Club By-Laws
Harnett Mini-Aero Club By-Laws
AMA Chartered Club #5061
ARTICLE I: NAME
A. NAME
The name of the club shall be “Harnett Mini-Aero Club”.
B. LOCATION
The club field is located on the east side of Red Hill Church Road, just north of Dry Farm Lane in Dunn, NC.
The approximate GPS coordinates of the field are: 35.3612 N, -78.6352 W.
The address of the field is 2688 Red Hill Church Road, Dunn, NC.
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purpose of the club shall be to further the sport of model aviation by supporting and promoting the interest, enjoyment, and safety of radio-controlled aircraft. This shall include aircraft of all types and sizes and members of all skill levels, from beginner to experienced.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
A. QUALIFICATIONS
Members must hold an active membership in the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and have paid their annual club dues. Members must read, understand, and agree to follow the Club Bylaws and Club Safety Rules.
B. DUES
Dues shall be set by the Executive Committee. Any changes to dues shall be voted upon by the members at the November club meeting for the upcoming year. New members joining part way through the year will be pro-rated based on the current annual membership rate. Annual dues are per calendar year.
Renewals are due on December 31st. Any person who has not paid their dues by February 1st shall be removed from the club roster and shall lose voting and field privileges but will be reinstated upon payment at the full year's membership rate.
C. NEW MEMBERS
New members shall be accepted upon approval of the club officers.
D. RESIGNATION
Any member in good standing may resign his/her membership by giving written notice to the Club.
E. TERMINATION
If any member ceases to have the Qualifications necessary for membership as defined above, his/her membership in the Club shall thereby terminate, subject to reinstatement upon restoration of eligibility.
F. EXPULSION
This section provides for enforcement of the Safety Rules that are related to flying activities or any other unacceptable behavior by an individual member or members.
Any individual may be expelled from membership from the Club by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members, if in the Executive Committees' determination, such individual willfully commits acts or omissions which are a violation of these Bylaws, the Club Safety Code, the Rules of the AMA, or which is detrimental to the Club, the AMA, or to model aviation.
G. REINSTATEMENT
Any member who is expelled from membership may be reinstated only by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the membership.
ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS and DUTIES
A. OFFICERS
The Officer (Executive Committee) positions in the club shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
B. TERM OF OFFICE
Officers shall be elected annually. Nominations for officers shall be made at the October / November Club meetings. Elections for officers for the subsequent year shall be held on the last meeting of the current year. If weather or attendance prevent that meeting, they shall be held at the first meeting of the following year for that given year.
C. OFFICER DUTIES
The President: is the executive officer of the club, presides over all meetings, appoints officers and special committees as necessary from the Club roster, and is the public spokesperson for the Club. Since the President presides over all meetings in the role of moderator / chairman, he or she shall only vote in the case of resolving a tie.
Vice President: assists the President in all matters and assumes the duties of the President if for any reason the President is unable to perform those duties. The Vice President is responsible for the club meeting schedules and other club events whether scheduled or requested by the club officers or members.
Secretary: is the liaison between the Club and the AMA, keeps accurate minutes of all meetings, maintains the Club roster, and keeps written records of all grievance procedures.
Treasurer: manages all club funds, collects dues when they are payable, and is authorized to pay any and all club obligations from these funds. Appropriate record keeping of all monetary transactions is expected and a treasurer's report is presented at each scheduled club meeting.
If the Vice President is unable to perform his or her duties, the Secretary and/or Treasurer assists with those duties as needed.
D. APPOINTED POSITIONS
The appointed positions in the club shall include the Safety Coordinator (aka Safety Officer or Safety Chairman), Field Marshall, Committee Chairman, Program Chairman, and Flight Instructors. Appointed positions shall be appointed from the Club roster as needed, and only with approval of the nominee. Not all positions will be appointed if not needed.
E. VACANCIES
1. Officer vacancies shall be filled by majority vote from the membership at a regularly scheduled monthly meeting.
2. Appointed position vacancies shall be nominated by the Club Officers and selected by the Club President, upon approval by the nominee.
ARTICLE V: MEETINGS
A. REGULAR MEETINGS
Club meetings shall be held on the third Sunday of every month at the field.
B. SPECIAL MEETINGS
Any special meetings shall be announced to the membership with sufficient notice such that members can arrange to attend if they desire.
ARTICLE VI: RECORD KEEPING
All existing records are to be passed on to the newly elected officer(s) when those new officers are elected.
ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES
A. TYPES
Standing Committees and Special Committees may be appointed by the officers as needed.
B. MEMBERSHIP
Committee membership shall be by volunteer or by nomination with approval of the nominee.
