Constitution Of The 415 Amateur Radio Club
We the founding members of the 415 group, in order to establish an organized structure to the 415 Field Day activities, promote amateur activity on 146.415 FM simplex, promote fraternalism, and conduct club programs and activities to advance the general interest and welfare of the Amateur Radio Community.
Name
As referenced in this Constitution, the name of the club is identified as the
415 Amateur Radio Club, commonly known and referenced as The 415.
Purpose
The purpose of the 415 Amateur Radio Club is as follows:
- To establish a Board of Directors that provides for managerial governance and decision making for all 415 Club activities.
- To establish the infrastructure necessary to support an organized and competitive Field Day operation.
- To become an organized Amateur Radio Club with the goal of obtaining an Amateur Radio Club Station Callsign.
Membership Requirements
The club will have two classifications of membership. They are:
- Board of Directors: Governing body of the club. Members of the board are the only members that will have voting authority.
- Associate Members: Any licensed amateur radio operator that wishes to be part of the club.
- There are no dues associated with membership.
- Any licensed amateur radio operator is welcome to join.
Meetings
Meetings will be held on an as needed basis by the Board of Directors. Any board member may request a meeting. Meetings can be held in person at a location designated, or can be done electronically online. There will be an electronic “portal” to communicate between board members and another “members” portal which will be used to communicate information to the associate membership.
Officers of the Organization
The officers of the 415 will consist of five (5) board members, initially the five (5) founding members of the 415 group and will be known as the Board of Directors of the 415 Amateur Radio Club. Of the five members of the board, one board member will hold the additional title as Club/license trustee who will be the trustee of the club station callsign.
Directors are the only members with voting privileges. For items pertaining to the general operation of the club and for Field Day decisions, a simple majority shall rule. Each board member has one (1) vote – with the following exception: As long as the 415 Field Day takes place on the property of W9GD, Gary Dembski, board member/trustee, has the power of veto and the final say of what shall take place on his property.
The board will appoint a member as the social media director who will be responsible for the setup/maintenance/security of the electronic portals and scheduling electronic online meetings.
Election / Removal of Officers
The Board of Directors will meet on an annual basis to elect or reaffirm members of the board. The Board of Directors has the power to remove a board member (or an associate member) for due cause. Removal of a board member or associate member requires a “YES” vote from a minimum of four (4) board members.
Amendments to the Constitution
Amendments to this Constitution can be made at any time. Any request for change or modification is to be communicated to all board members. After each board member has reviewed the change, a meeting of the board will be called to discuss and vote on the amendment. Should the amendment be passed and approved, the amendment will be documented on THIS document in a manner to be agreed upon by the board. A unanimous vote must be reached by the board to amend this Constitution.
Approvals
The items documented above reflect the by-laws and organizational structure of the 415 Amateur Radio Club. As a member of the Board of Directors, I the undersigned, accept my role to act in the best interest of the 415 Amateur Radio Club and hereby accept this document as the Constitution governing it.
This document was signed and approved on December 10, 2019 by the following Board of Directors
GARY DEMBSKI – W9GD: Director/Trustee
JOHN CANKAR – W9JM: Director DAVID HOLMGREN – K9AT: Director
RALPH IDEN – WB9ICF: Director DAVID WHALEY – NT9E: Director
AMENDMENTS
Amendment 1: “Membership Requirements” are hereby amended as follows to eliminate the licensing requirement as follows: “Associate Members – There is no amateur radio licensing requirement to become an associate member of the 415. If you feel you belong, then you do.
Amendment 2: Amendment to require approval for club specific communications and branding
- No individual shall publish any communications of any kind on any media regarding club events, policy, or procedures without the expressed approval of the 415 Board of Directors.
- In order to preserve the integrity and relevance of the 415 brand, creation of any branded 415 material must be approved by the 415 Board of Directors.
Amendment 3: Election/Removal of Officers is hereby amended to add the following: “In the event of a vacancy within the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors will recommend and vote on a new replacement director. Instatement of the new director will be by a simple majority vote.
Amendment 1, Amendment 2, and Amendment 3 as amended by the 415 Board of Directors on 8/31/2023 and attested by Gary Dembski W9GD; John Cankar W9JM; Dave Holmgren K9AT; Ralph Iden WB9ICF; and Dave Whaley NT9E