TLA Policies and Procedures
Approved by the Board on May 21, 2000
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1. Teleconference Calls:
The only persons who may participate or listen are Board members and those persons invited to do so by the Board.
2. Regular Meetings:
(a) The only persons who may vote are Board Members;
(b) The only persons who may speak are Board Members and those invited to do so by the Board;
(c) Members of the Association who are not Board Members may attend the open portion of the meeting.
3. In Camera:
(a) The Board may decide that a portion of a meeting shall be in camera or closed; only Board Members and those invited by the Board may attend.
(b) The minutes of in camera or closed portions will not be made public except for any decisions made which the Board decides to make public.
(c)The decision of the Board to make a portion of a meeting in camera or closed will normally be based on whether it is, in the Board’s opinion, in the best interests of the Association that the matters to be discussed remain confidential.
1. Cheques:
The President, the First Vice-President, the
Treasurer and the Executive Secretary shall be the
Association’s cheque signing officers. Cheques less than
$500.00 in value may be signed by only one of these
officers. Cheques greater than $500.00 may be signed by the
Executive Secretary with the approval of the Treasurer or
the President.
2. Purchase Orders:
(a) Any purchase order or invoice for an amount approved by the Board in the Association’s budget may be approved by the Executive Secretary
up to $500. Over $500 it must also be approved by the
Treasurer or the President.
(b) All other purchase orders or invoices must be approved by the Board.
1. To be appointed by the Board.
2. Should be from three to five Members, including at least one Board Member.
3. Should be representative, i.e., new and old Members, but all Voting Members.
4. Is responsible for encouraging Members to run for the Board, preparing (or approving) nomination forms and making them available to Members.
5. In by-law section 14, this committee is given the responsibility of elections as well, but in this memorandum the responsibilities and functions are set out separately. Return to TOC
1. The nominee must be a Voting Member of the Association or join the Association within ten (10) days of election.
2. The nominator must be a Voting Member of the Association.
3. The nomination must be in writing and must be accompanied by the written consent of the nominee to serve.
4. Each nominee is encouraged to submit a brief statement and biography (fewer than 500 words).
5. Each nominee must include a written disclosure statement provided by the Association that he or she does not have any interest in conflict with those of the Association or involvement with organizations in conflict with the Association.
1. From three to five Voting Members appointed by the Board, including at least one Board Member.
2. Is responsible for preparing and approving the proxies and other material to be sent out to the Members in advance of the annual meeting.
3. Is responsible for overseeing the receipt of proxies and ensuring that the correct procedures with respect to the use of the outer envelopes are carried out.
4. Oversees the counting and recording of votes.
5. With Board approval, arranges for independent, outside ballot counting when appropriate.
6. Oversees any recounts.
1. The proxies will be prepared by the Association which will insert each Voting Member’s name on the appropriate proxy.
2. The proxies will be sent out with two envelopes
included; one marked “PROXY” and the other a return envelope on which there will be the name and address of the Voting Member to whom the proxy has been sent. A list of the Voting Members will be posted at the Temagami Lakes Association building.
3. Each Voting Member will complete the proxy by choosing no more persons for whom the votes are to be cast than the number of vacancies on the board.
4. The completed proxy will be sealed in the “PROXY” envelope and it will then be sealed in the return envelope.
5. When the return envelopes have been received by the Association, they will be opened, the name of the Voting Member who sent the envelope will be checked off on the membership list, and the proxy envelopes will be placed UNOPENED in the locked ballot box. The key is to be held by the Chair of the Election Committee.
6. Twenty-four (24) hours before the Annual General Meeting, all the proxy envelopes will be removed from the locked ballot box and counted. The proxy of any Member who attends the Annual General Meeting and asks to have it removed will be removed from the list and the name of the Member will be removed from the list of those who have sent in proxies. The Member whose proxy has been removed may receive a ballot (essentially the proxy form with the proxy material removed) and vote. Any Member who attends the Annual General Meeting and has not sent in a proxy may also receive a ballot in the same manner. There should be at least two Committee Members and the ballots must be counted twice. If one Committee Member counts the first time and the other records, they will exchange roles the second time.
7. The Committee Members will bind the proxies together with tape and both will sign or initial the tape and place the proxies again in the locked ballot box.
8. The Committee Chair will advise the Chair of the Annual General Meeting of the result of the count.
9. The proxies will be kept for 30 days after the count and will then be destroyed.
10. If, within the 30-day period mentioned in 9. above, there is any objection to the election results and a recount demanded, the person(s) demanding the recount will make a deposit of $250.00 with the Executive Secretary and the Committee will carry out the recount as soon as possible.
11. If the recount does not change the result of the vote (even though the number of votes for one or more candidates may change), the $250.00 deposit(s) will remain the property of the Association. If there is a change in the result, the deposit(s) will be returned.
12.The following are marks that are to be accepted and counted as valid proxies unless the proxy is rejected under Section 14:
(a) mark of an “X”, check mark, or other mark indicating the Member’s intention inscribed in the box opposite the name of the candidate or candidates for whom the Member wishes the vote to be cast;
(b) mark of an “X”, check mark or other mark indicating the Member’s intention inscribed out of or partly out of the location on the proxy described in (a) above, as long as the mark is placed in such a manner as to indicate clearly the intent of the Member that a vote be cast for a particular candidate; and
(c) a mark referred to in (a) or (b) inscribed with a pencil, pen, or other marker, and in any colour.
13. A mark on a proxy other than a mark referred to in Section 12 must not be accepted and counted as a valid proxy.
14. A proxy must be rejected in total as invalid in accordance with the following:
(a) if it appears that it was not provided by the Association;
(b) if there are no marks on it as referred to in Section 12;
(c) if there are more marks as referred to in Section 12 than there are candidates to be elected; or
(d) if the proxy contains “write in” name(s) of candidate(s).
1. The Corporations Act of Ontario requires that directors be elected by the Members at a meeting of the Members. This means that a mail-in ballot is not acceptable.
2. Technically, a proxy empowers the named person to cast the votes as indicated and thus the requirements of the Act are met if the proxy votes are counted at the meeting.
1. The nominating process is under the direction and supervision of the Nominating Committee.
2. Once the return envelopes are received, they are under the supervision of the Election Committee.
3. The entire election process is under the supervision and direction of the Election Committee which has the power to take any steps(s) it may consider appropriate to ensure that the integrity of the voting, counting, recording and (if appropriate) recounting is protected and maintained.