C. STANDING COMMITTEES
Safety Committee: shall consist of the Safety Chairman and up to two (2) other members selected by the Chairman, and approved by the Club Officers, from the Club Roster. If the committee has less than three (3) members, the Club Officers will temporarily assume the responsibility of the additional safety positions until such time as they can be appointed.
The Safety Committee is designed to promote and encourage a climate of safety awareness within the club. They are not the field police. Rather, they should display a positive attitude and willingness to teach others in regard to safety at the club field. They should mentor, serve as a role model, educate, and promote safety awareness amongst all pilots at the field.
ARTICLE VIII: NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS, AND RECALL
A. NOMINATIONS
Nominations for officer positions shall be from the floor at a regularly scheduled meeting or through e-mail to all members of the club.
B. ELECTIONS
Elections for officers for the subsequent year shall be held on the last meeting of the current year. If weather or attendance prevent that meeting, they shall be held at the first meeting of the following year for that given year.
Elections to fill a vacancy shall be held at a regularly scheduled meeting with appropriate notice to membership.
ARTICLE IX: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
A. ROBERT'S RULES
The club shall attempt to follow a basic set of Robert’s Rules when conducting meetings in order to provide an organized and respectful medium for addressing any concerns in the club. This should include the Standard Order of Business where appropriate. Member motions should be made, seconded, and then voted upon by the members present. Interruptions and arguments should be kept to an absolute minimum in order to promote respect and open discussion.
B. FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year shall be from January 1st to December 31st of the given year.
C. WEBSITE
The club's public website shall be located at: http://www.harnettminiaeroclub.org.
D. NEWSLETTER
E. CLUB LOGO
F. CHANGES TO THE FIELD
No changes to the field shall be made without prior approval of the majority of the membership.
G. STANDING RULES
No changes requiring additional financial support of the members may be made without prior approval of a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the membership.
H. DISSOLUTION OF THE CLUB
The duration of the club shall be perpetual. The club may be dissolved with the approval of two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the membership. Any funds remaining within the club treasury upon dissolution shall be dispersed via equal donations to approved charities voted by the remaining membership.
ARTICLE X: AMENDMENT OF THESE BYLAWS
A. PROPOSED
Amendments to these bylaws may be proposed by any active member in good standing. Recommendations for amendments should be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee (Club Officers).
B. APPROVAL
The club officers shall discuss the proposed amendment(s) and determine if the amendment(s) should be brought to vote by the club membership. If approved, the membership will be notified of the proposed amendment(s), the upcoming date for the vote, and will be provided a copy of the current bylaws for reference.
C. VOTING
The proposed amendment(s) may be voted into the bylaws only by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the membership. All changes supported by an affirmative vote shall be effective at the time of ratification. A copy of the newly ratified Bylaws shall be posted on the Club Website within 30 days of ratification, as information to the membership, and will also be forwarded to the AMA by the Club Secretary.
ARTICLE XI: GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
A. PURPOSE
The grievance procedure provides a mechanism to enforce existing safety rules by providing a progressive disciplinary system when needed.
Although most complaints can (and should) be resolved informally, if a complaint is serious or cannot be resolved informally, the matter should be referred to the Safety Committee for its consideration by means of a Grievance Form to be filled out and turned into the Safety Committee Chairman. At least one witness is required to sign the Grievance Form. The Safety Committee will discuss the issue with the Club Officers and shall use their best judgment in carrying out action on the following:
FIRST VIOLATION
Viewpoints of both complainants and accused will be considered. Complainant’s name will be disclosed. If deemed a violation, a verbal reprimand will be given to the accused by the Safety Chairman/Committee, and this will be recorded in the Club records.
SECOND VIOLATION
Complainant’s name will be disclosed. The accused has the right to a written rebuttal, to be reviewed by the Safety Committee. If the Committee decides it necessary, the flying privileges of the accused will be suspended for thirty (30) days. Written notice of this shall be issued and a copy shall be recorded in the Club records and published in the Club newsletter (if available).
THIRD VIOLATION
Complainant's name will be disclosed. The accused has the right to a written rebuttal, to be reviewed by the Safety Committee and Club Officers. If the Committee and Officers decide it necessary, the Safety Chairman or Officers will notify the accused and the Club membership in writing that the Club will vote on the expulsion of the accused at the next meeting. Said expulsion will last for a one-year minimum.
A member may be expelled from the Club only upon a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the membership present at the meeting. Voting will be by secret ballot at a regular monthly meeting. The expelled member may reapply for membership after the expiration of the expulsion time period.
B. EXCLUSIONS
The three actions will not be enforced unless they are accumulated within a two-year period of time.
C. RETALIATION
Any member receiving a grievance, who directs any retaliation action against the person filing said grievance, will be subject to immediate expulsion from the Club. This is to include threats, intimidation, physical harm, intentional equipment damage, or any other action deemed to be retaliatory by the Club Officers.