Table of Contents
Constitution
(Consolidated as of November 29, 2019)
ARTICLE I: NAME AND AREA SERVED
The Association shall be known and designated as the “Leaside Residents Association”. The Association shall offer its services to all those living within the boundaries of the Association as indicated on Map “A” in the attached Appendix.
ARTICLE II: OBJECTS
Section 1: To promote cooperation among all governing bodies and residents in matters pertaining to legislation, administration and taxation or any other matter which is deemed to be in the interests of the community.
Section 2: To study problems of the residents which have a direct bearing on their well-being as residents or the well-being of the community as a whole and to anticipate such problems.
Section 3: To promote a good community spirit by fostering good neighbourly relations.
Section 4: To promote interest in good government and civic affairs.
Section 5: To sponsor, if possible, pre-election meetings for all Municipal, Provincial and Federal elections and to invite candidates to present their platforms. The Association shall remain neutral in all such election meetings and campaigns and shall not nominate or sponsor in the name of the Association any person as a candidate for election.
Section 6: To take such action as is necessary to give effect to the objectives stated in Sections 1 to 5 above.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Members
Membership in the Association is open to: (a) any Leaside resident; and (b) any other person who meets eligibility criteria established by the Board from time to time.
Section 2: Voting Associates
A Member who is a Leaside resident may become a Voting Associate upon payment of a fee as determined by the Board from time to time.
Section 3: Honorary Members
The Board may grant the status of Honorary Member in recognition of a person’s contribution to the Association and/or the community served by the Association. An Honorary Member need not be a Member of the Association.
ARTICLE IV: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1: There shall be a Board of Directors consisting of not more than twenty-five (25) Voting Associates of the Association, which shall be the governing body of the Association.
Section 2: The Board of Directors shall have the power to fill vacancies on the Board and list of Officers.
Section 3: Any Director may be removed from the Board by a two-thirds vote of the Directors present at any Board of Directors’ meeting, if in their opinion his or her membership is of no further benefit to the Board.
Section 4: The Board of Directors shall be elected at the Annual Meeting.
Section 5: Any Voting Associate may nominate any other Voting Associate for election to the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting. Consent of all candidates must be obtained prior to their nomination.
Section 6: The term of office for the Board of Directors shall be from one Annual Meeting to the next.
Section 7: The decision of the Board in all Association matters shall be final, subject to an appeal to the Voting Associates.
ARTICLE V: RIGHT TO APPEAL
Section 1: Any decision of the Board of Directors may be appealed, providing such appeal is submitted in writing to the Recording Secretary and signed by twenty-five (25) Voting Associates. Any Voting Associate wishing to make an appeal under this section shall be permitted to see the membership list.
Section 2: A Special Meeting shall be called within sixty (60) days from the date the appeal is received. Notice of such meeting and the reason therefore shall be made available to all Voting Associates at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting.
Section 3: A successful appeal shall require a two-thirds vote of Voting Associates present at the meeting.
ARTICLE VI: OFFICERS
Section 1: Officers of the Association shall be:
President or Co-Presidents
First Vice-President
Second Vice-President
Recording Secretary
Treasurer
Correspondence Secretary
Immediate Past President or Co-Presidents
Section 2: These Officers except for the Past President shall be elected by the Board of Directors from their own number.
ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES
Section 1: There shall be a nominating committee and any such other committees as deemed necessary by the Board.
ARTICLE VIII: MEETINGS
Section 1: The Annual Meeting shall be held within the 90 days following the fiscal year end.
Section 2: Special Meetings of the Association shall be held:
at the call of the Board of Directors
on petition of not fewer than twenty-five (25) Voting Associates of the Association
as provided by Article V above.
Section 3: Members, Voting Associates, and Honorary Members may attend the Annual Meeting and any Special Meeting of the Association. Voting Associates may vote at the Annual Meeting and any Special Meeting of the Association. Fifteen (15) Voting Associates of the Association shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting or any Special Meeting of the Association.
Section 4: Board Meetings
Regular Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held monthly on dates specified by the By-laws, with the exception that such regular meetings may be suspended, or the day upon which they are to be held may be changed, with the consent of the Board.
Special Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President or a Co- President or at the request of three (3) Directors of the Board. The Directors shall be notified of any Special Meeting as far in advance of the meeting as practicable. Notice of the meeting shall include nature of the business to be discussed, and a statement that no other business may be brought before the meeting.
A quorum for transaction of business at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of Directors, two of whom shall be Officers.
ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS
Section 1: Proposed amendments to the Constitution may be initiated by the Board of Directors, or by Voting Associates, upon presentation to the Board of a petition recommending the proposed amendments, bearing signatures of not fewer than ten (10) Voting Associates.
