The Southern Ohio Amateur Radio Association, Inc. Constitution and By-Laws

THE SOUTHERN OHIO AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION, INC.

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF

SOUTHERN OHIO AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION, INC. A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION

PREANBLE

In order to accomplish and carry out the purposes for which this Association and its predecessors was organized in 1990, incorporated at South Point, Ohio, on May 23, 1990, and exists today, which purposes are: A. To advance the art ofAmateur Radio.

  1. To provide, in the public interest, reliable communications in time of emergency.
  2. To promote good fellowship between amateurs and would-be amateurs.
  3. To cultivate the good will of the public.ARTICLE 1- ORGANIZATION OF OPERATIONSThe name ofthis Corporation is and shall be The Southern Ohio Amateur Radio Association, Inc. hereafter referred to as the “Club?’. It’s offcial abbreviation shall be SOARA. B. OFFICE:        c.      OBJECTS AND PURPOSES:ARTICLE 11- NEIMBERSHIP AND REQUIREVENTS FOR
  4. This club is organized and is to be operated exclusively for the promotion and attainment of those objectives and purposes contained in its Charter and set forth in the above Preamble.
  5. The principal offce of this Club shall be the location at which regular meetings are held.
  6.           A.         NANfE:
  7. The Southern Ohio Amateur Radio Association, Inc. hereby adopts the following Constitution and By-Laws.
  1. FULL MENBERSHIP
    1. Applicants for Full Membership must hold a valid amateur radio license.
    2. Full members shall be entitled to all club privileges including the right to vote on all matters brought before the Club.
  2. HONORARY NEMBERSHIP
    1. Honorary Membership may be granted to a deserving person at the request of the Executive Committee and approval of the Club.
    2. Honorary Members have no voting privileges but are welcome to participate in all Club activities.
    3.          c.      GENERAL
  1. There shall be no restriction as to sex, race, color, age, religion, or national origin.
  2. Applications for Full Membership may be made to any member of the Club.
  3. Applicants will be required to complete an application form. 4. All membership applications shall be referred to the Club for their consideration, and will be read at a regular meeting and voted on by paper ballot by the members present. An affirmative vote of three fourths (3/4) of the voting members present is required for membership to be issued.ARTICLE 111 – ADMINISTRATION
  4. 5. The Club reserves the right to revoke the membership of any member who deliberately violates FCC rules and/or regulations or other respected operating procedures and privileges or who demonstrates, by his actions, disregard of Paragraph C and/or D of the Preamble. This action must be recommended by the Executive Committee and approved by a majority vote of the voting members present at the next regular business meeting.
  1. Offcers of the club shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Trustee. Offices of the Secretary and Treasurer may be held by the same member concurrently.
  2. Club offcers shall serve a term of one year, with the exception of the Trustee, who will be elected at the last election prior to the expiration of the Club license and will serve for the duration of the license. No officer, except the Trustee, shall serve more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office.
  3. Election of offcers will be held at the regular business meeting in October of each year. At the September meeting, the President shall appoint a nominating committee of 3 members in good        E.      Elected officers will take offce the first day of January.ARTICLE IV DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
  4. Should a Club officer vacancy occur between elections, the President shall appoint a voting member to fill the unexpired term. This appointment will not be subject to Article Ill, Section B. An appointment of a Club Trustee must be in accordance with Article IV, Section E.
  5. standing. This nominating committee shall submit a slate of offcers to the membership at the October meeting to be voted on at that meeting since the November meeting is the annual Christmas dinner. Any candidate who receives a majority vote of the voting members is duly elected. Should there be more than one candidate nominated for any office, the election will be by secret ballot. Should no candidate receive a majority vote on the first ballot, the two candidates receiving the largest number of votes will be cast on a second ballot. The candidate receiving a majority of votes on the second ballot will be the elected officer. D. Candidates for all elective offices must be a member in good standing and hold a valid amateur license.
  1. President — the President shall preside at all meetings of the club, shall conduct the same according to the rules adopted, enforce due observance of the Constitution and By-Laws, decide all questions of order, sign all official documents, appoint committees, and perform all customary duties pertaining to the offce of the President.
  2. Vice President — the Vice President shall assist the President and shall perform such duties as delegated by the President, and serve as presiding officer in the absence or physical inability of the President.
  3. Secretary — the Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings, carry on all correspondence, read communications at each meeting, have a copy of the Constitution and By-Laws at each meeting, keep a list of the names of those attending each meeting, maintain cutTent list of all members, including address, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, amateur calls and the expiration date of their current amateur license. The Secretary shall also be responsible for issuing membership credentials and shall keep a record of all dues paid.
  4. Treasurer — the Treasurer shall receive and give a receipt for all monies paid to the Club, keep an accurate account of all monies received and disbursed, pay, only upon authorization of the Club, those bills presented for payment. Annually shall prepare a statement of the financial operations of the Club for the prior calendar year and be responsible for the filing of all Federal and State tax returns that may be required.
