TABLE OF CONTENTS
Article I: Name & Principal Location
Article II: Purpose
Article III: Membership
Article IV: Membership Meetings
Article V: Board of Directors
Article VI: Finances and Contracts
Article VII: Books & Records
Article VIII: Administrative Rules
Article IX: Membership Rights
Article X: Dissolution
Article XI: Etiquette and Decorum
ARTICLE I: NAME & PRINCIPAL LOCATION
Section 1. NAME
The name of the corporation shall be " Davie/Cooper City Amateur Radio Club, Inc.", hereinafter may be
referred to as DCARC, or the organization.
Section 2. PRINCIPAL OFFICE & REGISTERED AGENT
The principal office of the organization shall be concurrent with that of the registered agent.
Section 3. FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the organization shall be from January 1 through December 31 in each calendar year.
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purpose of this organization is to further the exchange of information, to promote radio knowledge and
individual operating proficiency, and conduct club programs and activities as to advance the general interest and
welfare of amateur radio in the community, and encourage membership in our national organization (ARRL).
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. GENERAL QUALIFICATION
Membership in the organization is open to all individuals who qualify in any of the categories stated in Section 2
below, regardless of their race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, political affiliation, marital status
or any other reason that would be biased or prejudicial.
Section 2. MEMBERSHIP
A. A FULL MEMBER shall be any legally competent person who is a licensed radio amateur, applies for
membership, signs the required documents, pays the required membership fees, assessments and agrees
to follow the by-laws. Full membership includes all club privileges as well as rights to hold club office
and to vote.
B. A FAMILY MEMBER shall be any person, who is part of a Full Member’s family, living at the same
place of residence, has a family member’s fee paid, and agrees to follow all bylaws. Minor aged family
members, below the age of 18, will be the sole responsibility of parent(s) or guardian(s). Family
membership accords all rights of a full member, except that minors under the age of 18 cannot hold
office and minors under the age of 12 cannot vote.
C. AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER shall be any person actively engaged in a class leading to an amateur radio
license and all other interested persons that wish to support the organization, receive any official
communications, participate in events and attend meetings. An associate member cannot hold office or
vote and must have all dues/fees paid.
D. The membership period shall run from January 1 through December 31 of each year of membership,
regardless of the actual initial date of membership.
Section 3. ANNUAL DUES
A. The membership shall determine by vote in accordance with Article VIII, Section 1.D.), the annual dues
to be assessed. Annual dues are due on January 1st of each year and must be paid by the March meeting
(grace period). If dues are not paid by that time, the member will be considered inactive and may be
removed from the membership roster. Inactive members have no membership privileges. Elected officers
must have their dues paid in order to hold office. An elected officer who does not have their dues paid on
time shall lose their office and membership and the office shall be declared vacant.
B. Annual dues for full and family members is determined as in paragraph A.
C. The club, by designated voting methods in Article VIII Section 1 may, at any regular meeting, levy upon
the general membership such assessments as shall be deemed necessary for the business of the
organization. Non-payment of such assessments shall be cause for expulsion from the club within the
discretion of the membership.
Section 4. DISCHARGING OF MEMBERS
Any member may be immediately discharged by a unanimous vote of the Board of Directors for such acts as
conduct discrediting to the organization, disruption of meetings or events, unlawful acts, unlawful acts
against the organization or its officers, for threats of violence against any member of the organization, or for
violation of by-laws and/or safety rules. For a lesser severity of the above (or similar) offenses, any member
may be progressively disciplined by up to 3 simple majority votes of the Board of Directors as follows: first
vote, a written warning; then second vote, a suspension; and third vote, discharge. Any member discharged
for any of the above (or similar) offenses shall not be eligible for any refund, in part or whole of any dues
paid. The member may also be subject to criminal prosecution.
ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Section 1. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS
All general Board of Director's meetings shall be open to the membership. However, the Board of Directors
reserves the right to hold closed meetings for the purpose of discussing specific topics. These topics may
include:
1. Legal proceedings
2. Pending or proposed litigation
3. Specific member issues
4. Issues that may be potentially damaging to the reputation or substance of the organization.
5. Contract negotiations
Special meetings may be called by the President upon written request of any club member. Notices shall be
sent to members concerning special meetings and the business to be transacted. Only such business as
designated in the notice shall be transacted during the special meeting. Such notices shall be sent so that
they arrive not less than 72 hours before the meeting, either by e-mail or telephone. Any decisions, votes,
mandates or other decisions voted on and passed by a quorum vote during these closed sessions must be
disclosed to the general membership in a prompt and efficient manner.
