CONSTITUTION
As amended AGM 26th June 06
1. NAME
The name of the Association is theStewart 34 Owners’ Association
2. OBJECTS
The objects of the Association shall be to
(a) promote, encourage and foster by all lawful means the development and growth of the Stewart34 class yacht.
(b) organise and conduct racing in this class both locally and internationally.
(c) ensure that the agreed design be adhered to in full and regards to specifications,weights, lines and sail plans.
(d) arrange and conduct suitable social functions as may be decided upon by the duly elected working Committee.
3. POWERS
The Association shall have the power to do all such acts, deeds, matters and things as shall be incidental to or conductive to its objects or any of them including (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing words) the power to
(a) make, amend or rescind rules or regulations not inconsistent with these rules
pertaining to carrying out of all or any of the objects of the Association
(b) affiliate with any organisation whose objects are in the opinion of the Association similar to or in sympathy with the objects of the Association or whose functions may include the organisation or control of yachting whether on a provincial, local or international basis.
(c) to make such donations or other payments as it may think fit.
4. CONSTITUTION
The Association shall consist of Ordinary Members, Honorary Members, Honorary Vice President, Life Members and Associate Members.
5. MEMBERSHIP
A. Ordinary Members
All Stewart 34 Owners shall be eligible for membership as ordinary members. Only registered boat owners are entitled to vote at meetings and where more than one owner only one vote is allowed.
(a) Any application for Ordinary Membership shall
be placed before the Executive Committee at its next meeting after receipt of application and the Executive Committee shall accept or reject such application. The
Secretary shall notify the applicant of the result of the application.
(b) A registered boat owner can be a member of the Association when, to the satisfaction of the Committee, his boat is more than half completed.
B. Honorary Members and Vice Presidents
(a) The Executive Committee may elect as an Honorary Member or Honorary Vice President of the Association any person of distinction in public life or in relation to the
sport of yachting or in relation to the Stewart 34 in particular.
(b) Any Honorary member or Honorary Vice President so elected shall be exempt from payment of the annual subscription and shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the association but shall otherwise be entitled to all the privileges of Ordinary Membership.
C. Life Members
(a) Any member of the Association who has in the opinion of the Executive Committee rendered exceptional service to the Association and in recognition of such service is recommended by the Executive Committee for election as a Life Member of the Association may be elected a life member at any general meeting of the Association.
(b) A Life Member shall be exempt from any payment of the annual subscription but shall otherwise be entitled to all the privileges of ordinary members.
D. Associate Membership shall be without voting rights at any
meeting.
6. MEMBERS BOUND BY RULES
Every member shall be deemed to consent to and be bound by the Rules and Bylaws of the Association.
7. TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
(a) Any member may by notice in writing to the Secretary resign his membership of the Association and shall thereupon cease to be a member of the Association.
(b) Any member whose subscription shall be unpaid after the last day of the financial year in which the same fell due may by resolution of the Executive Committee be declared to have ceased to be a member of the Association.
(c) The Executive Committee may upon the written complaint of one or more members of the Association admonish, suspend or expel any member for conduct which in the opinion of the Executive Committee, is injurious to the welfare or character of the Association or renders his membership no longer desirable, provided that no member shall be expelled unless two-thirds of the Executive Committee at the meeting shall vote in favour of that member’s expulsion after hearing that member if he shall desire to be heard. A member has the right to appeal to a general meeting of the Association if should he desire to be heard.
(d) Every person who shall cease to be a member of the Association shall forfeit any right to and interest in the property of the Association, but shall continue to be liable
for any unpaid annual subscriptions or other moneys owed by him to the Association.
8. MANAGEMENT
(a) The administration management and control of the affairs of the Association shall be vested in an Executive Committee consisting of the following officers:
1. President
2. Vice President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. No less than 4 Committee members and no more than 8.
(b) The Officers shall be elected from the Registered members as an Annual General Meeting and shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting when they shall retire but be eligible for re-election.
(c) The Executive Committee may exercise all powers and do all acts and things that may be done by the Association and which are not expressly directed or required to be done by the Association in general meeting, and shall define the duties of several officers who shall be in all respects subject to its control.
(d) The Executive Committee may from time to time appoint such Standing or Special Committee or sub-committee as it thinks fit and may delegate to such Committees any of the powers and duties of the Executive Committee.
(e) The Executive Committee shall furnish to each Annual General Meeting of the
Association a report on the affairs of the Association during the preceding financial year,
together with a Statement of Income and Expenditure and Balance Sheet disclosing the financial position of the Association.
(f) In case any casual vacancy shall occur in any office the Executive Committee may appoint any member of the Association to fill such vacancy, and the member so appointed shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting.
9. FINANCIAL YEAR
The Financial Year of the Association shall commence on the 1st day of May in each year and end on the 30th April in the following year.
10. SUBSCRIPTIONS
Each member shall pay an annual subscription which shall, unless otherwise fixed by the Association at an Annual General Meeting be $20.00.
11. TRUSTEES
All Association property shall be vested in the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer for the time being who shall by virtue of their office be trustees thereof for
the Association.
12. MEETINGS
(a) The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held between 15th
May and 31st July in each succeeding year, at a time and place fixed by the Executive Committee for the purpose of receiving and adopting the Annual Report and Accounts, electing of officers and transacting such other business as may be specified in the notice convening the meeting. Any member desiring to bring any special business before the Annual General Meeting shall give notice to the Secretary in writing not later than twenty-one (21) days before the day fixed for the meeting.
(b) The Secretary shall at the direction of the Executive Committee or upon the
requisition in writing signed by at least six (6) members of the Association convene a Special General Meeting to transact such business as shall be specified in the notice convening the meeting. Notice in writing of a Special General Meeting shall be given
to each member no less than seven (7) days before the date fixed for the meeting.
(c) At any General Meeting six (6) Ordinary Members personally present shall
constitute a quorum. If no quorum shall be present thirty (30) minutes after the time for which the meeting has been convened the meeting shall be adjourned and re-convened at a later date.
(d) At any General meeting the President or in his absence the Vice President or in his absence some member of the Association elected from the meeting shall be Chairman. The Chairman shall in all cases have a deliberative vote and in cases of equality of voting shall have a casting vote.
(e) At any General Meeting each Ordinary Member of the Association have shall have one (1) vote which must be given personally. Every question shall in the first instance be determined on the voices, but if a poll is demanded it shall be decided on a show ofhands.
A ballot shall be held if demanded by not less than one-third of members
qualified to vote and in such cases a suitable number of scrutineers shall be appointed by the meeting. The scrutineers shall conduct the ballot and certify the result to the Chairman.
(f) Any resolution passed at a duly constituted General Meeting of the Association shall be conclusive and binding upon all members of the Association.
13. ALTERATIONS OF RULE
No addition to an no alteration, amendment, recision or revision of the Constitution Rules or the Class Rules of the Association shall be made except by a two – thirds majority of votes from those present and entitled to vote at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting called for the purpose, the notice of such meeting shall contain particulars of the addition, alterations, recision, amendment or revision
to be proposed.