02 November 2009

2nd Faraway Tree Party

Saturday 14th November 2009

5pm – 8.30pm

$5 adults, $2 children, $10 family

Join us for a picnic afternoon tea, body art and discover the magickal properties of local plants. As day turns into sparkling twilight, we will be screening a popular animated flick.

Please bring a torch, a picnic blanket and come dressed in the traditional attire of your forest people.

* Fairy food & BBQ will be available

Call Elvie on 0407 730 410, for more information.
Earthcare Park is located on Metford Rd, Tenambit opp. the golf course

16 July 2009

AGM - Sunday 2 August 2009

Annual General Meeting (AGM) for Earthcare Park & Education Centre Inc. to be held onsite at Earthcare Park, Metford Road Tenambit

10.00 am - Sunday 2 August 2009.

We will meet under the new shelter.
Bring a thermos - coffee, tea & milk provided. Bring a chair for comfort.
see you there!

Field Day Activities caring for the Park before and after AGM.

Constitution Earthcare Park & Education Centre 2008 final

             

                                                                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSTITUTION 

OF 

EARTHCARE PARK &

EDUCATION CENTRE, INC.

Version July 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earthcare Park & Education Centre, Inc. Constitution 2008              Page 11

 

1. Name

 

The name of the association shall be Earthcare Park and Education Centre, Incorporated (referred to in these rules as "the association")

 

2. Objectives

 

The objectives of the association shall be:

(a) To provide education about the environment, for and within the environment.

(b) To create positive, practical examples of environmentally sustainable ways of providing for our needs for food, housing, work and leisure.

(c) To empower people through the development of knowledge, skills and confidence, through the association, so they can realise opportunities and be able to make a difference.

 

 

Mission Statement:

To promote environmentally sustainable lifestyles through education, example and empowerment.

 

3. Membership

 

(a) Subject to these rules the members of the association shall be the members of the association immediately prior to incorporation together with such other people and organisations as the committee admits to membership.

 

(b) Membership is open to all individuals and organisations who accept the objectives and rules of the association.

 

(c) Individuals and organisations wishing to become members of the association shall apply to the committee for membership.

 

(d) The committee shall determine whether or not to accept an application for membership. The committee is not required to supply reasons for accepting or rejecting an application for membership.

 

(e) Members shall pay such fees that are determined by the association at a general meeting.

 

(f) A register of members shall be kept by the association showing the name, address and date of commencement of membership for each member. Provision for noting the date of cessation of membership shall also be contained in the register.

 

(g) Membership shall cease upon resignation, expulsion, or failure to pay outstanding membership fees within six months of the due date.

 

4. Membership Fees

 

  1. A member of the association shall pay to the association an annual membership fee determined by the annual general meeting.
  2. The period of a member of the association shall commence on approval of membership and shall expire on 31 December each year.
  3. Membership fees are not to be increased by more than 50% each year.

 

 

4. Members' liability

 

The members of the association shall have no liability to contribute towards the payment of debts and liabilities of the association or the costs, charges and expenses of the winding up of the association except to the amount of any unpaid membership fees.

 

5. Disciplining of members

 

(a) A member may be expelled from membership of the association (or otherwise disciplined) by committee if, in the opinion of the committee after affording the member an opportunity of offering an explanation of his/her conduct, the conduct is regarded as being detrimental to the interests of the association.

(b) A member who wishes to appeal against a decision expelling or otherwise disciplining him/her may do so by notifying the Secretary in writing that she/he wishes the decision to be reviewed at the next general meeting of the association.

 

6. Disputes between members

 

(a) In the event of a dispute arising between members (in their capacity as members) or between a member(s) and the association or a member(s) and the committee the following procedure shall apply.

 

(b) Each side of the dispute shall nominate a representative who is not directly involved in the dispute. Those representatives shall then attempt to settle the dispute by negotiation.

 

(c) Should the nominated representatives be unable to resolve the dispute within 14 days (or such other period as they may agree upon) the dispute shall be referred to a person mutually agreed upon for mediation.

 

(d) In the event that no person can be agreed upon to mediate the dispute it shall be referred to a community justice centre for mediation in accordance with the Community Justice Centres Act 1983.

 

7. Management – by committee

 

(a) The association shall have its affairs controlled and managed by the office bearers and other members known as the committee.

