Bylaws
Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta
Attachment to Executive (& Representatives) Meeting Minutes
MCC (Alberta), Calgary
August 19, 2000
MENNONITE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ALBERTA
BY-LAWS Revised 2000
Name
Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta
Purpose
The Society shall give opportunity to bring together those people interested in history, in particular the history relating to the Mennonites in the Province of Alberta. A function of the Society shall be to search for and collect materials in this jurisdiction. It will further provide for the preservation of such materials and, as far as feasible, for accessibility to them for all who are interested. The Society will encourage and assist Mennonites in Alberta, where possible, to preserve, explore, research, write, and enjoy history. It will disseminate historical material for the interest of its people and the larger public community. The Society will be responsible to send an Alberta representative to appropriate meetings of the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada.
Membership
The Society shall be open to all who have an interest in, and wish to promote its activities. Mennonite congregations in Alberta may be members of the Society through congregational historians or others designated by congregations to be members. Membership fees are those established at the Annual Meeting of the Society and shall be due at the beginning of the fiscal year. Only paid-up members may vote on the business of the Society.
Members may withdraw from the Society by submitting a letter to the Board to the effect or by failing to pay their an final membership fee.
Duties, Rights
All members have the right to participate in the work of the Society through attendance at meetings (and workshops. Members are encouraged to support the programs and activities the Society, Members do not have any proprietary claims on any property or materials in the possession of the Society. Members have the right to review the records of the Society at any time.
Organization
The Society shall have a governing Board consisting of the Executive Committee and a maximum of two appointed members at large, and such other committees as are deemed necessary to conduct its activities. The Executive shall be comprised of a Chair, Vice-Chair, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.
Duties
- Chair: Shall call and preside at the annual meetings and such other meetings as are deemed necessary for the conduct of the business of the Society.
- Vice Chair: Shall preside over the affairs of the Society in the absence of the Chair. The Vice Chair may be assigned other administrative duties pertaining to the affairs of the Society
- Secretary: Shall record the minutes of the meetings and provide for their safekeeping. The Secretary my be assigned other clerical duties in the affairs of the Society.
- Treasurer: Shall keep the financial records of the Society and shall and carry out the responsibility of collecting and recording dues and donations and keep the accounts up to date. The Treasurer and another designated member of the Executive shall have cheque-signing authority.
- Members at Large: Shall contribute to the ongoing well being of the Society through their participation in new and ongoing projects of the Society. The Board may be enlarged if required to account for geographic or other representational purposes by a maximum of two more members.
Removal
Board members may be removed from office for lack of interest or commitment by a majority vote of the Board.
Elections
All officers shall be elected for a three year term on a rotational basis and hold office for no more than two consecutive terms. Members-at-large will be appointed on the same basis. Elections shall take place at the Annual General Meeting of the Society.
Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee shall consist of three members elected by the membership at the Annual Meeting, and hold office for one year. The committee shall prepare a slate of nominees for vacant positions.
Power and Duties of the Board
The Board shall:
- Administer the affairs of the Society with diligence and prudence.
- Be responsible for the audit of the accounts.
- Have custody and use of the seal of the Society.
- Be responsible for the preparation and custody of the minutes and proceedings of meetings of the Society, and of the Board as well as other records of the Society.
- Take judicious care of all materials entrusted to the Society for placement in the Archives.
- For the purpose of carrying out its objectives, the society may borrow or raise funds as it sees fit, provided that the borrowing instructions be given by authority of the Executive.
- Conduct a financial audit and prepare an annual report for the Annual Meeting. Auditors are to be appointed by the Executive.
- Require the Annual General Meeting to authorize cheque-signing authority.
Fiscal Year
The fiscal year shall run from January 1 to December 31.
Voting
Ordinary business may be conducted by a simple majority vote. Extraordinary business related to Constitution or By-Laws requires advance notice to the members and requires a two-thirds majority vote is required to amend these by-laws.
Annual Meeting
The Annual General Meeting shall be called by the Chair not later than six months after the fiscal year end. A quorum (one proxy per member) of 25% of the membership is necessary to hold a duly constituted membership meeting. Annual Meetings to be held in various regions on a rotational basis. If a quorum is not present, the meeting will wait for thirty minutes, and then continue as a fully legal meeting.
Disolution
In the event of dissolution of the Society all assets and properties or proceeds from the sale thereof shall be transferred to one or more recognized charitable organizations having objectives similar to those of the Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta.
These By-Laws were approved as revised on August 19, 2000.
Signed this 19th Day of August, 2000.
Jake Harder, Chairman
Henry Goerzen, Vice Chairman
Judith Rempel, Secretary