MERRA has commenced a review its constitution to comply with the new provisions of the Incorporated Societies Act 2022. We are aiming to have a draft constitution available for members to review later this year, with a view to adopting the new constitution in early 2025, ahead of our next AGM.
In the meantime, we have identified a number of issues which we would like feedback on, including some where we may wish to make changes from the current constitution.
- Objects (section 2 of the existing constitution): are the current objects still relevant, or are there any that we wish to add or amend?
- Membership eligibility: Currently membership is open to any resident or ratepayer in the area south of Martins Bay Road (excluding the Martins Bay settlement). Where a property has more than one ratepayer (or resident), then those ratepayers (or residents) shall collectively constitute one Member. Should these arrangements be simplified?
- Subscriptions and Voting: Currently subscriptions are payable per property (i.e. only one subscription per property), and voting is limited to two votes per property. Should this remain?
- Election of Executive: at present, the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer are all elected at the AGM. An alternative is for the AGM to elect the Committee, and for the incoming Committee to elect the executive positions.
- Term limits: should the constitution include term limits on Committee and executive members?
- Quorums: the current constitution provides for a Committee of up to ten members, with a quorum of five or more. For the AGM, the quorum is nine members. Should these provisions be retained?
- Transaction limit: Should there be a limit on the value of transactions that the Committee can enter into without reference to the membership via a General Meeting? If so, how much?
- Notice periods: how much notice should be required in advance of the General Meetings, or for any proposed amendments to the Constitution?
Please let us have your thoughts on these and any other issues that you would like us to consider in the review by emailing merrasecretary@gmail.com, no later than 11 October 2024. The Committee will carefully consider all suggestions before issuing a draft constitution later this year.