Bylaws - Trident Amateur Radio Club (TARC)

Table of Contents

I. CONSTITUTION

Article 1. Name

Article 2. Objective

Article 3. Membership

Section 1. Membership Categories

Section 2. Life Members

Section 3. Application for Membership

Article 4. Officers

Section 1. Designation and Term of Office

Section 2. Elections

Section 3. Vacancies

Section 4. Removal

Article 5. Meetings

Section 1. When, where

Section 2. Special Meetings

Article 6. Amendments

II. BYLAWS

Article 1. Duties of Officers

Section 1. President

Section 2. Vice President

Section 3. Secretary

Section 4. Treasurer

Article 2. Advisory Board

Section 1. Composition of Board

Section 2. Term of Office

Section 3. Unable to serve

Section 4. Function

Section 5. Meetings

Section 6. Authority

Article 3. Standing Committees

Section 1. Appointments

Section 2. Auditing

Section 3. Constitution and Bylaws

Section 4. Education

Section 5. Fund Raising

Section 6. Interference

Section 7. Membership

Section 8. Nominating

Section 9. Phone

Section 10. Program

Section 11. Property

Section 12. Public Relations

Section 13. QSL

Section 14. Repeater

Section 15. Web Page

Article 4. Quorum

Article 5. Funds

Section 1. Club Authorization of Funds

Section 2. Authorization of Funds

Article 6. General

Article 7. Rules

Section 1. Parliamentary Authority

Section 2. Method of Communication

III. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Article 1. Dues

Section 1. Fiscal Year

Section 2. Individual Membership

Section 3. Family Membership

Article 2. Reinstatement

Article 3. Amendments

Article 4. Club Equipment

Article 5. Club Programs

Article 6. Monies

Section 1. QSL Committee

Section 2. Phone Committee

Article 7. Life Members

CONSTITUTION

TRIDENT AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

ARTICLE ONE: NAME

The name of this organization shall be “TRIDENT AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, INC.”. This is a nonprofit organization hereafter referred to as the Club, and is chartered and incorporated under the laws of the State of South Carolina.

(8-26-1977, Domestic Non-Profit Incorporation)

ARTICLE TWO: OBJECTIVE

To secure the pleasure and benefits of persons commonly interested in advancing the general interest and welfare of Amateur Radio in the community, and further the exchange of information and cooperation between members, promote radio knowledge, fraternalism, and individual operating efficiency.

ARTICLE THREE: MEMBERSHIP

Section One

A. REGULAR MEMBERS

Regular members are members who possess a valid Amateur Radio License. Regular members have a voice and a vote in all elections of officers and other club business.

B. YOUTH MEMBERS

Youth members are individuals less than eighteen years of age who are not a part of a family membership and shall pay dues 50% of regular members . If licensed, they shall be accorded all privileges of regular members, otherwise; they shall have the privileges of associate members.

C. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Associate members are those persons interested in promoting Amateur Radio in general and the club in particular, but who do not possess an Amateur Radio license of any class. Associate members have a voice, but do not have voting privileges. Associate members are not eligible to hold office in the club, but may serve on committees and hold committee offices.

D. SUSTAINING MEMBERS (Adopted 9/93)

To further promote the understanding of Amateur Radio in general and the Trident Amateur Radio Club in particular, the club accepts individual and business affiliations as SUSTAINING MEMBERS. These members shall receive all the benefits of regular members, except that they shall not be able to vote, nor hold office in the organization. Sustaining members shall be welcome at all club functions and be allowed to serve on committees, hold committee offices, and be kept advised by means of the club’s newsletter.

Section Two

LIFE MEMBERS

Life members are those persons who have been voted as such by the Club. Their privileges shall be that of a Regular Member, except that they are exempt from paying dues. Any member thus honored shall be listed in the Policies and Procedures.

Section Three

Membership applicants, both regular and associate, must submit a written application which must be read at a regular meeting of the club. A two-thirds (2/3) favorable vote of regular members present and voting shall constitute acceptance.

ARTICLE FOUR: OFFICERS

Section One

The officers of the club shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, each elected for a term of one year.

