Policies & Bylaws

MEMBERSHIP
1. Membership fee, if any, in the society shall be determined by members at a general
meeting. Membership in SW 55+ Connect is open to persons 55 years or older who
have paid the membership fee, and support, in general, the Objects of the SW 55+
Connect Society.

2. Any member wishing to withdraw from membership may do so 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 six
months from the end of such year and shall not thereafter be entitled to membership
privileges or powers in the society until reinstated. Any member upon a majority vote
of all members of the society in good standing may be expelled from membership for
any cause which the society may deem reasonable.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
3. Board of Directors, Executive Committee or Board, shall mean the Board of
Directors of the society.

4. Subject to the bylaws or directions given it by majority vote at any meeting properly
called and constituted, the Board shall have full control and management of the
affairs of the society, and 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 meeting may be called on the request of any two members provided they
request the President in writing to call such meetings, and state the business to be
brought before the meeting. Meetings of the Board shall be called by 10 days’ notice
by mail to each member or by three days’ notice by telephone or electronic means.
Any three members shall constitute a quorum, and meetings shall be held without
notice if a quorum of the Board is present, provided however, that any business
transactions at such meeting shall be ratified at the next regularly called meeting of
the Board; otherwise they shall be null and void.

5. A person appointed or elected a director becomes a director if they were present at
the 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 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.

6. Any director of officer, upon a majority vote of all members in good standing, may
be removed from office or any cause which the society may deem reasonable.

PRESIDENT
7. The President shall be ex-officio a member of all Committees. He/she shall, when
present, preside at all meetings of the society and of the Board. In his/her absence,
the Vice-President shall preside at any such meetings. In the absence of both, a
chairperson may be elected at the meeting to preside.

SECRETARY
8. It shall be the duty of the secretary to attend all meetings of the society and of the
Board, and to keep accurate minutes of the same. He/she shall have charge of the
Seal (if any) of the society which, whenever used, shall be authenticated by the
signature of the Secretary and the President, or, in the case of the death or inability of
either to act, by the Vice-President. In case of the absence of the Secretary, his/her
duties shall be discharged by such officer as may be appointed by the Board. The
Secretary shall have charge of all the correspondence of the society and be under the
direction of the President and the Board.

9. The Secretary shall also keep a record of all the members of the society and their
addresses, send all notices of the various meetings as required, and collect and
receive the annual dues or assessments levied by the society. Such monies shall be
promptly turned over to the Treasurer for deposit in a Bank, Trust Company, Credit
Union or Treasury Branch as required.

TREASURER
10. The Treasurer shall receive all monies paid to the society and be responsible for the
deposit of same in whatever Bank, Trust Company, Credit Union or Treasury Branch
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 disbursements to the Board whenever requested and shall prepare for
submission to the Annual 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 any
annual meeting for the election of officers shall so decide.

AUDITING
11. The books, accounts and records of the Secretary and Treasurer shall be audited once
each year by a duly qualified accountant or by two members of the society elected
for that purpose at the Annual 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 Meeting of the society. The fiscal year end of the society in each year shall
be December 31st.
 

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

MEETINGS
13. This society shall hold an annual meeting on or before June 30th in each year, of
which notice in writing to the last known address of each member shall be delivered
by mail 10 days prior or by electronic means 3 days prior to the date of the meeting.
At this meeting there shall be elected a President, Vice-President, Secretary,
Treasurer, (or Secretary/Treasurer), and two 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 meeting,
provided it is so stated in the notice calling such meeting. Any member in good
standing 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 by notice in writing to the last known address
of each member, delivered by mail eight days prior or by electronic means three days
prior to the date of such meeting. A special meeting shall be called by the President
or Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by one-third of the members in good
standing, setting forth the reasons for calling such meeting, which shall be delivered
to each member as above prior to the meeting.

15. Three (3) members in good standing shall constitute a quorum at any such meeting.

VOTING
16. Any member in good standing shall have the right to vote at any meeting of the
society. Such votes must be made in person and not by proxy or otherwise.

17. The BOARD will upon request, make available a telephonic, electronic or other
communication facility that permits all participants to communicate adequately with
each other during a meeting.

18. For BOARD business, electronic voting by email will be deemed acceptable for time
sensitive matters. A complete record of the vote, including the details of the matter
being put to a vote, the results of the vote, and how each DIRECTOR voted will be
made part of the minutes of the next BOARD Meeting.

19. At all meetings whether ANNUAL, SPECIAL, or BOARD, every question will be
decided by a majority of the votes cast. Voting will be by show of hands. A tied
vote means the motion is defeated.

LIABILITY AND INDEMNITY
20. Each DIRECTOR will be deemed to have assumed office on the express
understanding, agreement and condition that each DIRECTOR former DIRECTOR
and any person acting as a designated representative and the respective heirs,
executors, administrators and estate of each such person will at all times be
indemnified and saved harmless by the SW 55+ Connect from and against: a) all
costs, charges and expenses whatsoever which such person sustains or incurs in or
about any action, suit or proceeding that is brought, commenced or prosecuted
against that person for or in respect of any act, omission, decision or matter
whatsoever in or about the performance of that person's duties; and b) all other
related costs, charges and expenses in respect to any such act, omission, decision or
matter, including, without limitation, reasonable legal costs on a solicitor and its own
client basis. However, the indemnification granted in this Clause will not apply
insofar as the act, omission, decision, matter or those costs, charges or expenses
pertains or results from the fraud, dishonesty, or bad faith of that person.

21. No DIRECTOR or DIRECTORS will take it upon themselves to commit the time,
resources, or finances, its BOARD or Staff without prior approval of such a
commitment at a duly constituted meeting of the BOARD.

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

BORROWING POWERS
23. For the purpose of carrying out its objects, 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 of
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.

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

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DATE: Nov. 8, 2022

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AS PER:​ Julie Kearns, Sheila Foster, Ted Foster, Debra Sharpe and Sonja Beierle. 

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WITNESS: Shelley Goldstein