SEYMOUR COMMUNITY ACTION GROUP INC.

September 2018

1. Title
The organisation shall be titled: Seymour Community Action Group Inc.
2. Membership
(a) Membership of the association is available to all property owners or their authorised representative in the Seymour Community and to invited residents from other areas; who endorse the objectives of the Seymour Community Action Group Inc. and are willing to become active and contributing members.
(b) Membership must be via a completed application form, and in the case of an authorised representative must also have a letter of authority from the property owner.
(c) Membership invitations will be formally extended following the AGM each year.
(d) The membership fee applicable is $ 25 per member per year.
(e) Membership will expire due to non-payment of the membership fee before each AGM and can be cancelled due to non-compliance with the objectives of SCAGI after each AGM.
(f) The membership fee can be subsidised by SCAGI at the discretion of the committee.
(g) Membership is limited to two (2) members per household.
3. Objectives
(a) To preserve and maintain the unique environment and lifestyle of the Seymour and Long Point area.
(b) To reverse land, water and vegetation degradation through strategic on ground actions.
(c) To increase awareness about ecologically sustainable land and water use and encourage environmental and ecological conservation and management.
(d) To demonstrate holistic approaches to natural resource management.
(e) To increase awareness about land (including vegetation) and water degradation and its control and prevention.
(f) To be involved with planning issues where the objectives of the association are likely to be compromised.
(g) Promote provision and maintenance of community facilities as determined by the members of the association.
(h) The doing of any lawful thing incidental or conducive to the attainment of the objects or purposes of the association.
4. Officers of the Association
(a) The officers of the association are as follows:
(i) one president – (chair of meetings)
(ii) one secretary/public officer – (meeting minutes)
(iii) one treasurer – (financial records)
(b) Election of officers:
(i) The officers shall be elected at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the association and hold office for the ensuing year.
(ii) If a casual vacancy in the office occurs, the committee may appoint one of its members to fill the vacancy until the next AGM or call for nominations from the members.
5. Management
The management of the association shall be vested in a committee known as the “committee”.
(a) The committee consists of:
(i) The officers of the association; AND
(ii) Two (2) other members elected at the annual general meeting.
(b) If a casual vacancy occurs in the office of ordinary committee member, the committee may appoint a member of the association to fill the vacancy until the next AGM.
(c) The committee shall keep membership records; maintain accurate financial records and record activities for the association.
6. Committee Meetings
(a) Meetings of the committee shall be as required.
(b) The president shall preside as chairman of the association or in his/her absence as decided by the committee members present at the meeting.
7. Meetings
Meetings of the members, working bees and educational meetings shall be held as required.
8. Annual Meeting
The annual general meeting of members shall be held within three months of the end of the association’s financial year. Invitations will be sent via email and/or telephone.
9. Quorum
(a) At committee meetings a minimum of four members shall form a quorum provided that at least one officer of the association is present.
(b) At general meetings a minimum of four (4) members shall form a quorum for the meeting.
10. Voting

(a) A consensus approach to decision making will be encouraged.

(b) When voting formally, each member has one vote only. Voting is permitted electronically via phone or skype conference calls.

(c) The chairman may exercise a deliberate and casting vote where a deadlock in voting arises.

(d) Votes may only be given personally and not by proxy.
11. Financial Records
(a) A true and accurate record shall be kept by the treasurer for all receipts and payments of the association.
(b) The records shall be open to inspection by the members at any reasonable time and in any reasonable manner, determined by the committee.
12. Accounts
(a) The committee shall open and hold accounts in financial institutions in to which all monies received shall be paid as soon as possible.
(b) No cheques or cash shall be drawn on the accounts except for payment of expenditure authorised by the committee.
(c) Cheques shall be signed by at least two of the following officers:
i. President ii. Secretary iii. Treasurer
(d) No member shall commit the association to future expenditure unless such commitment is approved by the committee and authorised by at least two of the cheque signatories in clause 12(c).
13. Financial Year
The financial year of the association shall be from the first of July to the thirtieth of
June the following year.
14. Amendments
The constitution may be amended only at annual general meetings and only upon 30 days’ notice being given to all members.
15. Non Profit Association
The assets and income of the association shall be applied solely in furtherance of its above mentioned objectives and no portion shall be distributed directly or indirectly to the members of the association except as bona fide compensation for services rendered or expenses incurred on behalf of the association.
16. Disputes
In the event that this constitution does not provide guidance for dealing with a particular event, procedural matter or membership issue, then the “Associations Incorporations Act 2007 Model Rules” can be referred to by the committee for guidance. Should there be an inconsistency between this constitution and the “Model Rules” then the wording and spirit of this constitution will prevail.
17. Dissolution
(a) In the event of a dissolution of the association any assets shall be transferred to a like association having similar objectives and which is a non-profit organisation exempt from income tax under Section 23 of the Income Tax Assessment Act.
(b) A motion to dissolve the association may only be taken at a special general meeting to which all members must have been notified and only upon 75% of the members present approving of dissolution.
(c) In the event of the association being wound up:
i) every member of the association, AND
ii) every person who, within the period of twelve months immediately preceding the commencement of the winding up, was a member of the association, is liable to contribute to the assets of the association for payments of the debts or liabilities of the association and for the costs, charges and expenses of the winding up and for the adjustment of the rights of the contributors among themselves such sum, not exceeding one dollar ($1.00), as may be required, but a former member is not liable to contribute in respect of any debt or liability of the association contracted after her/she ceased to be a member.

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APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP OF - Seymour Community Action Group Inc.

I, …………………………………………….. of …………………………………………
(full name of applicant & address)
………………………………………………………..…………………………………………
Email:…………………………………………,……….……Tel. ……………………………
Occupation……………………………………………….
hereby apply to become a member of Seymour Community Action Group Inc.
In the event of my admission as a member, I agree to be bound by the rules of the above association and to support its objectives as stated in the Constitution for the time being in force.

………………………………………………..
(signature of applicant)
Date ………………………………………….

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