VanIsle Masters Artistic Swimming Club Bylaws

Bylaws

Constitution:

 

NAME

 

  1. The name of the Society is the “VanIsle Masters Artistic Swimming Club.”

 

PURPOSES

 

  1. The purposes of the Society are:
  1. To develop programs to meet the needs of adult and masters level artistic swimmers ( formerly synchronized swimmers) with varied levels of ability and commitment. 
  2. To promote the development of “sport for life” through the involvement of adult and masters level athletes in artistic swimming (formerly synchronized swimming)

 

MEMBER-FUNDED SOCIETY

 

  1. This Society is a member funded Society.  It is funded primarily by its members to carry on activities for the benefit of its members.  On its liquidation or dissolution, this Society may distribute its money and other property to its members.

 

Here set for, in numbered clauses, the bylaws providing for the matters referred to in Schedule B of the Society Act. 

Article I – Interpretation 

  1. (1)In these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires, 
    1. “Directors” and “Board ” and/or “BoD” means the directors of the society for the time being; 
    2. “Society Act”  or “Act” means the Society Act of the Province of British Columbia from time to time in force and all amendments to it;
    3. “Registered address” of a member means the address as recorded in the register of members. 
    4. “Athlete” means a person participating in Artistic Swimming

(2) The definitions in the Society Act on the date these bylaws become effective apply to these bylaws. 

  1. Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa; and words importing male person include a female person, and vice versa;  a corporation; and all gender identities. 

 

ARTICLE II – Membership 

Terms under which a person may be admitted to the society: 

  1. There shall be the following classes of membership 
    1. Individual Membership 
  2. Individual Membership shall be given to a person who meets the following criteria:
    1. Is an artistic swimmer who is currently registered or has pending registration with our provincial governing body 
    2. Is of legal age, 18 or older 
    3. Participates in the program of the society as an athlete
    4. Whose fees are paid 
    5. Who is acceptable to the directors 
  3. Every member shall uphold the constitution and comply with these bylaws.

 

  1. The Club shall be affiliated with the Canada Artistic Swimming Association and B.C. Artistic Swimming

 

  1. The amount of membership fees, if any, shall be determined by the Board.  The Board shall determine the day(s) of each year that the membership fees shall be paid. 

 

  1. It is the duty of each member to remain in good standing in the society, to comply with the bylaws of the society and pay their dues accordingly meeting the deadlines as stipulated within the fee schedule for the current year. 

 

  1. A member is not in good standing if the member fails to pay the member’s membership fees, if any, and the member is not in good standing for as long as those fees remain unpaid.  Deadline to pay fees is at the discretion of the Board.

 

  1. A voting member who is not in good standing 
  1. May not vote at a general meeting
  2. Is deemed not to be a voting member for the purpose of consenting to a resolution of the voting members.

 

ARTICLE III Termination of Membership 

Conditions under which membership in the society ceases: 

  1. A member shall cease to be a member if the member fails to pay fees on the due date for payment of fees and  the default continues for a period of two months from the due date. 
  2. A member may be expelled from the Society by a Resolution passed by three quarters (3/4) of the members entitled to vote at a Special Meeting called for that purpose. 
  3. At a meeting described in Article III, clause 2, a member has the right to speak on their own behalf. 
  4. Any member who wishes to withdraw from membership in the society may notify the secretary or president of the society in writing to the effect and upon receipt of such notice the member ceases to be a member. 

ARTICLE IV – Meetings of Membership 

  1. A general meeting must be held at the time and place the Board determines- including virtual or hybrid options.
  2. Every notice of a general meeting of the society shall state the nature of the business, other than ordinary business, to be transacted at  the meeting in sufficient detail to permit a member receiving notice to form a reasoned judgement concerning that business. 
  3. At a general meeting the following business is ordinary business:
  1. Adoption of rules of order
  2. Consideration of any financial statements of the Society presented to the meeting
  3. Consider of the reports, if any, of the Directors 
  4. Election or appointments of Directors
  5. Appointment of an Auditor, if any
  6. Business arising out of a report of the Directors not requiring the passing of a special resolution
  1. Notice of any annual or special meeting shall be deemed to be given to every member, if mailed, emailed, or hand delivered to every member. 
  2. The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non-receipt of a notice by, any of the members entitled to receive notice does not invalidate the proceedings of that meeting.
  3.  Any persons calling a meeting of the membership of the society pursuant to Article IV, Clause 4, shall be responsible for the administration and preparation of the meeting. 
  4. The rules of procedure at an annual, general or special meeting shall be determined by the directors or if any member objects the Roberts’ Rules of Order shall apply. 

