Bylaws

7.2 Youth of Liberian origin (under 18 years) are encouraged to participate without voting rights but be involved in programs, projects, and services, etc.

Membership B
7.3 Membership B shall also be opened to a non-Liberian who is a spouse or common law partner and dependent(s) of a Liberian who has paid membership
registration fee of $25.00 (twenty-five dollars), an annual due of $50.00 (fifty dollars), and must participate in the association’s activities.
A member who is not of Liberian decent cannot hold presidential and vice-presidential positions but is eligible to occupy ad hoc committee positions and other elected positions.

Membership C
7.4 Honorary membership shall be conferred on an individual who directly or indirectly contributes or participates in an outstanding manner, to promote the objectives of LFSC and who supports the articles of this bylaws and the people of Liberia. Membership shall be conferred on this individual with a limitation of not
holding any elected position. He or she shall be accorded any other benefits that are accorded to Liberians who are members of the LFSC.
7.5 Honorary membership shall be conferred on individual (s) by the Executive Committee with the advice and consent of the Board of Advisors. Any member with good standing shall recommend individual (s) to the Executive Committee for the conferment of honorary membership, based on their outstanding contribution
to the organization. The Executive Committee shall review the recommendation in consultation with the Board of Advisors and shall institute the appropriate action.

Termination of membership

7.6 A member of the LFSC may terminate his/her membership by submitting a letter of withdrawal of membership to the Membership Committee; and subsequently to the Executive Committee for final approval.
7.7 Membership of the LFSC may be terminated by the Executive Committee for cause for one or more of the following reasons: gross violation of the provisions of this Bylaws, theft, acts of violence, and other unruly behaviors that tend to impede the reputation of the association or bring the association into disrepute.
7.8 The process to terminate membership shall be initiated after a due process by a panel of five (5) members one of whom shall be selected from a cross section of the community, while the remaining shall come from two membership committee and two from executive. They shall investigate the cause of termination within 30
days and submit their recommendation.
7.9 There shall be one appeal after the hearing, which shall be heard within 30 days by the Advisory board and the President, after which the termination shall be final.

7.10 A terminated membership may be reinstated if that individual applies for reinstatement to the Membership Committee and subsequently to the
Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consider the letter and make the appropriate decision.

Executive Officers

8.0 The officers of the LFSC shall be:
8.1 President
8.2 Vice President
8.3 General Secretary
8.4 Financial Secretary
8.5 Treasurer
8.6 Chaplain

8.1 The President shall:
a. be the executive officer and spokesperson of the LFSC;
b. preside over all meetings of the association and the Executive Committee;
c. call emergency meeting of the association in consultation with the ExecutiveCommittee whenever a situation of serious magnitude occurs that requires the attention of the community;
d. call meetings of the Executive Committee when necessary;
e. appoint the chairs and members of the various standing committees with the advice
and approval of the Executive Committee;
f. present recommendations to the Board of Advisors, the Executive Committee, and the general membership of the association, from time to time, on ways of improving
the efficiency and effectiveness of the association;
g. carry out all other duties assigned by the Board of Advisors, the Executive Committee, or the general membership;
h. be one of the signatories of the association’s bank account(s);
i. shall make appointment (s) of unfilled position (s) to be confirmed by the body, or any of the members of the advisory board shall fill very critical position for a
specified period of time
j. possess a high school diploma
8.2 The Vice President shall:
a. assumed the functions and duties of the President in the case of death, resignation, suspension, impeachment, or incapacitation to serve until the end of the tenure;
b. perform other functions that may, from time to time, be assigned by the President, the Executive Committee, or in line with the constitution.
c. possess a high school diploma;
d. report to the president for all his/her activities.
8.3 The General Secretary shall:
a. be responsible for the accurate recording and keeping of the minutes of all meetings of the association and the Executive Committee;
b. be responsible for sending out citations and /or information to all members, and the Executive Committee about meetings;
c. be responsible for all correspondence appertaining to the association in
consultation with the President;
d. work with the Publicity Committee in managing the image of the association internally and externally.

