PREAMBLE: 

    1.    To provide the benefits of the Amateur Radio Service for our community and ourselves through association with fellow amateur radio operators and similarly interested persons: we, the undersigned, constitute ourselves the Wiregrass Amateur Radio Club. We enact this constitution as our governing law.

    2.    In accordance with the guidelines of 47 CFR 97, and embracing the duties and responsibilities associated with the Amateur Radio service, it shall be our purpose to:

        a.    Provide education and training for ourselves and others promoting the expansion of the existing reservoir of trained operators, technicians and electronics experts,

        b.    Provide improvement to the amateur radio service by advancing our skills in both the communications and technical phases of the art,

        c.    Contribute to the advancement of the radio art,

        d.    Provide voluntary noncommercial communication service, particularly with respect to emergency communications, thereby enhancing the value of the amateur radio service to our community and to the public in general, and

        e.    Enhance goodwill within our local, county, state, national and international community.

 

SECTION I     AUTHORITY

Authority. This constitution has been adopted pursuant to authority evidenced by a three-fourths majority vote of the membership present at a regular club meeting of the Wiregrass Amateur Radio Club.

 

SECTION II     MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

    1.    General Membership. Membership with voting rights shall be granted to anyone desiring membership, holding a current amateur radio operator’s license of any class, after paying dues and attending one regular club meeting.

    2.    Limited Membership. Limited membership shall be granted to anyone desiring membership, NOT holding a current amateur radio operator’s license, after paying dues and attending one regular business meeting. Limited members may not hold an elected club office.

    3.    Service Recognition and Award Membership. Dues are waived for Service Recognition and Award Members. These memberships are a way for the Wiregrass Amateur Radio Clubs to recognize outstanding performance and service to the club, to Amateur Radio or to our community. Service Recognition and Award Membership shall be granted to anyone as deemed appropriate by the club. Any general or limited club member may recommend any deserving individual for a Service Recognition and Award Membership. The membership shall be granted upon approval of a three-fourths majority of members present at the November regular club meeting. The duration of the membership(s) is to be determined in a similar manner at the same meeting. Memberships shall be awarded in multiples of one year or in truly outstanding cases, lifetime. Service Recognition and Award Membership(s) shall carry the privileges and responsibilities of a general membership when the recipient is a licensed amateur radio operator and of a limited membership when the recipient is not a licensed amateur radio operator. Presentation of the award membership shall be made at an appropriate public time and place (i.e. hamfest, regular club meeting, or social event).

    4.    Upgrade Recognition Membership. Dues shall be waived for the period of one year for any member who upgrades above the Technician License Class.

    5.    Termination of Membership. Any member may be removed from the roll of membership for conduct deemed detrimental to the club or to amateur radio, following recommendation of the Executive Committee (excepting that person in question) and three-fourths of the membership present cast in secret ballot at a regular club meeting.

    6.    Dues. Dues and fees shall be set or changed by a majority vote of the membership present at a regular club meeting. Dues and fees shall be set for a period of at least one-year. Each general member and each limited member of the club shall pay annual dues. These dues are due and payable at the first business meeting of the year.

    7.    Delinquent Payment of Dues. The club may assess late fees for delinquent payment of dues. Any member whose dues become 60 days in arrears may be dropped from the membership roll. A person dropped from the membership roll may be reinstated following full payment of dues and fees in arrears.

 

SECTION III     OFFICERS

    1.    Officers. The elected officers of the Club shall be President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Each of the principal officers shall be elected annually by majority vote of the general membership present at the last regular meeting of the calendar year and the officers shall take office on the first meeting following the beginning of the next calendar year. None of the members shall be allowed to hold more than one office at a time, with the exception of the offices of Secretary and Treasurer.

        a.    President. The president shall preside at all meetings of the Club and Board of Directors. He shall be an ex officio member of all other Club committees. He must sign all authorized contracts and obligations and undertakings in the name of the Club. He shall be the principal officer of the Club and shall have general charge and supervision of the Club’s affairs and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned him by the Board of Directors.

        b.    Vice President. At the request of the president, or in the event of his absence, the vice-president shall perform any and all duties of the president. The vice-president shall have other powers and perform such duties as the Board of Directors may from time to time assign.

