CLUB BYLAWS
ARTICLE 1: DUTIES
1.
Elected Officers: the management of the affairs of the Club shall
be vested in the elected officers who shall have the authority to establish and
administer its policies. Official
decisions may be made by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote. Official decisions
shall be consistent with the stated purposes and objectives of the AMA as set
forth in its Bylaws and, where those Bylaws are not specified, vested in the
sound discretion of the elected officers.
2. President: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and shall act as a spokesperson in all matters pertaining to it.
3. Vice-President: The Vice-President shall act for the President when he/she is unable to serve, and is to maintain an accurate record (including place of storage) of all Club assets.
4. Secretary/Treasurer: The Secretary/Treasurer shall record minutes of each Club meeting and handle all correspondence pertaining to Club activities. He/she will also be the Club’s contact person with AMA in case of questions, problems or situations. The Secretary/Treasurer shall collect all moneys due and shall keep a record of moneys disbursed by the Club.
5.
Field
6. Safety Committee Chairman/Safety Officer[1]: The Safety Committee Chairman/Safety Officer shall be responsible for chairing the safety committee and ensuring existing rules are enforced. This includes processing the grievance forms and following the existing grievance procedure documented in the by-laws.
7. Contest/Event Committee Chairman[2]: The Contest/Event Committee Chairman shall be responsible for coordinating and establishing, in conjunction with all the Club’s Contest Directors, a schedule for the next contest/event season. The schedule will be decided by the Contest Directors, and approved by the members.
8. Meeting Activity Coordinator/s[3]: The Meeting Activity Coordinator/s shall be responsible for coordinating model-related activities, immediately following the business portion of the meeting.
ARTICLE 2: AUDIT
1. The President or his appointees will make a periodic audit of the Treasurer’s books.
1.
All elected officers of the Club shall serve for
one (1) year date of election. Officers
are to be elected by a vote of simple majority of those present at the regular
meeting in the month of December. New
officers will take office immediately after the December meeting. Personnel will be appointed by the elected
officers and confirmed by a simple majority vote of those members present
during a regular meeting: i.e. Newsletter Editor, Contest Director, etc.
2.
Nomination of Club officers shall be made at the
general membership meeting during the month of November. Nominations for office may be made by any
active Club member holding voting rights, either in person or by submitting a
proxy nomination to an existing officer.
All known nominations for office will be published in the newsletter
prior to the election.
3.
A secret ballot is required for elections, for
removal of a Club officer, and for expulsion of a member from the Club unless
waived by a simple majority vote of the members present at the meeting.
1. Vacancies in any office shall be filled by appointment by the remaining officers, such appointee to serve until the end of the term for which is predecessor was elected.
1. A committee of the Club shall be appointment by the President and may be approved by a simple majority vote of the members present at a meeting (if a vote is requested), to serve throughout the term, or less, of his tenure of office. Standing Committees are the Safety Committee and the Field Maintenance Committee.
1.
Regular meetings shall be held at a time and
place designated by the Club officers and published in the Club newsletter.
2.
Club officers may call special meetings with no
less than five days prior written notice of a special meeting. The purpose of the special meeting shall be
stated in the written notice.
3.
At any Club meeting a simple majority shall be
over 50% of the members voting at the meeting.
4.
Any member or probationary member of the Club
may initiate a formal request for action by submitting a written proposal to
the President. The proposal shall
include a written description of the nature, type, and extent of the action
recommended. The president, may have the matter placed upon the working agenda
of the next Club meeting.
1. The annual dues to be paid to the Club shall be determined by the Club officers with the approval of a simple majority vote. Dues are non-refundable, except under extraordinary circumstances, which will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Dues are to be paid no later than the January Club meeting. Members may pay one half of their dues in January and the second half in July. Full time students’ dues are 50% of the regular dues.
2. No special assessment shall be levied upon the Club membership, unless it is approved by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members present at the regular monthly meeting, and the members have been given five (5) days prior notice along with an explanation of the assessment.
3. New members who join in June through December will pay one half a year’s dues. This will cover the membership dues until the end of the year.
4. A member shall be in arrears and shall not be considered active if his/her dues have not been paid as provided in Article 7, Section 1. Any member who allows their membership to lapse beyond March 1 of any year shall be considered a new member when renewing their membership and will not be given preference over any other applicant should a membership waiting list be in existence.
5. Types of membership and limits on the total number of members shall be determined by the Club officers and approved by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members present at the meeting.
1. All persons shall be eligible for membership, and shall agree to abide by the Club’s bylaws, and those of the AMA.
2. The membership shall be divided into the following categories:
a. Full Member: Is not a full-time student and has full privileges and voting rights. Dues: Full Member rate plus AMA Membership
b. Student Member: Is a full-time student in public or private school or university, has full privileges and voting rights. Dues: Student Member rate plus AMA Membership
c. Family Membership: Includes all flying members of the immediate family (spouse and children). They have full privileges and voting rights. Dues: One (1) Full Membership plus AMA Membership for each flying member. Junior members must have AMA membership to vote. Children are included until their 19th birthday and from their 19th birthday until their 25th birthday, provided they remain continuously dependent upon their parents for their principal support.
d. Probationary Member: A new member within the first calendar year of membership. This member is not eligible for elected office; however they may serve the Club in an appointed position. Member has full voting rights at Club meetings.
Membership dues are per the rate structure, published in the newsletter. Only one newsletter mailed per family address.
3.
Flying members will be required to hold and
maintain a license issued by the AMA.
