Constitution
and Bylaws of
The
East Tennessee DX Association
Section 1: Name
The name of this organization shall be the EAST TENNESSEE DX
ASSOCIATION (hereinafter referred to as "the Association").
Section 2: Objectives
1. The objectives of the Association shall be to provide
member and public services and education through the encouragement, promotion,
and active participation in long distance and international communications
(hereinafter referred to as "DX) via amateur radio.
2. The objectives shall be further specified in a Mission
Statement which shall be included as part of the Bylaws of the association. The
Mission Statement shall be reviewed no less than every five (5) years by the
Board of Directors of the Association and, upon review, be either reaffirmed or
amended by due process.
Article 2: Government
Section 1: Board of Directors
The Association shall be governed by a Board of Directors
(hereinafter referred to as "the Board"). The Board shall consist of
officers and directors elected by the membership. The officers shall be the
President, the Vice-President, the Immediate Past-President, and
the Secretary-Treasurer. There shall be no less than 4 and
no more than 10 additional directors.
1. The Board shall conduct the business of the Association
and shall originate all actions on behalf of the membership, either from within
the Board or upon request of individual Association members.
2. Meetings of the Board shall be held no less than once per
quarter, with a quorum consisting of at least one half the membership of the
Board required to conduct business that may require a deciding vote. The
President shall preside over meetings of the Board.
3. Decisions of the Board shall require an affirmative vote
of at least a majority of Board members present during consideration of a
matter. Decisions of the Board which require the expenditure of Association
finances beyond the amount specified in the Bylaws or which require the use of
human resources shall require confirmation before action is taken by a simple majority
of the members present at a regular meeting of the Association membership.
4. Critical activities shall be led by appointed chairs and
such committee members as the Board shall determine. Appointments to the chair
or to membership on Association Committees shall be by the President, with the
concurrence of the Board. Regular committee chairs, as listed in the Bylaws,
shall serve ex officio on the Board.
5. Officers (with the exception of the Immediate
Past-President, shall upon election serve a term of two (2) years. Other
members of the board shall serve terms of three years, with one-third (1/3) of
the directors elected each year. Should a director's position become vacant,
the Board shall appoint a member of the Association to fulfill the unexpired
term.
Section 2: Duties of the Officers
1. The
President shall:
a. Preside at meeting of the Board and the membership;
b. Represent the Association in external affairs;
c. Cast a deciding vote on matters which result in a tie
during a regular vote;
d. Call special meetings of the Board or the membership;
e. Appoint, with the concurrence of the Board, chairs and
members of committees of the Association;
f. Serve as a member ex officio on all committees of the
Association;
g. Enforce the Constitution, Bylaws, and decisions of the
Association;
h. Report to the membership on a regular basis the
deliberations and actions of the Board and the committees of the Association;
and
i. Report to the membership no less than annually on the
condition, location, and value of all property owned by the Association.
2. The
Vice President shall:
a. In the absence of the President, preside at meetings of
either the Board or the membership;
b. In the event that the office of President becomes vacant,
assume the office of President for the duration of the term of election;
c. Designate meeting places and times convenient to the
membership; and
d. Direct the scheduling of programs for meetings of the
membership.
3. The
Secretary-Treasurer shall:
a. Maintain minutes of all meetings of the Board and of the
membership, recording all deliberations and decisions of the Association;
b. Conduct correspondence of the Association as directed by
the President or the Board;
c. Maintain an accessible archive of all activity, business,
and fiscal records of the Association;
d. Maintain a current membership list of the Association,
such list to be published annually for the membership;
e. Maintain a full, current, and accurate account of all
funds received and disbursed by the Association;
f. Receive all dues and assessments levied against members;
g. Pay all bills and approved monies voted by the Board or
the membership;
h. Submit a summary financial statement at least quarterly
and a full financial statement at least annually to the membership, and to the
Board as often as may be requested.
4. The Immediate Past-President shall serve on the Board for
a period not exceeding two years beyond the end of his or her term as
President.
