Notice of Special Meeting to Change the Constitution
10 am Saturday 7 December 2019
This will be followed by a General Meeting
AGM has been postponed and will be held
10 am 9 February 2019
The Executive of NACRA was informed on the 9 October 2018 by Doug Kohlhoff that the Association has been operating under the wrong constitution for years. The Model Constitution issued by Fair Trading has provided legal guidance to the Association for many years. This has been updated many times.
The original constitution was not located however the submission to Fair Trading made in 1992 included a different constitution which states that members are “a citizen of North Arm Cove Village over 18 years of age and are the owner of property, and a resident over 18 years of age who lives in the Village for a minimum of 12 consecutive months.”
Further to this, members who have been serving on the executive for a number of years in the recent past under the constitution made in 1992 have not be eligible to do so.
This also means that some of our members do not hold valid membership despite paying and signing up in good faith with a membership form that was approved by Executives.
Additionally the aims of the Association included: Preservation of the natural qualities of that part of the Great Lakes Shire embraced in the North Arm Cove Village area and surrounding locality and aiding the residents to their mutual benefit by independent action and cooperation with other organisations with similar aims and objects.
As we are now part of the MidCoast Shire and the Great Lakes Shire is now defunct further shows that there are a number of areas in the 1992 constitution that need updating to reflect current times and attitudes. These aims are not clear today and need to be updated with new aims agreed by the members. There are also updated clauses regarding meetings, notices and voting which members need to understand. A new constitution will be prepared and submitted to all members before the date.
We are providing members with over 21 days notice of the meeting. The requirement is that 75% of the membership votes on the new constitution and that voting is by attendance to the meeting and by proxy.
A subcommittee is making required changes and the new proposed constitution will be available with voting arrangements by proxy asap.
Postponement of the AGM till February.
The AGM is postponed to allow the current executive to consult with members on the constitution in accordance with the act and to prepare the way forward for elections and decisions in line with a compliant and agreed upon constitution. A requisition has been made on these grounds to delay the AGM to the Director General of Fair Trading.
It is proposed that the AGM will be held in February to allow time for the constitutional matters to be arranged and distributed to members for consultation and voting. We do not want to interrupt and impose on members during the Xmas/New Year holiday season with an AGM – as many may not be present in the Cove over this period.
The AGM date will be confirmed and is planned to be 10 am Saturday 8 February.
