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Constitution
by Marg. Quick, Secretary

ONTARIO HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION

SOUTHWESTERN DISTRICT 11

CONSTITUTION

Article 1 – SPECIFIC

a. Name

The name of the organization shall be Southwestern District Eleven hereafter referred to as District.

b. Affiliation

The District is a member of the Ontario Horticultural Association.

Article 2 – PURPOSE

a. Promotion

To promote and encourage involvement in and enhancement of all aspects of Canadian life relating to horticulture, as well as conservation, protection and improvement of the environment.

b. Establishment

To establish and support district horticultural societies for adults and youth.

Article 3 – MEMBERSHIP

a. Eligibility

Any horticultural society within Essex, Chatham-Kent or Lambton Counties that complies with Bill 66, the Agricultural and Horticultural Organizations Act, 1988, is entitled to be a member society of the district upon payment of the annual District membership fee, and must also belong to the Ontario Horticultural Association with all fees paid up to date.

b. Fees

Raise membership dues to District 11 as proposed by the District 11 Executive.

c. New Societies

First year rates shall be based on a new society’s charter membership.

d. Rights

The rights of individual societies shall be determined by this constitution, and/or operational policies and practices. The District consists of counties Essex, Chatham-Kent, Lambton.

e. Dissolution of Societies

Should a society no longer wish to belong to the Ontario Horticultural Association or District 11 all the current and passed records of the society must be forwarded to the District 11 Director for safekeeping.

Article 4 – Administration

a. General

The District shall be administered by an executive board with recommendations from an advisory board.

b. Executive Board

Shall consist of the elected officers and immediate past director.

c. Elected Officers

Shall be a director and one or more assistant directors, a secretary and a treasurer (or a secretary/treasurer) to be elected annually at a District Annual Meeting.

d. Advisory Board

Shall consist of the elected District officers and one delegate from each District horticultural society.

e. Standing Committees

Shall be established by the executive board or by the general membership at an Annual Meeting. Members of standing committees shall be appointed by the executive board.

f. Nominating Committee

Shall present a slate of candidates for the elected offices at the Annual Meeting. The chairperson of the nominating committee shall be the past director with representatives from each county of the district.

g. Voting

a. Voting for officers willb e by secret ballot.

b. If there is only one nomination for each office a vote by acclamation may be called by the chairperson of the nominating committee.

h. Auditors

A minimum of 2 auditors shall be elected annually at the District Annual meeting.

i. Quorum

1. A quorum for the District meeting shall require the presence of the delegates of half of the societies plus one.

2. A quorum for the executive board shall be three members.

j. Terms of Office

1. Director, shall be a maximum of 5 years and shall commence at the conclusion of the Ontario Horticultural Convention.

2. Officers, shall be a maximum of 5 years top commence at the

Adjournment of a District Annual Meeting.

k. Vacancies

Shall be filled by the Executive Board.

l. Representation

The director and assistant directors shall be from different societies and

From different counties.

m. Authority

The legal authority for the District shall be vested in the Executive Board.

n. Board Resignation

If the current society board chooses to not continue as a board; the Ontario Horticultural Association, District 11 Director and Board of Southwestern District 11 would step in to try to elect a new board for the society. The membership listed for the society would be notified in writing that an election meeting would be held to elect a new board. The media would also broadcast the proposed election. The vote to end the society and turn in its charter would have to have a 2/3rds majority vote of the membership present at the meeting in favour of canceling the society. If this were to happen: the monies held in the society accounts would be dispersed, and remaining grant money from the municipality would have to be returned. Any money left in their G.I.C. account or surplus cash in the general account after all current expenses were paid would be dispersed among other non-profit group(s) in the area.

o. Responsibility

It is the responsibility of each society that has member(s) attending District meetings to ensure that any and all information from the meeting

be turned over to the executive.

ARTICLE 5 – MEETINGS

a. Annual

An annual District meeting shall be held on a date determined at the Previous annual District meeting.

b. Executive

Shall be scheduled at the discretion of the District Director

c. Advisory

Shall be scheduled at the discretion of the Executive Board.

d. Notice of Annual Meeting

Each member society shall receive thereof one month prior to the set date. Such notice shall include an agenda, the minutes of the previous Annual Meeting, report of the nominating committee, and other pertinent information.

e. General

All societies in District 11 shall have a minimum of four general Membership meetings a year not just Board and Executive meetings.

ARTICLE 6 – VOTING

a. Entitlement

Each delegate is entitled to one vote on each issue.

b. Delegate

Each society shall be entitled to a maximum of 2 voting delegates. No Proxy votes at District meetings.

c. Membership

Shall be based on the latest annual affidavit filed with the Ontario Ministry Of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

d. Eligibility

A society must pay all past and current District dues to be eligible to vote.

ARTICLE 7 – FINANCES