Invitation to the Annual Meeting of Baltic Ecovillage Network

17th July 2023, 17:00 CET
Place: Nature Community + Online on Zoom (at this link)

Dear members of ecovillages and communities around Baltic Sea Region!

The Baltic Ecovillage Network (BEN) is a macro-regional network of diverse intentional communities pursuing an ecological way of living. BEN includes 12 countries, all sharing the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea region:

Despite a diverse spectrum of cultures and languages we have many things in common – shared history and bioregion, and the Baltic Sea particularly. BEN aims to support the exchange of practices and to foster the cooperation between community-led initiatives in the region.

We invite you all for the Annual Meeting 2023 which will take place online on the 17th of July, 17:00 CET

During the GA we will overview BEN activities, plans, projects and finance.
Elect a new BEN Council for 2023-2024 and update the statutes.
If you have good candidates to join the board for the next period of 2023-2024 or have ideas for the network, please write them here.

MEMBERSHIP

Please pay your National Network membership before the GA, or latest at the GA in cash to Matteo.
The membership fee for BEN is:
– 25 EUR for National Networks who are full members.
– 10 EUR for aspiring members.

BEN’s bank details:
Main account holder: Baltic Ecovillage Network
Clearing number: 9060
Account number: 30.922.33
IBAN number : SE54 9020 0000 0906 0309 2233
BIC/SWIFT address: ELLFSEESS
AGENDA – BEN ANNUAL MEETING

I. Welcome – We hope for a well visited meeting across the Baltic nations
II. Formal part – Reports, Elections and other formalia.
III. Amendment of the Statutes
IV. BEN future prospects – what do we want to achieve next year and onwards?

Part II in details:

1. Election of the Chairperson and Secretary of the meeting.
2. Determination of the voting list for the meeting.
3. Selection of the minutes certifiers and vote counters.
4. Question if the meeting has been called correctly.
5. Approval of the agenda.
6. The Board’s narrative and financial reports (balance sheet and income statement) for the last financial year.
7. The audit report for the last financial year 2021.
8. Question of releasing the Board from liability for the period audited.
9. Determination of membership fees.
10. Adoption of the plan of operations and the budget for the coming financial year.
11. Election of the Chairperson of the association.
12. Decision on the number of Board Members and Deputy Members
13. Election of Board Members and Deputy Members.
14. Election of Auditors and Deputy Auditors.
15. Review of the Board’s proposal and timely recieved motions.
16. Other issues.

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Part III DETAILS:

FROM § 6 Board

The Board consists of the Chairperson, and a minimum of two Board Members plus two Deputy Members. The Board appoints a Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and other posts of the Association which it considers necessary. The board is elected for one activity year until the next Annual General Assembly. If a Board Member resigns before the expiry of the term, a deputy member will be appointed as Board Member replacing the ordinary member until the next Annual General Assembly.

TO § 6 Board

The Board consists of the Chairperson, and a minimum of three Board Members plus a minimum of one Deputy Members. If relevant the Board can appoints a Vice Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and other posts of the Association which it considers necessary. The board is elected for two activity year until the next Annual General Assembly. If a Board Member resigns before the expiry of the term, a deputy member will be appointed as Board Member replacing the ordinary member until the next Annual General Assembly.

FROM § 9 Auditors

The Board shall be annually audited by two auditors appointed at the annual meeting. The auditors shall, by 1 May issuetheir audit report.

TO § 9 Auditors

The Board shall be annually audited by two auditors appointed at the annual meeting. The auditors shall, by 1 July issue their audit report.

FROM § 10 Annual General Assembly

The Annual General Assembly, which is the highest decision-making body, held each year by the 1 August on the time and place determined by the Board. Written notice must be sent to all members 1 month before ordinary annual meeting and 1 month of prior notice to an extraordinary annual meeting.

TO § 10 Annual General Assembly

The Annual General Assembly, which is the highest decision-making body, held each year, no later than, the 1 st October on the time and place determined by the Board, in case of necessity it can be hosted online. Written notice must be sent to all members 1 month before ordinary annual meeting and 1 month of prior notice to an extraordinary annual meeting.

For any comments or proposal for the agenda please contact us at or fill up this form

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT BEN GA from BEN statues

§ 12 Voting Rights at General Assemblies

At the General Assembly, each full member has one vote. The right to vote is member-specific but a full member may vote by proxy. No full member can have more than one proxy vote.

§ 13 Decision, voting and quorum of General Assemblies

Decisions are taken by acclamation or if requested, by voting. Voting is open, except for elections where a ballot is requested. Decisions are made, unless these bylaws otherwise provides a simple majority. In case of a tie, the chairperson of the meeting makes the decision. Members of the Board may neither participate in the paid work for which the member is responsible, nor make the choice of auditor. The meeting has a quorum with 50% of voting members present at the meeting.

In community,
The BEN Board

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To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/balticecovillage.net/d/msgid/newsletter/4667E6E5-CF80-4702-BE5E-9E483CF88B4B%40hxcore.ol.