Constitution
SECTION 1
NAME
- The Association shall be known as "Prince Edward Island Snowmobile Association" (PEISA) (Hereinafter called the Association).
- The Association will be a non-profit and non-sectarian organization.
SECTION 2
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
It shall be the aim of the Association to:
- Promote safe snowmobiling to members and to the public.
- Maintain a designated Trans Provincial Trail and local trails.
- Support local clubs in their grooming efforts.
- Support local clubs in their efforts to develop and provide family snowmobiling activities.
- Provide a trail map as required.
- Promote better public relations between snowmobilers, land owners and residents of Prince Edward Island.
The objectives of the Association are to:
- Foster a spirit of cooperation with Prince Edward Island law forces.
- Assist in the protection of our environment.
- Protect snowmobiler’s interests in legislation.
- Raise and receive funds to carry out the aims and objectives of the Association.
SECTION 3
RESPONSIBILITIES
- The Association shall be responsible for the promotion of snowmobiling in the province of Prince Edward Island. It shall advise and attend any function it feels aligns itself with the aims and objectives of the Association. The Executive shall meet with any person who feels it would be to the mutual benefit of both parties to discuss ideas or problems as they arise.
- The Executive shall have the authority to establish any committee they deem necessary for the conduct of the business of the Association.
- The Association shall be responsible to support local clubs.
SECTION 4
MEMBERSHIP
- Membership in the Association is open to any person who has purchased a valid trail trail permit.
- Membership may have their membership terminated in the Association by a two-thirds majority of voting members present at the Annual General Meeting if the actions of a member have been determined to be unlawful or have been detrimental to the integrity of the Association. The member shall be notified by registered mail prior to the meeting at which the vote is to be taken. No refund of the trail permit fee will be given to a member whose membership has been terminated.
- Members may withdrawl from the Association by giving notice in writing (by mail, facsimile, or by email) to the Association. No refund of the trail permit fee will be given to a member upon cessation of membership.
SECTION 5
MEMBERSHIP DUES
- The trail permit fee of the Association shall be set annually by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.
- Trail permits are valid from December 1 each year and trail permits expire on March 31 of the following year.
SECTION 6
MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
- The Association shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) at a time as directed by the Board of Directors. The AGM will be held during the snowmobile season, for the purpose of receiving annual reports from the officers and the holding of an election of directors as required by these by-laws.
- A Special Members Meeting (SMM) may be called at the request of the majority of the directors or by the majority of the membership.
- Twenty-five (25) members of the Association shall constitute a quorum for the AGM.
- The directors of the Association shall hold regular meetings for the proper conduct of the affairs of the Association.
SECTION 7
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
A director is a member who has been appointed by a local club or elected by members to sit on the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors is a group of directors who, on behalf of the members, manage the affairs of the Association.
- There shall be a maximum of 15 directors. Two (2) directors shall be appointed from each grooming club (2 clubs) and eleven (11) directors shall be elected at large.
- A quorum shall be fifty percent (50%) + 1 being eight (8) directors.
- All directors must be a member of the Association.
- Any director, appointed or elected, who does not meet the above condition will be given 30 days to purchase a season trail permit. Failure to provide the Board with proof of the purchase of the season trail permit will result in the immediate termination of their position as director.
SECTION 8
APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS
- Each grooming club may appoint 2 persons to the Board.
- Members appointed to the Board shall serve a minimum 1 year term and serve at the pleasure of the club which appointed them. Appointments at pleasure maybe revoked at any time by the club which made the appointment.
- Clubs shall notify the Association in writing of the names of their members for appointment to the Board and shall notify the Association in writing of the names of their members whose appointment to the Board has been revoked.
SECTION 9
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
- The election for directors to be elected shall take place at the Annual General Meeting.
- The election of directors at large shall be carried out by nomination from the floor and or by a nomination committee. A majority vote by a secret ballot of voting cards shall constitute election.
- There shall be 9 directors at large. The Association will endeavor to provide representation from each county when possible. If representation from all counties is not possible due to a lack of candidates, the Association reserves the right to fill all vacant positions with those candidates interested in seeking election to the position of director.
- All elected directors term shall be for three (3) years.
- Director nominees must be in attendance at the time of the election or have signed their intention in writing.
- Directors shall take office at the end of the meeting in which they are appointed or elected.
SECTION 10
DUTIES OF THE DIRECTORS
- Directors nominated by a local club shall represent their club to the Association in all matters pertaining to the clubs area of representation and participate in the orderly operation of the Association as deemed necessary.
