Constitution and By-laws for  the Waterloo Dairy Producers Committee

Membership:

    The Dairy Producer Committee represents all those persons holding an active Dairy Farmers of Ontario license in the County of Waterloo.   Only an active licensed milk or cream producer  or an individual actively involved in an active dairy (i.e. spouse, hired hand, son or daughter) in the County of Waterloo may be elected to the Committee or hold office on the Committee.

Size:

    The Committee shall consist of 8 members.

Officers:

    The officers of the Dairy Producer Committee shall consist of a Chair, Vice-Chair, and a Secretary/Treasurer.  These officers shall be elected annually by the members of the committee.

Terms of Office:

    Members of the Committee may serve no more than 3 consecutive 2 year terms.  The Chair may serve no more than 2 consecutive years as well as the Vice-Chair. The Secretary may serve for his or her full term.

Quorum:

   At any meeting of the DPC (Dairy Producer Committee). , which is duly called, a majority of the members constitute a quorum.

DPC Annual Meeting:

   A DPC annual meeting shall be held each year after the Dairy Farmers of Ontario annual meeting and before the 31st day of March.  A notice of such meeting should be sent at least 14 days prior to the date on which the meeting is to be held, to the address' of each Dairy Farmers of Ontario license holder in the County.

Notice shall include:

- Time and Place

- Agenda

- Guest Speakers

Purpose of Annual Meeting Shall Include:

- Report of Committee activities

- Report of Secretary-Treasurer including financial statement

- Financial Examiner's Report

- Report of the DFO Board member

- Election of members and Officers of the DPC

- Election of financial examiner

- Approval of Budget

Dairy Producer Committee Meetings:

    Meetings of the Committee shall be held at least quarterly and may be called by the Chair at any time and shall be called by the Secretary-Treasurer upon the request of not less than 3 members of the Committee.

Chair:

   The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Committee and at the DPC annual meeting when he or she is present and when absent or unwilling to perform such duties, the Vice-Chair shall act on his or her behalf.

Secretary-Treasurer:

   The Secretary-Treasurer shall be the corresponding and recording officer of the  Committee and shall issue or cause to be issued all notices of meetings, as these By-Laws direct.  The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep accurate records of all meetings; shall be the custodian of all funds and shall deposit the same immediately upon receipt, in a bank chosen by the Secretary-Treasurer.  The Secretary-Treasurer shall release said funds only by a cheque signed by Secretary-Treasurer and the Chair or Vice-Chair. Secretary-Treasurer will present a full report at the DPC annual meeting.  The Secretary-Treasurer will also be responsible to update a website, if the Committee has a functional website. The Committee will provide the Secretary-Treasurer with a fax machine and internet access if they are in need of it.

Financial Examiner:

   A financial examiner shall be elected annually by a general note at the annual meeting of the producers and shall hold offices until the next annual meeting.

Amending By-Laws:

   The Committee may amend or re-enact from time to time, the by-laws of the Committee. Such repeal, Amendment or re-enactment shall have force, until the next annual meeting of the DPC, and in de-fault of confirmation thereat shall at and from that time cease to have force.

    At notice of amendment to these by-laws must be brought before the licensed holders at the annual meeting for confirmation.]

Records:

    The Secretary-Treasurer shall retain all correspondence and accounts for the two years plus the current year.