By-Laws

ARTICLE I – NAME and DESCRIPTION

Section 1. The name of the organization is the York County Amateur Radio Club, hereinafter in these bylaws referred to as the “Club.”

1. The principal meeting location is in Wells, Maine.
2. The Club mailing address shall be that of the Club QSL Manager.
   Currently: 269 Coles Hill Road
   Wells, ME 04090

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

Section 1. The purpose of the Club is:

1. To provide social and recreational opportunities for members through in-person monthly meetings, on-air weekly radio nets, and special event stations in the community.
2. To encourage and support those interested in obtaining an amateur radio license.
3. To share amateur radio knowledge and radio operating skills with members of the Club and community.
4. To support the growth of amateur radio in accordance with FCC 47 CFR §97.1.

Section 2. The Club shall operate as a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation and shall operate in accordance with all Federal, State and local regulations so as to maintain its tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)7 of the Internal Revenue Code.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERS

Section 1. Membership in the Club is open to any person interested in amateur radio. An FCC (Federal Communications Commission) radio license is not required for membership; however, licensed operators must be in good standing with the FCC in order to apply for and maintain membership in the Club.

1. The Club does not discriminate on the basis of physical or mental disability, race, color, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ancestry, or national origin.
2. Individuals interested in membership may submit a Club application form via postal mail or in-person, along with current dues. Applications may also be submitted via the Club website, and dues mailed or delivered separately. A parent or guardian’s signature is required for applicants under the age of 18.
3. Applicants are considered active members after the application is approved by the Membership Coordinator and dues are received, unless otherwise waived according to Article VIII, Sections 2 and 3a.
4. All active members are entitled to vote at monthly meetings, receive Club emails, participate in the Club email reflector, and operate at Club special event stations.
5. All active members must uphold the Club’s purpose and actively promote fellowship, friendship, shared learning, and mutual respect within the Club.
6. Active members found to not be in good standing with the FCC, or who are disruptive and disrespectful of the Club’s purpose, will be notified by current Club officers and given the opportunity to address and correct the issue. If the issue continues, the member may be removed by a quorum of members voting at the next regularly scheduled meeting. Votes may be cast via paper or show of hands.
7. Active members may resign at any time by notifying the Club’s Membership Coordinator. Upon notification, said member will be changed to inactive status in the club roster and will no longer receive the benefits of membership delineated in (d) of this section.

ARTICLE IV – GOVERNANCE

Section 1. The Club shall be governed by a member-elected and voluntary Board of Officers. These Club Officers shall include a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Club Officers shall be responsible for day-to-day operations, management, administration, strategic planning, and the upholding of these Bylaws on behalf of the Club.

Section 2. Except as otherwise provided by these Bylaws or in the state of Maine Articles of Incorporation, the number of officers that shall constitute the whole Board shall be fixed. Except in extraordinary circumstances, or as a result of unfilled vacancies, the Board shall consist of not fewer than three, or more than four, members.

1. Any active Club member is eligible to be nominated, or self-nominate, for an officer position. Nominations, including those presented by members, current Board, and from the floor, will be made annually at the November meeting. All nominees must consent to serve prior to being nominated.
2. Elections shall take place at the annual meeting held each December. In the event of cancellation or postponement, elections will be held at the next regularly scheduled meeting. A quorum as stated in Article VII, Section 1(a), must be established. Voting may be conducted via paper ballot or show of hands, and the method decided at the November meeting prior to the election. If using paper ballots, no write-in candidates may be added to the list of previously chosen nominees.
3. In cases of multiple candidates for one position, a candidate must receive a majority of votes cast. In cases of no majority, runoff votes will occur between the two candidates who received the most votes in the first round of voting, until a majority is reached. Ties will be decided by re-votes until one candidate receives the majority. Officers, including those up for re- election, shall be allowed to vote and may cast a vote for themselves.

Section 3. Upon adoption of these Bylaws and during the subsequent annual meeting, a President and Treasurer will be elected for a term of two years. A Vice President and Secretary will be elected for a term of one year. After these initial terms, all officers will serve two-year terms, ensuring continuity through a staggered election schedule. No officer may serve more than three consecutive two-year terms.

