Southwest Iowa Amateur Radio Club Constitution

CONSTITUTION

SOUTHWEST IOWA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

• Official SWIARC Constitition Print Edition PDF (link) is available, the wiki version is edited for format only, it has been formatted to MediaWiki conventions. The unmodified print version is also available from www.swiradio.org

PREAMBLE:

We, the undersigned, wishing to secure for ourselves the pleasures and benefits of an association of persons commonly interested in the hobby of Amateur Radio, do hereby constitute ourselves the Southwest Iowa Amateur Radio Club (SWIARC), with headquarters located at Council Bluffs, Iowa, and we do hereby enact this Constitution as our governing law. It shall be our purpose to facilitate the exchange of information and general cooperation between members, to promote radio knowledge, to provide instruction to persons interested in becoming Amateur Radio operators, to promote fraternization and individual operating efficiency, and to so conduct the Club programs and activities as to advance the general interest and welfare of Amateur Radio within southwest Iowa.

ARTICLE I

MEMBERSHIP:

Section 1.

All persons interested in Amateur Radio will be eligible for membership and membership shall be by application and election upon such terms as the By-Laws of the Club provide.

ARTICLE II

OFFICERS:

Section 1.

The officers of this Club shall be:

President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Station Trustee.

Section 2.

All members of this Club shall be paid-up members.

Section 3.

All officers of this Club must be licensed Amateur Radio operators.

Section 4.

All officers of this Club shall be elected for a term of one year, by ballot of the members present at the meeting in September of each year.

Section 5.

The Station Trustee shall be a member of the Club who holds a current Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Amateur Radio License with Technician class or higher operating privileges. An Assistant Station Trustee, appointed by the President, must have the same qualifications as a Station Trustee.

Section 6.

Vacancies in Club offices must be filled by a special ballot, at the first regular meeting at which a withdrawal or resignation is announced.

Section 7.

Any officer may be recalled, on motion, by a three-fourths vote of the membership present.

ARTICLE III

DUTIES OF OFFICERS:

Section 1.

The President shall preside at all meetings of this Club and conduct the same in accordance with adopted rules. The President shall enforce due observance of this Constitution and By-Laws, sign all official documents adopted by this Club, and none other, and perform all the customary duties pertaining to the office of the President. The President shall have direct oversight of all committees.

Section 2.

The Vice-President shall assume all the duties of the President in the absence of the latter. The Vice-President shall head the Activities Committee.

Section 3.

The Secretary shall record the proceedings of all Club meetings, keep record of all paid up members in written or digital form as supplied by the membership committee, submit applications for new memberships, carry on all correspondence, read communications at each meeting, and mail whatever correspondence this Club originates. At the conclusion of office this officer shall turn over all records to his duly elected successor.

Section 4.

The Treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all monies received and expended and receipt for all monies paid to this Club. No bills shall be paid by this officer unless specifically authorized by the Club. At the conclusion of office this officer shall turn over all records and monies on hand to his duly elected successor.

Section 5.

The Station Trustee shall make application to the FCC for renewal of the Club's station license and be responsible for the maintenance of all equipment within the club station and shall issue such rules with respect to the operation of the Club station as is deemed in the best interest of this Club. An Assistant Station Trustee shall aid the Station Trustee and shall assume the duties of the Station Trustee in the absence of the latter.

ARTICLE IV

MEETINGS:

Section 1.

The By-Laws shall provide for regular and special meetings. At meetings, the members present shall be considered a quorum and a simple majority of a quorum vote, except as noted elsewhere in the Constitution and By-Laws, will be considered necessary for the transaction of business.

ARTICLE V

DUES:

Section 1.

This Club shall levy upon the membership such dues and assessments as may be deemed necessary for the business of this organization within its objective as set forth in the Preamble hereof. Non-payments of such dues and assessments shall be considered due cause for loss of membership rights.

ARTICLE VI

AMENDMENTS:

Section 1.