8.4 The Financial Secretary shall:
a. receive all dues, contributions, and other levies appertaining to the association, and deposit the same in a bank that will be chosen by the LFSC;
b. ensure that all monies received are deposited in two business days into the LFSC bank account(s);
c. properly account for the funds of the LFSC and keep such books, and provide a full detailed account of receipts and all disbursements to the Executive Committee on a
monthly basis;
d. ensure that any disbursement totaling $1,000.00 (one thousand dollars) and above is
approved by the Executive Committee before such disbursement can take effect;
e. prepare an annual statement of account detailing the financial position of the LFSC, for
submission to the Annual Meeting of the LFSC. Such annual statement shall be subject to an audit and case of a discrepancy we may look for another audit(s);
f. work with the Programs and Planning Committee or all committees.
g. be one of the signatories of the association’s bank account(s);
8.5 The Treasurer shall:
a. perform all the duties and functions of the Financial Secretary in the absence, case of death, resignation, impeachment, suspension, or incapacitation to serve;
b. be responsible for the collection of all dues, contributions, and other levies and transmitting same to the Financial Secretary for immediate depositing into the association’s account;
c. coordinate with the financial sec. to record all receipts in a bound ledger book, indication of the date of receipt, number of receipt issued, amount received and from who it was received, and for what account: e.g., membership, and/or fundraising and document any refunds or disbursements that need to be made;
d. coordinate with the Financial Secretary in preparing the annual statement of account for submission to the Annual Meeting;
e. carry out such other duties as may be directed by the President, or the Executive Committee.
8.6 The Assistant Secretary General shall:
a. perform the duties and functions of the Secretary General in the event of death, resignation, impeachment, suspension, absence or incapacitation to serve;
b. work in collaboration with the Secretary General in recording and keeping accurate record of all meetings, and activities of the association;
c. in collaboration with the Secretary General, be responsible for the proper dissemination of information regarding the association;
d. perform all other duties that may be assigned by the President, the Executive Committee, and shall work with the Publicity Committee when necessary;
e. be appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive committee.
8.7 The Chaplain shall:
a. be responsible to conduct prayers at various functions of the association, ( taking into account the religious diversity of the LFSC)
b. be the religious advisor to the association and shall coordinate all religious activities
pertaining to the association; mediation and social care committee of the LFSC
c. be elected.
9. The Auditor shall:
a. audit periodically all the financial transactions of all members, elected officers, and appointed committee chairperson, that receive and expense the association’s funds and
in possession of assets without limitation;
b. report firstly to the executive committee and thereafter to the general body;
c. make bi-annual reports to the Executive committee upon taking office;
d. have a finance or accounting background, and
e. be elected in odd-numbered years.
9.1 In the event that there is no member of the association who is qualified to be elected as an auditor, the president shall appoint a non-association member within twenty-one (21) days after inauguration and refer him/her to the executive committee and general body for confirmation.
10. The LFSC fiscal year shall run from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