All first-time flying member applicants, as well as present flying
members seeking membership renewal, must show proof of membership in the AMA. The membership, by a majority vote of the
members present at a meeting, shall approve any application for
membership. The applicant will be on
probation for one (1) calendar year subsequent to the approval of his/her
application for membership. After this
probationary period has ended, his/her membership application may again become
subject to the approval of the Club.
Probationary members are ineligible to hold any elected office in the
Club.
4.
Any member receiving a safety Grievance as
stated in Article 15, who is involved in non-flying violations, or who has key
information of a non-flying violation and withholds it from the officers, may
at the officers discretion be placed on probation for one (1) year
regardless of his or her tenure in the Club.
ARTICLE 9: RESIGNATION, TERMINATION, DISCIPLINARY
ACTION, EXPULSION AND REINSTATEMENT OF MEMBERSHIP
1. Any member in good standing may resign his/her membership by giving written notice to the Club.
2. If any member ceases to have the qualification necessary for membership in the AMA, his/her membership in the Club shall thereby terminate, subject to reinstatement upon restoration of eligibility.
3. This section provides for enforcement of the Safety Rules that are related to flying activities. Any other unacceptable behavior by an individual member or members, as defined by the club, become the responsibility of the officers as stated in Article 1, Duties, Section 1 of these Bylaws. Any individual may be expelled from membership from the Club by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, if such individual willfully commits any act or omission which is a violation of any of the terms of these Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, or the Rules of the AMA, or which is detrimental the Club, the AMA, or to model aviation.
4. Any member who is expelled from membership may be reinstated to membership only by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote. The elected officers shall have the discretionary authority to provide for and to impose disciplinary action for such acts or omissions, which do not justify expulsion from membership.
ARTICLE 10: AMENDMENTS
1.
Amendments may
be made to the Constitution and these bylaws at any general meeting of the Club
membership, provided the members shall have been notified in writing at least five
(5) days in advance that the amendments are to be considered. Copies of the proposed amendments shall be
provided to all members as part of the notification. Amendments shall be approved by no less than
a two-third (2/3) majority vote of the members present, at the regular monthly
meeting. Mail-in ballots will be made
available for those Full members who cannot attend the meeting. Those ballots, returned by mail before the
next meeting, will be counted as if those persons were present at the meeting.
ARTICLE 11: SPECIAL FUNDS
1.
The Treasurer
of the Club is authorized to receive contributions or specially obtained funds
from any individual or institution, to be applied to the operating expenses of
the Club.
2.
The President
will have discretionary spending, of up to $200.00 without requiring Club
approval.
ARTICLE 12: DURATION
1.
The duration of
this Club shall be perpetual.
ARTICLE 13: DISSOLUTION
1. The Club may be dissolved with the approval of a two-thirds (2/3)-majority vote of the total membership.
2. Upon the dissolution of the Club, the officers shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the Club, dispose of all the assets of the Club exclusively for the purposes of the Club in such manner, to the Academy of Model Aeronautics, Inc., or to such other organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or to such other organization with purposes similar to the purposes of this Club, as the officers shall determine. Any of such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas (or similar court) of the county in which the principal office of this Club is then located, exclusively for such purposes and to such organization or organizations, as said court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
ARTICLE 14: INCORPORATION
1.
The
incorporation of this membership shall be a minimum of three (3) of the four
(4) elected officers.
ARTICLE 15: GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE (FLIGHT AND GROUND
SAFETY RULES)
1.
Purpose
The
grievance procedure provides a mechanism to enforce existing safety rules by
providing a progressive disciplinary system when needed. Although most complaints can be resolved
informally, if a complaint is serious or cannot be resolved informally, the
matter should be referred to the Safety Committee for its consideration by
means of a Grievance Form to be filled out and turned into the Safety Committee
Chairman. At least one witness is
required to sign the Grievance Form.
2.
Safety
Committee
The
Safety Committee shall use its judgment in carrying out action on the
following:
(a)
A grievance
form (see page 9) will be filled out and turned into the Safety Committee
Chairman. At least one witness is
required.
(b)
FIRST VIOLATION
a.
Viewpoints of
both complainants and accused will be considered.
b.
Complainant’s
name will be disclosed.
c.
A verbal
reprimand will be given to the accused by the Safety Committee, and this will
be recorded in the Committee files.
(c)
SECOND
VIOLATION
a.
Complainant’s
name will be disclosed.
b.
The accused has
the right to a written rebuttal, to be reviewed by the Committee.
c.
If the
Committee so decides, the flying privileges of the accused will be suspended
for thirty (30) days. Written notice of
this shall be issued and a copy published in the Club newsletter.
(d)
THIRD VIOLATION
a.
Committee will
notify the accused in writing and the Club members via the Club newsletter that
the Club will vote on the expulsion of the accused at the next meeting.
b.
Said
expulsion will last for a one-year minimum.
c.
A member may be
expelled from the Club only upon a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the
membership present at the meeting.
d.
Voting will be
by secret ballot at a regular monthly meeting.
e.
The expelled
member may reapply for membership after the expiration of the expulsion time
period.
(e)
The three
actions will not be enforced unless they are accumulated within a two-year
period of time.
(f)
Any member
receiving a Grievance, who directs any retaliation action against the person
filing said Grievance, will be subject to immediate expulsion from the
Club. This is to include threats,
intimidation, physical harm, intentional equipment damage, or any other action
deemed to be retaliatory.
Club Grievance Form
Date:
____________________ Time
: _______________________
Nature
of Violation:
Signature: ______________________________________
Witness:
________________________________________
Additional
Witnesses (not required):
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________