Statutes
Submitted by Max on 3. July 2008 - 15:33.
Article No. I
The name and residence
The name of the association: PermaLot
Resident in: Olomouc, district Olomouc
Svojanov 137/1, 783 25 Bouzov
Article No. II
Legal status (general nature) of the association
1) The association is founded with the intention to group individuals and legal entities who agree with the mission statement and intended activities of the association as described in Article III of these Statutes.
2) The association is founded according to No. 83/1990 Legal Act about citizens associating in organisations including its later regulations, as an open and independent non-profit organisation with voluntary membership.
3) The association is a legal entity registered by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.
Article No. III
The mission and activities of the association
1) PermaLot seek to recreate the sustainability of an existing traditional rural village, (Svojanov), by facilitating an alternative economic base for the area while providing a living example of sustainable living, natural building, alternative energy and waste management; an Ecovillage.
This vision is based on the following core elements:
• To stimulate the final processing of local products within the microregion
• To facilitate alternative education, with an emphasis on the environment and language
• Low impact Ecotourism
The following Permaculture elements will be used as a guide:
1. Create systems that produce more than they use.
2. Work with nature, not against it.
3. Cooperation rather than competition.
2) Its activities include:
a) Environment protection of countryside areas, support and development of activities that are sensitive to nature (protection of environmentally significant areas, water resources, reclamation and restoring of localities impacted by industry as well as damaged biosystems).
b) Support, promotion and realization of an alternative rural-living model in areas of:
1) Agri-Environmental activities and production (growing organic food, support of alternative agriculture sensitive to the environment, permaculture, choice of suitable products, agricultural crops and animals).
2) Living (development and improvement of countryside infrastructure, creating healthy living conditions utilizing current understanding and available technology, houses made of ecological materials, buildings with low demands in terms of energy and respecting relationships towards the surrounding nature as well as traditional countryside architecture).
3) Energy (using local, sustainable and recyclable natural resources of energy).
4) Waste (cutting down on waste production, separation of the waste produced and its further use or elimination, using natural processes to utilize waste such as filtration of waste water using reedbed system, composting).
c) Support and development of activities leading towards self- realization of human beings in the areas of:
1. Social (creation of a community of people with positive social relationships, LETS system - mutual non-monetary aid).
2. Labour (enlarging the variety of economic activities in the area, development of crafts and small-scale produce and services).
3. Education and Youth work (establishing an educational and information center, cultivating the understanding of natural systems, ecology education, adding to the variety of manual and intellectual skills - crafts, art, communication, languages, providing advisory and consultancy services, carrying out practical workshops).
4. Leisure time (organizing social and cultural events, development of low-impact eco-tourism).
d) Co-operation with other non-profit organizations and individuals with similar focus.
e) Active participation in the process of creating and negotiation of legislation relevant to the concerned areas (preparation of bills and amendments, participation at the consultation sessions).
Article No. IV
Membership in the Association
1) We define membership in the following three categories: Support members, Prospective members and Full members.
2) A person becomes a support member of the association by being registered in the membership list of the Association.
3) The following can apply for the membership:
a) Whoever agrees in writing with the goals and activities of the Association and submits a registration membership form, and pay the yearly membership fee, set by the board,
b) Whoever is fully capable to carry out legal acts.
4) The board decides about accepting or dismissing a member.
5) Prospective members and Full members.
a) Support members can become a Prospective member by significant involvement in the activities of PermaLot, in case they have intentions of becoming Full members. A minimum period of 6 months is suggested to become a Full member.
b) It is intended that Full members have full time involvement in PermaLot
6) The membership in the Association ceases by:
a) Formal leaving, ending the membership by agreement of both sides or dismissal.
b) Death of the individual or cessation of the existence of a legal entity.
c) Cessation or restriction of capability to carry out legal acts.
d) Cessation of the existence of the Association itself.
7) When a membership ceases, it is the duty of both the sides to settle possession matters and other obligations.
Article No. V
The rights and duties of an Association member
1) A member of the Association has the right to:
a) Participate in the activities of the Association in harmony with its statutes.
b) Be informed about the activities and budgeting of the Association.
c) Use the services provided by the Association.
d) Leave the Association at any time without stating the reason.
2) Prospective members have the right to assert her/his opinions within the Association turn to the Association bodies with her/his proposals, suggestions, questions and complaints and demand comments.
3) A Full member has the right to:
a) Elect and be elected into the bodies of the Association.
b) Take part of the decisions about the use of financial resources and other assets of the association.
4) A member of the Association has to:
a) Act in harmony with the goals and activities of the Association.
b) Observe the statutes and other inner rules of the Association that have been agreed upon.
c) Pay duly the contribution fees agreed upon.