        c.    Secretary. The secretary shall attend and keep the minutes of all meetings of the club and of the Board of Directors. He shall keep reports on all meetings of the committees of the Club and shall issue notices of meetings when instructed by the president. He shall also keep a current list of Club membership. The secretary shall be responsible for keeping the constitution in proper order.

        d.    Treasurer. The treasurer shall have the control of all funds of the club subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by the Club for collections, checks, notes and other obligations. The treasurer shall promptly deposit the same and any other receipts received in cash in such banks or other depositories as shall be designated by the Club. The treasurer shall enter regularly on the books of the Club to be kept by him for the purpose, full and accurate accounts of all moneys and property received, and all moneys and obligations paid or incurred for the account of the Club. The treasurer shall exhibit such books for inspection to the Board of Directors at all reasonable times. The treasurer shall in general perform all duties incident to the office treasurer, subject to the control of the Club The treasurer shall provide a report on the current financial condition of the Club at each general business meeting.

        e.    Trustee. The elected officers shall appoint the trustee. The trustee shall have control of Club amateur radio station and license in accordance with regulations of the Federal Communications Commission and shall perform all duties incident to the office of Trustee, subject to the control of the Club. The Trustee shall serve an indefinite term and be replaced by the principal officers of the Club following the recommendation of a majority of the Board of Directors.

    2.    Vacancies. In the event that any principal officer is unable to fulfill their term, the Club shall fill such vacancy from among its membership by secret ballot at a regular club meeting. The vacancy shall be filled within two months of the office becoming vacant.

    3.    Removal from Office. Any officer may be removed from office for conduct deemed detrimental to the Club or amateur radio following a hearing before the Board of Directors (excepting that officer in question) and a three-fourths vote of the membership present taken in secret ballot at a regular club meeting.

 

SECTION IV

    1.    Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall be composed of the elected officers of the Club and the Trustee. The Board of Directors shall be the governing body of the Club and shall perform all duties prescribed by this constitution.

    2.    Standing Committees. There shall be three standing committees. Activities, education and Engineering. The committee chairman shall appoint other members. Each committee chairman shall provide a report on committee activities at each general business meeting. The president is responsible for appointing the chair of each standing committee.

            a.    Activities Committee. The activities committee shall be responsible for planning and reporting all special activities of the Club not covered by other standing or special committees. The activities committee shall organize club member activities, plan and recommend contests for operating benefit, and advance club interest and activity as approved by the Club. The activities committee shall encourage new stations in reporting activities to the Club. The activities committee shall be charged with function of making the reputation of the Club and amateur radio activities in the community as outstanding as possible.

            b.    Education Committee. The education committee shall be responsible for planning and conducting the educational and training programs for the club.

            c.    Engineering Committee. The engineering committee shall oversee all planning and installation of Club equipment. This committee shall be responsible for the correct operation of the Club owned radios at all times. The committee should make recommendations to the Board of Directors whenever additional equipment is needed. The committee shall maintain accurate records of all Club owned and rented equipment and report whenever requested by the president. The trustee shall chair the engineering committee.

    3.    Special Committees. The president may appoint other special committees for specific purposes. These special committees shall have no inherent powers other than those granted by the president.

    4.    Removal of Committee Chairman from Office. Committee chairmen serve at the discretion of the President.

    5.    Review of Decisions. All decisions of standing or special committees are subject to review by the Board of Directors and may be over-ruled by the same.

 

SECTION V MEETINGS

    1.    Regular Club Meetings. Meetings of the general membership shall be held at least once per month. The date (i.e. first Monday), time and location of the meetings are to be determined by majority vote of the membership present at a regular club meeting. The membership may direct that the meeting dates and times remain in effect indefinitely. Changes in meeting dates, times, or location shall be published in the newsletter prior to the next regular meeting.

    2.    Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Club may be called by the Board of Directors and must be called by the principal officer if requested by a majority of the full Board of Directors. All members must be notified in writing of special meetings. The membership should be notified at least one week prior to all special meetings.

    3.    Quorum. At any regular or special membership meeting, one-fourth of the membership shall be considered a quorum. A quorum is required to conduct club business.

