Intermountain Sport Fishing Enhancement

 Constitution and By-Laws

June 1996 

Article 1 – Name and Objectives of the Society

 Section 1.

§         The  name of the organization shall be Intermountain Sport Fishing                     Enhancement Inc., hereafter called the Society.

Section 2.        The objectives of the Society shall be:

1.      To operate within the designated boundaries as determined from time to time by the Society.

2.      To improve the productivity and carrying capacity of various types of game fish in the streams, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water and other courses in the designated boundary of the Society.

3.      To educate the general public on the methods, needs and advisability of preserving and improving habitat for game fish species by encouraging the public in the use of conservation management practices.

4.      To enhance and diversify angling opportunity within the designated boundaries.

5.      To encourage, fund and undertake scientific research whose goals reflect the objectives of the Society.

6.      To conduct fundraising ventures to ensure the objectives of the organization are met.

7.      To encourage proper management of the eco-system and support initiatives to that end to guarantee the sustainability of the natural resources.

8.      To work with the Government and other groups to ensure proper management of the fisheries resource.

9.      To assist regulatory agencies to achieve their mandate areas of responsibility.

10.  To be guardians of the resource to ensure the sustainability of the various fish stocks for future generations.

11.  Encourage and fund initiatives that will restore the habitat to its past productive state.

12.  To advocate on behalf of the resource to ensure its sustainability.

 

Article II – Membership

 Section 1 -             There shall be two classes of membership in the Society, namely;

                               Active, Honorary.

Active Membership  shall consist of persons who accept the                                                                           objectives of the Society and upon payment of annual fees, shall have all the privileges of   membership.

Honorary Membership may be conferred upon any person and /or organization in recognition of the contribution made toward the furtherance of the objectives of the Society. Nomination for honorary membership can be initiated by any Active Member. A two –thirds majority vote at any properly constituted meeting of the board is required to confirm membership. The length of membership will also be decided at that time.

 

Article III – Board of Directors  

Section 1 -             The affairs of the Society shall be managed by an elected board of twelve members. 

Section 2-              The members of the board shall frame the rules and regulations and amendments to the by-laws as may be required to best achieve the objectives of the Society. All changes shall be submitted to the annual meeting of the Society for adoption.

Section 3 -             The members of the board shall submit at the annual meeting a full report, in writing, of the achievements and finances of the Society.

Section 4 -             In the event of a vacancy occurring on the board, the executive will, at its discretion, fill the vacancy by appointment to the board from the membership.

Section 5 -             A Board Member who absents himself/herself from regular meetings of the Board for three consecutive regular meetings without just cause and written approval of the board may be removed from the Board at the option of the Board, and be replaced with a new member.

 

Article IV – Election of the Board

 Section 1 -             The Board shall annually appoint a Nomination Committee. The duties of the committee shall be to prepare and receive nominations, take general charge of the elections, prepare, distribute, count and destroy ballots.

Section 2 -             A list of nominations containing the names of the members who have given their consent to having their names included in the list of nominations shall be presented at the annual meeting.

Section 3 -             Any two or more members may submit an additional nomination provided, however, that the consent of the nominee be filed with the nomination.

Section 4 -             The names of all those nominations shall thereupon be placed before the assembly by the Secretary. Ballots shall be provided by the Secretary to each member in good standing at the Annual Meeting. The members shall indicate upon the ballot their choices. The ballots shall be collected by the nomination committee who shall count the votes and declare elected those members receiving the greatest number of votes to fill the vacancies. Should there be a tie for a position, the selection of a member to fill such a position shall be done by a second ballot with only those two names of nominees who are tied. A member may vote for less than the required number of board of directors. If a member votes for more than the required number, the member’s ballot shall be void.

Section 5 -             Elections shall be held annually for all members of the Board. The process will commence with the election of a president, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and eight directors. Unsuccessful candidates in one category may allow their name to stand for positions still to be determined.

 

Article V – Officers of the Board

 Section 1 -             The officers of the board will be the Executive and shall be: the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. The officers of the board are considered members of the board.