5) Prospective and Full members:
a) May participate at general assemblies and meetings of the Association bodies that s/he is a member of.
b) Participate actively in the work of the Association according to her/his abilities, as well as in management of its assets and to execute carefully and duly the tasks set to her/him.
6) When breaking any of the duties as listed in the above mentioned paragraphs, the member will be warned by the board about it, after not putting things right or in other ways breaking of the rules, the board may consider her/his dismissal.
Article No. VI
Honorary members of the Association
1) Anyone, who has helped realize a goal or particular task of the Association or has significantly supported its activities, may become its honorary member. An honorary member does not pay any membership fees and is entitled to being informed about the work and budgeting of the Association.
Article No. VII
The bodies of the Association
1) The Association has the following bodies:
a) The general assembly.
b) The board
c) The chairman
d) Legal Secretary
e) The advisory board
2) The Association may, as the need arises, form local Associations, expert sections, committees and clubs.
3) Posts in the Association bodies are honorary; the Association only covers actual cash expenses, including travelling expenses and time loss for the work associated with them.
4) The bodies that are elected for a period of three years.
Article No. VIII
The general assembly of the organisation
1) General assembly is the supreme body of the organisation. It is only for prospect and full members, however support members and advisory board may observe.
2) The general assembly is convened by the board with minimum frequency of once a year. Within this period the board has to convene the general assembly whenever at least one fifth (min. 2 persons) of the prospect and full members, ask for it. This has to happen within two month from the delivery date of the demand. Only Prospect and Full members have to be convened and only Full members have legal rights and responsibilities according to above-mentioned paragraphs.
3) The general assembly carries out, above all, the following:
a) Election of the board out of the Prospect and Full members.
b) Approval of the Statutes amendments, organizational structure and internal regulations of the association.
c) Approval of the reports about the work of the Association bodies.
d) Approval of the size of the membership fees.
e) Approval of the budget and its use.
f) Resolutions about suspended board decisions.
g) Resolution about cessation of the existence of the Association. In such case the accumulated assets will be sold to cover any outstanding debt (full members will be given priority to buy). Any remaining profit will be donated to associations with related mission.
h) Resolutions about other matters specified by the assembly itself.
4) For a resolution to be valid or approval of a decision according to paragraph (3) sections b) and g), the system of consensus –one among the board and honorary members is necessary.
Article No. IX
The board of the Association
1) The board consists of min. 3 members who can be elected by the Full members.
2) The annual board meeting is held during the winter, and the active members of the board meets whenever it is deemed necessary. Throughout the year the everyday decisions are taken by the Chairman and the resident Full members.
3) The board of the Civic Association is a managing, executive and coordination body of the Association; consist of three to fifteen members.
4) The board meets according to needs, but minimal frequency is once a year.
5) For a decision to be valid consensus –1 of the board members is necessary.
6) The board of the Civic Association:
a) Elects the chairman of the Association out of the board members.
b) Convenes the general assembly and prepares materials for it.
c) Keeps a record list of the members, decides about accepting and cessation of memberships.
d) Manages the money and assets of the organisation.
e) Only the board may decide about the purchase and sale of assets or property.
f) Decides about all matters unless the decision is upon other Association bodies.
Article No. X
The Chairman of the Association
The chairman is a statutory body of the Association, s/he represents it and deals with other parties on its behalf, s/he convenes and is in charge of its meetings. Whenever s/he is not present s/he is deputized by an appointed board member. The chairman is responsible for daily management decisions of the association.
Article No. XI
The legal secretary
The legal representative is a statutory body of the Association, s/he can represent it and deal with other parties on its behalf. Whenever s/he is not present s/he is deputized by an appointed board member.
Article No. XII
Fundraising
The fundraising person/agency acts as a cooperating partner. They are allowed to get relevant documents of the PermaLot association and have such documents legally copied and verified in accordance to the contract written between PermaLot and the fundraiser and/or fundraising agency. They have no authorisation to alter such documents.
Article No. XIII
The advisory board
1) The advisory board is a independent body of the association, it consists of three to ten members; The advisory board participation is independent from membership in any other body of the Association. The advisory board:
a) Contribute with advise and is consulted in connection with significant decisions. is constituted of representatives of networks, municipality, support/prospect members.
b) It is intended that the advisory function will happen through email. The representatives should be bi-lingual (Czech – English).
c) The input from the advisory board does not have a final function and must adhere to the mission of PermaLot.
d) The Board commits to consider the input from the advisory board.
Article No. XIV
The budgeting of the Association
The association manages its possessions and budgets finance according to available resources and needs.
The income of the Association consists of registration and membership fees, profit from its activities, subsidies, donations and other incomes.
Article No. XV
Transitory and concluding provisions
1) These Statutes come in the operation on the day they are registered by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.
2) All binding documents of the association have to be available in both Czech and English.