Section 2: Proposed amendments to the Constitution shall receive the endorsement of the Board of Directors before being submitted to the Association for action.
Section 3: This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Voting Associates present at any Annual or Special Meeting.
Section 4: Notice of proposed amendments shall be made available to all Voting Associates.
• Download Leaside Residents Association Constitution (PDF)
By-laws
(Consolidated as of January 1, 2019.)
By-law I: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: The Membership Committee, and/or the Corresponding Secretary shall submit to the Board of Directors all applications for membership, completed and accompanied by the membership fees.
Section 2: Membership fees as determined by the Board of Directors shall be considered as annual fees, as long as the requirements for membership as set out in Article III of the Constitution continue to be met. Notwithstanding the foregoing, members who have joined as Lifetime Members may continue as such and shall not be required to pay annual fees.
By-law II: DUTIES OF STANDING COMMITTEES
Section 1: The Nominating Committee shall present at the Annual Meeting a list of candidates as selected by them for election as Directors. It shall list all nominations as received by the Secretary in accordance with Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution indicating by whom they were nominated.
It shall present a list of candidates for election of officers of the Board of Directors at the first meeting of the newly elected Board.
The Nominating Committee shall assist the Board of Directors by suggesting names of persons to fill vacancies in office which may occur during the year.
Section 2: The Membership and Fundraising Committee shall endeavour to bring into the all who are eligible for membership, and with the Corresponding Secretary, keep accurate and updated membership records. It shall stimulate and promote community interest in activities of the Association. It shall coordinate the fundraising activities of the Association.
Section 3: The Traffic and Transportation Committee shall seek resolution of traffic and parking issues affecting Leaside, deal with related problems, look for potential solutions, and keep the Board informed of their activities.
Section 4: The Municipal Affairs Committee shall keep the Board informed on current City Council, its committees and Committee of Adjustment activities, as well as the activities of other levels of government. It shall represent Association policy decisions to government bodies.
Section 5: The Business and Industrial Area Liaison Committee shall communicate with local and industrial area organizations.
Section 6: [Repealed]
Section 7: All Committees shall report at regular meetings of the Board of Directors on their activities and concerns, making such recommendations for action as they deem necessary, and shall have the endorsement of the Board before proceeding on any of those recommendations and/or the expenditure of funds beyond the limit established in By-law VI, Section 4.
By-law III: MEETINGS
The Board of Directors shall meet regularly on the first Wednesday of each month of the year, with the exception that any such regular meeting may be suspended, or the day upon which it is to be held may be changed, with the consent of the Board.
Special Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called
- to appeal a decision of the Board of Directors Constitution Article V Section 2
- at the call of at least 3 of the Board of Directors Constitution Article VIII Section 2
- on petition of not fewer than twenty-five Active Members Constitution Article VIII Section 2
- at the call of the President or a Co-President Constitution Article VIII Section 4b
Notice of any meeting may be given, or any vote by the Board may be conducted, by electronic mail.
A special meeting called under conditions ii) or iv) shall be held within fourteen days from a date such request is presented.
By-law IV: QUORUM
A quorum for transaction of business at any regular or special meeting of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of Directors, two of whom shall be Officers.
By-law V: ITEMS OF BUSINESS
Section 1: Regular Meetings of the Board of Directors shall cover the following items of business, the exact order of which for items b) through e) to be determined by the President or a Co-President with the consent of the Board.
a) Recognize and hear delegations
b) Minutes of previous meeting
c) Business arising out of the minutes
d) Reports of Officers and Committee representatives
e) New Business
f) Adjournment
Section 2: The order of business at Annual Meetings shall be:
a) Welcome
b) Minutes of previous Annual Meeting
c) Treasurer’s Report
d) President’s report of activities
e) Report of Nominating Committee
f) Election of Directors
g) Program
h) Adjournment
By-law VI: FINANCE
Section 1: The Fiscal Year of this Association shall extend from October 1 to September 30.
Section 2: All Association funds shall be deposited in the name of the Association in a chartered financial institution as instructed by the Board of Directors.
Section 3: All cheques shall be signed by any two of the President or Co-Presidents, Treasurer, Immediate Past President and First Vice- President.
Section 4: The Treasurer shall hold an amount not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100.00) for the purpose of making petty cash disbursements prior to approval.
Section 5: Expenditures in excess of one hundred dollars ($100.00) must have prior authorization of the Board.
By-law VII: REFERENCE FOR RULES OF ORDER
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and By-Laws of the Association, and any special rules of order the Association may adopt.
By-law VIII: AMENDMENTS
These By-laws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Directors present and voting at any meeting of the Board, provided that a quorum is present, and notice of the proposed amendments was sent to each Director at least 10 days prior to such meeting.