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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

 

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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