11. Election Committee
11.1 The Ad hoc Election Committee shall comprise a chairman and four (4) members, who shall be selected from a cross section of the membership of the LFSC, all of whom shall be in good standing with the association. They shall be charged with the responsibility of conducting free and fair elections for the community. The Ad hoc Election Committee shall constitute at least three (3) months prior to date of the elections.
11.2 The President shall appoint, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, the chairman of the Ad hoc Election Committee.
1.3 The four (4) other members shall be nominated at a general meeting by any member of the LFSC at said meeting. That every person so nominated shall be voted for or against by the membership present at said meeting.
11.4 The nominee must secure a majority vote of the membership present at the meeting to be confirmed as member. Once selected, the Election Committee will
be independent and will conduct itself in an unbiased manner and shall beimmune from arbitrary dismissal or removal from office until their mandate is over.
11.5 The Ad-hoc Election Committee will work with the existing election guidelines but can make amendments with the consent of the general membership of the
association. The election guidelines shall be consistent with the provisions of the association and shall be made public within the community and copies sent to all aspirants.
11.6 The election guidelines shall include but are not limited to the requirements for the qualification of candidates and the manner of the conduct of free and fair elections.
11.7 Any aspirant running for any position must have participated in all association’s meetings, activities, and community annual events and must have paid membership dues in the past two years unless otherwise determined by the general body.
11.8 Members who want to vote must have paid membership dues two weeks before elections and not on the voting day.
11.9 Elections shall be held between the second week of June to the end of June in an election year. Election appeals shall be concluded between July 1 to July 10. There must be a transfer of all association’s funds, assets, and documentation between July 12 and July 18. The president and vice president shall run on the same ballot. The newly elected officers must be inaugurated on or by July 26 in commemoration of the Liberian Independence Day.
11.10 To be eligible for election, individuals must meet all the membership requirements. All candidates for elected positions must provide proof of no criminal record.
11.11 The tenure of elected officials shall be for a period of two years beginning from the day of inauguration. However; any elected officer who desires to contest as a candidate in his/her position or another elected position after his/her tenure will be subject to the same standard as all other candidates contesting in the same election.
11.12 Should any aspirant or candidate feels aggrieved or injured by any member of the Election Committee or the entire committee, the individual will file a complaint with the Election Committee and Executive Committee. The complaint will be investigated by the Election Committee in the case of an individual member, and the finding be submitted to the Executive Committee, the aggrieved party, and the entire membership.
11.13 If the case is against the entire Election Committee, the procedure outlined in
11.14 above will be followed, except that the matter will be investigated by the Board of Advisors. All such matters shall be thoroughly investigated and treated
in 30 days and before the inauguration.
11. 15 Advisory Board shall serve as the final arbiter of all election disputes after section 8.12 has been exhausted.

12. Board of Advisors
12.1 The Board of Advisors shall comprise of three (3) ex-officers of the association and two (2) members in good standing that the Executive Committee may deem competent to serve. Their preferment shall be based on their unequivocal individual outstanding commitment and contribution to the advancement of the
association.
12.2 They shall serve as final arbiter of disputes among members of the association, irrespective of rank or status; after all other avenues have been exhausted.
12.3 They shall work with the President and his/her Executive Committee in identifying and setting achievable developmental goals for the association. They shall, from time to time, advise the President and the Executive Committee about leadership and effective fundraising strategies.
12.4 The chair of the advisory board shall be determined by the board of advisors after which they will communicate to the executive and the general body.

13. Executive Committee
13.1 The Executive Committee shall comprise of all elected officers of the association, as well as chairs of the various standing committees.
13.2 The Executive Committee shall confirm the appointment of the chairs and members of the various standing committees.
13.3 The Executive Committee shall hear all grievances file against an officer or member of the association, investigate same, and make the appropriate decisions with the advice of the Board of Advisors.
13.4 In the event of conflict of interest involving any member of the executive committee, that individual will recuse himself/herself for the period of the investigation. The findings will be shared with the Advisory Board for final decisions.

14. Membership and Public Relations Committee
14.1 It shall be composed of a chair and (2) members.
14.2 It shall serve in coordination with the general secretary.
14.3 It shall develop a comprehensive guideline that will protect the organization’s privacy and its members or social media ethics
14.4 It shall be responsible for reviewing all applications for membership into the LFSC, and it shall approve or reject such applications if it has evidence that the
applicant provided false information on his/her application until the proper information can be provided.
14.5 It shall be responsible for identifying and encouraging Liberian and interested
parties residing within the geographical area of Edmonton and its environ to join the association.
14.6 It shall also be responsible for formulating strategies for recruiting new members, and the wording of the membership form in collaboration with the
14.7 It shall be responsible for annual publication of the association’s directory and its update. The directory must include the name of each bona-fide member; his/her address, phone numbers, and email address. It shall also be responsible to maintain the association’s website and the posting of all relevant information thereon.