Section 3: Elections
1. Elections for officers and directors, as applicable,
shall be held at a meeting of the membership of the Association in March of
each calendar year. Newly elected officers and directors shall assume duties on
the first day of April immediately following election.
2. All nominees for election shall be members in good
standing in the Association and shall have been members in good standing for at
least 6 months prior to nomination for election.
3. The Board shall appoint in January preceding an election
a nominating committee to select one or more nominees for each position
requiring election and report its selections to the Board no later than the
meeting of the Board that precedes the meeting of the membership in February.
Additional nominations may be made from the floor by the membership at the
February meeting of the membership.
4. Election of officers and directors shall be by a simple
majority of a quorum of the Association members in good standing at the March
meeting. A quorum shall consist of 25% Of the Association members in good
standing at the time of the election, as determined by the President.
5. If a quorum is not present at the time of election, the
election shall be postponed until the next meeting of the membership, at which
time the attending members in good standing shall constitute a quorum.
6. If an office other than that of President becomes vacant,
or if a new office is created, the new or replacement officer shall be elected
by the Board to complete the unexpired term or the new term until the next
scheduled election.
7. If the President's office is vacated and the Vice
President is unable to fill this vacancy, the Association shall hold a special
election at the next regular meeting or a special called meeting of the
membership.
Nominations for President shall be made from the floor, and
all regular members in good standing, including incumbent members of the Board,
shall be eligible for nomination. The Board shall designate a presiding officer
for the special election meeting.
8. Current officers and members of the Board shall be
eligible for election to the same position to other positions.
Section 4: Meetings
1. The Association shall hold regular meetings of the
membership and of the Board at intervals specified in the Bylaws.
2. A special meeting of the Board may be called by the
President.
3. A special meeting of the membership, with a specific
agenda provided to the members in advance of the meeting, may be called
a. By written request of at least 10 members that is
presented to any officer at least 4 days prior to the date of the intended
meeting;
b. By approval of at least 50% of the Board in the case of
emergency or business of special importance; or
c. By the President.
4. The vice President shall arrange for special meeting
places that are convenient to the membership.
Section 5: Conduct of Business
1. The business of the Association shall be conducted on a
yearly basis from April 1 through March 31 of the following year, to coincide
with the terms of officers and directors.
2. All funds received by the Association shall be managed
and safeguarded by the Secretary-Treasurer.
3. Each member, with the exception of Honorary Members,
shall pay dues to the Secretary-Treasurer at the beginning of each calendar
year in the amount specified in the Bylaws. Dues not paid by March 31 shall be
considered in arrears, and the member in arrears shall lose his or her good
standing and the membership privileges attending to that status.
4. Any disbursement greater than the amount Specified in the
Bylaws shall require approval by a majority vote of the members present at a
meeting of the membership of the Association.
5. In the absence of applicable Association Rules of
Procedure, as may be specified in the Bylaws, Roberts Rules of Order shall be
the parliamentary authority.
6. The Association shall not be responsible for any public
liability by any member or group of members through any action not authorized
by the Board.
7. The Association shall not incur or cause to incur any
liability or obligation which shall subject individual members or groups of
members of the Association to liability.
8. All fiscal obligations shall be for the benefit of the
membership or the mission of the Association and shall be paid out of the
Association treasury or as otherwise determined by a majority vote of the
membership.
Article 3: Membership
Section 1: Eligibility for Membership
Membership in the Association shall be open to all licensed
amateur radio operators interested in long-distance and international
communication.
Section 2: Classes of Membership
The classes of membership shall be Regular Member, Family
Member, Charter Member, Student Member and Honorary Member.
1. A Regular Member is a person who has been elected to
membership.
2. A Charter Member is a Regular Member who participated in
the founding and original organization of the Association.
3. A Family Member is a part of the immediate family of a
Regular member, living in the same household, and is entitled to all of the
privileges of a Regular Member. Reduced membership dues may be applicable to
Family Members as specified in the Bylaws.