  5. Trustee — the Trustee shall hold and be responsible for the Club’s amateur station license and all Club equipment, shall maintain a written inventory, including location, of all Club equipment and shall be responsible for the proper operation of all Club radio equipment, and hold a general or above class license.
  6. All Offcers — all Officers, when vacating their offce, shall turn over to the Club all Club property in their possession.
  7. ARTICLE V OF OFFICERS
  1. Charges may be presented against any offcer at a regular business meeting.
  2. The charged officer may be removed from offce by a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote ofthose voting members present at the next regular business meeting.
  3. ARTICLE VI – CONMTTEES
  1. Committees consist of the Executive, Program, Activities, Budget and Finance, Membership, Interference and Grievance, Publicity, Instruction, and other committees as deemed necessary. It shall not be mandatory that the President name all of these committees unless the need arises, as determined by the Executive Committee. Except the Budget and Finance Committee and the Membership Committee must be appointed at the beginning of the year.
  2. Duties of the Committees
    1. Executive Committee — the Executive Committee shall consist ofthe Club offcers and the past President. This committee will meet as necessary to make recommendations to the Club and review progress of the various committees. The President shall act as Chairman and the Secretary shall make a record of the meeting to be read at the following regular business meeting.
    2. Program Committee — the Program Committee shall prepare the program for each meeting.
    3. Activities Committee — the Activities Committee shall coordinate interesting activities in which the membership may participate.
    4. Budget and Finance Committee — the Budget and Finance committee will be composed of the Vice President, who will act as Chairman, the Treasurer and two (2) members. This committee will review club funds, and submit to the Club fund raising projects for their consideration. This committee will request written bids for any estimated expenditure of one hundred ($100) dollars or more for all projected expenses, except budgeted items. Return bids will be presented at a regular business meeting for the Club’s consideration. This committee may make recommendations, as required, for the approval of an emergency expenditure for more that one hundred ($100) dollars. Non-routine or non-projected expenditures which may be classified as emergency in nature may include, but are not limited to, any expense required to keep the operation of the Club from being interrupted for an extended amount of time, i.e. the operation of the repeater system. All emergency expenditures will be presented at the next regular business meeting to allow the Club membership to be aware of all expenses.
    5. Membership Committee — the Membership Committee shall be responsible for obtaining new members and promoting the club to prospective new members.
    6. Publicity Committee — the Publicity Committee shall obtain proper publicity for the Club, its members and its activities.
    7. Interference Committee — the Interference Committee shall receive complaints about amateur radio interference and dispose, tactfully and effectively, of such complaints and recommend such action as necessary.
    8. Grievance Committee — the Grievance Committee shall consider and dispose of grievances submitted, in writing, by members. The decision of the committee will be forwarded to the appropriate committee for their action.
    9. Instruction Committee — the Instruction Committee shall give instructions in Code, Theory, Operating Practices and FCC Rules and Regulations or refer to the proper person for such instruction.
  3. Each committee shall make a report at each business meeting.
  4. All committees will be dissolved and new committees appointed at the beginning of each year. Previous members may serve again if appointed.
  5. ARTICLE Vll –
  1. Regular business meetings shall be held on the third Monday of each month at 7:00 pm at the location designated by the President unless announced otherwise.
  2. Special meetings may be called at the will and pleasure of the President after giving reasonable notice to all members. Special meetings shall be conducted in accordance of the rules of a regular business meeting.
  3. To conduct business at a regular meeting, two (2) or more Club officers must be present.
  4. The presiding offcer shall set the order of business at a regular or special meeting. The following topics should be included in a regular business meeting.
    1. Call to order and opening remarks by the President
    2. Minutes of last business meeting and of Executive Committee meeting, if applicable
    3. Treasurer report
    4. Unfinished business
    5. Announcements and reading of colTespondence
    6. New business
    7. Adjournment
    8. Program
  5. All meetings will be conducted in accordance with “ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER”.A. This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a two thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of members present at a regular business meeting. Proposed amendments will be presented at a regular business meeting and voted on at the next regular business meeting.TRANSNflTTTNG EQUIm•ÆNT
  6. The Southern Ohio Amateur Association Inc.
  7. ARTICLE IX -ACCESS TO AND OPERATION OF THE CLUB
  8. ARTICLE Vlll – LEGISLATION

AMENDMENTS

Amendment Number 1 – Approved April 17, 2006

Any assets of SOARA shall not be sold, loaned or otherwise transferred without the approval of the membership of the organization at a regular meeting.

Amendment Number 2 – Approved September 15, 2008

Club officers may serve consecutive terms upon being reelected to that office each year at the October meeting.

Amendment Number 3 – Approved October 16, 2017

Termination of Operations

  1. In the event The Southern Ohio Amateur Radio Association, Inc. (Club) Executive Committee votes that the Club should be dissolved, a motion by the President for dissolution must be made at a regular scheduled Club meeting and voted on at the next regular scheduled Club meeting receiving more than two thirds vote of the membership present.

B. Disposition of Assets

The Executive Committee shall handle the disbursement of all assets of the Club. No member or group of members shall receive benefit from the assets. All equipment will be sold and net proceeds donated to a non-profit organization. All remaining cash will be donated to a non-profit organization.

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