Constitution and By-laws of the
SEPTEMBER, 1990
PREAMBLE
We, the undersigned, having a common interest in the public service and technical aspects of the Amateur Radio Service medium of VHF and UHF repeaters constitute ourselves as the SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT RADIO AMATEUR RADIO SYSTEM (SCRAMS) and enact this constitution as our governing law. It shall be our purpose to serve the community to the best of our ability by supporting, within the regulations specified by the FCC, community related communication activities, by striving toward technical improvement of the SCRAMS’ repeaters, by conducting SCRAMS and its repeaters in a manner as to advance amateur radio state-of-the-art, and by promoting public good will toward the Amateur Radio Service.
ARTICLE I
Name
Section I: The name of this organization shall be the Southeastern Connecticut Radio Amateur Mobile System and shall also be identified by the acronym SCRAMS.
Section II: Affiliation of SCRAMS with other organizations, other than the American Radio Relay League or the regional repeater frequency coordinating body or New England Network, is not permitted.
ARTICLE II
Objectives
Section I: The objectives of SCRAMS shall be those set forth in the Preamble.
ARTICLE III
Member - Qualifications, Admission & Status
Section I: (a) Any individual interested in the Amateur Radio Service who subscribes to the Preamble of this Constitution shall be eligible for membership. Membership classes shall be as delineated in the By-Laws.
(b) Membership is contingent on a majority vote of the full voting members present at a regular meeting and the payment of dues. By becoming a member of SCRAMS, the member agrees to abide by SCRAMS and FCC repeater operating procedures and regulations.
Section II: Members may be removed from SCRAMS membership for cause by 2/3 vote of the membership.
ARTICLE IV
Club Meetings
Section I: (a) The regular meeting of SCRAMS shall be held on the first Thursday of each month.
(b) The purpose of the regular monthly meeting is for the conduct of SCRAMS business. Except as noted, for the purpose of conducting business, the term membership used herein is defined as those members present at a SCRAMS meeting.
(c) The Rules of Parliamentary Procedure as laid down in Robert’s Rules of order (Revised) shall govern the conduct of all SCRAMS meetings.
Section II: All meetings other than the regular monthly meeting of the membership shall be referred to as special meetings. Special meetings shall be called by the President upon written request of any five members. The President shall schedule any such meeting within one week and shall ensure that the general membership is notified at least one week in advance of the meeting. Only such business as is designated in the notice shall be considered at a special meeting.
Section III: The quorum requirement to hold any meeting is ten (10) members and attendance of the President or Vice President.
ARTICLE VI
Election of Officers
Section I: The officers of SCRAMS shall be the President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding/Membership Secretary and Treasurer. These officers shall be members in good standing at the time of their election and during their tenure of office. The President and Vice President may not concurrently hold office in any other radio club and must have been SCRAMS members for at least one calendar year prior to taking office.
Section II: The officers of SCRAMS shall be elected by secret balloting only of the membership present. The election shall take place at the regular November meeting. No President or Vice President shall serve in the same capacity for more than three years in succession. Office vacancies shall be filled at preannounced special elections.
Section III: Appointed repeater trustees and the Chairman of the Technical Committee may not simultaneously hold a SCRAMS elected office.
Section IV: Election officers shall be installed at the conclusion of the regular November meeting and will serve for one year.
Section V: Officers may be removed from office for cause by a 2/3 vote of the membership.
ARTICLE V
Government: Amendments and By-Laws
Section I: Amendments to this Constitution and By-Laws shall be made at regular or special SCRAMS meetings. Proposed changes shall be presented for discussion at a meeting and then acted upon at a subsequent meeting. Amendments shall be approved by a 2/3 vote of full the voting members presents.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
Membership and Dues
Section I: (a) Any person licensed in the Amateur Radio Service who subscribes to the Preamble of the Constitution is eligible for full voting membership.
(b) Family memberships are available to full dues paying SCRAMS member’s family provided that the family members are licensed amateurs and that they reside in the same household as the member. As long as the additional members live at the same address, no additional dues shall be charged. Family members living at different addresses shall pay full dues.
(c) Associate membership is available to full dues paying non-licensed individuals. Associate members do not have voting privilege.
Section II: A membership in good standing shall be maintained by the payment of the yearly dues. The five newly elected officers shall sit, after the November election, with the repeater Trustees and the Chairman of the Technical Committee as an ad-hoc finance committee for the purpose of reviewing SCRAMS’ financial position, establishing a budget and recommend dues for the following fiscal year. The recommended budget and dues shall be presented to the general membership, in writing, at least one week in advance of the regular December meeting. At the regular December meeting, the budget and dues shall be submitted for acceptance and, upon approval, shall become effective immediately.
Section III: The renewal form and annual dues shall be due to the Corresponding/Membership Secretary on January 1 of each year. Non-payment of dues shall be cause for termination of membership. The Corresponding/Membership Secretary shall present a list of delinquent members to the membership at the regular March meeting for action as to removal from the SCRAMS membership list.
(a) Any person requesting membership to SCRAMS as a NEW MEMBER for the period from July 1 to January 1, shall pay one-half of the regular yearly dues. The term NEW MEMBER shall include any person who has not been a member of SCRAMS for a period of not less than three (3) years. Said NEW MEMBER will have full privileges as set forth in these documents.