 

(b)  The office bearers shall be:

  1. President
  2. Vice President
  3. Secretary
  4. Treasurer
  5. Public Officer
  6. Ecology Convenor
  7. Built Environment Convenor
  8. Administration/ Promotions Convenor,and any others deemed necessary.
  9. There shall be up to five additional members of the committee.

(c) The office bearers and other members of the committee shall be elected from members of the association at each annual general meeting. Any casual vacancy occurring in the committee may be filled by a member appointed by the committee.

 

(d) Each member of the committee shall hold office from the date of their election or appointment until the next annual meeting.

 

(e) Retiring committee members are eligible for re-election.

 

(f) The committee shall meet as often as necessary to conduct the business of the association and not less than three times in each financial year of the association.

 

(g) The quorum for meetings of the committee shall be three committee members or one half of the number of committee members elected at the previous annual general meeting (rounded up), whichever is greater.

 

(h) Notice of committee meetings shall be given at the previous committee meeting or by such other means as the committee shall decide upon.
 

(i) A member of the committee shall cease to hold office: upon resignation in writing; or cessation of membership of the association; or absence from three successive committee meetings without approval by the committee.

 

(j) The committee may function validly provided its number is not reduced below the quorum. Should the committee number fall below the quorum the remaining committee members may act only to appoint new committee members.

 

(k) Questions arising at any meeting of the committee shall be decided by the majority of votes of those present. In the case of an equality of votes the person appointed to chair the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

 

(l) If within an hour of the time appointed for a committee meeting (weather permitting this to be reasonable time) a quorum is not present the meeting shall be dissolved.

 

(m) Membership of the association as an individual (full, part-time or concession) provides voting rights to each individual member.

 

(n) Membership of the association as a school group or community group or organisation provides voting rights to one representative of each group at any one meeting.

 

(o)Membership of the association as a family provides voting rights to two family members at any one meeting.

 

8. General meetings

 

(a) An annual general meeting of the association shall be held each year within six months from the end of the financial year of the association.

 

(b) At least 14 days' written notice of all general meetings and notices of motion shall be given to members. In the case of general meetings where a special resolution is to be proposed, written notice of the meeting and the resolution shall be given to members at least 21 days before the meeting.

 

(c) In the case of the annual general meeting the following business shall be transacted:

 

  1. confirmation of the minutes of the last annual general meeting and any recent special general meeting;
  2. receipt of committee's report on the activities of the association in the last financial year;
  3. election of office bearers and other members of the committee, and working group convenors and ordinary members of the committee;
  4. receipt and consideration of a statement from the committee which is not misleading and gives a true and fair view for the last financial year of the association's income and expenditure, assets and liabilities, mortgages, charges and other securities, and trust properties.

 

(d) The quorum for a general meeting shall be five members present in person and entitled to vote under these rules. If within one hour of the time appointed for a general meeting a quorum is not present the meeting shall be dissolved.

 

Consensus
 

(e) Decisions shall be made by consensus.  With all members present reaching agreement on a proposal acceptable to all committee members present.  Consensus is deemed not to have been reached where one or more members block consensus. In this case voting will be used to reach a decision.

 

 

Voting

(f) A member is not entitled to vote at any general meeting unless all money due and payable by the member to the association has been paid, other than the amount of the annual subscription in respect of the then current financial year.

 

(g) Voting at general meetings shall be by a show of hands unless a secret ballot is demanded. Decisions shall be made by a 75 percent majority vote except for those matters which must be decided by special resolution where a three quarter majority is required.

 

All votes shall be given personally or by proxy but no member may hold more than 5 proxies.

 

In the case of an equality of votes on a question at a general meeting, the chairperson of the meeting is entitled to exercise a second or casting vote.

 

Telephone or email conference can be defined as a “meeting”

 

 

(h) Nominations of candidates for election as office bearers or other committee members may be made at the annual general meeting or in such other ways as may be determined by the association at a general meeting.

 

(i) Written notice of all general meetings shall be given to members either personally or by post.

 

(j) Members who have items of business they wish considered at a general meeting shall give written notice of such business to the Secretary. The Secretary shall include that business in the next notice calling a general meeting.

 

Appointment of Proxies

  1. Each member shall be entitled to appoint another member as proxy by notice given to the secretary no later than 24 hours before the time of the meeting in respect of which the proxy is appointed.
  2. The notice appointing the proxy shall be in the form set out in Appendix 2 to these rules.

