CONSTITUTION OF THE Small Town Amateur Radio Service (Updated)

Constitution

Purpose

Article I - Membership
Article II - Board of Directors
Article III - Officers
Article IV - Duties of Officers
Article V - Removal From Office
Article VI - Meetings
Article VII - Dues
Article VIII - Membership Assistance
Article IX - Amendments
Article X - Rules
Article XI - Repeater Trustee
Article XII - Technical Committee

CONSTITUTION OF THE Small Town Amateur Radio Service

PURPOSE:

We, the undersigned, wishing to secure for ourselves the pleasures and benefits of a group of persons commonly interested in Amateur Radio, constitute ourselves the Small Town Amateur Radio Service, hereafter referred to as The STARS Club, enact this constitution as our governing law. It shall be our purpose to further the exchange of information and cooperation between our members, to promote scientific investigation and the engineering application in the use of radio frequencies in the amateur radio spectrum. This specialized amateur radio knowledge shall be used for public service purposes or volunteer disaster relief communications as well as other patriotic purposes permitted by the Amateur Radio Service regulations (Federal Communications Commission, Part 97). The pursuit of scientific knowledge and the application of sound engineering practices shall be used to improve individual operating efficiency, and to so conduct The STARS Club’s programs and educational and fraternal activities for the advancement of the general interest and welfare of Amateur Radio in our community and nation.

ARTICLE I: MEMBERSHIP:

There shall be three classes of membership in The STARS Club:

Full Membership. Any person holding a valid Amateur Radio license shall be eligible for full membership. Full members are strongly encouraged to become members of the American Radio Relay League. Full membership shall be by written application and election upon such terms as The STARS Club shall, by its Bylaws provide.
Associate Membership. Associate membership is open to any person who does not meet all qualifications required to become a full member, yet wishes to support The STARS Club. Associate membership shall be by application and under such terms as The STARS Club shall provide in its Bylaws.
Honorary Membership. Honorary membership shall be given to any individual who, upon application, has been a licensed amateur for a period of not less than fifty (50) years, or as deemed necessary by motion, second, and majority vote. Honorary membership shall not expire, unless reasoning for the honorary membership no longer exists.

ARTICLE II: BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

The STARS Club shall be governed by a board of directors consisting of four members. These four members shall include the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. {The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected annually in November.} Any full member is eligible to be elected to a board position in The STARS Club if he or she has been a full member in good standing for the previous six months. No member may hold or be elected to hold more than one office or board position simultaneously.

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS:

Section 1: The officers of The STARS Club shall be President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The officers shall also serve as members of the Board of Directors.
Section 2: The officers of The STARS Club shall be elected for a term of one year by secret ballot of the {full} members present at the November meeting provided a quorum is present. {A quorum is defined as 25% or more of the Full voting membership.} If a quorum is not present at the November meeting, the Secretary will immediately issue another meeting notice for another meeting 30 days later at which time another election shall be attempted.
Section 3: Vacancies occurring between elections must be filled by special election at the first regular meeting following the removal, withdrawal {death, physical or mental incapacity} or resignation, provided a quorum is present.
Section 4: To be eligible to run for office, you must be a club member, full or honorary, and have been a member in good standing for 180 days prior to the election. The nomination must also be voiced in the October meeting, as so the secretary can prepare a ballot in compliance with the club by-laws.

ARTICLE IV: DUTIES OF OFFICERS:

Section 1: The President shall preside at all meetings of The STARS Club and conduct the same according to the rules adopted. The President shall enforce the Constitution and Bylaws, decide all questions of order, sign all official documents adopted by the Board and/or STARS Club, fill standing committees and appoint special committees, and perform all other customary duties pertaining to the office of President. The President shall also serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors. The President shall have full authority to conduct any and all daily business of the STARS Club within the scope of the Bylaws. The President shall also appoint the STARS Club Repeater Trustee. The President may appoint this person at will and at any time of the President’s choosing. The President may also terminate this person’s appointment. The President shall also have the authority to make motions, second motions made by the floor, and vote on all club issues. The President has the authority to create and appoint committees of special purpose and also has the authority to serve on any/all committees and panels at his/her discretion.
Section 2: The Vice President shall assume all the duties of the President in the absence of the latter, or at the discretion of the latter. The Vice President shall also be responsible for any additional tasks assigned to him/her by the Club President.
Section 3: The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings, keep a roll of members, submit applications for membership, carry on all correspondence, read communications at each meeting, and notify members of special meetings. The Secretary shall relinquish all property, records and materials belonging to The STARS Club to the Secretary-elect prior to the regular meeting in January.
Section 4: The Treasurer shall receive and receipt for all monies paid to the club. The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of all monies received and expended. The Treasurer shall pay no bills in excess of $75.00 or total to the same payee without proper authorization at a meeting of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may authorize payments in excess of $75.00. The Treasurer shall provide to the Board and members an annual report of club expenditures, liabilities, and assets of The STARS Club in writing. The Treasurer shall relinquish all property, records, materials, and monies belonging to The STARS Club to the Treasurer-elect prior to the regular meeting in January.

