Membership

Any person owning lands bordering on Little Silver Lake, Rainbow Lake, Little Silver Lake Road, Silvery Lane and Rainbow Lane in the county of Lanark may become a member upon paying the fees approved by the Association. It should be noted that only members in good standing are eligible to vote and to run for election to the Board. Fees need to be paid by May 31st to be in good standing for the following July AGM; an exemption is made for property owners who purchase their property after May 31 and before the AGM.

How Membership Fees Are Used

There are some administrative expenses associated with General Meetings and dissemination of information. Although there has been a considerable saving on the costs associated with communication as a result of sending information electronically to those property owners who have provided e-mail addresses, some distribution by Canada Post is still needed so that all are included.

Our Lake Stewards have been able to arrange for the Association to participate in various programs for water testing (that of Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, for example) but it is important that we have the funds to purchase additional testing should it be required for any reason.

It is customary for the Association, in turn, to pay dues or give a donation to organizations with similar objectives, FOCA (Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations), RVCA ( Rideau Valley Conservation Authority), for example.

The costs of maintaining the three access roads do not come out of the Association fees as the roads are managed by separate road committees.

At each AGM, the Treasurer provides a report to members.

Cost of Membership and optional new payment process

The current annual fee is $20.00. For convenience, membership fees may be made for more than one year at a time. In addition, the Treasurer has now set up a process for fees to be made by Interac-e-Transfer. Residents who wish to use this method are requested to add to their online banking the new Contact name: LSRLPOA and Contact email: treasurer@lsrl.ca . Adding the optional information of their address ( PIN Access Road) is helpful as it will clarify the sender. Upon receipt, the Treasurer will inform the Area Representative that the fees have been made. If anyone has questions or concerns, please contact the Treasurer.

Constitution

1. Name

The name of the Association is “Little Silver and Rainbow Lakes Property Owners’ Association Inc.”

2. Objectives

To promote and protect the interests, rights and privileges of the owners of property bordering on Little Silver Lake, Rainbow Lake, Little Silver Lake Road, Silvery Lane and Rainbow Lane in the County of Lanark,
To preserve the pleasant, sanitary environment and scenic beauty of the vicinity,
To carry on and encourage activities for the protection and betterment of the community.

3. Membership

a) Any person owning lands covered in para 2 (a) above, may become a member upon making application and paying the fees approved by the Association.
b) The fiscal year for the Association shall commence July 1 and end June 30.
The annual membership fee shall be established at the annual meeting for the upcoming year. The membership year shall run from September 1 until August 31, with fees payable between the time of the Annual General Meeting and May 31. Only members who have paid the fee by May 31 are in good standing and shall be entitled to vote at the Annual General Meeting following. A person who has not paid the membership fee by May 31 shall be entitled to speak but not to vote at that Annual General Meeting.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provision, any new owner who purchases property before the end of June shall be entitled to pay the annual fee before June 30 and be a member in good standing until August 31 following.
c) Termination of membership: The Directors may, at anytime and for any reason which they deem sufficient, terminate the membership of any member. Such member may appeal his case to a meeting of the Association, provided written notice is received by the Secretary-Treasurer or the Secretary within one month of such termination.

4. Directors

a) The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by nine to twelve directors who are members in good standing: a President, Vice-President, Past President, Secretary-Treasurer (or a Secretary and a Treasurer), Lake Steward and six area representatives, two from each access road.
b) If one person holds both Secretary and Treasurer positions, the number of directors is reduced by one. If the Past President holds one of the other positions, the number of directors is reduced by one. If the Lake Steward holds one of the other positions, the number of directors is reduced by one.
c) A quorum for meetings of the Directors shall be five, or six, if there are eleven or more directors.

5. Meetings

a) The annual meeting shall be held on or before the 20th day of July each year, at a place named by the Directors, with notice to be given at least two weeks prior to such date. Five members may petition for an additional general meeting which shall be held within one month of receipt of such petition by the Secretary-Treasurer. Meetings of the Directors may be called by the President with reasonable notice given.
b) At any meeting of the Association, a simple majority of members present and in good standing shall carry a motion. Only one vote may be cast per property.

6. Election of Officers

a) All Directors shall be elected for a two year term of office.
b) The Vice-President shall normally stand for election to the position of President at the conclusion of the President’s term of office.
d) Vacancies among the Directors before completion of the term of office may be filled through appointment by the other Directors.

7. Funds

a) The funds of the Association shall be in the keeping of the Treasurer who shall deposit these funds in a chartered Canadian bank or Trust Company and shall make payments for the Association by cheque on the said bank account, with the exception of petty cash payments for which the Treasurer will account by voucher.
b) The signing officers are the President, Vice-President and Treasurer, with cheques to be signed by any two of these officers.

8. Amendments to the Constitution

This Constitution may be amended, with additions or deletions, at any meeting of the Association by the vote of two-thirds of all members present and in good standing.

9. Membership Agreement

By unanimous agreement of the membership at the 1998 annual meeting, the Association re-confirmed the intention of all members to keep the environment of the lake as close as possible to its natural state with minimum disruption by high powered boats. A high powered boat is defined as having 10 hp. or more.

Constitution adopted: June 29, 1975
amended: July 04, 1976
amended: July 10, 1988
amended: July 07, 1996
amended: July 13, 1997
amended: July 12, 1998
amended: July 08, 2001
amended: July 07, 2002
amended: July 11, 2004
amended: July 8, 2007
amended: July 12, 2009
amended: July 10, 2011