This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the membership present. Proposals for amendments shall be submitted, in writing, at a regular meeting and ratification or veto of proposed amendments will be considered mandatory at the next regular meeting following submittal.

ARTICLE VII

RULES:

Section 1.

Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings of this Club.

BY-LAWS

SOUTHWEST IOWA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

SECRETARY:

Section 1.

It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary to retain the Constitution and By-Laws of this Club and to have the same available for inspection at Club meetings. This officer shall cause all amendments or changes to be noted thereon.

MEMBERSHIP:

Section 2.

Definitions:

A. Full Member: Any licensed Amateur Radio operator shall be eligible to hold full membership in this Club upon submittal of an application, in writing, at a regular meeting, in which application such person must express a willingness to abide by this Constitution and By-Laws and such rules as shall be from time to time promulgated by this Club.

B. Associate Member: Any person, not holding an Amateur Radio License, shall be eligible to hold an Associate Membership in this Club upon submittal of an application. The person must express a willingness to abide by this Constitution and By-Laws and such rules as shall be from time to time promulgated by this Club.

C. Student Member: Any person who is a full time student in an academic program shall have membership rights and shall be levied fifty percent (50%) of a regular dues and assessments.

D. In order to obtain an autodial number a person must be a member in good standing.

MEETINGS:

Section 3.

Regular meetings shall be held at the Pottawattamie County Red Cross Chapter House at 7:00 PM on the fourth Thursday of each month. The regular meeting time and location may be changed, for special occasions on approval of the membership present. Special meetings shall be held at such times and places as the membership present may decide.

DUES:

Section 4.

Regular, annual dues shall be levied on each member in accordance with ARTICLE V, Section 1, of the Constitution and will be payable at the January meeting of each year. Any member failing to pay their dues by April 1 st of each year shall suffer the penalty of loss of membership and all its associated benefits.

SPECIAL COMMITTEES:

Section 5.

The President shall have the responsibility of appointing an appropriate number of members to serve on special committees. Special committees, upon completion of their duties, shall be automatically dissolved, on motion, by a vote of the membership present. The club will maintain the following committees, Repeater, Newsletter, Membership, and Activities to ensure proper function.

A. The Repeater Committee shall be organized under the guidance of the Trustee with members capable of maintaining or provide consultation regarding the Club radio assets under the direction of the Trustee.

B. The Newsletter Committee shall gather articles and ensure the production and delivery by either electronic or printed means.

C. The Activities Committee shall organize all club activities to include Nets, Swap Meets, Field Day, and Christmas Dinner. The Activities 6Committee shall be headed by the Vice-President, who may accept volunteers, or appoint members capable of accomplishing club activities.

Section 6.

The President shall have the responsibility of appointing an appropriate number of members to serve on special committees. Special committees, upon completion of their duties, shall be automatically dissolved, on motion, by a vote of the membership present.

OFFICERS:

Section 7.

No member of this Club will become an officer of this Club until after six (6) months of membership in good standing have elapsed and no officer shall hold the same office for more than two (2) consecutive full terms. The Station Trustee shall be exempt from the "two consecutive full terms" provision of this section.

DISCIPLINARY:

Section 8.

Any member attending a meeting, who persists in violating the rules and regulations of this Club, may be suspended from the Club, for a period to be determined, by a ballot of the membership present. Any non-member attending a meeting, who persists in violating the rules and regulations of this Club shall, upon approval of the membership present, be ejected from the meeting.

REVISED:

• Sept. 27, 1990 - Sect. D added
• Sept. 23, 2004 - Bylaws Section 4 amended.
• Sept. 27, 2013 -
  • a. Article III Duties of Officers Sections 1, 2, and 3 expanded.
  • b. Bylaws Section 5 amended
  • 7c. Existing Section 6 moved intact to Section 7
  • d. New Section 6 added
• April 27, 2016 – Changed meeting start time