ARTICLE V: REMOVAL FROM OFFICE:

Officers and Directors may be removed by simple 2/3 majority vote of the total number of full members on club record. This action must (1) occur at a regular meeting, (2) a quorum of a simple 2/3 majority of all full members must be present, and (3) all voting shall be by secret ballot, to be calculated by the secretary, unless the secretary is the subject of the possible removal. In this event, the president shall count the votes.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS:

Meetings should be held, at a minimum, on a quarterly basis and as requested by the President, or any other member through the president. The Bylaws shall provide for regular and special meetings. At meetings, a minimum of 25% of the full membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business except as otherwise provided. A minimum of three Board members must be present in order to conduct business of the Board. At least one of the three present must be either the President or Vice President. All board meetings shall be open to all full membership of the club.

ARTICLE VII: DUES:

The STARS Club, by a vote of two-thirds of full members present at any regular meeting, may levy upon the general membership such special dues and/or assessments as shall be deemed necessary for the business of The STARS Club within its objectives as set forth in the purposes statement. The dues structure shall be specified in writing. Regular dues shall be specified in the Bylaws. Non-payment of such dues or assessments shall be cause for expulsion from The STARS Club as provided by the Bylaws.

ARTICLE VIII: MEMBERSHIP ASSISTANCE:

The STARS Club shall offer its members a variety of technical assistance including but not limited to assistance in addressing interference problems through the constitution of committees as needed, enactment of guidelines to minimize interference between member stations, provision of technical advice to members concerning equipment design and operation, and to assist in frequency observance, clear signals, uniform practice, and absence of spurious radiation from member stations. The STARS Club will also provide assistance, either individually or through organized programming, to members who wish to learn more about specific technical or operating topics. The STARS Club, through both individual and collective efforts of its membership, is committed to providing appropriate support to help individuals obtain or upgrade amateur licenses.

ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENTS:

Proposals for amendments shall be submitted in writing at a regular meeting and shall be voted on at the next following meeting providing that all members have been notified by United States Postal mail or electronic mail of the intent to amend the Constitution and/or Bylaws at said meeting. This Constitution and Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of those members casting ballots. This vote shall be by written ballot of members present at the meeting. Mail out ballots and proxies shall not be used.

ARTICLE X: RULES:

Robert's Rules of Order (Modified Version) shall govern all meetings of the Small Town Amateur Radio Service.

ARTICLE XI: REPEATER TRUSTEE:

The repeater trustee shall be recommended for appointment by the President of the STARS Club and confirmed by a majority vote of the remaining board of directors. The repeater trustee shall serve a term designated by the board of directors. The repeater trustee will be considered the general manager of the club call sign and repeater equipment. The repeater trustee shall insure compliance with FCC Part 97 Rules and Regulations and shall ensure, at minimum, monthly inspections of the repeater site and equipment. The trustee may be called upon during the regular meeting to report on the status of the repeater, any work that is required, and to answer any questions of said nature provided by the officers or quorum. The reports may be delegated to any of the board of directors to present to the quorum.

ARTICLE XII: TECHNICAL COMMITTEE:

The Stars Club President may select and appoint a panel of 3 (three) persons, one of which shall be the repeater trustee, to care for and maintain the STARS Club repeater(s). The official repeater trustee shall be recommended for appointment by the President of the STARS Club and confirmed by a majority vote of the board of directors. The committee shall answer to the trustee, who shall then answer to the Club President; and they shall be fully authorized to access, change, modify, or vary the repeater setup, function, hardware, and/or software. In the event that the repeater trustee shall be unable to perform his/her duties, he/she may take a temporary leave (as approved by the Board of Directors), during which time one of the committee members shall become the interim trustee. Any full club member is eligible for appointment to this committee.

BYLAWS OF THE Small Town Amateur Radio Service

1. ARRL AFFILIATION:

The STARS Club shall be affiliated as an American Radio Relay League (ARRL). All full members of The STARS Club are strongly encouraged to be or become current members of the American Radio Relay League.

2. BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

The Board of Directors shall govern the general operation of The STARS Club, taking into full account the expressed wishes of the whole membership. The Board shall govern with an expressed spirit of the openness to the general membership. All Board meetings, with the exception of executive session, shall be open to paid members. Except for special called Board meetings, all Board meetings will be held immediately following, and on the same day, as the regular STARS Club meeting. The Board will conduct all regular and routine business of the club.

3. VETO OF BOARD ACTION:

Any member may, upon a motion and appropriate second, call for a veto of a Board action. Such a veto will require approval by a two thirds majority, providing a quorum is present.

