Constitution | Bylaws

Community Arts Council Constitution

1. The name of the Society is Bulkley Valley Community Arts Council
   
   
2. The purpose of this Society shall be to increase awareness of and access to the arts for the residents of the Bulkley Valley. The purpose shall be met by carrying out the following activities:
   
   
   1. Provide financial aid via awards (bursaries and scholarships) and grants programs to qualifying groups and/or individuals.
      
   2. Provide interest free loans to qualifying arts groups.
      
   3. Fund special community arts projects.
      
   4. Organize a fundraising event to raise money for the Council’s programs.
      
   5. Share our knowledge with the community arts groups.
      
   6. Facilitate cooperation between community arts groups and individuals.
      
   7. Act as a clearing-house for arts related information.
      
   8. To do all such other things as ancillary or incidental to the attainment of the above.


3. In the event that the Bulkley Valley Community Arts Council should at any time be wound up or dissolved, the remaining assets after payment of all debts and liabilities shall be distributed to:
   
   
• A registered charity or registered charities in British Columbia, as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada), as may be determined by the members of the Society at the time of winding up or dissolution.
  
  OR
  
  
• Such charitable organization or organizations in British Columbia having a similar charitable purpose. This provision is unalterable.

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Bylaws

BYLAW 1: MEMBERSHIP

1. The members of the Bulkley Valley Community Arts Council shall be those persons and associations who are subscribers of the Constitution and Bylaws and those persons and associations who from time to time are admitted to membership in accordance with these Bylaws, together with amendments or regulations made in accordance therewith, and who pay the annual fee set forth herein.
   
   
2. The members of the Society shall be divided into the following classes:
   
   
   1. Individual
      
   2. Associations.
      

1. The officers of the Society shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
   
2. There shall be a Board of Directors which shall be made up of the officers, and at least three members at large elected at a General Meeting.
   
3. The Directors of the Bulkley Valley Community Arts Council may not receive wages, honorariums or remuneration of any kind. Reimbursement for previously approved expenses is permitted.

1. The Officers and Directors of the Society shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting each year, and shall hold office for one year. [Amended 1988/03/18 [not amended from “1st day of May” with Society Act – changed internally only-based on filed new fiscal year end date]
   
2. Consent of a nominee for election as a Director or Officer of the Society must be obtained before his nomination.

1. Vacancies in offices and directorships may be filled by the Board of Directors as they occur and as the Board of Directors shall deem fit.
   
2. The Society may by special resolution remove any Officer or Director before the expiration of his period of office and may by ordinary resolution appoint another member of the Society in his place. The special resolution shall be a resolution passed by a majority of not less than three fourths of the members present at a General Meeting of the Society of which not less than fourteen days written notice has been given, stating the resolution to be presented.

1. The duties of the Officers and Directors of the Society shall be such as are ordinarily performed and discharged by the respective Officers and Directors.
   
2. The Board of Directors shall be responsible for carrying on the business and activities of the Society.

1. An individual or association shall cease to be a member of the Society
   
   1. by delivering his resignation in writing to the secretary of the Society or by mailing or delivering it to the address of the Society, or
      
   2. on his death or in the case of an association on dissolution, or
      
   3. on being expelled, or
      
   4. on having been a member not in good standing for twelve consecutive months.
   
   
2. A member may be expelled by a special resolution of the members passed at a General Meeting. The notice of special resolution for expulsion shall be accompanied by a brief statement of the reason or reasons for the proposed expulsion. The individual or association who is the subject of the proposed resolution for expulsion shall be given an opportunity to be heard at the General Meeting before the resolution is put to a vote.
   
   
3. All members are in good standing except a member who has failed to pay his current annual membership fee or any other subscription or debt due and owing by him to the Society and he is not in good standing so long as the debt remains unpaid.

BYLAW IX: MEETINGS

1. The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held within three months of the fiscal year end.
   
2. Special General Meetings may be called by the Board of Directors at any time.
   
3. At least fourteen days written notice of all annual and [ADD. Special] General Meetings of the Society shall be given the members, specifying the time and place of such meeting, but those members may waive or reduce the period of notice for a particular meeting by unanimous consent in writing.
   
4. At all General Meetings of the Society each Individual member in good standing who is personally present, shall be entitled to one vote, and a delegated representative, if personally present, of each Association member in good standing, shall be entitled to one vote. Voting by proxy is not permitted.
   
5. No business shall be transacted at any Annual or Special General Meeting unless a quorum of not less than three (3) members be present.
   
6. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held from time to time at the call of the President.
   
7. At least two days notice shall be given of all meetings of the Board of Directors.
   
8. No business shall be transacted at any meeting of the Board of Directors unless a quorum consisting of one third of the members entitled to vote shall be present. [A hand-written note on the 1970 constitution states: "this has been changed by a new bylaw. Only 3 directors need be present. "]
   
9. If four members of the Society shall, in writing, request the calling of a Special General Meeting, specifying therein the object for which such a meeting is called, the Board of Directors must call said meeting forthwith.

1. Revenue and Expenditure
   (a) All funds raised by donation, raffles, lotteries, admission charges, and the sale of goods and services, or otherwise, by the Society or by any of its sections and committees, acting as such, shall be considered general funds of the Society and subject to the accounting procedures approved by the Board of Directors.
   (b) All funds expended by the Society or by any of its sections or committees, acting as such, shall be considered general expenditures of the Society, and be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors and to accounting procedures approved by the Board.
   
2. Borrowing of Money: The Board of Directors may, upon a three fourths majority vote, raise or borrow any sum of [sic] sums of money for the purposes of the Society either at one time, or from time to time, and at such rate of interest, and in such manner and form, and upon such security as shall be specified in such resolution; and for this purpose may mortgage, pledge, hypothecate and charge all or any part of the property of the Society now held or thereafter acquired., provided however that in no case shall debentures be issued by the Society without the sanction of an [sic] special resolution of the Society.

BYLAW XII: INSPECTION

All books, accounts and records of the Society shall be open for inspection by the Officers and Directors at all reasonable times and for inspection by members of the Society in good standing upon application to the Board of Directors at such times and places as the Board shall deem fit.

BYLAW XIII: AMENDMENTS

This constitution may be added to, altered, or amended by special resolution approved by three directors present at General Meeting of the Society; provided that notice of such addition, alteration or amendment shall have been mailed to the members, in writing, at least fourteen days prior to such a meeting.

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