Funeral Information Society of Ottawa
Constitution
NAME
1. The name of this organization shall be "Funeral Information
Society of Ottawa". It shall be a non-profit organization. The word
"Society", wherever used in the Constitution or Regulations, shall be
deemed to refer to this organization. (The name was changed from
"Ottawa Memorial Society" at the 2002 Annual meeting)
PURPOSE
2. The purposes for which this Society is formed are as
follows:
- To promote, through education and other means, dignity and
simplicity in funeral arrangements;
- To encourage members and others to make plans during their
lifetime for the procedure to be followed at the time of their
death in the disposal of their remains, including the type of
funeral or memorial service desired, thereby relieving their
next-of-kin or other survivors of the necessity for making
decisions at a time of great emotional stress;
- To enlist the co-operation of funeral providers and transfer
service firms in offering simple and dignified funeral
arrangements to its members;
- To provide a consultative service as to types and costs of
funerals and methods of disposing of the remains for medical
purposes; and
- To encourage fitting memorials that serve the living while
honouring the dead; e.g., scholarships, bursaries and
charities.
MEMBERSHIP AND ENROLMENT
- 3. 1. Membership shall be granted in this Society to any
person who:
- (a) approves of and subscribes to the purposes and
procedures of this Society, and
- (b) is of the age of eighteen (18) years or over or for
whom, being a minor or incompetent, application shall have been
made by his or her legal guardian, and
- (c) shall have his or her application approved by the Board
of Trustees, and
- (d) shall have paid the membership fees.
- 3. 2. The membership fees shall be recommended from time to
time by the Board of Trustees and shall be effective upon approval
by the Annual Meeting.
- 3. 3. Those who were members as minors through family
membership may apply for membership upon reaching the age of
eighteen (18).
- 3. 4. There shall be no refund of the membership fee.
- 3. 5. A fee is required for sets of forms additional to those
originally supplied and the fee for same shall be set from time to
time by the Board of Trustees.
VOTING
4. 1. Each recorded adult member shall have the right of voting
at all Annual and Special Meetings, but there shall be no proxy or
absentee voting.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
5. 1. The Board of Trustees (Hereinafter referred to as the
Board) shall consist of:
President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Society and
six Trustees.
5. 2. The duties of the officers shall be as follows:
- (a) The President shall chair all Annual and Special meetings
of the Society and of all meetings of the Board.
- (b) The Vice-President shall take the place of and assume the
duties of the President in his absence.
- (c) The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the
Society and be responsible for all correspondence and membership
records.
- (d) The Treasurer shall be responsible for the funds of the
Society and shall make disbursements as authorized by the
Board.
Payments shall be made by cheque, the authorized signing officers
being the Treasurer, the President and the Vice-President.
For amounts above Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00), cheques must be
signed by any two of the authorized signing officers.
The Treasurer shall submit an independently reviewed financial
statement at the Annual Meeting.
5. 3. The Board shall have power to make such regulations, in
accordance with the constitution, as it considers desirable for the
general conduct of the affairs of the Society and to repeal or amend
existing regulations, but every such regulation, appeal or amendment,
unless in the meantime confirmed at a special meeting of the Society
duly called for that purpose, shall have force only until the next
Annual Meeting of the Society and, in default of confirmation
thereat, shall, at and from that time, cease to have effect.
5. 4. If, in order to carry out its purposes, the Society
requires additional funds, the Board may, provided it receives
approval at an Annual or Special meeting, make a levy of not more
than Five Dollars per member per year.
5. 5. The Board shall have the power to appoint a manager
(Executive Secretary) or committees when required.
5. 6. All members of the Board shall be elected for two year
terms, unless a vacancy occurs which must be filled.
The President, Treasurer and three Trustees shall be elected in
even(odd) numbered years and the Vice-President, Secretary and other
three Trustees in odd(even) numbered years. No officer or Trustee
shall serve in the same capacity for more than three consecutive
terms.
5. 7. In the case of a vacancy by resignation or death among its
members, the Board may appoint a member of the Society to fill the
vacant position until the next Annual Meeting, at which time any
expired term shall be filled by vote of the Annual Meeting.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
6. 1. At not less than two calendar months prior to the Annual
Meeting, the Board shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three
members one from the Board and two from the membership at large - who
shall nominate members to fill the forthcoming vacancies on the Board
in time for its report to be included in the notice of the Annual
Meeting.
6. 2. At the Annual Meeting, additional nominations for any of
the vacancies may be made from the floor, with the consent of the
nominee, in person or in writing and, where two or more persons are
nominated for the same position, voting shall be by ballot.
ACCOUNTS REVIEW, ADMINISTRATION AND FISCAL YEAR
7. 1. At each Annual Meeting a person to review the accounts
shall be appointed for the following year.
7. 2. The administrative and fiscal year shall be from January 1st to
the succeeding December 31st.
MEETINGS
8. 1. The Annual Meeting shall be held during the month of May
each year, at which time the election of Officers and members of the
Board shall be held as specified.
8. 2. Special meetings may be called on the authority of the
President or of the Board or on receipt by an Officer of the Society
of a written request signed by at least 10 members.
8. 3. All members shall be notified of Annual or Special meetings
not less than ten nor more than twenty-five calendar days before the
date set for the meeting. Such notice shall be given by mail or in
the largest circulation Ottawa English language newspaper. The notice
shall state clearly the purpose of such meeting and the business
expected to be transacted thereat. This shall not prevent new
business being initiated from the floor, other than monetary levies
or as otherwise provided in this constitution.
8. 4. The Board shall meet at least once every four months at the
call of the President, or on written request by at least three
members of the Board.
QUORUM
9. 1. At Annual or Special Meetings, 15 members present shall be
a quorum, and ordinary business shall be transacted by a simple
majority of the members present. Any amendment to this Constitution
must be passed by a two-thirds majority of the members present, but
no amendment to this Constitution shall be made unless full notice of
same has appeared in the notice of the meeting.
9. 2. At meetings of the Board, four members, including at least
two Officers of the Society shall form a, quorum.
INVESTMENT OF FUNDS
10. 1. Any accumulated reserve above the amount deemed necessary
for the current annual requirements of the Society shall be invested
at the discretion of the Board in such bonds or other securities as
are legal for trust funds in Ontario.
DISSOLUTION OF SOCIETY
11. 1. If at any time the need for continuing the Society shall
be deemed to have permanently disappeared, the Society may be
dissolved by a two-thirds majority vote in favour of dissolution at
an Annual Meeting, due notice of motion having been given in the
notice of meeting. Any funds remaining shall be transferred to a
charitable or educational association as decided by vote at such
meeting.
Revised May, 1990