4. An Honorary Member is appointed by the Board or by a
simple majority of the membership attending any regular meeting of the
Association in recognition of special
contributions to the good of the Association. Honorary
Members are not required to pay dues and have no voting privileges.
5. A Student Member is a person who has been elected to
membership and who is a college undergraduate student or a lower grade level
student.
Section 3: Privileges of Membership
1. Only Regular Members (to include Regular, Charter, Student
and Family Members) in good standing, as defined in this section, may vote or
hold office.
2. Any member in good standing has the right to attend and
participate in meetings of the membership and to attend meetings of the Board.
3. A member is considered in "good standing" if
his or her dues are paid for the current calendar year and if membership
termination action has not been taken.
Section 4: Membership Termination
1. An individual member may terminate membership by oral or
written notice to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association. Termination of
membership shall not entitle the member to the return of any portion of
dues paid for the current calendar year.
2. The Association shall terminate the membership of any
member for non-payment of dues as specified in the Bylaws. Full membership
privileges shall be reinstated upon payment of delinquent dues and such other
fees specified in the Bylaws.
3. An individual membership may be terminated by a
three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the members in attendance at a meeting of
the Association membership. Any charges against a member which might result in
termination of membership must be presented in writing to the Board which, upon
finding sufficient grounds for termination, shall present the charges to the membership
for action.
Article 4: Amendments
Section 1: Amending the Constitution
The Constitution of the Association may be amended by a
three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the members in good standing in attendance
at a regular or called meeting of the Association. Written notice of intent to amend the
Constitution shall be provided to all members in good standing at least 30 days
before the meeting at which the vote to amend will be taken.
Section 2: Amending the Bylaws
The Bylaws of the Association may be amended by a
three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the members in good standing at a meeting
of the Association membership following the Association membership meeting at
which a motion to amend the Bylaws is made.
Article 5: Effective Date
This amended Constitution of the Association shall become
effective January 1, 2016, and shall supersede all previous versions.
R2-1/1/16
BYLAWS
OF THE EAST TENNESSEE DX ASSOCIATION
1. Mission Statement
Pursuant to the requirement of Article 1, Section 2, of the
Constitution of the Association, the following statement of mission shall
provide guidance to all activities of the Association.
The purpose in forming the Association is to secure the
benefits of the association of persons interested in long-distance and
international communications by way of amateur radio as defined in Part 97 of
the Federal Communications Commission Rules and Regulations. The objectives of
the Association shall be to provide member and public services and education
through the encouragement, promotion, and active participation in long distance
and international communications (hereinafter referred to as "DX) via
amateur radio. DXing shall include long distance communication on any and all
authorized amateur MF, HF, VHF, and UHF amateur bands.
The Association shall provide services to its membership to
include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. Providing a regular meeting forum -- with special
programs when possible -- and a regular newsletter for the exchange of
information and ideas;
2. Providing enhancements to the activity of DXing, such as
a web-based DX opening and tracking system, reduced subscription rates to key
DX journals, and QSL checking; and
3. Sponsoring special activities of interest to DXing
amateurs, such as the VHF Sprints.
The Association shall provide education to both members and
potential members to include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. Providing classes and mentoring services to prospective
amateur radio licensees;
2. Providing technical presentations at meetings of the
membership on technical aspects of establishing long distance communications,
to include all aspects of the amateur radio station from antennas to equipment
design and control at all frequencies and modes of operation; and
3. Providing operating presentations at meetings of the
membership designed to enhance the art of DX communication at all frequencies
and all modes of operation.
The Association shall provide public education to include,
but not be limited to, the following:
1. Informing the general public of the availability of
amateur radio as a multi-faceted avocation, along with information on how to
obtain a license to operate on the amateur frequencies;
2. Providing the general public with information on the
scope of services rendered by amateur radio to society at large, including the
provision of emergency services
and the fostering of international good will; and
3. Providing the general public via the media with
information on the activities and good works of amateur radio operators and
groups of operators.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this mission statement,
the Association shall avail itself of every opportunity to enhance and expand
its service and education functions. To that end, the Board of the Association
shall periodically review this mission statement to reflect new opportunities
for service and education to its members and to the general public.