The official Statutes of the Civic Association PermaLot
Article No. I
The name and residence
The name of the association: PermaLot
Resident in: Olomouc, district Olomouc
Svojanov 137/1, 783 25 Bouzov
Article No. II
Legal status (general nature) of the association
1) The association is founded with the intention to group individuals and legal entities who agree with the mission statement and intended activities of the association as described in Article III of these Statutes.
2) The association is founded according to No. 83/1990 Legal Act about citizens associating in organisations including its later regulations, as an open and independent non-profit organisation with voluntary membership.
3) The association is a legal entity registered by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.
Article No. III
The mission and activities of the association
1) PermaLot seek to recreate the sustainability of an existing traditional rural village, (Svojanov), by facilitating an alternative economic base for the area while providing a living example of sustainable living, natural building, alternative energy and waste management; an Ecovillage.
This vision is based on the following core elements:
• To stimulate the final processing of local products within the microregion
• To facilitate alternative education, with an emphasis on the environment and language
• Low impact Ecotourism
The following Permaculture elements will be used as a guide:
1. Create systems that produce more than they use.
2. Work with nature, not against it.
3. Cooperation rather than competition.
2) Its activities include:
a) Environment protection of countryside areas, support and development of activities that are sensitive to nature (protection of environmentally significant areas, water resources, reclamation and restoring of localities impacted by industry as well as damaged biosystems).
b) Support, promotion and realization of an alternative rural-living model in areas of:
1) Agri-Environmental activities and production (growing organic food, support of alternative agriculture sensitive to the environment, permaculture, choice of suitable products, agricultural crops and animals).
2) Living (development and improvement of countryside infrastructure, creating healthy living conditions utilizing current understanding and available technology, houses made of ecological materials, buildings with low demands in terms of energy and respecting relationships towards the surrounding nature as well as traditional countryside architecture).
3) Energy (using local, sustainable and recyclable natural resources of energy).
4) Waste (cutting down on waste production, separation of the waste produced and its further use or elimination, using natural processes to utilize waste such as filtration of waste water using reedbed system, composting).
c) Support and development of activities leading towards self- realization of human beings in the areas of:
1. Social (creation of a community of people with positive social relationships, LETS system - mutual non-monetary aid).
2. Labour (enlarging the variety of economic activities in the area, development of crafts and small-scale produce and services).
3. Education and Youth work (establishing an educational and information center, cultivating the understanding of natural systems, ecology education, adding to the variety of manual and intellectual skills - crafts, art, communication, languages, providing advisory and consultancy services, carrying out practical workshops).
4. Leisure time (organizing social and cultural events, development of low-impact eco-tourism).
d) Co-operation with other non-profit organizations and individuals with similar focus.
e) Active participation in the process of creating and negotiation of legislation relevant to the concerned areas (preparation of bills and amendments, participation at the consultation sessions).
Article No. IV
Membership in the Association
1) We define membership in the following three categories: Support members, Prospective members and Full members.
2) A person becomes a support member of the association by being registered in the membership list of the Association.
3) The following can apply for the membership:
a) Whoever agrees in writing with the goals and activities of the Association and submits a registration membership form, and pay the yearly membership fee, set by the board,
b) Whoever is fully capable to carry out legal acts.
4) The board decides about accepting or dismissing a member.
5) Prospective members and Full members.
a) Support members can become a Prospective member by significant involvement in the activities of PermaLot, in case they have intentions of becoming Full members. A minimum period of 6 months is suggested to become a Full member.
b) It is intended that Full members have full time involvement in PermaLot
6) The membership in the Association ceases by:
a) Formal leaving, ending the membership by agreement of both sides or dismissal.
b) Death of the individual or cessation of the existence of a legal entity.
c) Cessation or restriction of capability to carry out legal acts.
d) Cessation of the existence of the Association itself.
7) When a membership ceases, it is the duty of both the sides to settle possession matters and other obligations.
Article No. V
The rights and duties of an Association member
1) A member of the Association has the right to:
a) Participate in the activities of the Association in harmony with its statutes.
b) Be informed about the activities and budgeting of the Association.
c) Use the services provided by the Association.
d) Leave the Association at any time without stating the reason.
2) Prospective members have the right to assert her/his opinions within the Association turn to the Association bodies with her/his proposals, suggestions, questions and complaints and demand comments.
3) A Full member has the right to:
a) Elect and be elected into the bodies of the Association.
b) Take part of the decisions about the use of financial resources and other assets of the association.
4) A member of the Association has to:
a) Act in harmony with the goals and activities of the Association.
b) Observe the statutes and other inner rules of the Association that have been agreed upon.
c) Pay duly the contribution fees agreed upon.
