ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION
(These articles of organization are written to meet condition for incorporation as a non-profit organization under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Section II A, B, and C are particular to a community land trust. The other provisions are typical of any non-profit corporation.)
I. The name by which the
corporation shall be known is:
COMMUNITY LAND TRUST in the SOUTHERN BERKSHIRES,
Inc.
II. The purposes for
which the corporation is formed is as follows:
A.
To acquire land and
interests in land,
B.
To retain and convey
interests in land so as to:
1.
conserve the
resources of the land and
2.
protect the nature
of the community, and
C.
To retain for the
community any unearned increment in the market value of the land,
D.
To acquire by
purchase, gift, devise, bequeath, lease, or otherwise to own, hold, use,
maintain, improve, operate, sell, lease and otherwise dispose of real and
personal property and to do everything necessary and proper to conduct for such
purposes, including the power to borrow funds, to mortgage, and to make,
accept, endorse, execute, and issue bonds, debentures and promissory notes.
E.
To accept gifts and
money, securities and personal and real property from any firm, person,
corporation, trust, association, organization or agency, of any kind and
nature, public governmental or private, to invest and reinvest the funds of the
corporation, to borrow money and issue evidences of indebtedness, therefore,
and to secure the same by mortgage, pledge or otherwise.
F.
In general, to
perform and do, either directly or indirectly and either alone or in
conjunction or cooperation with other persons and organizations of every kind
and nature all acts and things incidental to or in furtherance of the
accomplishment of the purposes of the corporation, and to use and exercise all
powers conferred from time to time by the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts upon corporation organized under Chapter 180 of the Massachusetts
General Laws.
G.
No part of the net
earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable
to, its members, trustees, officers or other private persons, except that the
corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation
for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth
in Article Two hereof. No
substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on
of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the
corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing
or distribution of statements) any political campaign in behalf of any
candidate for public office.
H.
Upon the dissolution
of the corporation, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making
provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the corporation, dispose
of all the assets of the corporation exclusively for the purposes of the
corporation in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized
and operated with similar purposes to the corporation.
I.
In the carrying out
of its activities, the organization will not discriminate in any way on the
basis of race, religion or sex.
III. If the corporation
has more than one class of members, the designation of such classes, the manner
of election or appointment, the duration of the membership and the
qualifications and rights, including voting rights, of the members of each
class, are as follows:
Membership and its rights are defined in the
By-laws of the corporation
IV. Other lawful
provisions, if any, for the conduct and regulation of the business and affairs
of the corporation, for its voluntary dissolution, or for limiting, defining or
regulating the powers of the corporation, or of its directors or members, or of
any class of members, are as follows:
Established in the By-laws of the corporation
V. By-laws of the
corporation have been duly adopted and the initial directors, president, treasurer
and clerk or other presiding, financial or recording officers whose names are
set out below, have been duly elected.
VI. The effective date
of organization shall be the date of filing with the Secretary of the
Commonwealth or if later date is desired, specify date, (not more than 30 days
after date of filing).