CONSTITUTION

1. Name

This Society, founded 18th September 1974, shall be called the Rideau Township Historical Society. It shall be an affiliate of the Ontario Historical Society.

2. Objectives

(a) To arouse and stimulate interest in the story of the people and places of the former Township of Rideau and historical subjects in general.

(b) To collect, classify, edit, and preserve, information relating to this Township.

(c) To disseminate material so collected by publishing, holding meetings for the presentation of papers and discussion, and by marking historic sites.

(d) To aid and cooperate with those bodies pursuing the same goals in the former Rideau Township.

(e) The organization shall be carried on without purpose of gain for its members, and any profits or other gains to the organization shall be used in promoting its objectives.

3 Membership

The Society shall be composed of Active, Life and Honorary Members.

(a) Active Members shall be those who pay an annual fee which is determined from time to time.

(d) Honorary Membership May be conferred by the Society on persons considered worthy.

For the purposes of this document, members in good standing, shall be all members whose fees are paid for the current year.

4. Executive Committee

Officers shall be elected at the inaugural meeting and at each annual meeting as follows:

President;

Vice President(s);

Secretary;

Treasurer;

Publications Editor and Custodian;

Membership Director

Communications Director

Three Directors;
who together with the immediate Past President shall constitute the Executive Committee.

Vacancies on the Committee occurring during the year may be filled by the Executive Committee.

5. Duties

(a) The Executive Committee shall perform the duties customarily attached to such posts.

(e) The Executive Committee shall submit an annual budget to the Society for approval at the annual meeting.

(f) The Executive Committee shall seek approval from the Society, at a regular monthly meeting, for those financial matters not included in the annual budget.

(d) The Executive Committee shall serve notice of its motion by means of the monthly notice of meeting, which shall be sent to all members.

6. Powers

The Executive Committee shall have authority over the affairs of the Society except for those decisions referred for approval, to the Members in good standing, at a meeting called by the President. Should the President neglect or refuse to call a meeting, five members in good standing shall be entitled to call a meeting.

7. Quorum

Five (5) members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a Quorum for an Executive meeting, and fifteen (15) members of the Society for any general or special meeting.

8. Sub-Committees
Sub Committees, such as:

Program;
Membership;
Publications;
Historic sites;
Property;
Library (Archive);
Museum;
By-laws;

may be appointed by the President, upon the advice of the Executive Committee. The Officer responsible for the subject shall chair the sub-committee unless otherwise determined..

An Executive Committee nominating sub-committee, shall be appointed by the President before the end of the calendar year, and shall consist of the immediate Past President and at least two members of the society in good standing.

9. Meetings

(i) The annual meeting shall be the first meeting of the calendar year, for:
(a) the election of officers;
(b) the presentation of an annual budget and;
(c) the consideration of reports (with the exception of the financial report which will be presented at the second meeting of the calendar year.

(ii) Every member shall be given at least seven days notice of all meetings.

(iii) The regular monthly meetings of the Society shall be held at suitable locations throughout the former township as may be determined by the Executive Committee from time to time.

(iv) The regular monthly meetings of the Society shall normally be held on the third Wednesday of each month. from September until June inclusive. Meetings in July and August shall be held at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

(v) Members of the society in good standing, may place motions before the society at the regular monthly meetings provided that notice of motion shall have been given at least two weeks in advance.

10. Financial Examiner

A Financial Examiner shall be appointed by the Executive Committee prior to the Annual Meeting. The Financial Examiner shall examine and report on the Society's financial accounts at the February meeting each year.

11. Amendments

The Constitution may be amended at an Annual or regular monthly meeting by a two-thirds majority vote of the members in good standing, present, provided that notice of motion shall have been given to the members at least two weeks in advance

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By-Laws

1. No office shall be held by the same person for more than three years.

Amended and approved:

AGM 1992/01/15

AGM 2005/01/19.