BALTIMORE AREA SOARING SOCIETY

CONSTITUTION

(Revised as approved at the General Membership Meeting and Revised 10/02/2008 )

PREAMBLE

The Baltimore Area Soaring Society (BASS) was formed in May 1980 by a group of modelers interested in building and flying radio controlled sailplanes, including electric powered (but not fuel powered).

The purposes of this club are:

ARTICLE I - OFFICERS:

The officers of the club will be nominated at the November general membership meeting.  An election will take place at the December meeting; the new officers will take office at the January meeting.  A club member may hold more than one office (e.g. Secretary-Treasurer) except the office of President may not be combined with any other. The officers and their duties shall be as follows:

PRESIDENT:  The duties of the president will be to preside at all club meetings and act as spokesperson for the club in all matters pertaining to it.  The president is authorized to make such decisions as he deems are in the best interests of the club except that those that require board or membership approval as set forth herein.  The president is chairman of the Board of Directors.

VICE PRESIDENT:  The vice president shall act for the president when the president is unable to serve, and in the event of the resignation of the president, shall serve as president for the balance of the term.

SECRETARY:  The secretary shall keep the minutes and records of all club membership meetings, which will be published in the club newsletter or distributed by email for those months that the newsletter is not published.  The secretary will keep minutes of the board of directors meetings.  All meeting minutes and records are the property of the club and will be safeguarded as such by the secretary.

TREASURER:  The treasurer shall be responsible for collection of dues and fees for the club.  The treasurer will pay invoices and obligations of the club when authorized by the president, vote of the board of directors or vote of the membership.  He will assist the president in preparation of the annual budget and advise the president and the board when budget items will be overrun by any proposed expenditure.  The treasurer will give a complete financial report at each membership meeting.

SENIOR CONTEST DIRECTOR:  The senior contest director shall be responsible for all contest activities, including establishment of contest schedules and appointment of contest directors for each contest.  He is the final arbiter of any disputes that arise concerning contests that are not settled by the individual contest directors.  He will keep records of results of all contests and provide the newsletter editor of such results for publication in the newsletter.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:  The board of directors shall consist of:

1. President
2. Vice President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. Senior Contest Director
6. Past President
7. Director-at-Large (to be appointed by the president)

TERM OF OFFICE:  Officers and board members shall serve for one year.  In the event that a president serves more than one term, the past president may, at his option, continue to serve as a board member.  If he does not desire to serve beyond one year, the president will appoint a second director-at-large. If a member should be elected to more than one office (such as Secretary-Treasurer), the President may appoint a second Director-at-Large.

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

Membership in BASS shall be open to all meeting the qualifications set forth below:

1.  QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP:

1. Candidates, except those applying for associate membership, must be current members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics and hold a valid AMA membership card.
2. Members who intend to fly on the 6-meter radio band must hold a valid FCC amateur radio license.
3. Candidates may become members by stating their desire to join, filling out an application and paying dues for the current year.
4. Membership may be withdrawn by a two-thirds majority vote by all members in good standing if a member displays a continuing disregard for AMA or BASS rules.

2.  MEMBERSHIP CLASSES

1. Full Member:  A member of the age of 18 or over.  A full member shall have all the privileges of membership.
2. Junior Member:  A member under the age of 18.  A junior member has all the privileges of membership except that he cannot hold office.
3. Associate Member:  A member who does not have AMA insurance.  An associate member will receive the newsletter, but cannot fly at club functions, vote or hold office.
4. Honorary Life Member:  A member aged 70 or over who has been unanimously voted by the board of directors as deserving of the honor of this class of membership.  Such a person must have made extraordinary contributions to BASS and/or the modeling community.  An honorary life member has all the privileges of membership.  He will not be required to pay dues.

ARTICLE III - MEETINGS

1. General membership meetings shall be held on the first Thursday of the month.
2. Board of directors meetings shall be called by the president whenever he deems necessary.
3. A  board of directors meeting may be called by agreement of any three officers of the club.

ARTICLE IV – DUES

1. Dues shall be as approved by the membership during the preceding November meeting and payable as of the first meeting in January.
2. Junior member dues shall be 40% of full member dues and associate member dues shall be 60% of full member dues.
3. Dues are not refundable
4. Dues of new members joining the club late in the year will cover the following year in accordance with the dues policy of the Academy of Model Aeronautics.
5. The board of directors will review the financial statements for the year, including the operating expenses, at a board of directors meeting called not later than October.  Recommendations on the club dues for the following year will be presented to the membership at the November general membership meeting to be voted upon.

ARTICLE V -  COMMITTEES

1. Committees shall be established by the president as he deems necessary for the operation of the club.
2. Committee chairmen shall be appointed by the president.
3. Committee chairmen may be removed by the president.

ARTICLE VI – DISBANDMENT & MODIFICATIONS

In the event that it becomes necessary to disband the club, all club property will be sold a closed bid auction at the final meeting.  All the money from the sale, along with any treasury balance shall be turned over to the AMA mortgage fund.

This constitution may be amended or modified at a general membership meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present, providing 30 days prior notice has been given.