- Directors shall not take action on behalf of the Association unless duly authorized by the Executive.
- Any director who is deemed by a motion approved by two thirds (66% = 10 directors) of the Board not to be participating satisfactorily in carrying out the duties of a director as assigned by the Association shall be asked to step down. This includes missing 3 consecutive director meetings without just cause.
- The Board of Directors may appoint a member to a vacant director position for the period until the next election.
- Directors authority to expend Associations’ funds shall be limited to $250.00. Such expenditures shall be reported at the next meeting of the Board.
SECTION 11
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Executive Officer means a member, who having been elected or appointed a director, is elected by his or her fellow directors to an executive position.
- The executive officers of the Association shall be as follows:
- President
- Vice President
- Treasurer
- The executive officers of the Association shall be elected by the directors at the first meeting of a newly elected board.
- The executive officers term shall be 1 year. Executive officers elected during a term shall serve until the next AGM.
- Executive officers maybe re-elected following their re-appointment or re-election as a director.
SECTION 12
DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE
The Executive means, those directors, who as a group, have been elected by their fellow directors to an executive officer position.
- The executive shall be responsible for conducting the day to day business of the Association arising between regular meetings. The authority of the Executive to expend Association funds shall be limited to five hundred ($500.00) dollars, except where the item is one already approved and contained in the budget or as approved by a majority of the directors.
SECTION 13
DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
Duties of the President
- The President shall preside at all the meetings of the Association including meetings of the Executive Committee and shall be a member ex officio of all committees.
- The President shall have the authority to call meetings of the executive committee or the directors if, within his or her judgment, it becomes necessary.
- The President shall be responsible that all business pertaining to the Association is conducted properly.
Duties of the Vice-President
- The Vice-President, in the absence of the President, shall preside at all meetings of the Association including meetings of the Executive Committee and shall be a member ex-officio of all committees.
- The Vice-President, in the absence of the President, shall have the authority to call meetings of the executive committee or the directors if, within his or her judgment, it becomes necessary.
- The Vice-President shall, in the absence of the President, be responsible that all business pertaining to the Association is conducted properly.
Duties of the Administrator
- The Administrator shall keep a record of all proceedings of the meetings of the Association and give at least four (4) days notice of all Executive or Directors meetings.
- The Administrator shall keep a complete record of the names and addresses of all Association members.
- The Administrator shall, upon receipt of any correspondence, record the details and then forwards such material to President, within fourteen (14) days of any meeting forward to all Directors a copy of the minutes of said meeting.
- The Administrator shall, upon receipt of any correspondence, record the details and then forwards such material to the President, within three (3) days, for directions. The President shall, upon receipt, give such direction and return to the Administrator for necessary action and filing, within six (6) days.
- The Administrator shall not take action on behalf of the Association unless duly authorized by the Executive.
Duties of the Treasurer
- The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of all receipts and disbursements.
- The Treasurer shall be custodian of all funds belonging to the Association in a chartered bank to the credit of Association.
- The Treasurer shall have authority to pay accounts due pertaining to the day to day operations of the Association.
- The Treasurer shall be required to present a financial statement at regular meetings, at the Annual General Meeting, and upon request of the Executive.
- The Treasurer shall ensure funds belonging to the Association shall not be drawn from the bank except by cheque, duly signed by the Administrator and one Executive or any two members of the designated Executive, they being the Treasurer, President, and Vice-President.
SECTION 14
FINANCES
- The Administrator and three (3) members of the executive, President, Vice-President and Treasurer shall be designated as signing officers; two of whom will sign cheques, with the treasurer signing all cheques. No disbursements shall be made without authorization of a Director's meeting unless such disbursements are within budgetary limits or in accordance with financial guidelines established at a membership meeting.
- The Treasurer shall submit a financial statement at all regular meetings of the Association.
- The fiscal year of the Association shall be May 1 to April 30.
- All financial records of the Association shall be maintained in respectable manner and shall be retained for the legal period prescribed by the Income Tax Act.
- The Association shall not enter into any financial contractual understanding without prior approval of the Directors of the Association.
SECTION 15
AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION, BYLAWS AND DISSOLUTION
- Any amendments to this constitution and bylaws may be adopted by the majority of the membership of the Association at the Annual General Meeting or the Semi-Annual Meeting meeting provided that written notice of this amendment is given to the members prior to the vote.
- In the case of dissolution of the Association, the remaining assets after payment of all debts and liabilities shall be distributed to another recognized non-profit, charitable organization in the Province of Prince Edward Island or elsewhere in Canada.