WorldTree

By-Laws of GreenTreeScouts

Part 1 – Interpretation

1. In these by-laws, unless the context otherwise requires,

1. “Directors” means the current, serving, Council.
2. “Society Act” means the Society Act of the Province of British Columbia from time to time in force and all amendments to it.
3. “Registered address” of a member, means their address as recorded in the register of members.

2. The definitions in the Society Act on the date these by-laws become effective apply to these by-laws.

3. Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa; and words importing a male person include a female person and a corporation.

4. Titles and positions used for the purpose of these by-laws shall be the Scouting version to stop, and avoid, confusion.

Part 2 – Membership

5. A person may apply to the Council for membership in this Scouting Association, and upon acceptance by that Council shall be a member.

6. The amount of the annual membership dues shall be determined by the Council and are payable by all members.

7. A person shall cease to be a member of the Association:

1. By delivering his resignation in writing to the Association or by mailing or delivering it to the address of the Association:
2. On his death:
3. On being expelled:
4. On having been a member not in good standing for one or more consecutive months.

8. A member may be expelled by a special resolution of the members at a general meeting.

1. The notice of special resolution shall be accompanied by a brief statement of the reason or reasons for the proposed expulsion.
2. The person who is the subject of the proposed resolution shall be given an opportunity to be heard at the general meeting before the resolution is put to a vote.

9. All members are in good standing except a member who has failed to pay his current annual membership dues or any other subscription or debt due and owing by him to the Association and he is not in good standing so long as the debt remains unpaid.

Part 3 – Meetings of Members

10. General meeting of the Association shall be held year at the time and place, in accordance with the Society Act.

11. Every general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, is an extraordinary general meeting.

12. The Provincial Council may, when they think fit, convene an extraordinary general meeting.

13. Notice of a general meeting shall specify the place, day and hour of the meeting and, in case of special business, the general nature of that business.

1. The accidental omission to give notice of a general meeting to, or the non-receipt of a notice by, any of the members entitled to receive notice does not invalidate proceedings at that meeting.

14. Annual general meetings shall be held not more than 15 months after the last preceding annual general meeting.

1. All meetings of the Association, annual general meeting, extraordinary general meeting, and provincial council meetings shall be held out of doors in the true spirit of Scouting when possible.
2. The council shall meet, at no less than three-month intervals, to take care of any association business.
3. Guests from outside the Association may be invited to attend the AGM or general meetings by the Chief Commissioner.

Part 4 – Proceedings at all Association Meetings

15. Proceedings of this Association shall follow Roberts Rules of Order on all occasions.

1. Members in good standing are entitles to one vote.
2. Voting is by show of hands.
3. Voting by proxy is not permitted.

Part 5 – Directors and Officers

16. The Chief Commissioner, Secretary, regional Commissioners and any appointed HQ Commissioners shall be the Directors of the Society, and shall make up the Provincial Council.

17. Directors are elected for a Five (5) year term and shall retire from office 30 days after their successors have been elected.

18. Separate elections shall be held for each office to be filled.

19. An election may be by acclamation; otherwise, it shall be by ballot, either electronic or paper.

20. If no successor is elected the person previously elected continues to hold office.

21. The Chief Commissioner may appoint a person to fill a vacated position between AGM’s, and that person so appointed holds office only until the conclusion of the next following AGM.

22. Members may by special resolution remove a director before the expiration of his term of office, and may elect a successor to complete the term of office.

23. No director shall be remunerated for being a director, but a director shall be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily and reasonably incurred by him while engaged in the affairs of the Association.

Part 6 – Proceedings of Directors

24. The Chief Commissioner shall be chair of all meetings of the Association. If the Chief Commissioner is not, or cannot be present, the attending members shall elect a chairperson for the meeting.

1. The Chief Commissioner may not cast a vote at any meeting, except in the case of a tie vote.

25. A director may at any time, and the secretary, on the request of a director, shall, convene a meeting of the directors.

26. The directors may delegate any, but not all, of their powers to committees consisting of association members as they think fit.

1. A committee so formed in the exercise of the powers so delegated shall conform to any rules imposed by the directors, and shall report every act or thing done in exercise of those powers to the earliest meeting of the directors to be held next after it has been done.
2. The committee shall elect its’ own chairperson.

Part 7 – Duties of Officers

27. The Chief Commissioner shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the directors.

28. The Chief Commissioner is the chief executive officer of the association and shall supervise the other officers in the execution of their duties.

29. The Secretary shall:

1. Conduct the correspondence of the Association.
2. Issue notices of meetings of the association and directors.
3. Keep minutes of all meetings of the association and directors.
4. Have custody of all records and documents of the association except those required to be kept by the treasurer.
5. Have custody of the common seal of the association,
6. Maintain the register of members.

30. The treasurer shall:

1. Keep the financial records, including books of account, necessary to comply with the Society Act.
2. Render financial statements to the directors, members and others when required.

31. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may not be combined.

32. In the absence of the secretary from a meeting, the directors shall appoint another person to act as secretary at the meeting.

Part 8 – Seal

33. The association may purchase a common seal if they think it necessary.

Part 9 – Borrowing

34. This association may not borrow monies or issue debentures

Part 10 – Auditor

35. No director and no member shall be auditor; the auditor shall be appointed by the directors.

36. The auditor may attend the AGM.

Part 11 – Notices to Members

37. A notice may be given to a member, either in person or by mail to him at his registered address.

38. Notice of the AGM, and general meetings of the association, will be given 30 days in advance of the date to all registered members of the association.

39. Members required to attend Council meetings shall be notified 30 days in advance in writing.

Part 12 – Uniform, Badges, and Group Names

40. No badges from any other Scout Association may be worn on GreenTreeScouts uniform under any circumstances, except for Scouting decorations.

41. No badges other than those listed in the PO&R may be worn on GreenTreeScouts uniforms.

42. Badges, Uniform and group names are subject to approval of the council and may latter be revoked or changed

43. No uniform other than those items and colours listed in the PO&R may be worn by members of GreenTreeScouts.

44. No uniform parts from other Scouting Associations may be worn with that of GreenTreeScouts. Those persons switching to GreenTreeScouts from other Traditions such as BP Scouts, Scouts Canada, CISA, AQAB or AEBP may remove all previous Scout badges from their shirts and continue to wear it, with GreenTreeScouts badges, until it wears out, or is outgrown.

45. Every Section of a Group shall wear the same neckerchief. There shall be no variations within a Group.

46. All badges must be ordered through the Badge Secretary.

47. Group names shall be as described in Camp Fire Yarn No. 4 in Scouting for Boys: “Each Troop is named after the place to which it belongs.” That is, a number, and name of the city, town, village, hamlet or neighbourhood where it meets. GreenTreeScouts will also allow the First Nations local name use of Celtic, Wiccan and other culturally appropriate names. Furthermore, Group names shall include “GreenTree” in their title to avoid confusion with other Scouting Associations operating. For example: 1st Nelson GreenTree Scouting Group.

Part 13 – By-Laws

48. On being admitted to membership, each member may request a copy of the Constitution and By-Laws.

49. These By-Laws shall not be altered or added to except by special resolution.

50. The following Clauses 6, 14, 15A-B-C, 16, 17, 31, 34, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, and 50 are unalterable.