 

Special General Meetings- calling of

(k) The committee may, whenever it thinks fit, convene a special general meeting of the association.

 

A requisition of members for a special general meeting:

  1. Shall state the purpose or purposes of the meeting;
  2. Shall be signed by the members making the requisition’
  3. Shall be lodged with the secretary; and
  4. May consist of several documents in a similar form, each signed by one or more of the members making the requisition.

 

A special general meeting must be convened by the committee within three months of receiving a written request to do so from at least three members of the association or five percent of the membership of the association (rounded up), whichever is the greater.

 

9. Office bearers

 

(a) The President shall chair each general meeting and committee meeting of the association.

 

(b) If the President is absent from a meeting or unwilling to act, the members present at the meeting shall elect one of their number to act as chairperson.

 

(c) The Secretary shall ensure that records of the business of the association including the rules, register of members, minutes of all general and committee meetings, and a file of correspondence are kept. These records shall be available for inspection by any member and shall be held in the custody of the Secretary.
 

(d) The Treasurer shall ensure that i) all money received by the association is paid into an account in the association's name. Payments shall be made through a petty cash system or by cheque signed by two signatories authorised by the committee. Major or unusual expenditures shall be authorised in advance by the committee or a general meeting.

 

(e) The Treasurer shall ensure that correct books and accounts are kept showing the financial affairs of the association including full details of all receipts and expenditure connected with activities of the association. These records shall be available for inspection by any member and shall be held in the custody of the Treasurer.

 

 

10. Special Resolutions

 

(a) A special resolution must be passed by a general meeting of the association to effect the following changes:

 

  1. a change of the association's name;
  2. a change of the association's rules;
  3. a change of the association's objectives;
  4. an amalgamation with another incorporated association;
  5. to voluntarily wind up the association and distribute its surplus property;
  6. to apply for registration as a company or a cooperative.

 

(b) A special resolution shall be passed in the following manner:

 

  1.     a written notice must be given to all members advising that a general meeting is to be held to consider a special resolution;
  2. the notice must give details of the proposed special resolution and give at least 21 days' notice of the meeting;
  3. a quorum must be present at the meeting; and
  4. at least three-quarters of the members at the meeting (rounded up) who are entitled to vote under these rules must be in favour of the resolution.

 

(c) In situations where it is not practicable for a resolution to be passed as described above, a request may be made to the Department of Fair Trading for permission to pass the resolution in some other way.

 

11. Public Officer

 

(a) The committee shall ensure that a person is appointed as Public Officer.

 

(b) The first Public Officer shall be the person who completed the application for incorporation of the association.

 

(c) The committee may at any time remove the Public Officer and appoint a new Public Officer provided the person appointed is 18 years of age or older and a resident of New South Wales.

 

(d) The Public Officer shall be deemed to have vacated their position in the following circumstances:

 

  1.     death;
  2. resignation;
  3. removal by the committee or at a general meeting;
  4. bankruptcy or financial insolvency;
  5. mental illness;
  6. residency outside New South Wales.

 

(e) when a vacancy occurs in the position of Public Officer the committee shall within 14 days notify the Department of Fair Trading by the prescribed form and appoint a new Public Officer.

 

(f) The Public Officer is required to notify the Department of Fair Trading by the prescribed form in the following circumstances:

 

  1.     appointment (within 14 days)
  2. a change of residential address (within 14 days);
  3. a change in the association's objectives or rules (within one month);
  4. the association's financial affairs (the Annual Statement) (within one month after the annual general meeting);
  5. a change in the association's name (within one month).

 

(g) The Public Officer may be an office bearer, committee member, member or any other person regarded as suitable for the position by the committee.

 

(h) The Public Officer shall keep a register of members of the committee which must:

 

  1.   contain the name and address of each committee member and the date on which s/he became a member of the committee;
  2. be updated within one month of any change taking place; and
  3. be made available for inspection by any person, at all reasonable hours and free of change.

 

12. Miscellaneous

 

(a) The association shall effect and maintain public liability insurance as is required under the Associations Incorporation Act 1984, together with any other insurance which may be required by law or regarded as necessary by the association.

 

(b) The funds of the association shall be derived from the fees of members, donations, grants from funding bodies and such other sources approved by the association.

 

All money received by the association shall be deposited as soon as practicable and without deduction to the credit of the association’s bank account.