15. Notice for Special Meeting
The Secretary shall mail, e-mail, text, call and or deliver a notice to each Member at least fourteen (14) days before the Special Meeting. This Notice shall state the place, day, date, time, and purpose of the Special Meeting.

15.1 Agenda for Special Meeting
Only the matter(s) set out in the Notice for the Special Meeting shall be considered at the Special Meeting.

15.2 Quorum and Procedures for General Meetings
The following rules shall apply for an Annual General Meeting, Special Meeting, and General Meeting: A quorum shall be thirty (30%) percent of Members in good standing.

15.3 Attendance by the Public
General Meetings of the LFSC are open to the public. The chair of the general meeting may ask any person(s) who are not Members to leave.

15.4 Failure to Reach Quorum
The President shall cancel the Annual General Meeting if a quorum is not present within one-half (1/2) hour after the set time. If cancelled, the meeting is rescheduled for one (1) week later at the same time and place. If a quorum is not present within one-half (1/2) hour after the set time at the second meeting, the meeting shall proceed with the Members in attendance.

16. Program and Planning Committee
16.1 shall comprise a chair and four (4) members.
16.2 shall be responsible for developing fundraising strategies, planning and coordinating of all fundraising programs as well as other activities undertaken by the LFSC.
16.3 shall work in close collaborations with the Financial Secretary at all times in the exercise of its duties.

17. Meetings
17.1 The quorum for a meeting of the LFSC shall be a simple majority of members in good standing.
17.2 Emergency meetings may be called by the President or Executive Committee, provided that the purpose of the meeting, time and place of such meeting is communicated to the General Membership at least 24 hours before holding such meeting.
17.3 Ten (10) members of Membership A category may convoke an emergency meeting of the general membership in the event of the non-conduct of
elections within the stipulated period to be given the mandate to come up with recommendations.
17.4 Annual General meetings shall be held once a year in the first week of the month of June on a day to be determined by the Executive Committee, to present annual report, and annual financial statement and make a proposed budget for the coming year.
17.5 In the event that an election is scheduled, such an election shall be held after the annual general meeting and on the last Saturday of June of that year for the
purpose of electing the officials of the association

18. Asset Management
18.1 All physical asset, except cheque books, minutes and other books, of the LFSC shall be retained by the president, during the period of his/her presidency.
18.2 Inventory shall be taken of all items, with serial numbers/part numbers, number of items, description of items; and if possible, appraised prices etc.
18.3 The list of items in the possession of all executive and committee heads, as well as receipts shall be kept by the financial Secretary.
18.4 All assets of the organization in the possession of the outgoing Executive Committee shall be turned over to the next elected officials at least a week prior to inauguration. Such turning over process shall not exceed a week after inauguration.
18.5 In the event of impeachment of the president prior to the end of his tenure, all assets will be audited by the auditor and turned over to the vice president immediately after the president is impeached.

18.6 The auditor will audit all assets and documentation at given notice and time and this shall take place in the presence of members of the Executive Committee as well as members of the Board of Advisors.

19. Impeachment
19.1 A simple majority of members in good standing shall constitute the vote needed to carry out impeachment proceedings against an elected officer of the association. Evidence of dereliction of duty, willful neglect, misuse of seizure and sensitive information and gross incompetence, intentional act of sabotage, subversive and destructive practices shall constitute the necessary ingredients for impeachment of any elected officer.

19.2 Any member of the Executive Committee or a group of ten members in good standing may call a special meeting and submit a petition with evidence for
impeachment according to the Constitution.
19.3 A vote of no confidence will be held at the special meeting to impeach the offending official.
19.4 An impeached official may appeal to the Advisory Board within 14 days to review the grounds for impeachment and the process.

20. Closure of the Organization
In the event that the LFSC is no longer functioning or is unable to fulfill its mandate as stipulated in the Preamble, the resources of the organization shall be donated to any organization with a similar mandate, such as the development of Liberia, Africans or other Albertans.