Chinook Regional Library

Adopted April 29, 2006

Article 1: Title

1.1.1 These bylaws may be cited as The Chinook Regional Library Bylaws.

2.1.1 In all bylaws:

a)      “Act” means The Public Libraries Act, 1996, S.S. 1996, Chapter P-39.2 as amended from time to time.

b)       “ regulations ” means The Public Libraries Regulations, 1996, Chapter P-39.2 Reg 1 as amended from time to time.

c)      “ region ” refers to the Chinook Regional Library.

d)      “ board ” refers to the Chinook Regional Library Board.

e)       “ executive ” refers to the Chinook Regional Library Executive Committee.

f)         “ grant ” refers to the amount that is invoiced to a municipality as their annual contribution to the regional library as per section 43 of the Act.

3.1.1 The organization is a corporation and shall be known as The Chinook Regional Library, constituted under the Act and regulations

4.1.1 The general management, control and operation of a regional library is vested in the board, consisting of one member appointed by each municipality that participates in the regional library for each 5,000 of its population, or fraction thereof, appointed from among the voters resident within the municipalities participating in the regional library. (Act, Section 32(1)).

4.1.2   Members of the board shall serve on the board for a two year term in accordance with provision in Section 34(7) of the Act.

4.1.3   A member of the board may be appointed to represent more than one municipality, in which case the member will hold more than one seat on the board and be empowered to represent those municipalities at board meetings.

4.1.4 Where a member of the board resigns, passes away, or no longer is eligible to be a member of the board, the council of the respective municipality shall appoint another member to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term of that member.

4.1.5 Where a board member is unable to attend a regular or special meeting of the board, the official alternate is for that meeting the official representative of the council with all the duties and responsibilities of a board member.

Meetings
4.2.1 The board shall hold its annual meeting between January 1 and May 15 in each year.

4.2.2 The board may hold other general meetings as deemed necessary.

4.2.3 The secretary to the board shall give each member at least 10 days’ notice of every meeting of the board.

4.2.4 The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the board and shall be an ex officio member of all committees. In the absence of the chairperson, the vice?chairperson shall act as chairperson.

4.2.5 Bourinot's rules of order shall be adopted at all meetings of the board.

Quorum
4.3.1 A quorum for a meeting of the board shall be constituted by members representing one-third of the participating municipalities.

4.3.2 In the event of no quorum, each absent municipality will be assessed a $200.00 absentee surcharge.

Vote
4.4.1 Majority vote of the members present is necessary to carry a motion. However, when the financial contribution of the participating municipalities is concerned, a two-thirds majority of the members present is necessary for a motion to carry.

4.4.2 Voting , in the case of election of officers, shall be by show of hands except where a ballot is requested by at least three members.

Library director
4.5.1 The library director shall act as secretary to the board and all committees of the board.

Signing authority
4.6.1 Any two of the following officers shall have signing authority for the board: the chairperson, the vice-chairperson, and the secretary.

5.1.1 Subject to section 33 of the Act, at its annual meeting, the board shall, from among its members elect a chairperson and an executive to carry out the day to day business of the board and the operation of the regional library.

5.1.2 The executive shall consist of eight members: including the chairperson and the vice-chairperson, two to represent the city, two to represent the towns, one to represent the villages, two to represent the rural municipalities and Indian Bands, and one member at large.

5.1.3 The chairperson shall have voting power.

5.1.4 The executive is empowered to appoint a new executive member in the case of the death or resignation of a current executive member.

5.1.5 Any executive member who misses two consecutive meetings without cause shall be replaced.

5.1.6 Executive meetings shall be held at the call of the chairperson. The date of the meeting may be changed by common agreement of the members.

5.1.7 The executive shall appoint any committees deemed necessary. The chairperson shall be an ex officio member of all committees.

Saskatchewan Library Trustees Association representative
5.2.1 If not already an elected member of the executive, the representative for the region shall be represented on the executive as an ex officio member.

Quorum
5.3.1 A quorum for the meeting of the executive shall be constituted by 50% of the members.

6.1.1 In addition to any duties that may be imposed on the library director pursuant to the Act, the regulations, and the bylaws, the library director shall:
1) direct and supervise the staff of the regional library in the performance of their duties;
2) submit regular reports to the executive and the board;
3)make recommendations to the executive and the board respecting programmes and procedures to provide effective library service in the region; and
4) perform any other duties that may properly belong to the office or be delegated to the library director by the executive or the board.

7.1.1 Subject to the Act and regulations, the board shall be financed by grants from the Provincial Government and by grants made by each municipality in accordance with the Act and regulations. The board has the authority to approve the operating budget of the regional library and to approve municipal grant obligations at a meeting of the board. For the purpose of calculating the annual municipal grant, the source of the population figure for each municipality will be the latest Saskatchewan Municipal Directory. In the event revised population figures become available from the Department of Municipal Affairs between publications of the Saskatchewan Municipal Directory, the revised population figures will be the population figures used to determine the annual municipal grant.

7.1.2 The grant to be paid by each participating municipality shall be paid as follows:
1)   The first instalment shall be equal to the second instalment of the previous year and shall be paid by January 31 in each year; and
2) The balance of the grant shall be paid by July 31 in each year.

Penalty
7.2.1 In the event of an annual municipal grant or portion thereof becomes overdue by one calendar year, the board may elect to charge interest on the outstanding amount including all current charges not received by the prescribed date. Such a financial decision requires a two-thirds majority to carry. A letter of notice will be sent to the offending municipality advising it of the board’s decision and the date on which interest charges will begin.

7.2.2 Interest may be charged to and shall be paid by each municipality at the rate of     1% per month on any grant or portion thereof which is unpaid.

7.2.3 Further action may be taken by the board that does not contravene the Act or regulations

8.1.1 The executive shall set fees, or shall authorize local library boards to set fees, for those services for which it is entitled to collect a fee pursuant to the regulations.

8.1.2 A person who does not reside in Saskatchewan is not entitled to borrow library materials. Upon taking up temporary residence within the region and paying a fee of $100.00, that individual and members of his or her immediate family living in the same household may access library services for six months.

8.1.3 The $100.00 access fee shall be made payable to “Chinook Regional Library” and submitted to the Chinook Regional Library Headquarters.

8.1.4 The library access fee shall be refunded to a person who takes up temporary residence within the region, returns to his or her permanent residence within six months after paying the fee, and has returned all library materials borrowed by, and paid all library charges assessed against, the person and members of his or her immediate family.

8.1.5 The library access fee shall be refunded to a person who takes up temporary residence within the region, now takes up permanent residence within the region within six months after paying the fee, and has returned all library materials borrowed by, and paid all library charges assessed against, the person and members of his or her immediate family.

9.1.1 Bylaw amendments can be made at any general meeting of the board following a minimum 30 days notice of intent to each participating municipality and their board representative.

9.1.2 Bylaw amendments shall be delivered in writing to Chinook Regional Library headquarters no less than 60 days prior to a meeting of the board.

9.1.3 Bylaw amendments require a notice of motion. Such notice shall include a brief but representative statement of the specific change proposed.

9.1.4 Motions that are amended beyond the scope given in the original notice invalidate that notice of motion.