By-Laws of the Gainesville Amateur Radio Society, Inc. (NOT AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT.) (This is a work copy for making suggestions, only.) ARTICLE I Name Section 1: The name of this organization shall be the "Gainesville Amateur Radio Society, Inc." (hereinafter referred to as the "Society"). ARTICLE II Object Section 1. The object of the Society shall be to stimulate and promote an interest in amateur radio; to further the progress and maintain the traditions of amateur radio; to promote an efficient emergency network within this area in cooperation with the ARES program and to provide communications and other services requested by the Alachua County Office of Emergency Management; to provide assistance wherever possible in situations of amateur interference with reception of AM, FM, TV broadcasting services; to establish, when necessary, a program of training and examining for amateur licensing; to provide technical assistance to anyone requesting such when in the interest of amateur radio; to further the spirit of fraternalism through social activities for the club members and their families and friends. ARTICLE III Membership Section 1. There shall be several grades of membership in the Society. The following eligibility and qualifications are applicable: FULL MEMBER: Must hold a current, valid Federal Communications Commission (hereinafter "FCC") amateur radio license and have paid the fee established by the Board of Directors. FAMILY MEMBER: An additional member of a household holding a current, valid FCC amateur radio license shall be considered a full member upon payment of a fee established by the Board of Directors where the household contains a full member in good standing. This fee shall reflect the savings of a joint issue of the newsletter. STUDENT MEMBER: A valid amateur radio licensee who attends an Alachua County school full-time may apply for a half-price membership. Such a person shall be considered a full member. LIFE MEMBER: This is an honorary status awarded in recognition of outstanding service to amateur radio. The privileges are the same as for a full member. Any person, currently, or in the past, qualified to be a full member, may be proposed for life status. Each proposal, with written justification and signed by two current full members, shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for action. The number of Life Memberships shall not exceed five percent of the full membership as determined on April 1st of each calendar year. A person, who wishes only to receive the newsletter and not be a full member, may do so by paying the cost that shall be set the Board of Directors. ASSOCIATE MEMBER: Any person who agrees with the purposes and objectives of the Society and who has paid the Associate Member fee established by the Board of Directors. Associate Members shall have all the rights and privileges of Full Members with the exceptions of the privilege of holding an elected office and of voting on Society business. Section 2. Voting privileges. Only Full Members in good standing shall be eligible to vote on Society business. Section 3. Quorum. Twenty five Full Members in good standing, present at any regular meeting shall constitute a quorum. Section 4. Good Standing. Full Members shall be deemed to be in good standing and eligible to vote only when their dues are paid or not more than three months in arrears. ARTICLE IV Officers Section 1. The elected officers of the Society shall consist of a President, a vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. Only Full Members shall be eligible to hold office. There will be five elected directors at large. The four officers and the five directors shall comprise as the Board of Directors. Section 2. Any officer shall be eligible to succeed himself/herself in office. Section 3. Should the office of President be vacated, the Vice-President shall succeed to the office of President automatically without need for nomination, vote or approval by the membership. In the event of a vacancy in any other office, the remaining members of the Board shall, by majority vote, fill such vacancy until the next regular meeting where an election can be held to fill the remaining term. Section 4. Any officer may be removed for cause by a majority vote of the Board whenever, in the judgment of the Board, the best interests of the Society will be served thereby. Any officer so removed has the right to appeal and reverse such removal by a majority vote of the Full Members present at the next regular meeting at which a quorum exists. Section 5. Elections shall be held annually at the November regular meeting of the Society. Section 6. Installation of officers. Officers and the Board Members will begin their term of office on January 1st of the following year. ARTICLE V Duties of Officers and the Board of Directors Section 1. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Society, preside at all meetings, represent the Society on all public occasions, enforce the by-laws, and perform all other duties pertaining to the office. The President shall also appoint as many standing committees as deemed necessary. Section 2. The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in the President's absence. Section 3. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Society and all sessions of the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall keep a permanent record of the proceedings of each meeting, keep a roll of the members, carry on Society correspondence, transmit a monthly report to the ARRL Section Communications Manager, report on all correspondence received by the Society, shall be the custodian of a current list of all equipment owned by the Society, and serve as parliamentarian. Section 4. The Treasurer, under the direction of the Board of Directors, shall have charge of the funds of the Society. The Treasurer shall make an annual, as well as a monthly, report of the Society's financial activities. The Treasurer shall be immune from suit by the Society or individual members thereof, for loss of Society funds in the Treasurer's custody where such loss is not the proximate result of the Treasurer's willful and wrongful act, or the Treasurer's culpable negligence. Section 5. The Board of Directors shall manage the property and conduct the business of the Society. As soon as practical after their election, they shall review and approve Policies and Procedures, and publish any changes via the newsletter or a special mailing to members. ARTICLE VI Dues Section 1. Dues shall be established, and may be modified, by a simple majority vote of the Full Members present at any meeting at which a quorum exists. An increase in dues shall normally take effect at the beginning of the following year. Dues will grant membership privileges on a calendar year basis. New Members joining the Society subsequent to June 30th of any year may obtain membership privileges for the remainder of that calendar year on the payment of an amount equal to one-half of the full year's. Life Members are exempt from paying dues. ARTICLE VII Meetings Section 1. Regular Meetings will be held on the third Wednesday of each month, at a time and place agreed upon by the membership as published in the newsletter. ARTICLE VIII Parliamentary Authority Section 1. _Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised_ shall govern the conduct of business at all meetings, except where in conflict with the provisions of these by-laws. Nothing in this section shall foreclose the use of informal procedure during the meetings; however, upon request of any Full Member in good standing, the provisions of the prescribed parliamentary procedure may be invoked. ARTICLE IX Amendments Section 1. Intent. It is the intent of these by-laws and any subsequent amendments or additions thereto, that they be complementary to and not inconsistent with, the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation of the Society. Section 2. The members of this Society may, by a majority vote of those members present and voting, alter or amend these by-laws at any general meeting or special meeting called for this purpose, provided that notice of intent to amend has been published in the official newsletter at least one month prior to the meeting. Section 3. Exemptions. Any by-law herein and any subsequently adopted or amended by-law in conflict with the Articles of Incorporation of the Society, the statutes and regulations of the State of Florida and its official agencies, the codes or regulations of the City of Gainesville, or the County of Alachua, the Statutes of the United States, and the regulations of its agencies and instrumentalities, including, but not limited to the Federal Communications Commission, is hereby held to be a nullity, with force or effect, and not binding on the Society or its membership. ARTICLE X Additional Regulations Section 1. Any equipment given to the Society shall be considered an unconditional donation and shall be accompanied by a written acknowledgment from the donor. Equipment may be loaned to the Society only at the owner's risk for damage or loss of that equipment. ARTICLE XI Dissolution Section 1. If the Gainesville Amateur Radio Society, Inc. is discontinued or dissolved for any reason, all its assets will be transferred to the American Radio Relay League Foundation (225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111), or some other organization granted IRS section 501(c)(3) status. ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND THE BY-LAWS OF THE GAINESVILLE AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY, INC. AS IN EFFECT DECEMBER 1, 1978. Amended February 17, 1988 Amended October 17, 1990 Amended April 21, 1993 Amended September, 1999 Amended August 16, 2000