Section Two

The election of the officers shall take place at the regular meeting in August, and they shall take office on September 1. Officers are to be elected by secret ballot and are considered elected by a majority vote of regular members present and voting.

Section Three

Vacancies occurring between elections are to be filled by a special election at the first regular meeting after the membership has been notified. When a vacancy occurs, the President may appoint a regular member to serve until the special election.

Section Four

An officer may be removed from office by a three fourths (3/4) vote of regular members present and voting. This must be done at a regular meeting by secret ballot after the membership has been notified in writing.

ARTICLE FIVE: MEETINGS

Section One

Regular meetings of the Club shall be held on the third Monday of each calendar month, at such place as the President may direct. The December meeting may be suspended by action of the Club.

Section Two

Special meetings shall be called by the President upon a written request of a minimum of five (5) regular members. The membership of the Club shall be notified by email, in writing, or by phone committee of such meetings, and the nature of the business to be conducted at least forty eight (48) hours in advance of the meeting.

ARTICLE SIX: AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws shall be voted upon after being brought to the floor by the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, or any member so designated by the President, and notice given to members at least forty eight (48) hours prior to the vote. Notice must be given by email to the last known email address, standard postal mail service to last known postal address, or phone call to last known number. Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws must be approved by a 2/3 vote of regular members present and voting.

Constitution adopted this _________ day of ______________________ 2008.

Certification by:

_____________________________ _____________________________

Vince Lombardo, K4AOC , President Robert Meyer, AI4SX , Secretary

BYLAWS

TRIDENT AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

ARTICLE ONE: DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section One

The duties of the President shall be as follows:

(1) Preside at all meetings of the Club and Advisory Board.

(2) Enforce the Constitution, Bylaws, and Policies and Procedures of the club and decide all questions of order.

(3) At the annual meeting in August, the newly elected President shall appoint an Auditing Committee consisting of three (3) regular members of the club to audit the records of the Secretary and the Treasurer. Past year and newly elected officers are not eligible to serve on the committee, but their presence and assistance are welcomed.

(4) Sign all official documents approved by the club membership.

(5) Perform all other duties pertaining to the Office of the President.

Section Two

The Vice President, in the absence of the President, shall perform all the duties of the President as described in these Bylaws, Article One, Section One.

Section Three

The Secretary shall keep a record of all proceedings of the club and Advisory Board meetings, prepare correspondence, and send meeting notices to the membership. The monthly notice may be inserted in the club’s monthly email publication.

Section Four

The duties of the Treasurer are as follows:

(1) Receive all monies due the club, and deposit same in a checking account in favor of the club at a local bank.

(2) Make all disbursements by check.

(3) Ensure that all checks are signed by the Treasurer and the President, or the Vice President in the absence of the President.

(4) The Treasurer is authorized to pay the following bills without prior approval of the club:

(a) Monthly telephone bills

(b) Monthly electric power bills

(d) Postage and printing of the monthly publication, and postage of any official correspondence

(e) Periodic insurance premiums that provide liability, equipment or bonding coverage

(f) South Carolina Tax Commission Fees

(5) Read all bills paid since the last regular meeting. This shall include all bills paid as authorized by this Constitution and Bylaws, all bills paid as authorized by the President, and all bills as authorized by the Advisory Board, and/or autonomous committees. The approval for the above bills should be confirmed by the membership, and such approval should be recorded by the Secretary.

(6) Notify the membership of the due date of payment of annual dues by having a notice inserted in the monthly publication or in writing.

(7) Keep an accurate record of all receipts and expenditures by the club.

(8) Be the custodian of any savings certificates or passbooks of savings accounts. Withdrawals from such accounts are to be made only upon approval of the club membership, and require the signatures of the Treasurer and the President, or the Vice President in the absence of the President.

(9) At the expiration of the term in office, the Treasurer shall turn over to the newly elected Treasurer all monies and other records of the club.

ARTICLE TWO: ADVISORY BOARD

Section One

The Advisory Board shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, all committee chairmen , and three (3) voting members elected by the club at the same time as the election of club officers. Committee chairmen may discuss, but do not have a vote at Advisory Board meetings.

