GPPWFL Bylaws

MEMBERSHIP 

1. Membership fees, classes, rights, privileges, obligations, and code of conduct, if any, in the society shall be determined, from time to time, by the members at a general meeting.  Any person residing in Alberta, and being of the full age of 18 years, may become a member by completing a membership form and upon payment of the fee.  Any person under the age of 18 years may in the same manner become a member if they are sponsored by a member in good standing that is 18 years or older and upon payment of the fee.

Membership fees, classes, rights, privileges, obligations, and code of conduct, if any, in the society shall be determined, from time to time by the members at a general meeting. The membership for the GPPWFL (Grande Prairie PeeWee Football League) is defined by the following criteria: 

1. 1 (one) member per family for 18 months after initial GPPWFL registration fee has been paid 

OR 

1. Current serving Board Members & Directors for 18 months from election date 

OR 

1. Volunteer Coaches for 18 months from the date the GPPWFL season officially starts 

Membership will also be tiered based on the following criteria: 

1. Executive Members- current serving Board & Directors, as defined by  (II) 

1. General Members- 1 (one) member per family and volunteer coaches, as defined by  (I and III) 

Members will be referred to as members throughout the Bylaws, unless otherwise specified. 

2. Any member wishing to withdraw from membership may do so upon a notice in writing to the Board through its Secretary.  If any member is in arrears for fees or assessments for any year, such member shall be automatically suspended at the expiration of one month from the end of such year and shall thereafter be entitled to no membership privileges or powers in the society until reinstated.  Any member upon a majority vote of all executive members of the society in good standing may be expelled from membership for any cause, which the society may deem reasonable, this expulsion will include all members of the immediate family if deemed necessary.

PRESIDENT 

3. The President shall be ex-officio a member of all Committees.  He/she shall, when present, preside at all general meetings of the society and of the Board.  In his/her absence, the Vice-President shall preside at any such general meetings.  In the absence of both, a chairperson may be elected at the general meeting to preside. It shall be the duty of the president to file a completed annual return every year to corporate registry before September 30th, and/or present a full financial statement to the membership at the Annual General Meeting.

4. The President shall also keep a record of all the members of the society, and their addresses, collect and receive the annual dues or assessments levied by the society.  Such monies shall be promptly turned over to the Treasurer for depositing in a Bank as required.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

5. Board of Directory, Executive Committee or Board, shall mean the Board of Directory of the society.
6. The Board shall, subject to the bylaws or directions given it by majority vote at any general meeting properly called and constituted, have full control and management of the affairs of the society, and general meetings of the Board shall be held as often as may be required, but at least once every three months, and shall be called by the President.  A special general meeting may be called on the instructions of any two members provided they request the President in writing to call such meeting, and state the business to be brought before the special general meeting.  General meetings of the Board shall be called by 10 days notice in writing and distributed to each member or by three days notice by fax, telephone, email, mail or other means of communication acceptable by the Board. Any five members shall constitute a quorum, and general meetings shall not be held without notice if a quorum of the Board is not present, with notice provided however, any business transactions at such general meeting shall be ratified at the next regularly called general meeting of the Board; otherwise they shall be null and void.
7. A person appointed or elected a director becomes a director if they were present at the general meeting when being appointed or elected, and did not refuse the appointment.  They may also become a director if they were not present at the general meeting but consented in writing to act as director before the appointment or election, or within ten days after the appointment or election, or if they acted as a director pursuant to the appointment or election.
8. Any director or officer, upon a majority vote of all executive members in good standing, may be removed from office for any cause, which the society may deem reasonable, this expulsion will include all members of the immediate family if deemed necessary. 

SECRETARY 

9. It shall be the duty of the secretary to attend all general meetings of the society and of the Board, and to keep accurate minutes of the same. In case of the absence of the Secretary, his/her duties shall be discharged by such officer as may be appointed by the Board. 

TREASURER 

10. The Treasurer shall receive all monies paid to the society and be responsible for the deposit of same in whatever Bank the Board may order.  He/she shall properly account for the funds of the society and keep such books as may be directed.  He/she shall present a full detailed account of receipts and disbursement to the Board whenever requested and shall prepare for submission to the Annual General Meeting a statement duly audited of the financial position of the society and submit a copy of same to the Secretary for the records of the society.  The Office of the Secretary and Treasurer may be filled by one person if at any annual general meeting for the election of officers shall so determine.

AUDITING 

11. The books, accounts and record of the Secretary and Treasurer shall be audited at least once each year by a duly qualified accountant or by two members of the society assigned for that purpose at the Annual General Meeting.  A complete and proper statement of the standing of the books for the previous year shall be submitted by such auditor at the Annual General Meeting of the society.  The fiscal year of the society in each year shall be January 1st to December 31st.

12. The books and records of the society may be inspected by any member of the society at the Annual General Meeting or at anytime upon giving reasonable notice and arranging a time satisfactory to the officer or officers having charge of same.  Each executive member of the Board shall at all times have access to such books and records.

MEETINGS 

13. This society shall hold an annual general meeting on or before September 30th in each year, of which notice shall be delivered and distributed to each member by fax, telephone, email, mail or other means of communication acceptable by the Board, thirty (30) days prior to the date of the annual general meeting.  At this meeting there shall be elected a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer (or Secretary-Treasurer), and up to four directors.  The officers and directors so elected shall form a Board, and shall serve until their successors are elected and installed.  Any vacancy occurring during the year shall be filled at the next general meeting, provided it is so stated in the notice calling such general meeting.  Any member in good standing and in an eligible class shall be eligible to any office in the society.
14. General meetings of the society may be called at any time by the Secretary upon the instructions of the President or Board and distributed to each member by fax, telephone, email, mail or other means of communication acceptable by the Board. A special general meeting shall be called by the President or Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by one-third of the executive members in good standing, setting forth the reasons for calling such a general meeting, which shall be distributed to each member by fax, telephone, email, mail or other means of communication acceptable by the Board.
15. 5 executive members in good standing and in an eligible class shall constitute a quorum at a general meeting.

VOTING 

16. Any general member who has not withdrawn from membership nor has been suspended nor expelled and in an eligible class shall have the right to vote at the annual general meeting only of the society.  Such votes must be made in person and not by proxy or otherwise.

Any executive member who has not withdrawn from membership nor has been suspended nor expelled and in an eligible class shall have the right to vote at any general/annual/special meeting of the society. Such votes must be made in person and not by proxy or otherwise. 

REMUNERATION 

17. Unless authorized at any meeting and after notice for same shall have been given, no officer or member of the association shall receive any remuneration for his/her services.

BORROWING POWERS 

18. For the purpose of carrying out its objectives, the society may borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such manner as it thinks fit, and in particular by the issue debentures, but this power shall be exercised only under the authority of the society, and in no case shall debentures be issued without the sanction of a special resolution of the society, such special resolution must be unanimous. 

ARBITRATION 

19. Any disputes that arise in the society will be settled by arbitration. The Arbitration Act, unless procedures have been written down and approved by membership at a general meeting, will regulate the arbitration.

BYLAWS 

20. The Bylaws may be rescinded, altered or added to by a “Special Resolution”

SPECIAL RESOLUTION 

21. Special Resolution means a resolution passed by quorum as are present in person, at a general meeting of which notice specifying the intention to purpose the resolution as a special resolution has been duly given.