I. MISSION STATEMENT
The Wollaston Lake Home and Cottage Association (WLHCA or the Association) is an unincorporated, volunteer, non-profit organization. It considers itself custodian, active steward, and advocate of Wollaston Lake and its surrounding environment through open lines of communication with Wollaston Lake property owners, as well as with all levels of government, and with other organization. It strives to promote a sense of community among property owners on Wollaston Lake and the local community.
II. MEMBERSHIP IN THE WLHCA ASSOCIATION
There shall be a single class of Membership (Member), which shall be one representative of each lakefront property on Wollaston Lake, Ontario, lakefront property on Casteroil Lake, and property on the Deer River between Wollaston Lake and Casteroil Lake, whose membership is in good standing. To be in good standing, Members will have paid the annual membership fee prior to the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Members who are property owners but whose property is not on Wollaston Lake may have their membership “grandfathered” until such a time as the property is sold or that their annual dues are not paid.
III. FEES
Annual membership fees will be set by the WLHCA Executive and confirmed by a majority vote of the Members present at the AGM.
IV. FINANCIAL YEAR END
The financial year end of the Association will be December 31st .
V. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The AGM will be held in August of each year, at which time the elections for the WLHCA Executive will be held and a copy of the interim financial statement to July 31st of that year will be presented. Between AGMs, the general management and control of the affairs and funds of the Association shall be vested in the elected WLHCA Executive and subject to the By-laws and decisions taken by the majority vote of the WLHCA Members present at the AGM.
VI. QUORUM
Whichever is the greater of three members of the WLHCA Executive or 50% of the Executive Membership (rounded to the nearest whole number), plus any number of Association Members present at an AGM, constitute a quorum. A minimum of 50 percent of the WLHCA Executive Members must be present at an Executive meeting to have a quorum.
VII. ORDER OF BUSINESS
The following Order of Business shall govern all meetings of the WLHCA unless it is inconsistent with the By-laws
a. Call to Order and recording of those Members in attendance;
b. Consideration, revision, and approval of the agenda;
c. Consideration and a vote to accept the minutes of the previous AGM;
d. President’s and/or Vice-President’s remarks;
e. Treasurer’s Report and the vote for approval;
f. Executive Members’ and Committee or Special Projects reports;
g. Vote on annual membership fees;
h. New Business;
i. Announcements;
j. Presentation of the slate of officers and nominations from the floor;
k. Vote on the nominations; and
l. Adjournment.
Draft minutes of the previous AGM will be posted on the website and a copy will be made available prior to each AGM.
VIII. VOTING
Members in good standing shall be eligible to attend and vote at the AGM. Except as otherwise provided, the votes of the Members shall be by a show of hands, one vote per property, and one vote per property where the same person owns more than one property, unless a Member requests a vote by secret ballot. Should a secret ballot be requested then one vote per property where properties are jointly owned and one vote per membership where the same person owns more than one property will be accepted. Voting by proxy is not permitted. The Director of Memberships shall be responsible for confirming the eligibility of all Members who vote at the AGM.
IX. AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS
In order to make any amendments to the By-laws of WLHCA, the amendment must be proposed by the executive at the AGM and then passed by a majority of members attending the AGM. Notice of the proposed amendment shall be mailed or emailed to each member of WLHCA, and posted on the WLHCA website, and postmarked at least 10 days prior to the date of the AGM.
X. SELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
There shall be a WLHCA Executive consisting of the following positions:
- President
- Past President
- Vice President
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- Lake Steward
- Director of Membership
- Director of Communications
- Members at Large
The WLHCA Executive may amend roles for Executive positions as needed, provided the amended roles are presented at the subsequent AGM and are approved by a majority of Members attending. A committee of three members of the WLHCA Executive shall draw up a slate of officers each year for presentation at the AGM. Prior to the vote, the President shall call for additional nominations from the floor for all positions on the Executive. A member in good standing can nominate himself or herself and does not need a second. Executive Members of the WLHCA shall be elected by majority vote of the voting Members present at the AGM. If a vacancy occurs in any office for any reason, a Member in good standing in the WLHCA may be appointed by the WLHCA Executive to fill the vacancy, and the Member so appointed shall hold office for the remainder of the term of his/her predecessor.
XI. RESPONSIBILITIES OF WLHCA EXECUTIVE MEMBERS
The WLHCA Executive shall:
a. Establish a committee of three WLHCA Executive members to nominate from Members in good standing, a slate of officers for presentation at the AGM to be elected as the Executive for the upcoming year;
b. Whenever possible, attend a WLHCA Executive meeting in the spring, in the summer prior the AGM, the AGM, and at any other time as needed;
c. Report at each WLHCA Executive meeting and AGM on any activity related to their mandate;
d. Amend roles for Executive positions as needed, provided the amended roles are presented at the subsequent AGM and are approved by a majority of the Members attending;
e. Join or associate with any groups or organizations that a majority of the WLHCA Executive believes benefit, serve, or compliment the Mission Statement of the Association or its Members;
f. Act in accordance with their duties as stated in the WLHCA By-laws, with honesty and in good faith, in the best interests of the WLHCA, exercising the care, diligence, and skill of a reasonably prudent person;
g. Be indemnified against loss due to legal suits as a result of their actions on behalf of the WLHCA, such indemnification being limited to that amount covered by the WLHCA Directors and Officers Insurance; and
h. Establish committees and/or special projects as necessary, such committees and or special projects to be dissolved once their mandate has been achieved.
