the event.

    a) In event of a special civic or national occasion or festival, the time and/or place of the meeting maybe changed to coincide with the celebration, with the consent of the Executive Board.

3. EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS shall be held at least quarterly

 

IV. FIELD TRIPS

1. Although all persons are eligible to go on field trips organized by Club, some trips may not be appropriate for certain individuals, to wit:

    a) Some trips may cover rugged terrain, which requires unusual physical strength and agility.

    b) Some trips may be of such duration that a good deal of stamina is required.  Therefore, it should be the responsibility of the trip leader to discourage anyone from attempting to participate if in the leader’s judgment, a person does not have the physical strength to safely overcome any hardships which may be encountered.

2. It shall not be considered appropriate for members or friends to bring pets on field trips.

3. Members and friends are encouraged to bring children provided that the children are large enough and of such physical stamina so as not to be a hindrance to the other members, and provided that they remain under the parent’s control and supervision.

4. The leader of the trip shall have the authority to reprimand any individual who is making a nuisance of him/herself or who is not observing a proper regard for the natural environment.

 

V. DISBURSMENTS

1. Before the end of the year, the Treasurer shall prepare a budget for the forthcoming year from information received from the officers and committee heads.

2. The Executive Board may authorize an unbudgeted expense up to $100.00.

3. Any expense in excess of $100.00 which has not been budgeted must be presented at a general membership and authorized by the members.

 

VI.  AMENDMENTS

Amendments to these Bylaws may be presented at any meeting at which a quorum of members is present.  Such amendments shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the members present at a general meeting.