CONSTITUTION

OF

BENTON AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY

   We, the undersigned, wishing to secure for ourselves the pleasures and benefits of the association of persons currently interested in Amateur Radio, constitute ourselves the BENTON AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY and enact this constitution as our governing law. It shall be our purpose to further the exchange of information and co-operation between members, to promote radio knowledge, fraternalism and individual operating efficiency and to conduct society programs and activities as to advance the general interest and welfare of radio in the community.

ARTICLE I

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1

   Requirements for membership; All persons interested in Amateur Radio communication shall be eligible for membership. Membership shall be by invitation and sponsorship by at least one member in good standing for at least one year prior to such sponsorship. Membership shall be subject to approval under such terms as the society, by its By-Laws, provide.

Section 2

Terms of Membership

   Membership shall run from 00:00:01 CST January 1 through 23:59:59 December 31 of the calendar year.

Section 3

Basic Rights of Members

   The right to vote and the right to participate in society functions shall be equal for all members in good standing. New members, after being approved for membership and paying the required dues and/or fees, will share in any Society property equally with the older (long term) members.

ARTICLE II

OFFICERS

Section 1

   The officers of this Society shall be: President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer and Five members of the Board of Directors. To be eligible for election to an office, a person shall have been a member in good standing for a continuous period of two years, and must have a General Class or higher Amateur Radio Operator's license issued by the FCC.

   Excepting the first two years of existence, where the eligibility for office shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 2

   The officers of this society shall be elected for a term of one year, except for the members of the Board of Directors, who will be elected for a term of three (3) years.

Section 3

   The details of election procedures will be explained in the By-Laws of this Society.

Section 4

   Vacancies occurring between elections must be filled for the unexpired term of office by a special election, which shall be by written ballot of Society members present at that meeting. In order to be declared the winner of such a special election, the candidate must be voted on favorably by three fourths (75%) of the members present.

OFFICERS

Section 5

   Officers elected for one-year term may be removed from office by a three fourths (75%) vote of the total Society membership. Members of the Board of Directors may only be removed from office by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. The details of this will be explained further in the Society By-Laws.

ARTICLE III

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1

   The President shall preside at all meetings of this Society, and conduct same according to the rules adopted. He shall enforce due observance of the Constitution and By-Laws: resolve or refer to the Board of Directors all questions of order, sign all official documents that are adopted by the Society, and none other, and perform all other customary duties of the President. The President shall also serve as liaison between the Board of Directors and the general society membership. This will enable the President to deal with such items as unresolved points of order, formulation and/or review of proposed motions and other items of society business. The President shall appoint people to chair various committees, including, but not limited to, a committee on Community Services and a committee on Emergency Services.

Section 2

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

Section 3

   The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep record of the proceedings of all meetings, keep a roll of members, submit applications for membership submitted by sponsors of new members, carry on all correspondence, read communications at each meeting, and mail written notices to Society members as required. It shall be the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer to keep the Constitution and By-Laws, or a bona fide copy thereof, of the Society and have same with him/her at every meeting. He/She shall receive and receipt for all monies received and expended. He/She shall pay no bills without proper authorization by the Board of Directors or its Delegates. During the last quarter of the year, he/she shall submit an itemized statement of disbursements and receipts. He/She shall at the expiration of his/her term turn over everything in his/her possession belonging to the Society to his/her successor.

Section 4

   The Board of Directors shall promote functions and activities of the Society. The Board of Directors shall preserve the fiscal integrity of the Society. The Board of Directors must rule on any matter that may be questionable or not specifically covered in the Constitution or By-Laws, (such as might involve money, equipment, and/or Society Property), and direct the Society accordingly.

   The Board of Directors will direct the Society in the final resolution of Points-of-Order that failed to be resolved in the course of regular Society meetings. Subjects not readily settled during regular Society meeting will be tabled pending decisions from the Board of Directors.

   The Board of Directors shall present at each regular Society meeting in October their nominations for the Society officers for the following calendar year.

   The Board of Directors shall assist the President in his constituted function as Society liaison in the board meetings.

   The Board of Directors may issue authorizations and delegate responsibilities in the scope of its constitutional duties.

   The Board of Directors, and none other, may remove one of its members by a majority vote of the Board members. Such vote shall be taken by secret ballot.

   The Board of Directors may approve a withdrawal of membership status of a present Society member by majority vote of the Board. Such a vote shall be by secret ballot. Such action must be initiated by the membership.

ARTICLE IV

SUBSIDIARY GROUPS

   There shall be NO subsidiary groups within the Society.

ARTICLE V

MEETINGS

   The By-Laws shall provide for regular and special meetings. At ANY meeting, a minimum of two thirds (66%) of the total membership must be present to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, If there is not a quorum at a meeting, and business requiring a vote of the membership shall be conducted at the next regular or special meeting.