2. Membership
Membership shall be by invitation and is available to all
licensed radio amateurs who are interested in DXing without regard to class of
license or favored modes and frequencies of operation.
A candidate for membership must be sponsored by a Regular
Member, and a vote on the entry of the candidate shall be conducted at a
regular meeting of the Association membership. Candidates for membership shall
not be present during the vote. A negative vote by a majority of members
present shall result in the denial of membership to the candidate.
3. Dues and Fees
The annual dues of the Association shall be $35 for Regular
and Charter Members. The annual dues of Family Membership, to include one Regular
member and all other eligible family members, shall be $45. The annual dues of
Student Membership shall be $10.00. Dues shall be in arrears if not paid by
March 31 of any calendar year, and membership is terminated on that date. Full
payment of dues for the current calendar year is required for reinstatement
into membership in good standing.
Dues for new individual members may be prorated at $3.00 for
each month remaining in a calendar year. Dues for new Family Memberships may be
prorated for $4.00 for each month remaining in a calendar year.
4. Regular Meetings
Regular meetings of the membership of the Association shall
be held monthly on a date as set by the Board.
5. Standing Committees
The President and the Board shall appoint the following
Committees as Standing Committees in view of the critical nature of the
activities involved relative to the success of the Association in achieving the
provisions of its Mission Statement. Each Committee Chair, as named by the
President and approved by the Board, shall serve ex officio on the Board of the
Association. The term of Committee chair and membership appointments shall
normally be coincident with the term of the appointing President, with
reappointment for succeeding terms permitted. Where appropriate, individuals
may be appointed to two or more committees to facilitate the conduct of
activities potentially involving more than one committee charge.
1. Newsletter Committee: The Newsletter of the Association
shall be produced monthly by the Newsletter Committee, which shall consist of
as many members as may be necessary to write, edit, produce, and distribute the
document. Each issue shall be devoted to a mixture of technical, operating, and
entertainment features. In addition, each issue of the Newsletter shall contain
news of the Association and its members, a succinct summary of the minutes of
any Board meeting held since the preceding issue, and such written notices and
reports as required by the Constitution. The chair of the Newsletter Committee
shall ordinarily be the Editor, charged with obtaining and organizing the
content of each issue.
2. Education Committee: The Education Committee shall create
and execute programs and opportunities for the education of all persons
currently licensed, potentially to be licensed, or simply interested in the
activities of amateur radio and DXing. Programs may range
from formal classes to individual presentations (both to the membership or to
other groups), to individual mentoring activities.
3. Internet Committee: The Internet Committee shall develop
both operational aides and informational services to the membership using the
facilities of the internet or world-wide-web. Committee activities shall
include maintaining and enhancing the content of the Association web site,
providing DX-enhancement links to important services, and other means to
provide services and education to Association members. The Chair of the
Internet Committee shall normally be the Webmaster for the Association site.
4. Special Events Committee: The Association from
time-to-time sponsors special amateur activities and operating events. The
Special Events Committee shall be charged with creating, organizing, and
executing such
events and shall be responsible for both pre-event and
post-event publicity.
5. Social Committee: The Association sponsors multiple
events to increase membership interest and camaraderie each year. The Social
Committee shall be responsible for planning, executing, and publicizing these
events to ensure that largest possible participation by members and friends.
The President, with the concurrence of the Board, is
empowered to create such other committees and to appoint their members as may
be suitable to further the achievement of the Association goals.
6. Disbursements:
Any disbursement greater than $250 shall require the
approval by the Board. Any disbursement in excess of $500 shall require
approval by the membership at a regular or called membership meeting.
7. Effective Date
These Bylaws shall be effective January 1, 2016, and
supersede all previous versions.
R2-1/1/16