Section Two

The three (3) members elected shall serve concurrently with the officers of the Club.

Section Three

In the event any member of the Advisory Board is unable to serve his/her full term in office, the club will elect a member in his/her place.

Section Four

The Advisory Board shall function to:

(1) Ensure adherence to the Constitution, Bylaws, and Policies and Procedures and other established policies of the club.

(2) Serve as the coordinating and planning board for the general organized efforts of the club. In this endeavor, they shall plan and organize the regular meeting agendas by email, in writing or by phone committee. Any member of the club may submit items of his/her interest to the Advisory Board for consideration and inclusion in the meeting agenda. To ensure an orderly presentation, the Advisory Board should endeavor to research and submit proposals and recommendations for the appropriate course(s) of action on any agenda item requiring the approval of the membership.

Section Five

The Advisory Board shall meet at least once between regular meetings. There are no other stated meetings. Special meetings may be called by three (3) or more members of the Advisory Board.

Section Six

The Advisory Board shall have no authority other than that which is stated in this Constitution and Bylaws, or which may be granted hereinafter by a two-thirds vote of members present at a regular meeting.

ARTICLE THREE: STANDING COMMITTEES

Section One

All members are appointed by the President. The President shall appoint a temporary chairman for each Standing Committee as needed. All persons on a Standing Committee shall meet and elect a Chairman and a Secretary, adopt committee rules and submit a budget, if applicable, no later than the October meeting. Standing Committees shall abide by Robert’s Rules of Order, and serve at the pleasure of the President.

Section Two

AUDITING COMMITTEE

The Auditing Committee, consisting of 3 regular club members, is appointed by the incoming President at the August meeting and shall examine the Secretary’s and Treasurer’s records for compliance with the Constitution and Bylaws. The Committee shall make a written report of the Secretary’s and Treasurer’s records showing the balance from the previous year’s audit, and a detailed report of expenditures and receipts for the past year. The Committee shall account for all funds on hand, and on deposit in any checking and savings accounts. The Committee shall audit any funds in the hands of Committee Chairmen.

Section Three

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS COMMITTEE

A Constitution, Bylaws and Policies and Procedures Committee shall be composed of three or more persons, one of whom shall be the Club’s current Secretary. This Committee shall be responsible for keeping an up-to-date version of the Club’s Constitution and Bylaws, and shall see that such a copy is on file with the State of South Carolina. The Committee may receive and comment upon any proposed changes to the Constitution, Bylaws, and Policies and Procedures and see that such changes are properly worded. The Committee shall present such proposals to the Club with a recommendation for a proper disposition. The committee is further assigned the power and function to make proposed changes on it’s own.

Section Four

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

The Education Committee, may from time to time, as interests and requests dictate, hold instructional classes for any class license theory and code. The Committee may have a budget on a per class basis, as approved by the Club.

Section Five

FUND RAISING COMMITTEE

The Fund Raising Committee’s responsibilities are to devise ways and means to secure funds for the Club for the purpose of carrying out the objectives of the Club.

Section Six

INTERFERENCE COMMITTEE

The Interference Committee’s responsibilities are to assist members when issues of interference arise with members’ amateur radio operating activities.

Section Seven

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

The Membership Committee’s responsibilities shall include obtaining promotional materials, name badges, and other information deemed necessary to inform new members of the property and ideals of the Club.

Section Eight

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

The Nominating Committee’s responsibilities are to contact qualified members who are willing to be placed on the slate for officers of the Club. By qualified, it is meant that the person has knowledge of the office they agree to run for, are capable of carrying out those duties in a responsible, legal and legitimate manner, and are expected to attend all meetings, reasonable absences excepted . The President and Vice-President should have a working knowledge of Robert’s Rules of Order to run the monthly meeting. The Treasurer should be capable of keeping the checkbook and associated accounts reconciled and balanced on a monthly basis. The Secretary should be capable of taking accurate and complete minutes and notes of the monthly meeting and the Board meeting, and any other meeting that concerns the Club. This includes forwarding theses minutes to the webmaster for publication on the Club’s web site.