 

 

(c) The common seal of the association shall be kept in the custody of the Secretary and shall only be affixed to a document with the approval of the committee. The stamping of the common seal shall be witnessed by the signatures of two members of the committee.

 

(d) In the event that the association should be wound up or have its incorporation cancelled, any surplus property shall be transferred to any association which has similar objectives and which is exempt from income tax, and in accordance with the provisions of the Associations Incorporation Act 1984.

 

(e) Service of documents on the association is affected by serving them on the Public Officer or by serving them personally on two members of the committee.

 

(f) Notices sent by post shall be deemed to have been received four days after the date of posting.

 

(g) The assets and income of the association shall be applied solely in the furtherance of its above mentioned objectives and no portion shall be distributed directly or indirectly to the members of the association, except as bona fide compensation for services rendered or expenses incurred on behalf of the association.

 

(h) Where it furthers the objectives of the association to amalgamate with any one or more other incorporated associations having similar objectives, the other associations(s) must have rules prohibiting the distribution of its (their) assets and income to members, and must be exempt from income tax.

 

  1.     The statement of objectives and these rules may be altered, rescinded or added to only by a special resolution of the association.
     

Funds Management

Subject to any resolution passed by the association in general meeting, the funds of the association shall be used in pursuance of the objects of the association in such manner as the committee determines.

All cheques, drafts, bills of exchange, promissory notes and other negotiable instruments shall be signed by any 2 members of the committee or employees of the association, being members of employees authorised to do so by the committee.

 

13. Special Rule

 

With a view to facilitating the maximum degree of participation of, and consensus among members in decision-making:

 

(a) The general business of the association shall be conducted in meeting as far as possible without requirement for adherence to formal parliamentary procedure. Except insofar as required by law and these Rules (e.g. Rules 8 and 10) no meeting shall be invalid and no decisions of the association shall be invalid solely through failure to follow parliamentary procedure.

 

(b) The business of the association will be conducted as far as possible so as to respect views of any minority of members.

 

(c) Office bearers and other committee members will, as far as practicable, consult with members in relation to decisions whenever it is known members may have objections to a particular course of action, with a view to attaining consensus.

 

 

 

Appendix 1

 

Earthcare Park & Education Centre, Inc. 

Application for Membership form

 

 

Individual Membership                                              Family membership

Name(s):

 

 

Address:

 

Postcode: __________________________

Phone:   ____________________________

Mobile: ___________________________

Email:   ____________________________

 

Payment:               $_____ per year                                adult

                               $_____ per year                            young person under 16

              $_____ per year                            family

$

Office use only

 

Dbase:              5

 

Entered by:

Amount Paid                                                        Date Paid : _______________

 

Please return to:

Earthcare Park & Education Centre, Inc.

C/- 24 Nevill Street

Mayfield, NSW 2304                                                                                                 

 

________________________________________________________________________________

 

Appendix 2

 

Form of appointment of proxy*:

 

I, __________________(full name) of ___________________________________________(address)

Being a member of Earthcare Park and Education Centre, Inc. hereby appoint

_______________________(full name of proxy) of ___________________________(address). Being a member of that incorporated association, as my proxy to vote for me on my behalf at the annual or special general/committee meeting (delete) as appropriate).

Held on the ____ day of ____ 20__ and at any adjournment of that meeting.

My proxy is authorised to vote in favour of/against (delete as appropriate) the resolution (insert details)

 

Signature of member appointing proxy:        __________________________

 

Date:_______________

 

*Notes:
1. A proxy vote may not be given to a person who is not a member of the association.

2. Proxies at committee meetings must be committee members.


AGM - Sunday 2 August 2009

Annual General Meeting (AGM) for Earthcare Park & Education Centre Inc. to be held onsite at Earthcare Park, Metford Road Tenambit

10.00 am - Sunday 2 August 2009.
At new shelter.
Bring a thermos - coffee, tea & milk provided.
see you there!

Field Day Activities caring for the Park before and after AGM.


01 July 2009

Field Day and BBQ Brunch. Sunday 5 July 2009

Come along to the Field Day starting around 9.00 am! Some follow up care for the plantings managed by Aaron under the CMA grant. Plus the Kiwanis Group are coming for a tour and will be joining us for mid-morning BBQ brunch. Celebrate Aaron completing the project.

Contact for more information and RSVP: 4970 5780. Looking forward to seeing everyone.