Constitution and By-Laws Amended 1989, Article 6 amended in 1991, Article
7 (3) Amended in 1994.
Bill 66
1987 Ontario
An act respecting Agricultural and Horticultural Organizations shall apply
to all activities of this Society.
Article 1: Name
The name of the organization shall be the PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY HORTICULTURAL
SOCIETY, henceforth referred to as "the society".
Article 2: Authority
The society is organized under the authority of the act respecting Agricultural
and Horticultural Organizations, Bill 66 1987 of the Province of Ontario. All articles of this constitution shall read
to conform with the said act, whether stated herein or otherwise.
Article 3: Purposes
The purposes of the society shall be in accordance with Section 36, subsections
(a) through (i) of the Agricultural Societies and Horticultural Societies Act of 1987 which reads as follows:
- holding meetings respecting the theory and practice of horticulture
-
- encouraging the planting of trees, shrubs and flowers on public and private
grounds
-
- promoting balcony and community gardening and outdoor beautification
-
- arranging field trips, contests, competitions and exhibitions relatd to horticulture
and awarding prizes
-
- distributing seeds, plants, bulbs, flowers, trees and shrubs
-
- promoting the protection of the environment
-
- promoting the circulation of horticultural information through any media
-
- promoting the benefirts of therapeuticl horticulture
-
- stimulating an interest in the study of horticulture
Article 4: Board of Directors
The officers and directors shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting
(AGM). They shall be referred to as the Board of Directors, henceforth referred to as the "board", and shall be composed
of a president, first vice-president, second vice-president (each of whom shall hold office until the next AGM and shall be
eligible for immediate re-election, plus ten (10) directors.
Ten (10) directors shall be elected: five (5) each year for a two (2) year
term for a maximum of two (2) terms.
The secretary and treasurer shall be appointd by the board from within the
board, or otherwise, and shall serve at the pleasure of the board.
Where there is a past-president of the society he/she is an ex-officio member
of the board.
When a vacancy occurs on the board by reason of death, resignation, or otherwise,
the remaining members of the board may appoint any member of the society to fill the vacancy for the term.
One third (1/3) of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum at
executive meetings.
Any elected or appointed member failing to attend three (3) consecutive meetings
of the board shall be deemed reason for the board to ask for their resignation.
At each AGM the retiring directors of the board shall present a report of
the activities of the organization during the previous year and an audited financial statement for the previous year.
No compensation shall be paid to a director, officer, or member of an agricultural
society or horticultural society, other than the treasurer, secretary-treasurer, or secretary--but reasonable expenses incurred
by a director, officer, or member in the performance of his or her duties may be paid.
Article 5: Responsibilities of Officers
The president shall preside at all meetings of the society, decide all questions
of order and advance the interests of the society and be an ex-officio member of all committees. He/she shall also have
such other powers and duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her from the board.
The 1st vice-president and the 2nd vice-president, in the order named, shall
be vested with all powers and perform all duties of the president in his/her absence and shall also have such other powers
and duties as may from time to time be assigned to him/her from the board.
The secretary shall attend all meetings of the society, record all proceedings,
conduct all correspondence, and perform other duties as the board may require. The secretary shall be responsible for
the safe keeping of the constitution and by-laws and amendments herto and shall keep a record of all current members of the
society.
The treasurer shall have the care and custody of all funds and securities
of the society. He/she shall pay out and dispose of same under the direction of the board and shall keep records of
account and present these to the board or society as directed. The treasurer shall be bonded to ensure the faithful
performance of his/her duties and proper administration of all funds. The signing officers shall be recorded in the
minutes of the society.
At every AGM there shall be elected two auditors or a chartered accountant
to hold office until the next AGM.
Where there is an immediate past-president of the society he/she shall be
an ex-officio member of the board.
Article 6: Nominations
(Note: This is an amendment of 1991)
The Nominating Committee shall be chaired by the 1st vice-president and shall
be composed of the 1st vice-president, two direcotrs who have one more year to serve and two members who are not members of
the board.
Article 7: Memberships
Any person may join the society by paying the annyal fee set out in the by-law
of the society but no person under the age of eighteen is eligible to vote at meetings of the society.
Except as otherwise provided in the by-laws of the horticultural society,
a partnership or corporation or an association directed towards horticultural interest may become a member of the society
upon payment of the annual fee and shall designate one person to exercise the privilege of the membership in the society.
(This is an amendment passed in 1994)
The annual membership fee shall be set at the discretion of the Board at
the beginning of each membership year.
Article 8: Committees
All committees established by the board shall normally be chaired by a vice-president
or a director.
Article 9: Meetings
The AGM of the society shall be held in November of each year, at such time
and place as the board determines. At least one week's notice shall be given of the AGM by publication in a newspaper
of general circulation.
Regular meetins shall be held monthly at a time and place determined by the
board, excluding the months of July, August and December.
Thirty (30) members of the society shall constitute a quorum.
The president or his/her appointee may call directors meetings, usually once
a month.
Article 10: Fiscal Year
The society's fiscal year shall be a twelve (12) month period from November
1st to October 31st of the following year.
Article 11: Amendment of the Constitution
The constitution may be amended only by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote
of those present at an AGM or regular meeting. Such proposed amendements must be made available to members at least
seven (7) days before the meeting.
Article 12: The OMAF AGDEX Factsheet #057
"Roles and Responsibilities of Organization Directors, 1987 edition" appended
to this constitution is to be the accepted guidelines for present and future directors and officers of this society.
Subject to these rules, the board has the power to act on behalf of the society
in all matters.
THIS AMENDED CONSTITUTION ACCEPTED BY THE MEMBERSHIP AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING OF NOVEMBER 30TH, 1989, OCTOBER 26TH, 1991 AND OCTOBER 27TH, 1994.