Section Nine

PHONE COMMITTEE

The Phone Committee will contact those members without email about all meetings and functions of the club. It will also contact prospective new members from a list of those tested by the VE team each month. If requested, they will mail information packets including a membership application to the prospective new member. The committee will have an annual budget set by the Policies and Procedures.

Section Ten

PROGRAM COMMITTEE

The Program Committee’s responsibilities are to provide a program for each monthly meeting for the entertainment or educational benefit of those attending the monthly meeting.

Section Eleven

PROPERTY COMMITTEE

The Property Committee shall be the custodian of all the Club’s property, and maintain a current inventory of all property and equipment. A printed copy of all club equipment and the location of said equipment shall be made available to members at regular meetings.

Section Twelve

PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE

The Public Relations Committee's responsibilities are: to promote and publicize the activities of the club and amateur radio in general by preparing and sending press releases to the appropriate venues; to prepare and assemble handout packets for new hams tested by the VE team promoting our club and amateur radio in general; and to represent our club at all public functions such as Field Day, the Charleston Hamfest, and other local functions the club may participate in.

Section Thirteen

QSL COMMITTEE

The QSL Committee’s responsibilities are to respond to QSL requests sent to the Club. They will order QSL cards that meet the Board’s approval. All logs, or copies of logs, from contests and functions done in the name of the Club will be sent to the QSL Committee, and no QSL will be answered unless verified by these logs. The committee will have an annual budget set by the Policies and Procedures.

Section Fourteen

REPEATER COMMITTEE

The Repeater Committee’s responsibilities are to maintain the Club’s repeaters, working in unison with any other entity that has control over the repeaters.

Section Fifteen

WEB-PAGE COMMITTEE

The Web Page Committee’s responsibilities shall include maintenance of the Club’s internet web pages. The Editor of the Club’s newsletter shall be given access to the Web pages for the purpose of posting the current issue of the newsletter.

ARTICLE FOUR: QUORUM

A quorum for the purpose of election of officers and the conduct of Club business shall not be less than the smaller of either ten (10) regular members, or 25% of the regular membership.

ARTICLE FIVE: FUNDS

Section One

The Club may authorize funds to be used by committees. These funds are to be used for refreshments at meetings, maintenance of the repeater, parties, etc. Receipts for such expenditures will be provided to the Treasurer at the next regular meeting before reimbursement can be made.

Section Two

(1) The President may authorize the expenditure of up to one hundred ($100.00) between meetings, without the prior approval of the Club. Any such expenditure must be of an emergency nature which cannot await membership approval. In the event money is spent between meetings, written justification shall be forwarded to the Treasurer at the time of dispersal for inclusion in the next meeting’s minutes. The President shall be accountable for such an expenditure.

Individual membership - The annual dues shall be thirty ($30) (changed 20 July 2009 by unanimous vote), due on September 1 each year. Youth dues will be 50% of regular annual dues for full membership (associate member if youth is not a licensed amateur operator). First year dues for new members shall be prorated: 75% January; 50% April; 25% June.

Family membership - Members of the same family, residing in the same household, and holding a valid Amateur Radio license, will be allowed all rights and privileges, and shall incur all obligations of regular members of the club by payment of thirty-five dollars ($35) (changed 20 July 2009 by unanimous vote) per family, per year, in lieu of individual dues. Family memberships shall be allowed a maximum of two votes on any issue, business, or election.

A member dropped for non payment of dues two months after due (Nov 1) may be reinstated by payment of the current year’s dues in full. No vote for acceptance is required.

Provisions of these Policies and Procedures may be amended at any regular meeting by a majority vote of members present.

No person other than a member shall be allowed to work upon, possess, or control any Club equipment or property unless:

The Club may implement programs for the issuance of certificates pertaining to the accomplishment of certain accepted practices within the amateur radio fraternity.

The QSL Committee shall have an annual budget of $150, to use without preauthorization, but subject to justification.

The Phone Committee shall have an annual budget of $100, to use without preauthorization, but subject to justification.

Policies and Procedures adopted this _________ day of ______________________ 2008.