ARTICLE II
Nomination and Election of Officers and Delegates
Section I: The President shall appoint a nominating committee at the regular October meeting. This committee shall present to the membership at the November regular meeting a slate of nominees for the offices of SCRAMS President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding/Membership Secretary, and Treasurer. Nominations shall also be accepted from the floor.
Section II: Elections of club officers shall be made by secret ballot at the regular November meeting. A chairman and two tellers shall be appointed by the President to receive the ballots and announce to the President the results of the balloting. The President shall then read the results to the membership.
Section III: Delegates and alternates who are to represent SCRAMS at conventions and conferences shall be nominated and elected from the membership.
ARTICLE III
Responsibilities of Officers
Section I: The President shall be the chief operating officer of SCRAMS and shall administer SCRAMS operation in accordance to this Constitution and policies set by the membership. The President shall preside at all SCRAMS meetings; enforce observance of this Constitution and By-Laws; decide all questions of order; sign all official documents as required; appoint committees as required; and perform all customary duties associated with an organization’s chief executive. The President shall appoint repeater Trustees with the approval of the membership.
Section II: The Vice President shall assume all the duties of the President in the President’s absence.
Section III: It shall be the duty of the Recording Secretary to record the minutes of each meeting and report these minutes at the next scheduled meeting. The Recording Secretary shall also maintain the organization’s archival documents as well as the SCRAMS equipment inventory.
Section IV: It shall be the duty of the Corresponding/Membership Secretary to originate and answer all correspondence as required. Additionally, this officer shall receive new and renewal membership applications and maintain the official membership list.
Section V: The Treasurer shall receive and record all moneys of organization, keep an accurate account of all income and expenditures, pay all bills necessary for the operation of the club and its repeaters, and make a monthly report as to the organization’s financial position. The Treasurer shall annually submit the organization’s financial documents for audit by Audit Committee.
ARTICLE IV
Club Property
Section I: All property
purchased with club funds or otherwise transferred to SCRAMS ownership shall
remain SCRAMS property until such time that the club disbands or such property
in deemed surplus. Upon the organization’s demise, all property shall be sold
and the proceeds be donated to the ARRL Foundation for distribution for
scholarship, with preference given to Amateurs residing in
Section II: SCRAMS property and official records in the care of members in elected or appointed positions shall be expeditiously turned over to their successors.
Section III: Surplus SCRAMS owned equipment shall be identified to the membership for determination of disposal method.
ARTICLE V
Repeater Operation and Policies
Section I: Trustees shall appoint SCRAMS members as repeater control operators as necessary and set procedures for control of the SCRAMS repeater for which they are trustee. The list of appointed control operators shall be maintained by the Recording Secretary. The repeater control procedures shall be in accordance with current FCC rules and regulations and SCRAMS membership adopted repeater operation guidelines.
Section II: In support of the public service spirit expressed in this document, all SCRAMS repeaters shall be available for access by all properly licensed Amateurs.
Section III: Repeater access and operating procedures shall be determined and/or approved by the membership. These procedures shall not be in conflict with the requirements of current Part 97 of the FCC regulations.
Section IV: SCRAMS repeater trustees shall report to the membership all cases of improper repeater operation and the actions taken to resolve this operation. Such actions shall not be in conflict with the requirements of current Part 97 of the FCC regulations.
Section V: Members of SCRAMS shall have autopatch and speed dial number assignment privileges. Additionally, members shall be authorized the use of the repeater’s "open dial" systems.
ARTICLE VI
Standing and Working Committee
Section I: The president shall, as required herein or as deemed necessary, establish committees, appoint committee chairman and members, define committee duties, and serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.
Section II: The Technical Committee shall be established as a standing committee and shall support the SCRAMS repeaters in their development, construction, and maintenance. The chairman of the Technical Committee shall be appointed for a one year term, such appointment to be irrevocable for each one year term. The chairman of the Technical Committee is authorized to expend up to $500 each fiscal year for SCRAMS repeater maintenance without specific approval of the membership. The chairman may also expend an additional $500 per fiscal year for emergency repairs of a catastrophic nature. This committee will also supply all equipment purchase information to the Recording Secretary to allow maintenance of the SCRAMS equipment inventory.
Section III: The Audit Committee shall be appointed in October to audit the organization’s financial records and to report their findings to the membership at the November meeting. After acceptance of this report, the Audit Committee shall be discharged.
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Addition/Deletions:
Article 1, Section 3 Under By-Laws was added:
(a) Any person requesting membership to SCRAMS as a NEW MEMBER for the period from July 1 to January 1, shall pay one-half of the regular yearly dues. The term NEW MEMBER shall include any person who has not been a member of SCRAMS for a period of not less than three (3) years. Said NEW MEMBER will have full privileges as set forth in these documents.
updated
Article IV, Section III Modified
The quorum requirement to hold any meeting is twenty (20) members and; attendance of the President or Vice President.
to:
The quorum requirement to hold any meeting is ten (10) members and; attendance of the President or Vice President;
updated
Article IV, Section III Modified
The quorum requirement to hold any meeting is ten (10) members and; attendance of the President or Vice President.
to:
The quorum requirement to hold any meeting is five (5) members and; attendance of an elected Officer.