 

Quorum for General and Special Meetings: 

  1. A quorum for the transaction of business at any annual general or special meeting of the society shall be thirty (30%)  percent of the membership as they appear on the membership rolls, but shall never be less than five (5) persons present.  For Bylaw amendments, a special quorum of 8 members in good standing is required.
  2. If, at any time, there ceases to be a quorum of voting members present, business then in progress must be suspended until there is a quorum present or until the meeting is adjourned and terminated. 
  3. A voting member in good standing, present at a meeting of members, whether in person or by virtual platform, is entitled to one vote.
  4. Voting must be by a show of hands, an oral vote, or another method that adequately discloses the intention of the voting members, except by if, before or after such a vote, 2 or more voting members request a secret ballot or a secret ballot is directed by the chair of the meeting, voting must be by a secret ballot. 
  5. The chair of the meeting must announce the outcome of each vote; and that outcome must be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
  6. Voting by proxy is not permitted

 

ARTICLE V – Directors and Officers 

Directors: 

  1. The Society must have no fewer than 4 and no more than 8 directors.
  2. The directors of the society shall be elected by the members of the society at the annual general meeting and shall hold office until the next annual meeting, unless earlier removed in accordance with the bylaws.
  3. Any vacancy in the directors may be filled by appointment of the directors. Meetings of the directors may be called by the President, or two members of the directors, or by two or more members. 
  4. At least two (2) days notice of a director’s meeting must be given unless all the directors agree to a shorter notice period.
  5. The accidental omission to give notice of a director’s meeting to a director, or the non-receipt of a notice by a director, does not invalidate proceedings at the meeting.

 

Duties and Powers of the Directors: 

 

  1. The management and administration of the affairs of the society shall be vested in the directors. In addition to the powers and authority given by the bylaws or otherwise expressly confirmed upon them, the directors may exercise all such powers of the society and do all such acts on its behalf as are not inconsistent by the Societies Act or any of these bylaws required to be exercised or done by the society at a general or special meeting, and the directors shall have full power to make such rules and regulations as they deem necessary, provided that such rules and regulations are not inconsistent with the constitution of the society and these bylaws 

 

Directors’ Meetings 

 

  1. The directors shall determine their own procedure.
  2. A resolution in writing, including those by electronic means, signed or electronically signed  by all the directors personally shall be valid and effectual as if it had been passed at a meeting of the directors duly called and constituted. 
  3. The quorum  for the transaction of business at a director’s meeting is a majority of the directors (50% plus 1).
  4. No director shall receive remuneration for his or her duties.
  5. Directors shall cease to hold office upon their ceasing to be members of the society. 
  6. Directors may be removed by a special resolution passed by three quarters (3/4’s) of the members entitled to vote at a special meeting called for that purpose. 
  7. Five (5%) percent of the members, but in no case less than two members of the society, may call a special meeting for the purpose of removing any member of the directors, and or substituting a new member in that position. 
  8. Officers of the Society – The Board of Directors shall consist of no less than four (4) and not more than eight (8) members, including the:

President 

Vice President 

Secretary 

Treasurer 

Board Member(s) at Large 

 

Election of Officers:

  1. The officers of the society shall be elected by the members of the society at the annual meeting. All directors of the society shall also be officers of the society. 
  2. A director may hold more than one position, but no more than 2 positions.
  3. The president shall be the chief officer of the society
  4. The vice-president shall generally assist the president and shall in the event of the absence or disability of the president perform his duties and possess his authority. 
  5. The secretary shall keep the records of the society, including minutes of all the meetings of the society and the directors as well as the records for registration of all members. 
  6. In the absence of the secretary from the meeting, the directors shall appoint another person to act as secretary at the meeting.
  7. The Treasurer shall be the custodian of the funds of the society and subject to the control of the directors shall pay any and all bills and also make available to the annual meeting an accounting of all money in the society. The treasurer with the president or secretary  may co-sign all cheques drawn on the funds of the society.  
  8. Any major capital expenditure shall require the approval of the Directors.

 

Removal of Officers: 

 

  1. Officers of the society may be removed in the same fashion as the directors of the society as set out in the bylaws. 
  2. An officer shall cease to hold office upon their ceasing to be a member of the society. 

ARTICLE VI – Inspection of records of the society 

  1. The books and records of the society shall be open to the inspection of the members at all reasonable times.  

 

ARTICLE VII – Altering Bylaws 

  1. The bylaws of the society may be amended at any general, special or annual meeting of the society by a special resolution adopted by seventy (70%) percent majority vote of the members of the society present at any special, annual or general meeting. 
  2. Notice to amend any bylaw of the society or to introduce a new one shall be given in writing by conventional mail or electronic means to the members  of the society no later than seven (7) days prior to the meeting at which it is intended to be considered. 

 

ARTICLE VIII Borrowing

 

  1. No borrowing of funds is sanctioned by the Society.