ARTICLE VI

DUES

   The Society, by majority vote of those present at any regular meeting, provided there be a quorum present, may levy upon the general membership such dues and/or assessments as shall be deemed necessary for the business of the organization within its objects as set forth in the preamble. Nonpayment of such dues or assessments shall be cause for expulsion from the Society within the discretion of the membership and Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VII

AMENDMENTS

   This constitution and/or the By-Laws may be amended by a majority vote of the total membership by written ballot.

   Proposals for amendments shall be submitted in writing at a regular meeting. The proposed amendment shall be delivered to all current members, either by mail, by hand delivery of this document or by packet radio with a hard copy of an acknowledgement of receipt of this document being returned to the Society Secretary-Treasurer, no later than one week prior to the next regular Society meeting. The Board of Directors shall count and total the votes, and the results shall be announced at the next regular Society meeting.

ARTICLE VIII

RULES

   Robert's Rules of Order shall be followed at all meetings.

BY-LAWS

1. MEMBERSHIP

   Application for membership shall be submitted at regular society meetings. Each applicant must be invited and sponsored by at least one person that has been a society member in good standing for at least one year as of the date of the application. Each applicant must express a willingness to abide by the Constitution, By-Laws, and other rules promulgated by the Society. Three Fourths (75%) of those present, provided there be a quorum, shall approve the applicant before he/she shall be considered elected to Society membership. Membership shall become effective upon payment of prescribed dues and initial fees. Prospective new members shall leave the meeting area while being voted into membership.

   For the first year, the Board of Directors shall extend all invitations for membership.

2. MEMBERSHIP

   Applicants for membership shall NOT be allowed to pay membership dues until AFTER being approved for membership as outlined in the above By-Laws.

3. MAINTANCE OF MEMBERSHIP

   To remain a member in good standing, a person must pay all dues and/or assessments. Any member of the BENTON AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY who does not abide by the Constitution, The By-Laws, and/or other rules promulgated by the Society is subject to lose his/her membership. Any person's membership may be revoked at any regular meeting of the Benton Amateur Radio Society by a majority vote taken by secret ballot, provided there be a quorum, and subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

4. MEETINGS

   Regular meetings shall be held on regular basis once each month. The Society Members shall decide what day of the Month to hold meetings by vote of the members present at a regular Society meeting, provided there be a quorum. Once a meeting day has been established, it shall remain the same until changed by a vote at a regular meeting of the Society. Special meetings of the Society may be requested by the President of the Society upon written request by any five Society Members. Notices shall be sent to members concerning special meetings and the business to be transacted. Only such business as designated shall be transacted at special meeting. Such notices shall be so sent, so that, in the ordinary postal delivery, they arrive not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the time for the special meeting.

5. DUES

   A regular annual assessment of Five Dollars ($5.00) per member is hereby assessed in accordance with provisions of ARICLE VI, of the Constitution for the purpose of providing funds for current expenses.

6. ELECTION PROCEDURES

   The first five Directors shall serve for a term of three years. At the October meeting of the third year of the original Board's term, position no. one (1) will be open for election or re-election whatever action is applicable. At the end of the fourth year positions no. two and four (2 & 4) shall be open for election. At the end of the fifth year, position no. three and five (3 & 5) shall be open for election. From that point forward, the regular three-year term will apply. The first five Directors shall be assigned positions 1 through 5 alphabetically by the first letter of their last name. For candidates for the Board of Directors will be the only parties to nominate prospective new members to the Board of Directors.

   Election of all Society officers shall be by written ballot. Nominations for all officers serving one-year terms nominations shall be submitted by the Board of Directors and Society Members present at the regular Society meeting in October. The ballots shall be mailed and/or distributed by the most convenient means no later than the regular Society meeting in November. The completed ballots must be returned to the Society Secretary-Treasurer no later than 00:00 (midnight) CST, December 1, of the current year in order to be included in the count. The Board of Directors shall count and total all ballots, determine the duly elected officers for the coming year, and announce these results at the regular Society meeting in December. For the election of officers, a majority vote of the total Society membership for the current year shall be necessary to declare the winning candidate at each position.

7. ELECTION PROCEDURES

   For the election of officers, the total Society membership shall be taken, as of the regular Society meeting in the month of October, New members approved and paying dues after the regular Society meeting in October will not be eligible to vote in the election of officers for that year.

Change to By-Laws #4

   Meetings will be held the first Tuesday of every other month each year, beginning in February. (February, April, June, August, October, December)

Amendment #1

   Amendment to Article II, Section 1 of the Benton Amateur Radio Society Constitution is hereby amended (December 2, 2014) to read:

ARTICLE II

OFFICERS

Section 1

   The officers of this Society shall be: President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer and Five members of the Board of Directors. To be eligible for election to an office, a person shall have been a member in good standing for a continuous period of one year, and must have a General Class or higher Amateur Radio Operator's license issued by the FCC.

   Excepting the first two years of existence, where the eligibility for office shall be determined by the Board of Directors.