Proposed Articles

Articles of Incorporation

1. Organization: The name of the organization is The Belize Ecovillage Project. The organization may at its leisure by a three quarters majority vote of the Board of Directors change its name, and any of the articles herein, at any time.

2. Purposes: The association is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, ecological and spiritual purposes, including, saving the Howler Monkeys, and for all such purposes, as the making of distributions, to organizations that qualify, as tax exempt organizations.

We all must uphold that the Earth belongs to itself, and is meant to be stewarded with care. The Belize Ecovillage Project has been created to support the Web of Life, which extends throughout the Earth's biosphere and beyond, including all species as one whole being.

We believe we are meant to build the bridges, and make the connections that will help us, to take better care of the Web of Life, and that we are here to save, and to serve, and to create, and to extend life’s many habitats.

We recognize the inherent link, between our Creator and the paradise world, that has been bestowed upon us, to help life to further unfold, in ever more diverse and complex forms, absorbing and transforming the environment, in order to create meaning and to maintain and extend the Web of Life, throughout the Universe.

We celebrate the inborn, inherent, and immanent Divinity of Nature. As Stewards, it is our path and purpose, to nurture the unfolding of the divine plan, by establishing sacred sanctuaries for life affirming traditions, consecrated ground, holy havens, wild life refuges, endangered species sanctuaries, and genetic preserves, and parks for every kind of flora and fauna, including tree temples, sacred groves, eco-villages and arks for nature, and preserving sacred sites for the future, where we might reclaim, replant, restore, and regenerate the Web of Life, and to Save the Earth in the process.

The purpose for which this organization has been organized, is to provide a nurturing environment, where members of the Community, can congregate for spiritual purposes, free of harassment, persecution, or negative repercussions.

To provide an Ecologically Monastic, Charitable and Educational Retreat and Learning Center, for all the members of the community, and to serve as an endangered species sanctuary for the Howler Monkeys, and to share in the spiritual work, of taking care of the land, and to find some way, to be of service, to the local community, as by helping to establish clean water systems.

3. Membership: Basic Membership, in this organization, will be open to all to join, who will adhere to the basic principles, of ecological living, and good land stewardship, and this organization shall be open to all, to have a chance to build a home on and to live, on one of the homesteads, who have pledged, to do their part, in support of the Whole Community, which has been set at BZ $19,768. or its equivalent, which is  $9,884. in US Dollars, and who have remained in good standing.

4. Voting: At all meetings except the election of officers and members, all votes shall be by voice. At any regular or special meeting, if a three quarters majority so requires, any question may be voted upon, in the manner and style provided, for election of officers and directors.

5. Order of business for counsel board meetings: Roll call. Recall of what was talked about at the preceding meeting, Reports of committees, Reports of officers, Old and unfinished business, New business, Adjournments.

6. Board of Directors: The business of this organization shall be managed by a board of directors consisting of not less than 9 members, who will be needed to form a quorum.

The directors to be chosen for the ensuing year shall be chosen at the end of the meeting of this organization, in the same manner, and style, as the officers of this organization, and they shall serve for as long as needed.

The board of directors shall have the control of all of the business of this organization. Such board of directors shall only act in the name of the organization, when it shall be regularly convened, after due notice to all of the board members of such meeting.

7. Officers: The initial officers of the organization, shall be as follows: Director, and members at large. The Director shall have the care and custody of all monies, belonging to the organization, and shall be solely responsible for such monies or securities of the organization. He or she shall operate at his or her discretion.

The Director is responsible for advising the board, on all matters concerning the legality and fiscal soundness, of all financial investments and expenditures. He or she must be one of the officers who shall sign checks or drafts of the organization.

Officers shall by virtue of their office be members of the board of directors. No officer shall for reason of his office be entitled to receive any salary or compensation, but nothing herein shall be construed to prevent an officer or director from receiving any compensation from the organization for duties other than as a board member.

The Secretary shall keep the minutes and records of the organization in appropriate books as well as to file any certificate required by any statute, of Belize Law. He or she shall be responsible to give and serve all notices to members of this organization. He or she shall be the official custodian of the records of this organization. He or she shall assist in the presentation to the membership, at any meetings any communication addressed to him or her, as secretary of the organization.

8. Salaries: The board of directors shall hire and fix the compensation of any and all employees, which they in their discretion may determine to be necessary for the conduct of the business of the organization.

 9. Committees: All committees and councils of this organization shall be appointed and/or approved by the board of directors and their term of office shall be determined on a case-by-case basis as new committees and councils are created. There shall be a clerical council that deals exclusively with the ritual and spiritual aspects of deeply rooted spiritual issues within the Community. The clerical council shall draft its own by-laws to be reviewed and approved by the board of directors at which time additional provisos shall be added.

10. Community Service and Maintenance Fees: Each member of this community will be expected to put in one full day of work per week of residence in the service of the general work that needs to be done in taking care of the grounds and in general community service work. The maintenance fees of this organization shall be BZ$20 per month of residence per person and shall become payable whenever the individual wishes to begin membership. Resident membership begins when the initial maintenance fees are received.

11. Dissolution: Upon dissolution of the association, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes or shall be distributed for an ecologically appropriate public purpose.

12. Amendments: These by-laws may be altered, amended, repealed or added to by an affirmative vote of all of the existing board members.

13.  Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from income tax under Belize law or the corresponding provision of any future tax code, or (b) by an association, contributions to which are tax deductible.

14. The Initial Director of The Belize Ecovillage Project will be T, who will appoint his successor from amongst the membership of the community. This will be subject to the approval of the rest of the membership.

16: The Land Stewards will be a group of people who serve the Spiritual Caretaking of the Land, and who will always stand in solidarity, in support of the general purposes of this community which are charitable, educational, ecological, religious and spiritual.

The Stewards Council shall be set up as an advisory committee to serve the Board of Directors in making decisions that reflect the views of the most committed circle of members, who are the ones who have made the Contribution Pledges of BZ $19,768. which is the equivalent of only $9,884. in US Dollars.

The Main Circle shall be set up as a forum for the airing of ideas and opinions of a more general interest before the council who will then be better informed about the needs and the perspectives, of the other members, who will in this way have adequate representation, and a real voice in the community.

17. In the event that any of the Land Stewards, are unable to fulfill their obligations, and need to pull out of this community for any reason, they may do so within the first 3 years of their Stewardship, provided their full contribution pledge has been paid, and they are still an active member in good standing, and they will get half of that contribution pledge back, which would be BZ $ 9,884. provided that they have given us written notice, within the first year, of their intentions to do so.

The community will then be allowed to transfer their Stewardship responsibilities, to another prospective member, who will then begin to take over all the stewardship responsibilities, within or anytime before, the 3rd year is up, provided that the Stewards Council has approved of such a members admittance to the community, and they have paid the normal Contribution Pledge in full.

If so that new member of the Stewards Council will be expected to take on all the monthly financial support, associated with that Seat on The Stewards Council, and membership in the community.