5) Prospective and Full members:
a) May participate at general assemblies and meetings of the Association bodies that s/he is a member of.
b) Participate actively in the work of the Association according to her/his abilities, as well as in management of its assets and to execute carefully and duly the tasks set to her/him.
6) When breaking any of the duties as listed in the above mentioned paragraphs, the member will be warned by the board about it, after not putting things right or in other ways breaking of the rules, the board may consider her/his dismissal.
Article No. VI
Honorary members of the Association
1) Anyone, who has helped realize a goal or particular task of the Association or has significantly supported its activities, may become its honorary member. An honorary member does not pay any membership fees and is entitled to being informed about the work and budgeting of the Association.
Article No. VII
The bodies of the Association
1) The Association has the following bodies:
a) The general assembly.
b) The board
c) The chairman
d) Legal Secretary
e) The advisory board
2) The Association may, as the need arises, form local Associations, expert sections, committees and clubs.
3) Posts in the Association bodies are honorary; the Association only covers actual cash expenses, including travelling expenses and time loss for the work associated with them.
4) The bodies that are elected for a period of three years.
Article No. VIII
The general assembly of the organisation
1) General assembly is the supreme body of the organisation. It is only for prospect and full members, however support members and advisory board may observe.
2) The general assembly is convened by the board with minimum frequency of once a year. Within this period the board has to convene the general assembly whenever at least one fifth (min. 2 persons) of the prospect and full members, ask for it. This has to happen within two month from the delivery date of the demand. Only Prospect and Full members have to be convened and only Full members have legal rights and responsibilities according to above-mentioned paragraphs.
3) The general assembly carries out, above all, the following:
a) Election of the board out of the Prospect and Full members.
b) Approval of the Statutes amendments, organizational structure and internal regulations of the association.
c) Approval of the reports about the work of the Association bodies.
d) Approval of the size of the membership fees.
e) Approval of the budget and its use.
f) Resolutions about suspended board decisions.
g) Resolution about cessation of the existence of the Association. In such case the accumulated assets will be sold to cover any outstanding debt (full members will be given priority to buy). Any remaining profit will be donated to associations with related mission.
h) Resolutions about other matters specified by the assembly itself.
4) For a resolution to be valid or approval of a decision according to paragraph (3) sections b) and g), the system of consensus –one among the board and honorary members is necessary.
Article No. IX
The board of the Association
1) The board consists of min. 3 members who can be elected by the Full members.
2) The annual board meeting is held during the winter, and the active members of the board meets whenever it is deemed necessary. Throughout the year the everyday decisions are taken by the Chairman and the resident Full members.
3) The board of the Civic Association is a managing, executive and coordination body of the Association; consist of three to fifteen members.
4) The board meets according to needs, but minimal frequency is once a year.
5) For a decision to be valid consensus –1 of the board members is necessary.
6) The board of the Civic Association:
a) Elects the chairman of the Association out of the board members.
b) Convenes the general assembly and prepares materials for it.
c) Keeps a record list of the members, decides about accepting and cessation of memberships.
d) Manages the money and assets of the organisation.
e) Only the board may decide about the purchase and sale of assets or property.
f) Decides about all matters unless the decision is upon other Association bodies.
Article No. X
The Chairman of the Association
The chairman is a statutory body of the Association, s/he represents it and deals with other parties on its behalf, s/he convenes and is in charge of its meetings. Whenever s/he is not present s/he is deputized by an appointed board member. The chairman is responsible for daily management decisions of the association.
Article No. XI
The legal secretary
The legal representative is a statutory body of the Association, s/he can represent it and deal with other parties on its behalf. Whenever s/he is not present s/he is deputized by an appointed board member.
Article No. XII
Fundraising
The fundraising person/agency acts as a cooperating partner. They are allowed to get relevant documents of the PermaLot association and have such documents legally copied and verified in accordance to the contract written between PermaLot and the fundraiser and/or fundraising agency. They have no authorisation to alter such documents.
Article No. XIII
The advisory board
1) The advisory board is a independent body of the association, it consists of three to ten members; The advisory board participation is independent from membership in any other body of the Association. The advisory board:
a) Contribute with advise and is consulted in connection with significant decisions. is constituted of representatives of networks, municipality, support/prospect members.
b) It is intended that the advisory function will happen through email. The representatives should be bi-lingual (Czech – English).
c) The input from the advisory board does not have a final function and must adhere to the mission of PermaLot.
d) The Board commits to consider the input from the advisory board.
Article No. XIV
The budgeting of the Association
The association manages its possessions and budgets finance according to available resources and needs.
The income of the Association consists of registration and membership fees, profit from its activities, subsidies, donations and other incomes.
Article No. XV
Transitory and concluding provisions
1) These Statutes come in the operation on the day they are registered by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic.
2) All binding documents of the association have to be available in both Czech and English.