VNC CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
ARTICLE I Name
This organization shall be known as the Vancouver Newcomers Club.
ARTICLE II Purpose
The purpose of this organization is to welcome women new to the Vancouver area and to help them make friends.
ARTICLE III Qualifications of Members
Section 1: To be eligible for active membership, a woman must have paid dues for the current year and have resided in Vancouver for no more than four years prior to her application for membership. Any extenuating circumstances may be brought before the executive committee. Membership can extend to potential members with life-changing situations (recent divorce, widowhood, retirement, etc). Evaluation and approval will be on a case-by-case basis by the executive committee.
(The area of residence is restricted to Vancouver or a neighbouring community without a Newcomers Club)
Section 2: Membership in the Vancouver Newcomers Club is calculated from July 1 to June 30. Membership shall be for a period of up to four years. Members may move to Vancouver Newcomers Alumnae Club at the end of June after three years from their July 1 anniversary date, if desired. Furthermore, after completing three years of membership in Vancouver Newcomers Club, it is permitted to be members of both clubs, in the final year of membership in Vancouver Newcomers Club, as long as dues are paid to both clubs. Membership duration can be extended in case of force majeure or individual circumstances. The extension duration will be decided by the executive committee.
Section 3: Membership dues shall be $50.00 per year, payable July 1 each year. New members, joining by December 31, will pay full membership dues and new members, joining after December 31, will pay half membership dues. Dues are not refundable. Membership is renewed on July 1. Members who fail to renew their membership by the end of September shall cease to be members.
Section 4: Participants in VNC activities must be members, unless authorized by the executive committee. A newcomer guest may attend two general meetings or two activities before joining.
Section 5: Any member may be expelled from membership for any cause which the executive may deem reasonable.
Section 6: The membership list must not be used for the purpose of soliciting or selling. If a member abuses this bylaw, it will result in automatic dismissal from the Club. The membership list will include a reminder of this ruling. Section 7: Members have the right to withhold any personal information from the membership list they deem fit.
Section 7: Members have the right to withhold any personal information from the membership list they deem fit.
ARTICLE IV Meetings
Section 1: Regular meetings of the Club will be held once a month, on a date set by the executive committee.
Section 2: Meetings of the executive committee shall be on the call of the President.
Section 3: After the election of a new executive, both the outgoing and incoming executive officers shall attend a joint executive meeting, at which time all records and files, in the possession of the outgoing executive members, shall be turned over to the new executive members.
Section 4: Business may be transacted by a majority of the active members present at any regular meeting.
Section 5: Executive meetings require a majority of executive members present to conduct substantive business.
ARTICLE V Executive Officers
The executive officers of the Club are President, Vice-president, Secretary, Membership, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, Activities Coordinator. (This list is a general guideline. Other positions may be added as needed, and some may be eliminated, depending on the circumstances).
Duties of Elected Officers of the Club generally shall include, but not be limited to:
President:
- Organizes and chairs monthly meetings.
- Calls and chairs executive meetings.
- Oversees general workings of the Club.
- Act as liaison with the Vancouver Newcomers Alumnae and the National Newcomers Association of Canada.
Vice-president:
- Assists the President and assumes the President’s duties when necessary.
- Chairs and forms the nominating committee.
Secretary:
- Records executive-meeting minutes and distributes to the executive committee for approval.
- Keeps Minutes records in order.
Membership:
- Signs up new members and remits any fees received to the Treasurer.
- Sends welcome email to guests and club info and welcome to new members.
- Maintains membership spreadsheet and sends updated list to membership each month.
- Sends fee reminders to members for the next year’s dues and updates fee spreadsheet as fees received.
Treasurer:
- Is custodian of Club funds, managing the receipt, disbursement and deposit of funds, and the record keeping of funds.
- In cooperation with President and executive committee, prepares annual budget.
- Maintains a spreadsheet of planned expenses, actual expenses, and income.
- Presents written financial report at monthly meeting.
- Prepares financial statement for audit by Club non-executive member or Club friend before handover to new Treasurer.
Newsletter/Publicity Editor:
- Collects info on a monthly basis for the newsletter.
- Prepares and distributes monthly newsletter.
- Promotes Vancouver Newcomers Club.
Webmaster:
- Maintains domain name and website hosting to ensure good standing.
- Maintains the website.
Activities Coordinator:
- Ensures that members are informed about VNC Activities.
- Informs membership of events around the city.
- Liaises with Activity conveners.
- Liaises with Newsletter editor.
ARTICLE VI Elections
Section 1: Officers shall be elected at the June Annual General Meeting for a 1-year term. They shall assume office from July 1st to June 30th. An Officer may extend service on the executive committee to a maximum of 2 years in the same position.
Section 2: An executive member should have a minimum one year as an executive committee member before being elected as President.
Section 3: The Vice-president, as the Nominating Chair(s) (per Article 5), no later than the April Executive meeting, shall appoint a committee to include the Nominating Committee Chair(s), a member of the current executive committee, and a representative from the membership at large.
Section 4: The Nominating Committee shall present a slate, consisting of one candidate for each open office, at the June Annual General Meeting. Additional candidates may be nominated from the floor with the expressed approval of the nominee. The members then cast a ballot for the open officer positions.
Section 5: Only a paid-up member may cast a ballot.
Section 6: A majority of those members present and voting shall be sufficient to elect officers at the June Annual General Meeting.
Section 7: Voting shall be by secret ballot if there is more than one nominee for any office. However, if the nominees agree, they may share the position and its duties.
Section 8: Vacancies in elected offices shall be filled for the remainder of the term by appointment by the executive committee.
Section 9: The outgoing President automatically becomes Past President and may attend executive meetings in an advisory capacity. The Past President has no voting rights at an executive meeting.
ARTICLE VII Activities
Section 1: Members, who are interested, may form an activity group upon request to the Activities Coordinator.
Section 2: Each activity group shall be in keeping with the objectives of the club and shall establish guidelines that do not conflict with the bylaws of the Club.
Section 3: Each group shall have a convener and shall be self-supporting.
Revised June 7, 2022.