President
The President shall:
a. Chair and make arrangements for all business meetings of the WLHCA;
b. May appoint another member of the WLHCA Executive to chair a business meeting in his/her absence;
c. Be an Ex-Officio member of all committees.
Past-President
The Past-President shall:
a. Advise and assist the President.
Vice-President
The Vice-President shall:
a. Stand in for the President when the President is unable to attend any meeting that he/she would normally attend;
b. Assume other responsibilities as determined by the WLHCA Executive.
Secretary
The Secretary shall:
a. Record the proceedings of each Executive meeting, the AGM, and the names of the Members and guests who attend each meeting;
b. Be the final recipient and keeper of all correspondence;
c. Keep a copy of all by-laws; and d. Keep a copy of the contact information for WLHCA Executive Members.
Treasurer
The Treasurer shall:
a. In conjunction with the Director of Membership, ensure that all monies of the WLHCA are deposited in a chartered bank or credit union to the account of the WLHCA;
b. Ensure that the WLHCA account has a minimum of three authorized signing officers who are members of the WLHCA Executive, at least one of whom shall be the Treasurer;
c. Keep the books in which receipts and disbursements shall be regularly entered so as to exhibit the balance at any given time;
d. Draw from such monies to pay those expenses authorized by the WLHCA Executive;
e. Ensure all monies withdrawn from the WLHCA account shall be by cheque signed by at least two of the three signing officers;
f. Propose an annual budget in the spring of each year to the WLHCA Executive;
g. Liaise with the Directors of Communications and Advertising to ensure that advertisers’ invoices have been paid;
h. Invest any surplus funds as instructed by the WLHCA Executive;
i. Prepare an interim financial report as of July 31st to be presented at the AGM;
j. Prepare financial statements as at the Financial Year End to be presented to the WLHCA Executive and to provide a copy to any Member in good standing who requests such a copy, free of charge.
Lake Steward
The Lake Steward shall:
a. Manage environmental monitoring programs relating to Wollaston Lake; such as water quality, emerging environmental issues, and strategies for protecting the aquatic ecosystem;
b. Liaise with governments, associations, and other organizations regarding lake water quality issues, monitoring programs, and pollution prevention initiatives.
Director of Communications
The Director of Communications shall:
a. Manage, format, and create the content of the WLHCA website and Facebook accounts;
b. Create, format, edit, publish, and distribute a newsletter by mail and email in the spring and fall of each year;
c. In the spring newsletter, give notice to the Members of the date of the AGM and details of any amendments to change the By-laws of the WLHCA;
d. Prepare and mail the invoices to the businesses who have advertised in the newsletter;
e. Manage the WLHCA general email box and forward all emails within the “inbox” to the Secretary and other appropriate WLHCA Executive Member(s);
f. Manage, coordinate, and execute the updates to the WLHCA Welcome Kit;
g. Liaise with the Director of Advertising and the Treasurer to ensure that advertisers’ invoices have been paid.
Director of Membership
The Director of Membership shall:
a. Maintain a copy of the membership register;
b. Record membership and advertiser payments;
c. In conjunction with the Treasurer, ensure that all monies of the WLHCA are deposited in a chartered bank or credit union to the account of the WLHCA;
d. Co-ordinate the Road Captains’ activities;
e. Liaise with Wollaston Township staff regarding property sales and transfers of property ownership;
f. Coordinate distribution of the WLHCA Welcome Kits to new property owners;
g. Register attendees at the AGM.
Members at Large
The Members at Large shall:
a. Assist the executive with projects and initiatives
b. Liaise with the general membership
c. Bring forward ideas, interests and opportunities for improvement from the general membership
XII. CONFLICT OF INTEREST
If an Executive Member becomes aware of a situation where he or she has a conflict of interest with respect to a matter before the WLHCA Executive, he or she shall provide notice of such conflict of interest either by disclosing the nature and extent of the conflict of interest in writing to the Executive Members or by requesting that the nature and extent of the conflict of interest be entered in the minutes of the meeting.
XIII. PRIVACY POLICY
Any personal contact information which any Member voluntarily provides to the WLHCA Executive will not be given to any other person or organization without the consent of that Member, but will be used to send notices, information, newsletters, or correspondence to the Member. The Privacy Policy is available on the website at www.wollastonlakehome.com.
XIV. EFFECTIVE DATE
These By-laws shall be effective on the 18th day of August, 2019. CERTIFIED to be the By-laws of the WLHCA as enacted by the WLHCA Executive and confirmed by the Members of the WLHCA on the 18th day of August, 2019.
DATED at Coe Hill, Ontario, as of the 18th day of August, 2019.
