We, the membership, hereby establish a non-profit association of Amateur Radio enthusiasts in order to share such interest with others, to further the development of our individual proficiency as radio operators, and to serve the community as an emergency communications network in times of natural disaster and public need, and do hereby constitute ourselves as the PANAMA CANAL AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION(hereafter referred to as the Association)and establish this constitution and by-laws as our guiding policy in all matters concerning the present and future activities of this Association.
Membership within the club shall be of two types: FULL and ASSOCIATE.
FULL MEMBERS shall enjoy all benefits and responsibilities of the Association and shall be granted voting privileges and shall be eligible to be nominated for and to be elected to any of the elected offices listed within these by-laws.
They will have operational privileges on all Association equipment (Special Assessments may be required for use) and will have operational privileges on equipment made available to the Association through Reciprocal Agreements with Amatuer Radio Clubs and associations within the Republic of Panama.
Applicants desiring to become FULL members must meet the following requirements:
ASSOCIATE members shall have the right to attend and participate in all meetings and social functions of the association, but shall not be granted voting privileges and shall not be eligible for nomination or election to any offices listed in these by-laws. Associate members may, however, serve on technical committees and may accept various assignments made by the elected officers. Associate members will also be able to attend any association sponsored classes at a special reduced member rate.
Associate members are normally those who do not hold either an FCC Amateur Radio Operator's License or Republic of Panama Amateur Radio Operator's License.
Applicants desiring to become Associate members must meet the following requirements:
The membership applications will be reviewed by the board to assure that minimum requirements have been met.
A list of applicants who have met the above listed requirements for either FULL or ASSOCIATE membership will be presented at the earliest possible regular meeting as proposed members. No vote of acceptance will be taken.
Should any FULL member question the acceptability of any of the proposed applicants, he will have one week to submit such in writing to the Board through the Secretary. The Board will study the reasons presented and will attempt to resolve the matter prior to the next regular meeting. Should it be known that the applicant fails to meet any of the listed requirements, or for other reasons of non-acceptability, the application would be rejected and the applicant notified.
Should no question be raised, all proposed applicants will be notified prior to the next regular meeting and will be welcomed as new members.
FULL or ASSOCIATE members may lose thier membership status for three reasons:
Dues for membership shall be payable as of January each year, and become delinquent as of the first meeting in April.
The Panama Amateur Radio Association, by majority vote of the FULL membership present at a regular club meeting (a quorum being present), may levy upon the general or selected membership such dues and assessments as shall be deemed necessary for carrying out the business of the Association. Non-payment of such dues and/or assessments shall be cause for dropping the delinquent person from the rolls, within the discretion of the membership. Should a member be shown to be delinquent in any other Amateur Radio club or association within the Republic of Panama as stated in Article One, that member will be notified of such delinquency status and shall be removed from the rolls should the deliquency remain unresolved.
Article Four: Elected Officers
Elections of the officers of the Association will normally be held during the regular December meeting each year. A one month postponement will be allowed should conditions warrant such a delay. Voting will be by secret ballot unless waived by the membership. The elected officers of the Association shall be:
The offices of the Secretary and Treasurer may be combined as one office of Secretary/Treasurer should the membership so desire at the time nominations are submitted.
The term of all offices will be one year or until filled by the newly elected official.
The officers of the Board of Directors including the President shall not serve more than two (2) years in the same position.
Officers may be removed for due cause by a three-quarter vote of membership present at any meeting.
Vacancies occurring between the elections will be filled by special ballot at the first regular meeting (a quorum being present) following the announcement of the withdrawl or resignation.
The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, First and Second Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Fiscal, and two board members. A quorum shall consist of at least three (3) board members.
Article Five: Duties of the Officers
The PRESIDENT shall preside over all meetings of the Association following the guidelines of the by-laws and pertinent sections of Robert's Rules of Order. He or she shall sign all documents requiring the signature of the chief officer of the Association and shall otherwise perform all customary duties pertaining to the office of the President.
The FIRST VICE PRESIDENT shall assume all duties of the President in his or her absence and shall assist the President in the duties of his or her office. It will be the duty of the First Vice President to assure that the meeting dates are announced, monthly programs are planned, and that a proper meeting place is made available to the Association.
The SECOND VICE PRESIDENT shall assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President and the First Vice President. He or she will assist in setting up special programs or events for the Association and will assist the above two officers in their duties.
The SECRETARY shall keep records of the proceedings of all regular and special meetings, shall keep a current listing of all members to include their calls, phone numbers, and addresses and will verify at the beginning of each meeting that a quorum is present. The Secretary will have copies of the Constitution and By-Laws at all meetings for referral. He or she shall be responsible for notification to the membership of all meetings and will prepare correspondence for signature of the President and the Board of Directors. He or she shall carry out all other customary duties of the office of Secretary. At the expiration of his or her term, all Association records, minutes, and other correspondence shall be turned over to the new Secretary.
The TREASURER will be responsible for establishing and maintaining an appropriate bank account for Association finances. The treasurer shall receive all monies due the Association and make disbursements for the Association's bank account. He or she shall keep accurate records of all monies deposited and withdrawn from the Association banking account. A treasurers report will be presented orally at each monthly meeting and a written statement of receipts and disbursements will be presented to the Association Secretary quarterly for inclusion in the permanent record. The Treasurer will be responsible for any documents necessary to maintain the Association's financial requiremens.
The FISCAL's duties are:
At all regular and special meetings, 12 full members, including at least two officers, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all official business of the Association. At the Board of Director's meetings, three officers shall constitute a quorum. The minutes of all board meetings will be read at the next regular meeting of the Association.
Meetings will be held on a regular basis on the first Thursday of each month, whenever possible, at a place and time decided upon by the membership. Special meetings may be called by the President upon written request submitted by any five FULL members. All special meetings will have a specific agenda and any of that business will be transacted. Notification will be made by phone or through the mail should time permit.
All meetings will be conducted in English or Spanish, and English will be the language used in all minutes,records, and documents of the Association. Should translations of certain documents be required, copies in both languages will be kept in the permanent records of the Association.
Article Seven: Ammendments
This constitution and By-laws may be ammended by a two-thirds vote of the FULL members present at a regular scheduled meeting, a quorum being present. Such proposed ammendments shall be submitted in writing to the membership at a regular scheduled meeting, and shall not be voted upon until the next regular scheduled meeting. All changes of the constitution and By-laws will be entered by the Secretary at the earliest opportunity on all official copies of this document under his or her care.
Article Eight: Rule of Order
Robert's Rules of Order shall govern all proceedings not specifically covered by the constitution and By-laws of the Panama Canal Amateur Radio Association. The universal parlimentary system will be used for all discussions. All prodecures not contemplated by these By-laws will be subject to interpretation and decisions of the general membership. These By-laws will become effective upon ratification by the general membership of the Association.
Article Nine: Patrimony
The patrimony of the Association will be:
Should, at some date, three-fourths of the entire voting membership of the Panama Canal Amateur Radio Association decide to disband the Association, all assets of the Association shall be divided among the remaining FULL and ASSOCIATE members to the extent of the amount of their dues and/or assessments paid to the club within the past year. All remaining funds and monies resulting from the sale of any Association-owned equipment will be divided evenly between those Non-profit Republic of Panama Amateur Radio clubs or associations chosen by a majority of the FULL membership at the time of such dissolution.