Section 2. QUORUM FOR A BOARD MEETING
There must be at least four (4) Board members present to conduct any Board meeting and at least one of
these must be an officer of the organization, either President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer.
Section 3. ANNUAL MEETING
Once per calendar year the annual general membership meeting shall be held during the monthly December
meeting at a place and time designated by the Board of Directors for the purpose of the transaction of such
business as may need to come before the general membership. Notice of the annual meeting shall be
published on the organization’s website no less than 30 days prior to the meeting.
Section 4. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern all meetings. Regular meetings shall be held once during each
calendar month in a previously announced and publicly accessible location.
Section 5. NOTICE OF MEETINGS
Notification of all meetings shall be given on the website, except in the case of an emergency Board of
Directors meeting or Special Meeting called by the President.
Section 6. QUORUM FOR A GENERAL MEMBERSHIP OR ANNUAL MEETING
There must be two (2) Board Members and the lesser of:
(a) 15% of the total membership or
(b) 15 members
present to conduct a general membership or annual meeting. In the event a quorum is not attained, a
meeting may be called to order by any current sitting Board Member for informational purposes only.
Voting shall be conducted as described in Article VIII Section 1 and elsewhere in this document
ARTICLE V: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. GENERAL POWERS
The business and affairs of the organization shall be managed and directed by a consensus of its officers and
directors. Before incurring any indebtedness exceeding $150.00 by the President and $150.00 by the Board
in any single quarter, and so long as the general fund does not drop below $500.00, the General
Membership shall ratify such action. In the event of any unforeseen or unpredictable situation that may
endanger the organization, the officers and the Board of Directors are empowered to take whatever
immediate action is deemed necessary to protect the organization and mitigate the situation.
Section 2. NUMBER AND TENURE
The number of Directors shall be seven (7). Newly elected Directors shall succeed the Directors named in
the State of Florida Annual Corporate report. Board members shall be elected to serve for a period of one
(1) calendar year and may run for re-election. All Directors must be members in good standing. No Director
shall fill two seats on the Board. The general membership shall elect Board Members At Large to fill the
seven member requirement beyond the officers listed in Sections 3 and 8 below.
Section 3. POSITIONS AND DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors shall consist at least of the following members:
A. President
The office of the President will be responsible to the membership to enforce and protect the by-laws.
He or she will chair all meetings of the general membership and meetings held by the Board of
Directors. In the event of a tie vote of the Board of Directors the President's vote shall be counted.
The President is answerable to the membership for the conduct of all business. The President shall be
the principle executive officer of the organization. He or she will sign any and all deeds, mortgages,
bonds, contracts, or other instruments the Board has authorized to be executed. The President shall
decide all questions of order; and perform all other duties pertaining to the office of President.
B. Vice-President
In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall perform the duties of the President, and when
so acting, shall have the powers of, and be subject to, all the restrictions of the President. The Vice
President shall be the chairman of all committees and shall be authorized to constitute committees as
needed. The Vice President shall report the findings of all committees to the President. It shall be his
or her duty to see that any information necessary for the proper, and smooth functioning of the
organization is promptly distributed to all parties concerned. The Vice President shall organize
programs to be presented at the general membership meetings.
C. Secretary
The Secretary shall carry on all correspondence, read communications at each meeting, and send
meeting notices to each member. At the expiration of the elected term, all of the Secretary’s records
belonging to the organization, shall be turned over to the successor.
In addition, the Secretary shall keep:
1. The minutes of the general membership meetings,
2. The minutes of the Board of Directors' meetings,
3. A roster of all members, their contact information, and their membership status, and
4. A copy of the by-laws and all resolutions passed by the Board and membership for reference at
meetings. The resolutions may be indexed by year and sequence number and indicate whether
passed by the Board or Membership (e.g. B17-1 or M18-3).
D. Treasurer
The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the
organization; receive and give receipts for monies due and payable to the organization from any
source whatsoever; deposit all such monies in the name of the organization in such banks, trust
companies, or other depositories as required. The Treasurer shall present a financial report at Board
meetings, General Membership meetings, and the Annual meeting at a time and manner prescribed by
the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall receive all new and renewal membership applications,
and upon acceptance of the dues, forward the applications to the Secretary. Expenses of the
organization shall be paid promptly, after receipt and verification of invoice or other such notice of
debt, as approved by a minimum of two board members. All paid invoices shall be kept in an orderly
manner. The Treasurer shall ensure that all bank accounts shall have a minimum of two Board
Members as signatories on the accounts. The Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining the
insurance records and/or performance bonds of the organization and insuring the best possible
premium for such coverage. At the expiration of the elected term, all of the Treasurer’s records
belonging to the organization, shall be turned over to the successor.