    4.    Board of Directors Meetings. The Board of Directors shall meet whenever the president deems it necessary. All Board of Directors members must attend unless excused by the president.

    5.    Board of Directors Quorum. At a Board of Directors meeting, fifty percent shall be considered a quorum for conducting business.

    6.    Voting. Except as otherwise stated in the constitution, all decisions at any meeting of the membership or Board of Directors or other committees shall be by a majority vote of a legal quorum. Each general member shall have one and only one vote. Limited members do not have a vote in the election of club officers, expenditure of club funds or on matters of club policy.

    7.    Proxy Vote. Each regular member who can not attend each business meeting will be able to register a written, designated proxy with the secretary of the club. This proxy would be accepted for all business of the club except removal of a club officer. This proxy will count as a member present to constitute a quorum.

 

SECTION VI     BUSINESS AFFAIRS

    1.    Calendar Year. The Calendar year of the Club shall commence on the first day of January and shall end on the last day of December.

    2.    Audits. The Board of Directors shall audit the books of the club during the last month of the calendar year and shall report the condition of the books at the first meeting of the next calendar year.

    3.    Club Funds. All funds and properties received by or coming into the custody of the Club belong to and are trust funds and property of the Club to be expended only for the purposes authorized and only in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the Club.

    4.    Disbursements. The treasurer shall make all disbursements. He shall have prior Board of Directors approval or vote of the Club membership at a regular meeting for all disbursements.

    5.    Club Budget. The president shall submit to the membership for approval a budget for expenditures in maintaining the Club operation and associated utilities. This budget shall be presented at the second meeting of the calendar year and when approved the treasurer shall disburse Club funds against the budget as required or upon the request of the appropriate committee chairman.

 

SECTION VII     CLUB STATION

    1.    Club Station. All equipment installed, as a normal function of the Club shall be the property of the Club or duly leased. The use of the term "Club Station" is limited to the description of equipment obtained by the club for the use of its members.

    2.    Use of the Station. The Club Station is primarily intended for use of the Club members, but is open to use by all licensed amateur radio operators.

    3.    Emergency and Public Service Use. The Club station will be used to support training, education, and emergency and approved public service communications. When so used, normal station use may be restricted.

    4.    Extra Use of Club Station. Upon the approval of the engineering committee and the membership, members may be granted special privileges for a specific period of time. Anyone applying for special use shall be prepared to assume additional financial responsibility for station maintenance. Any equipment used for these privileges in addition to the equipment belonging to the Club Station shall be considered as the property of the member(s) involved until the expiration of the time period involved. At that time 90 days will be allowed for removal of the equipment, after which the Club may dispose of the equipment in accordance with Alabama law.

    5.    Availability of Members Licenses. For the protection of the club station license all club members will present to the secretary a legible copy of their current amateur radio license at the time of license renewal. The secretary will maintain a file of said licenses available for inspection at reasonable times.

 

SECTION VIII     STANDING RULES

    1.    Standing Rules. The Club may, by majority vote and without prior notice adopt standing rules to cover points or procedures or other rules not of sufficient importance to be included in the Constitution. These standing rules may not be in conflict with any provision of the constitution. A standing rule may be amended or abolished at any meeting by a majority vote of the membership present.

 

SECTION IX     AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION

    1.    Proposed Amendment. A proposed amendment to the constitution may be presented in writing to the club membership at any regular or special club meeting.

    2.    Preparation for Consideration. The president shall instruct the secretary to prepare the proposed amendment for consideration at the next regular club meeting. The secretary shall insure that no conflict in the constitution will exist because of the proposed amendment. Notice of the proposed amendment will be published in the newsletter prior to the next regular club meeting. The secretary shall present the proposed amendment and recommendations to the Club membership for their consideration at the next regular club meeting.

    3.    Approval. Adoption of a proposed amendment requires a three-fourths approval vote of the membership present at a regular club meeting.

 

SECTION X     ADDITIONAL PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES

    1.    Robert’s Rules of Order. Robert’s Rules of Order shall serve as the parliamentary authority of the Club for all rules of procedures not covered by the constitution.