4. BOARD EXECUTIVE SESSION:

The Board may meet in closed session only for the purposes of considering new membership application, removing a member from STARS Club membership, or the removal of an Officer for non-attendance {or other reasons}. The Board may invite any affected parties into such a meeting. The Board must report to the general membership, the action taken {and votes must be made in public}, at the next regular STARS Club meeting.

5. SECRETARY:

It shall be the duty of the secretary to keep the Constitution and Bylaws of The STARS Club and have the same present at every meeting. The Secretary shall cause all amendments, changes, and additions to be noted thereon and shall the same to be consulted by the members upon request.

6. MEMBERSHIP:

Full membership is open to licensed amateurs. Full Members are strongly encouraged to also become members of the American Radio Relay League. Full membership includes all STARS Club privileges as well as rights to hold a STARS Club office and vote for officers. Associate membership is open to any person having an interest in support of The STARS Club. An associate member shall have no voting privileges and may not hold office. An application for STARS Club membership shall be submitted in writing, along with the appropriate dues to the Board of Directors for approval. A majority vote of the Board of Directors is required for all applicants to become a STARS Club member. Any party who posts their membership application and dues with the club treasurer on or after 12:00am October 1st, shall have their membership become active at 12:00am January 1st of the following year. The individual or family are denied all member privileges until January 1st. Membership period shall run from the date paid and approved until December 31st of that year, provided application was made prior to October 1st.

7. LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP:

The Board of Directors may revoke the full or associate membership of any member found to be engaging in activities harmful to the interests of The STARS Club or of amateur radio in general. Board action to revoke membership shall require two-thirds majority and shall be fully reported to the general membership at the next regular STARS Club meeting.

8. MEETINGS:

Regular meetings shall be held at least once each calendar quarter, time and place to be determined by the president and announced such that sufficient notice is given to all members of said meeting. Special meetings may be called by the president upon the written request of any five (5) full members or at the direction of the Board. Notices shall be mailed {or electronically} notified to all members concerning special meetings and the business to be transacted. Only such business as designated shall be transacted. Such notices shall be sent so that in the ordinary postal delivery, they will arrive not less than twenty four (24) hours prior to the meeting time or by electronic mail with return electronic receipt requested.

9. DUES:

Dues will be assessed on an annual basis due at the regular STARS Club meeting in January of each year and in accordance with the provisions of Article VII of the Constitution for the purpose of providing funds for current and future expenses. All dues are due and payable at the regular STARS Club meeting in the first calendar meeting of the new calendar year. Members whose payment is not received by the Treasurer by the end of the business day 30 calendar days following the first meeting in the first calendar quarter will be processed as a new applicant. Any member whose dues have not been received by the end of the second meeting of the year shall no longer be considered a member, and shall lose all membership privileges thereof. Dues structure shall be as follows:

Full member: $20 per year
Associate Member: $10 per year
Family Membership: $25 per year

Honorary Membership: No dues assessed

10. STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES:

Except as otherwise provided and not including special committees or subcommittees of the Board of Directors appointed to conduct Board business, an Officer or Board member is prohibited from serving as chairman of a standing or special committee of the club. Except as otherwise provided, and not including special committees or sub- committees of the Board of Directors appointed to conduct Board business, an Officer or Board member is prohibited from serving as a member of more than two standing or special committees in the same calendar year. The STARS Club shall create such standing and special committees as directed and approved by the President.

11. VOTING:

Election of Office/Board members and amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws shall be conducted only by secret ballot by members in good standing. Ballots shall be available by the end of the previous calendar month and shall be made available in person, or if requested, electronically, or by mail, so as to avail voting to all members in good standing. Ballots sent electronically (via e-mail) shall only be sent to the member’s e-mail on file from the previous year’s membership application. Ballots sent by mail shall only be sent to the member’s address listed in the ULS or on-file address. Ballots submitted in person or electronically shall be received by the club secretary before the club meeting on the day of the election. Ballots submitted by mail shall be received by the club secretary by the last mail delivery day prior to the election. Proxy vote(s) are prohibited.

12. DISOLUTION PROPERTY DISPOSITION:

The property of this corporation is irrevocably dedicated to charitable purposes, and no part of the net income or assets of this corporation shall ever inure to the benefit of any director, officer, or member (if any) of this corporation, or to the benefit of any private person. Upon the winding up and dissolution of this corporation and after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of this corporation, the remaining assets shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation, or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes and that has established its tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code. Those Organizations to be considered will be the Criswell-Robinson American Legion Post 71, North Central Arkansas Amateur Radio Service, and Faulkner County Amateur Radio Club. Any and all privately owned property maintained but not owned by the STARS Club will no longer be maintained by the STARS Club.