CONSTITUTION of the Fannin County Amateur Radio Club
FCARC
Approved as amended 15 September 2007
Article I
Name
The name of this organization shall be Fannin County Amateur Radio Club and may be abbreviated FCARC.
Location
Principle office for transaction of the business of the FCARC shall be located in the city of Bonham, County seat of Fannin County, Texas. Status FCARC is established as a nonprofit organization. All business transactions shall be performed and records maintained to show a nonprofit status at all times.
Article II
Purpose
The purpose of the FCARC is:
1. Provide fellowship among amateurs and persons interested in radio communications and becoming licensed amateur radio operators.
2. Provide trained personnel and radio equipment for use as emergency communications by officials in Bonham, and Fannin County.
3. Provide training for unlicensed and licensed amateurs who desire to either become licensed amateur radio operators or to upgrade from their present license classification.
4. Provide club programs and activities for advancing the general interest and public welfare of amateur radio.
Article III
Membership/Dues
All persons who are interested in amateur radio shall be eligible for membership in FCARC. Admission is granted upon acceptance by the club and payment of dues. FCARC reserves the right to refuse membership to persons(s) who may not be beneficial to the club.
There shall be four types of membership as follows:
1. Single membership - persons who join singularly.
2. Family membership - includes all members of an immediate family - husband, wife, and children. Family members holding a valid amateur license shall have full voting privileges.
3a. Lifetime membership shall be granted either honorary or paid. Honorary lifetime membership may be bestowed upon anyone who has been of great benefit to the FCARC. This must be proposed by one or more members at a regular monthly meeting and approved by a majority vote of the members at the following regular meeting. Said person pays no dues. Lifetime members who hold a valid amateur radio license shall have full voting privileges.
3b. Paid lifetime memberships may be granted to any licensed amateur radio operator. The dues for a lifetime membership shall be twenty-five (25) times the regular annual membership dues. These paid lifetime members shall have all voting privileges and any other rights of membership.
4. Associate Membership - Any person who expresses an interest in amateur radio but does not have a license may join the club. Dues will be one half that of a single membership. An Associate Member has no voting privileges.
Annual dues shall be levied upon the general membership. The monetary amount of said dues per person will be determined and agreed upon by a majority vote of those present at a regular meeting. The monetary amount of club dues may be changed by first introducing the need to change at a regular meeting. The amount of change may be discussed. Following written or email notification to all paid up members of the need to change, the dues may be increased or decreased by an agreed upon amount if approved by a majority vote of a the members present at the next regular meeting.
Family membership dues shall be one and one half that of a single member.
Memberships shall be set as 1 November through 31 October. A grace period shall be granted until 31 December each year and those who have not paid dues by that date shall no longer be considered active members. When a person joins the club the initial club dues for that person will be equal to the number of full months (includes the month they join) through September x 1/12th of the annual dues.
Any unlicensed person, who passes their original amateur radio license examination at a Fannin County Amateur Radio Club testing session, shall be offered membership in the Fannin County Amateur Radio Club for two years upon paying the current dues for one year. This will be a "single membership" as defined above. The dues for other membership categories would remain the same.
Failure to pay said dues shall be cause for expulsion from FCARC following sixty days grace period beginning with the first day of the year. Reinstatement will be granted upon payment of said person's dues.
Article IV
Affiliations
FCARC shall be affiliated with and actively involved with:
1. The American Radio Relay League (ARRL).
2. Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES).
3. Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES).
4. Any other organization approved by a majority membership vote.
Article V
Officers
Officers of the FCARC shall be President, Vice president, and combination Secretary/Treasurer.
Officers must be full voting members and hold a valid Amateur Radio License.
FCARC Officers shall be elected for a term of one year by ballot or majority vote of eligible voting members present at the annual election meeting in December, combined with absentee ballots which may be submitted to the vice president prior to the election meeting.
No member may hold more than one office in the FCARC during his term in office.
Following his/her term in office, any officer may be elected for another term in that same office, or be elected to serve in another office.
If the secretary treasurer, agrees to serve a longer term after two years in office, this can be approved by a majority vote at the election meeting.
Officers may be removed from office by a majority vote, either at a general meeting or a special meeting called for that purpose, for which written or email notification is sent to all voting members prior to the meeting.
Article VI
Duties of the Officers
President
Responsible to the FCARC membership for the proper operation of the club in accordance with the Constitution.
Preside at all meetings of the FCARC.
Appoint a chairperson to select four voting members to serve as a committee to audit financial reports at any time he deems it necessary, or at the request of a member.
Vice President
Perform the duties of the President during his absence.
Keep a roll of the members, updating it as required.
Receive and process all absentee ballots for elections and motions.
Serve as chairperson, or appoint a club member to serve as the chairperson, of a nominating committee, which shall select club members as nominees for the club's offices the following year. These may be officers presently serving or newly selected members.
Announce the nominations at the November meeting.