Section 4. VACANCIES
Any vacancy on the Board of Directors shall be filled by the Board Members appointing an interim member.
The interim member is to remain in office for the duration of the term.
Section 5. REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
A. Any Board member may be removed from office for: Malfeasance, neglect of duties, willful disrespect of
his own safety and that of others, misappropriation of goods or property belonging to the organization,
for flagrant disregard for the current bylaws of the organization, or for conduct discrediting to the
organization.
B. The process for removal is:
1. Anyone in the General Membership may submit a written statement of charges accompanied with
documentation that substantiates such charges, to the Board of Directors.
2. Within fifteen (15) days of receiving the written statement, the Board of Directors then will convene
a hearing to review the charges, interview all concerned and/or involved parties and make a
decision as to what action should be taken.
3. If the action taken by the Board of Directors is not satisfactory to the charging member, he or she
may present the charges for resolution to the General Membership at the next General
Membership meeting held after accomplishing the notification requirements of Article VIII Section
1.B.
C. The final resolution will be determined by a 3/5 majority of the votes received from the membership via a
secret ballot at that meeting.
Section 6. RULES OF SUCCESSION
In the event the President cannot perform his or her duties, the Vice-president must take over the office of
the President, vacating the office of Vice-president. The Vice President's office will then be filled in
accordance with Article V, Section 4.
Section 7. APPOINTED POSITIONS
The President or the Board of Directors has the authority to appoint persons to certain positions, such as:
Sergeant at Arms, Registered Agent, Webmaster, Event Coordinator and Committees.
Section 8. ADDITIONAL BOARD MEMBERS
A. The Immediate Past President.
B. Directors elected at large
C. If there is no Immediate Past President, then additional Directors shall be elected at large to maintain a
seven (7) member Board.
ARTICLE VI: FINANCES AND CONTRACTS
Section 1. LOANS
No loans shall be contracted on behalf of the organization, and no evidence of indebtedness shall be issued in
its name, unless authorized by vote of the Board of Directors or by vote of the General Membership.
Section 2. CHECKS, DRAFTS, ETC.
Except for legitimate expenses of the organization and authorized persons, no money in any form shall be
issued without the approval of the Board of Directors.
Section 3. GIFTS
The Board of Directors may accept, on behalf of the organization, any contributions, donations, bequest, or
device (s).
Section 4. COMPENSATION
Members of the Board of Directors shall not receive any salaries for performing their duties. Members of
the Board of Directors, The Registered Agent, and any other member authorized to perform a duty or
service may, if the funds exist, apply for reimbursement of expenses, but must present to the Treasurer proof
through receipts, of such legitimate expenses. Guidelines for certain types of reimbursements and the
approval of submittals shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors. A special policy for “per diem”
or “per event” or “per mile of travel” reimbursements on a pre-set amount for certain events may be
created by the Board of Directors.
Section 6. LATE FEES & SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
The Board of Directors, upon presentation of proof of need from the Treasurer or other knowledgeable
party, shall have the right to propose Special Assessments against the General Membership. Details
evidencing such need for a Special Assessment must then be fully disclosed to the General Membership
promptly upon discovery, via whatever means are available, including but not limited to: publishing on the
organization’s website, email and phone. A vote of the General Membership is required to ratify such
Special Assessment (in accordance with Article VIII, Section 1. D.). Additionally, the Board of Directors
may assess late fees on members whose renewal membership dues are not paid in accordance with these By-
Laws.
Section 7. NEGOTIATIONS AND CONTRACTS
Any negotiations to be performed on behalf of the organization shall be authorized in advance by the Board.
Any member so authorized shall be given an expenditure limit (budget) and other constraints that the Board
deems necessary.
Section 8. INDEMNIFICATION
The organization shall, to the extent permitted by law, indemnify members serving as Officers, Directors or
employees of the organization against any threatened, pending or completed legal action, suit or proceeding
resulting from that member’s service in such capacity.
