Grant Amateur Radio Club

Article I

The Grant Amateur Radio Club is a non-commercial association of Radio Amateurs, bonded for the promotion of interest in Amateur Radio communication and experimentation, for the relaying of message(s) by radio, for the advancement of the radio art and public welfare, and for the maintenance of fraternalism and a high standard of conduct.

Article II

A bonafide interest in Amateur Radio is the only essential qualification for membership. Ownership of a transmitting station and knowledge of Morse code are not prerequisite although full voting member is granted only to licensed amateurs in good club standing.

Article III

The officers shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer and shall serve a term of one year. The same individual shall fill no office for more than three years in a row. Elections shall be held at the December meeting and the office term shall be from January 1 to December 31. Elections shall be by secret ballot. The procedures of balloting and voter and candidate qualifications shall be covered in the bylaws.

Article IV

There shall be twelve (12) meetings per year. Club business shall be conducted at all meetings.

Article V

Proposed amendments to the constitution or bylaws shall be submitted to the membership at the next regular meeting. Voting on the proposed changes shall take place at the next regular meeting, unless the assembly votes to postpone voting on the amendment. A vote of 2/3 of members present is required for amendment passage. Written notification of any proposed amendment is to be mailed to all Full Members no less than 14 days of scheduled vote.

Article VI

Any officer missing three consecutive meetings shall be subject to removal by the Board at the next regular meeting.

Article VII

All elected officers shall sign and date Addendum 1 upon being duly sworn in to their respective office, as official representatives of the Grant Amateur Radio Club and serve

In that capacity for one (1) year unless otherwise provided by the constitution and bylaws.

Preface

Roberts Rules of Order shall be used, as a guide, during all proceedings of the Grant Amateur Radio Club. The Rules should be used only to help, not to hinder business. It is not intended that strict observance of every rule be followed in all cases.

Meetings

Meetings shall normally be held the third Thursday of each month.

Election of Officers

Candidates for office and all who expect to vote for those candidates must be full members in good standing; their dues must be paid by the last day of February of the current year; and they must hold a valid amateur radio license.

Nomination of Club Officers

Nominations for all officers shall be made at the November meeting. All members who are at the November meeting, and who are eligible, may make nominations, and are eligible for nomination. The nominations shall be tabulated at the November meeting.

Voting Procedure of Club Officers

A proxy vote in a letter shall be delivered to all eligible members within one week following the November meeting. The member may return it to the Club President by mail or take it to the December meeting. Either way, a secret ballot shall be maintained at all times. Mailed ballots shall be opened at the December meeting and dropped in the ballot box with total disregard to the cast ballot. If a ballot was mailed to the President, the mailing member may attend the December meeting and claim the unopened ballot and make any necessary corrections.

Note: Candidates presented on the ballot are those who accepted nomination. A write-in vote may be given for any eligible candidate.

Duties of the President

The President is to open the meeting at the time at which the assembly is scheduled to meet, by taking the chair and calling the members to order; to announce the business before the assembly in the order in which is is to be acted upon; to recognize members entitled to the floor; to state and to put to vote all questions which are regularly moved, or raise in the course of the proceedings, and to announce the result of the vote; to protect the assembly from annoyance from evidently frivolous motions by refusing to recognize them; to authenticate, by his signature, when necessary, all the acts, orders, and proceedings of the assembly. In case of very serious disorder, or other emergency, the chair has the right to declare the assembly adjourned to some other time and place if necessary.

The president cannot close debate unless by order of the assembly, which requires a two-thirds vote; nor can he prevent legitimate motions by hurrying through the proceedings. If the President must leave the meeting and if the Vice-President is absent, the President may appoint a President pro-tem. The President may not, knowing that he/she will be unable to attend a future meeting, appoint a President pro-tem.

Additional presidential duties include taking charge of membership recruiting programs, scheduling amateur radio classes, and assisting the VE liaison to schedule test sessions for new and upgrading amateurs.

The President shall form a committee and be the chairman of the same committee, with as many or as few members as he feels necessary to maintain the Ohio incorporation status and the Internal Revenue Service non-profit organization status. This committee must include the Statutory Agent in all meetings and decisions pertaining to finances of the organization. In any case, the President may not avoid his duties through non-management, by not attending meetings or by ignoring the affairs of the organization. Under Ohio law, he may be subject to personal liability. Make appointment for membership to fill any office vacancy.

Duties of the Vice-President

In the case of the absence of the President, the Vice-President must preside, performing all duties of the President. In the case of prolonged illness, or resignation, or death of the President, the Vice-President becomes President for the unexpired term of the President. Since article III of the constitution prohibits any particular office being held for more than three continuous years, if the Vice-President held the position of President for the three previous years, and the office of the President becomes vacant, the Vice-President shall inform all members, by mail, that there shall be a special election for the presidency, to be held within thirty days of the vacancy of the President.

Additional vice-presidential duties include: acting as the chairperson of the Financial Committee; scheduling net control operators for the weekly nets and keeping the associated Net Control paperwork (call-up procedure and net reports) for the current year; being in charge of operation and maintenance of the club equipment, and being special events coordinator (Field Day, SET, etc.).