Secretary - Treasurer
Keep a record (minutes) of the proceedings of all meetings.
Keep a file of all records and data submitted by any committee or member.
Carry on all correspondence pertaining to the club.
Read the minutes of the last meeting at the start of each meeting. If the minutes are included in a monthly newsletter sent to each member prior to the meeting, they need not be read. They must be approved by a motion to accept them as given, followed by a majority vote of the members present at the meeting.
Write and submit press releases involving activities of the Club. The secretary may appoint someone to act as a public relations representative for the Club.
Pay all regularly recurring bills which have been approved by the officers. Pay for all purchases which have been approved by a majority vote at any meeting.
Keep the club's financial records, books or computer files, accounting for all dues, donations, and expenditures. Keep all receipts for expenditures.
Said records shall be available at all times to the general membership, and to an audit committee when so requested.
Present a financial statement, and any other data pertinent to the club finances, at the regular monthly meeting. If the statement is included in a monthly newsletter sent to each member prior to the meeting, it need not be read. It must be approved by a motion to accept it as given, followed by a majority vote of the members present at the meeting.
Submit an annual Financial Report at the December meeting.
Article VII
Election of Officers
Officers must hold a valid amateur radio license and be paid up members of the FCARC.
Nominees shall be announced at the November meeting. Additional members may be nominated from the floor at either the November or December meeting, or by mail or email prior to either meeting.
Election of officers shall be held at the Annual Meeting in December. Absentee ballots will be accepted by the Vice President, or his appointed representative, up to the day of the annual meeting.
Absentee ballots may be submitted by mail or email.
Article VIII
Vacancies of Office
Vacancies of any office shall be filled by a special election at the first regular meeting, following written or email notification of the vacancy by the President.
A vacancy of the President shall be filled by the Vice President until a new President is elected.
Article IX
General Committees
Club Officers may form committees and appoint their chairperson.
When, during a meeting, it is deemed necessary to form a committee, any club member may nominate another member as chairperson and if seconded and approved by a majority vote, said person may serve as chairperson.
Members of said committee(s) may be appointed by either the chairperson or FCARC officers. Members may volunteer to serve on any committee.
Article X
General Meetings
All meetings are to be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order.
A majority vote of full voting members in attendance at any regular or special membership meeting shall have the power to transact all business at said meeting.
Monthly Meetings
The regular monthly meeting shall be held at a time and place as determined by the officers and/or members and approved by a majority vote.
Annual Meeting
This will be the last meeting of the year, held in December. Election of Officers shall be held and annual reports given.
First meeting of the New Year
Installation of new officers shall be held at this meeting.
Special Meetings
The President shall call a special meeting upon request of two or more officers, or a written request signed by five or more voting members. FCARC members must be given at least ten days advanced notice in writing or email, giving the date, time, place, and purpose of said meeting.
Article XI
Club Disbandment
If, for any reason, club activities cease, and the club is dissolved, any funds still remaining in the club treasury or bank account shall be given to the Bonham or Fannin County Emergency Management Office, to be used in support of emergency preparedness programs for residents of Fannin County.
Any property such as communications equipment, antennas, etc., will be sold and these proceeds will be included in the funds given to the Emergency Management Office.
Article XII
Club Trustee
The Club Trustee shall be a full voting member with a General or higher class of license.
Said person shall be elected by a majority vote of the members in attendance at any regular meeting where it becomes necessary to select same or replace the present one.
The term of office shall be ongoing until such time as said person asks to be replaced or the club deems it necessary to select a replacement.
Duties of the Club Trustee
1. Serve as liaison officer for the FCARC with officials of the Veteran's Hospital in all matters involving the club room and all FCARC equipment located on the VA premises. This shall include amateur radio equipment for repeaters and antennas for the clubroom and repeaters.
2. Oversee the maintenance of all club equipment and the general condition of the clubroom.
3. Be responsible for writing and posting in the clubroom, operating procedures for general use of the clubroom.
4. Serve as chairperson of a Technical Committee which will be responsible for the following:
A. Check out all club members on the operation of the club radio equipment prior to their using said equipment.
B. Assist any club member or Fannin County resident in resolving radio interference due to amateur radio transmissions. Committee members may be volunteers or selected by the chairman.
Article XIII
Treasury
The club's treasury shall be kept in a financial institution selected be a majority vote of the members at any meeting.
The type of account; ie, savings, checking, CD, etc., is to be approved by a majority vote of the members present at any meeting, upon the recommendation of the Treasurer.
Withdrawals from any account shall require the signature of any two of the three authorized officers; ie. President, Vice President, and Treasurer.
Article XIV
Amendments
This Constitution may be amended by a majority vote.
Proposals for amendments shall be submitted in writing or email to all paid up voting members.
The amendment(s) shall be discussed and voted on at the next regular meeting, provided all members have been notified of this intent to amend the Constitution.
Written or email absentee ballots shall be sent to the Vice President prior to the meeting.