ARTICLE VII: BOOKS & RECORDS
Section 1. CURRENT FILES
A. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings, the official copy of the by-laws, amendments,
resolutions, and the membership roster.
B. The Treasurer shall keep complete books and records of accounts. The financial records may be
inspected by any member, for any proper purpose, by making an appointment with the Treasurer.
Section 2. PRIOR RECORDS
All other records and files shall be kept by the Registered Agent. Files that are more than ten (10) years old
may be destroyed.
ARTICLE VIII: ADMINISTRATIVE RULES
Section 1. VOTING
A. Election of officers and Board Members shall be held no later than the regular December meeting, which
will be designated the organization’s Annual Meeting. Nominations should be open during the previous
monthly meeting.
B. In the case of an unopposed slate of officers and directors, the President may entertain a motion for the
Secretary to cast a single vote to approve the slate by acclamation.
C. When a member recognizes the need for a By-Law change, the proposed amendment must be submitted
to the Board of Directors. The proposed change will then be published on the organization’s website, all
members will be notified by email (or similar means) and a voted will be held by the General Membership
at a membership meeting scheduled at least 30 days after notification. A majority vote of 3/5 of the
members present is required to enact the proposed change.
D. Ratification by the General Membership of a Special Assessment or dues change shall be at a
membership meeting scheduled at least 30 days after notification. A simple majority vote of members
present is required to enact the proposed Special Assessment or dues change.
E. All voting for officers or bylaw changes shall be done using paper ballots. A qualified email from a
member who cannot attend the vote may be sent to the secretary prior to the meeting stating his wishes
on a particular vote, or authorizing the Secretary to vote as he sees appropriate. (A copy of the proxy
wording is in appendix 1 to the bylaws
F. Voting for any other item at a general or annual meeting shall be done by a hand vote, and a simple
majority shall prevail.
Section 2. COMMENCEMENT OF NEW OFFICERS' TERMS
Newly elected Board of Directors and officers will take over on January 1 after the December election.
Section 3. CLUB CALL SIGN
The organization holds a club call sign as provided by FCC rules part 97. That call sign is NA4DC. The
President shall assign trusteeship of the club call sign. The trustee shall:
Be a member of the club in good standing.
Hold a valid Amateur Radio license.
Not had his/her Amateur Radio license revoked or sanctioned at any time.
Not be a criminal or fugitive from justice.
ARTICLE IX: MEMBERSHIP RIGHTS
Upon acceptance into the organization, each member is entitled to:
A. The right to attend all meetings and events, in accordance with any and all rules and regulations.
B. To vote, in accordance with privileges accorded in Article 3, Section 2 on matters placed before the
General Membership.
C. To examine all documents of the organization (except those relating to closed meetings until the Board of
Directors deems such information is no longer necessary to remain confidential).
ARTICLE X: DISSOLUTION
Section 1. Termination of Operations
In the event that the Board of Directors determines that the organization should be dissolved, a motion for
such dissolution must be presented to the General Membership and receive at least a two-thirds vote of the
membership present at a dissolution meeting to pass.
Section 2. Disposition of Assets
The Club Officers and Board Members shall handle the disposition of all assets of the club. No member or
group of members shall receive benefit from the assets. All equipment will be sold and net proceeds, along
with all cash, will be donated to one or more not-for-profit organizations. The not-for-profit organization
will be selected by a vote of the members present at the final meeting.
ARTICLE XI: ETIQUETTE AND DECORUM
All members of the organization shall, in keeping with our goals and objectives, be governed by and subject to the
following code of ethics:
1. The use of any item that does not belong to you without permission is prohibited. The theft of any item,
no matter how small, is grounds for prosecution and dismissal.
2. Respect the right of privacy of others.
3. The use or possession of illegal drugs/narcotics is cause for immediate expulsion.
4. Failure to follow event rules can lead to expulsion from the event and bar you from future events.
5. Keep safety in mind at all times.
6. Do not use profanity, slander, libelous statements to convey any threat, implied or real, to any member.
7. Members cannot use the organization’s publications or events for any political purpose.
8. Proprietary membership information cannot be released without the Board of Directors as well and the
individual member's approval.
9. Parents shall be responsible for the control and behavior of their minor children.
10. There shall be no disrespectful or any other inappropriate behavior that would be distasteful to members
and guests.
This document was approved on 11/06/2018 by the membership, 72 Yeas to 0 Nays with 22 abstentions.
Our original Constitution was done away with, the By-Laws contain all of the required material.