Section 2 -             No officer shall hold the same office more than two years consecutively.

Section 3 -             The President – Shall be at all meetings of the board and Society. The Chairperson shall perform all the duties incidental to the office and advise such action as may be deemed appropriate.

Section 4 -             Vice President – Shall act in order named in the absence of the Chairperson. In the absence or disability of the three officers named, a member of the board shall be chosen temporarily to so act.

Section 5 -             Secretary – Shall be an officer of the executive and shall be responsible to the Board for the general conduct and management of business and affairs as the board may direct. It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary to conduct official correspondence, preserve the books, documents and communications.

Section 6 -             Treasurer – Shall be an Officer of the executive and the Chairperson of the Finance Committee and shall be responsible to the board for the general conduct and management of business and affairs and perform financial duties as the Board may direct. It shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to keep the books of the account. The Treasurer shall have charge of all the funds of the Board and shall deposit, or cause to be deposited, the same in a chartered bank or Credit Union, selected by the Executive. Out of such funds, shall be pay accounts approved by the Executive and shall keep a regular account of income and expenditures of the Board and submit statement there of for the presentation to the annual meeting and at any other time required by the Executive. Monthly statements shall be prepared and presented to the Board at the next regular meeting immediately following.

Section 7 -             The signing officers shall be the Treasurer and any other member of the executive as designated by the board. 

 

Article VI – Committees

 Section 1 -             The Board and Society from time to time may appoint standing and special committees. All standing and special committees must consist of at least one board member. The president of the Executive Board shall be an ex- officio member of all committees. The Society shall have the following standing committees:

1.      Fundraising

2.      Projects

3.      Public Relations

4.      Nominations

5.      Education

Section 2 -             Committee meetings may be called at any time by the chairperson   appointed by the committee or by the board member of the committee.

Section 3 -             All standing or special committees shall report and make recommendations to the board. The board shall make the final decision regarding any committee initiative.

Section 4 -             No committee member shall have the authority to speak for the Society or the Executive as a whole, without authority from the Executive board.

 

Article VII – Meetings

 Section 1 –             The Society shall meet a minimum of once per year and at the call of the chair. The one meeting shall be a annual meeting of the Society and shall be held in the month of June of each year.

Section 2 -             The agenda for the annual meeting shall include an annual business report, elections for board positions and any other business deemed necessary.

Section 3 -             The board shall hold a minimum of six meetings per year and at the call of the chair. The board meetings shall be open to all Society members. Society members may observe and participate in the meetings but shall not have voting privileges.

Section 4 -             The affairs of the Board and Society shall be conducted according to generally accepted Parliamentary procedures. All meetings shall follow a format approved by the board.

 

Article VIII – Quorum

 Section 1 -             Society Meetings: A majority vote shall consist of 50 percent plus 1 vote of those members in attendance at the Society meetings.

Section 2 -             Board Meetings: At all Special meetings and Regular meetings of the board a quorum shall consist of one-half of the Board members plus one.

 

Article IX – Fees

                               Each member shall confirm their good standing in the Society by paying an annual membership fee as set, from time to time, by the Board.

 

Article X – Remuneration of Expenses

                               Board members shall serve without Remuneration but shall be entitled to compensation for expenses incurred upon proof of such expense approved by the board.

 

Article XI – Financial Report

                               The Board shall appoint an accountant as required. The accountant shall examine the transactions and accounts of the Society and report the finding to the Society.

 

Article XII – Changes to the By-Laws

                               Once adopted, the by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of those present at the annual meeting of the Society in accordance with the provisions of the Incorporations Act of Manitoba.

 

Article XIII – Fiscal Year

                               The fiscal year end of the Society shall be the 31^st of December of each year.

 

Article XIV – Dissolution

 

Intermountain Sport Fishing Enhancement Inc. may, at its discretion, dissolve if the membership believe it to no longer serve the objectives of the Society.

Any funds and assets that may remain after payment of debts and liabilities shall be distributed to organizations in the area that have similar objectives.