The purposes of the Sharbot Lake Property Owners Association ("the Association") shall be:

- to provide a forum for the expression by members of the Association, as property owners on Sharbot Lake and in the immediately surrounding area, of their common interests and concerns respecting the protection and enhancement of the quality of life in the region of Sharbot Lake, including its physical, social and fiscal environment;

- to ensure that the authorities of the Township of Central Frontenac, and of the Governments of Ontario and Canada, as necessary, are made aware of these interests and concerns; and

- to cooperate with these authorities and with property owners associations elsewhere in Ontario in the pursuit of these interests and concerns.

Article 2: Membership

(1) Membership in the Association shall be open only to owners of property in the Township of Central Frontenac (including the village of Sharbot Lake).

(2) Such membership shall be by household or business and be held by a specified member of that household or representative of that business upon the payment to the Association of annual dues at a rate to be determined at the Annual General Meeting of the Association.

(3) Membership shall be evidenced through membership cards issued by the Association on the basis of one such card per member-household/business, which shall entitle the person specified thereon to one vote at meetings of the Association. The specified person may delegate his or her entitlement to any other member of that household or business to vote at such meetings in his or her place.

(4) The membership year shall run from July 1 to the following June 30.

Article 3: Executive

The Executive of the Association shall consist of up to seven members of the Association: its President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Environmental Issues Coordinator, immediate Past President and up to two Members-at-Large.

Article 4: Meetings of the Association

(1) The Association shall hold an Annual General Meeting, normally in July at the beginning of the membership year, at a time and place to be designated by the President. The Secretary-Treasurer shall give notice of such meeting at least three weeks in advance to all dues-paid members of the Association recorded for the previous year and, in addition, shall publish such notice generally.

(2) The agenda of the Annual General Meeting shall include the reading of the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and of any Special Meetings of the Association which have been held in the meantime pursuant to Paragraph (3) of this Article, the presentation of the President's annual report and of the financial statement for the year ending June 30, decisions regarding the level of the annual dues for the forthcoming year, the confirmation of the names of the Area Representatives and the election of the members of the Executive. Special theme speakers may be invited by the Executive to address or lead discussions at such meetings.

(3) As needs arise, the President may convene Special Meetings of the Association at designated times and places to transact specific matters of business. The Secretary-Treasurer shall give notices of any such meetings at least two weeks in advance to all dues-paid members of the Association recorded for the current year and, in addition, shall publish such notices generally.

(4) At all meetings of the Association, only dues-paid members bearing valid membership cards shall be entitled to vote. Only voting members may present and second motions at such meetings. Meetings of the Association shall proceed only when at least twenty of its members are present to constitute a quorum. Motions (other than on matters to which Article 6 of this Constitution pertains) shall pass on the affirmative vote of at least a simple majority of those present, aside from the President (or Vice-President, in the latter's absence) who shall vote only to break a tie.

Article 5: Appointment and Function of the Executive

(1) The President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer and Environmental Issues Coordinator shall be elected for two-year terms, and Members-at-Large shall be elected for one-year terms by the voting members of the Association at the Annual General Meeting from nominations received from voting members at that meeting. Only voting members shall be eligible for such nominations. The terms in office of members of the Executive shall run from one Annual General Meeting to the next. However, the name of an individual whose term in a particular office is ending may have his or her name placed in nomination for another office. Moreover, a member of the Executive will normally be expected to have his or her name placed in nomination to succeed the President at the end of the latter's term in office. The immediate Past President shall be a member of the Executive ex officio rather than by election. (Amended: July 6, 1996)

(2) The Executive shall be assisted by voluntary Area Representatives who liaise between the Association and its members, each such Area Representative being responsible for a grouping of members by neighbourhood.

(3) The responsibilities of the Executive shall be to arrange for meetings of the Association and to manage the affairs of the Association between meetings. The responsibilities of particular Executive members shall include: for the President, convening and chairing meetings of the Association and of the Executive, and representing externally the views of the Association; for the Vice-President, acting for the President in the latter's absence, and liaising between the Executive and the Area Representatives; for the Secretary-Treasurer, preparing and maintaining the Association's records, including its membership roll, notices and minutes of meetings of the Association, minutes of meetings of the Executive, and the Association's correspondence, as well as maintaining the Association's finances; and for the Environmental Issues Coordinator, being the point of contact and coordinator for issues relating to the environment. The Executive shall have the authority to appoint other members of the Association to conduct special tasks under its direction.

(4) The Executive shall meet from time to time as needs arise at the call of the President, who shall give notice of such meeting at least two days (and preferably one week) in advance to each member of the Executive. Meetings of the Executive shall proceed only when at least a simple majority of its members is present to constitute a quorum. Decisions may be taken by consensus or by motions that shall pass on the affirmative vote of at least a simple majority of those present.

(5) The Executive may take decisions on matters of emergency which, but for their urgent nature, would normally be decided upon by meetings of the Association. Any such action by the Executive may only be taken in extraordinary circumstances and shall be submitted at the earliest possible opportunity to a meeting of the Association for ratification.

(6) Signing authority for the Association shall be held by the Secretary-Treasurer and two other members of the Executive. Cheques shall be signed by the Secretary-Treasurer and one other person holding such authority.

Article 6: Adoption and Amendment of the Constitution and By-laws

(1) This Constitution shall replace forthwith the existing Constitution of the Association.

(2) This Constitution, following its adoption, shall be amended only on the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of those present at a meeting of the Association.

(3) The Executive and any other members of the Association may propose by-laws and amendments thereto on specific matters at meetings of the Association for adoption only on the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of those present.

(4) The President (or Vice-President, in the latter's absence) shall not vote on any matters to which this Article pertains.

Sharbot Lake, Ontario

July 16, 1994

Amended: July 7, 2001

Amended July 21 2007