Duties of the Secretary

The Secretary is the recording officer of the assembly and the custodian of its records except such that are specifically assigned to others, such as the Treasurer’s books, the records held by the Statutory Agent, and the VE Liaisons tests and forms. It is the duty of the Secretary to keep a register or roll, of the members and to call the roll when required. It is his/her duty to send out proper notices of all meetings. In the absence of the President and the Vice-President, when the hour for opening of the meeting arrives, it is the duty to call the meeting to order, and to preside until the election of a President pro-tem, which should take place immediately, before any further business is conducted. The Secretary should keep an accurate, unbiased record of the proceedings. This record is usually referred to as the minutes.

Duties of the President Pro-tem

The President pro-tem can perform all the duties of the President. The tenure of the President pro-tem begins at a meeting with the appointment of the vacating President or, by an election conducted by the secretary. The appointment of the President ends with the adjournment of that meeting. The appointment can also be terminated by electing another chairman or by the entrance of the President or Vice-President.

Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer acts as the club’s banker, merely holding the funds deposited with him/her and paying them out in the order of the club signed by the President and the Secretary. He/She is required to make reports as the scheduled business meetings of the club.

Statutory Agent

The Statutory Agent is the representative appointed by the Incorporates (officers of the Grant Amateur Radio Club) to represent the club, in all matters concerning Incorporation under Ohio law. In compliance with Ohio Revised Code 1701.07 (A) & (B) and 1702.6 (A) & (B), the person serving as Statutory Agent is (until changed by filing an amendment with the Secretary of State).

VE Liaison

The VE Liaison shall: work with the President and the VEC to schedule test sessions, be the contact between the VEC and the VE team; secure test sites, request and approve rent payments for the test sites, if necessary; schedules VEs; advertise test sessions; administer and grades tests in accordance with the VEC and PCC rules and regulations; mail all necessary paperwork to the VEC within 10 days; and report test  session results to the President. The VE Liaison is an appointed position, not an elected position and can be an EXTRA class license holder who is a full member in good standing.

Financial Committee

The committee shall be chaired by the Vice-President and shall have as the other two members, the Treasurer and the Statutory Agent.

The Financial Committee shall:

1. Identify accounts and set procedures for payments of all club expenses.
2. Plan a budget for the next year.
3. Set fair market value for any piece of equipment to be disposed of, for any reason, by the club.

Legal Committee

The committee shall consist of two members appointed by the club President.

The Legal Committee shall:

1. Make sure the constitution is easily understood by all.
2. Be watchful of any possible liabilities and make recommendations to the membership.

Assets Management Committee

The committee shall consist of two members, to be appointed by the President.

1. Identify ownership of equipment.
2. Loan equipment and material (make and enforce rules).
3. Make sure club and borrowed equipment is properly maintained.

Membership

A Full Member shall have all voting privileges allowed by the constitution and bylaws. Full membership annual dues are $15.00 per year for the first member of each family. All additional immediate family members living in the same household can attain additional full memberships at $5.00 per person.

An Associate member has no voting privileges. His/Her membership is to be regarded as a supporting member only. Associate membership dues are $5.00 per year.

If a person desires to join the club in the first quarter of the year his/her dues shall be the full amount, in the second quarter his/her dues shall be 3/4 the full amount; in the third quarter his/her dues shall be 1/2 the full amount; and in the fourth quarter his/her dues shall be 1/4 the full amount.

Dissolution of Club

All proposals to disband must follow article five of the constitution with the following changes and restrictions.

1. A vote of 75% of the entire voting membership shall be required to disband the club.
2. Members who have been a paid member for at least one calendar year (Jan 1-Dec 31) and have attended at least two of the last four business meetings will be the only members permitted to vote for dissolution. No votes shall be accepted by mail.
3. Assets are to be disposed of within 60 days.
4. Members shall have first opportunity to buy equipment, by sealed bid only, within 30 days.
5. No less than 75% of the fair market value shall be accepted. The financial committee shall determine fair market value.
6. After 60 days, if more than $100.00 of equipment is left, the equipment shall be advertised in amateur radio publications.
7. Until all equipment is properly disposed of, the only club money to be spent is for advertising of the equipment for sale. All other money shall be kept in the bank until all money is in.
8. After all money is collected and all bills paid, the remaining money shall be distributed in accordance with the Grant Amateur Radio Club Articles of Incorporation. This amount is mandatory by Ohio law.

Addendum 1

We the undersigned, as duly elected officers of the Grant Amateur Radio Club, having read and understood the Constitution, do promise to represent the Grant Amateur Radio Club in a professional and dignified manner, conforming to the adopted Constitution and Bylaws of the club in all business and non-business related matters within the designated duties of our respective elected officers.

President: ____________________________________________________  Date: _______________________

Vice-President: _______________________________________________  Date: _______________________

Secretary: ____________________________________________________  Date: _______________________

Treasurer: ____________________________________________________  Date: _______________________