Constitution

                                                                                 MISSION

The mission of the White Water Meadows Citizens’ Association is:
To represent its members in all matters of public interests related to the preservation, protection and enhancement of the life and welfare of the community.

                                                                                ARTICLE I. Name

The organization shall be known as the White Water Meadows Citizens’ Association (hereinafter referred to as the Association).

                                                                           ARTICLE II. Objectives

The general aims and objectives of the Association are to foster and to advance all public interests in the area delineated in Article III, infra, including, but not limited to preservation, protection and enhancement of: public safety and services for all citizens; environmental values; recreation, playgrounds, and amusements; integrity of zoning and parish council regulations, etc. The Association is organized exclusively for community development and charitable purposes.
Specifically, the Association has as its objectives:
1. To serve as an open forum to give opportunity for the consideration and discussion of matters of public and community interest.
2. To promote activities aimed at elevating, advancing and protecting the status, rights and interests of the community and all its residents.
3. To provide a common meeting place for the members.
4. To foster the development of community life and a realization of its benefits and responsibilities.
5. To create opportunities for communication among the members including, among other things, the arrangement of social functions.
6. To cooperate with other organizations in the furtherance of the above purposes for the welfare of the entire community.
7. To establish and maintain a secretariat as a focal point from which the above objectives and mission can be properly managed.
8. To do all such other lawful things of a charitable nature as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objectives or any of them.

                                                                            ARTICLE III. Boundaries

The boundaries of the White Water Meadows Citizens’ Association are as follows: west of Sydenham villas east of Hartland’s main road north of JRC and south of Innswood Estate.

                                                                          ARTICLE IV. Membership

Membership to the Association is by household. This means that all residents within the section named in Article III are eligible for membership in the Association. A resident is one who occupies a house/dwelling within the prescribed area either by ownership of property, rent or lease agreement. Residents holding lease agreements should be residing for a period of not less than three (3) months before applying for membership. Non-resident homeowners are eligible for associate membership.

                                                                            ARTICLE V. Officers

The officers of this Association shall consist of a President, a First and Second Vice President, a Secretary and Assistant Secretary, a Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, and a Public Relations Officer (PRO) and Assistant PRO. All officers must be members of the Association and shall serve for a term of two years as stated by the Bylaws. No officer may serve for more than two consecutive terms.

                                                                    ARTICLE VI. Executive Committee

There shall be an Executive Committee (of which the President shall be chairperson) comprising the officers enumerated in Article V and the Chairpersons of the standing and ad hoc or special committees during their respective terms of office. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to perform preliminary work in the preparation of matters for the consideration and notice of the Association as a whole. Members of the executive are therefore expected to attend meetings on a regular and timely basis. Failure to attend less than 50% of scheduled meetings without reasonable and acceptable reason can lead to removal from the executive by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) majority at an executive meeting.
The Executive Committee shall be empowered to act on emergencies arising between meetings when time does not permit the calling of a special meeting. Such action must be reported to the Association at the next regular meeting.

                                                                  ARTICLE VII. Election of Officers

Section 1. All nominations for officers of the Association provided for in Article V shall be made at the last regular meeting preceding the next Annual General Meeting.
Section 2. All officers provided for in Article V shall be elected for a term of two years, at the annual general meeting which shall be held no sooner than eleven (11) months or later than thirteen (13) months of the last Annual General Meeting. The officers so elected shall hold their respective offices until their successors are duly elected.
Section 3. Election of all officers shall be by a poll, or by a show of hands. A majority vote of those qualified members present and voting is required for election.
Section 4. In case of a vacancy caused by death or resignation of an officer the vacancy shall be filled by an election at a special meeting or at a regular meeting.
Section 5. No person shall occupy the same office for more than two consecutive terms.

                                                                     ARTICLE VIII. Quorum

A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of ten (10) members in good standing present at any meeting of this Association convened in accordance with Section IV of the Bylaws. The quorum for Executive meetings shall be five (5).

                                                           ARTICLE lX. Finances and Activities

No part of the assets or net earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, officers or other private persons except that the Association shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II hereof.
No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall be the carrying on of propaganda and the Association shall not engage in partisan politics or participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles the Association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on as (a) a charitable entity or (b) by any association.

                                                                     ARTICLE X. Amendments

This Constitution may be altered or amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all the membership on record and voting at any regular meeting, voting may be done personally or by proxy; provided, that any proposed amendment(s) shall have been read at a previous regular meeting or notice of proposed amendment given no less than twenty-one (21) days before the next general meeting.
A clearly stated and written explanation of said amendment(s) shall have been posted on the bulletin board of the Association and also sent to the homes of the entire membership at least five (5) days prior to the meeting at which action on same is to be taken.
The amendment shall be acted upon at the next meeting of the Citizens’ Association where it may be modified by motion in the usual way, so long as the scope and substance of the proposed amendment as previously published are not radically altered. A quorum to amend the Constitution and Bylaws shall consist of not less than 20 members. If two thirds of the members present and voting at said meeting are in favor of the amendment as finally proposed, the amendment shall be passed and become a part hereof.