Section 4. Whenever a vacancy occurs on the Board, remaining officers may appoint an interim officer. The person so appointed may serve until the next election period for that role, at which time said person may be elected to serve a complete term.

1. An officer may resign by giving written notice to the Board. In the event of resignation by the President, the Vice President will assume the role for the remainder of the President’s term.

Section 5. Officers shall serve as volunteers without pay and comply with the Club’s Conflict of Interest statement for the Board.

Section 6. The Board of Officers shall meet no less than six times per year. Meetings of the Board are closed and shall be attended by officers, and such other persons who shall, from time to time, be invited to attend to further the conduct of the business of the Board. However, a particular Board may vote to hold open meetings for a set duration, not to exceed the simultaneous term of said four officers. Such a vote shall be determined by a simple majority of officers.

Section 7. In questions of egregious officer misconduct or dereliction of duty, members or fellow officers may request that the Board hold an emergency officers’ meeting to address the misconduct. The officer in question will be notified in writing of the request and given the opportunity to address the issue during the emergency session. The Board shall invite one former officer who is an active member in good standing to participate in the emergency session. If no suitable explanation or resolution is found, the remaining officers shall recommend that a removal vote be held at the next regularly scheduled membership meeting. This vote shall require a quorum as stated in Section VII, Section 1(a).

ARTICLE V – OFFICER DUTIES

Section 1. President

1. The President will conduct and lead the Club’s membership in accordance with these Bylaws.
2. The President will decide all questions of order, set the agenda for monthly membership meetings, determine times and frequencies for Club radio nets, and perform other duties customary to the office of President.
3. The President shall be responsible for seeking and appointing volunteers for all non-Board positions such as managers, coordinators, trustees, committees, and special activities with assistance and approval of the Board, and defining such roles as necessary.
4. The President, with assistance from the Board, will identify a nonexclusive list of potential nominees for each upcoming election period to help ensure continuity of leadership.
5. The President will conduct and preside over elections.
6. The President will be named on the Club checking account along with the Treasurer, will ensure the checking account is with a local and reputable banking institution, and will provide the documentation necessary to maintain the Club’s account. Upon leaving office, the President will assist their successor in the transition of the Club’s checking account documentation.
7. The President will oversee annual filings with the Maine Secretary of State and IRS, and annual renewal of Club insurance.
8. The President will seek membership approval for all expenditures of the Club’s funds; a simple majority of active members present at a regularly scheduled meeting favoring a proposed expenditure meets the definition of membership approval.

Section 2. Vice President

1. The Vice President will assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President.
2. The Vice President will monitor membership growth and event attendance, and shall make recommendations to the Board as needed.
3. For quorum purposes, the Vice President shall monitor active membership along with the Membership Coordinator.
4. The Vice President shall also perform tasks assigned by the President within the framework of these Bylaws.

Section 3. Treasurer

1. The Treasurer will be named on The Club’s checking account, and the Treasurer’s address will be used on this account.
2. The Treasurer will keep an accurate account of all monies received by The Club and all monies spent by The Club in accordance with accepted accounting practices.
3. The Treasurer will provide the President and Member Coordinator with a current record of dues paid.
4. Annual tax forms shall be filed by the Treasurer, with assistance as needed by the President.
5. The Treasurer will develop an annual Club budget, will only use Club funds for approved expenditures as specified in Section 1(h), of this Article, and will in all cases keep receipts for such expenditures.
6. The Treasurer will report The Club’s checking account balance, income, and expenditures at the regularly scheduled meetings.
7. All financial records will be maintained for a period of seven years unless otherwise necessary. Upon leaving office, the Treasurer shall turn over all Club financial records and account access information in their possession to their successor and assist in any transition as is necessary.

Section 4. Secretary

1. The Secretary shall keep minutes of the regularly scheduled membership meetings and ensure that the minutes are available to the Club’s active members. Prior to the publication of the meeting minutes, the Secretary will have whomever presided over the membership meeting (usually The President) proofread and correct the minutes for any errors or omissions.
2. The Secretary will maintain meeting sign-in sheets and provide copies to the Membership Coordinator and President.
3. The Secretary will keep and archive copies of official Club documents.
4. All secretarial records will be maintained for a period of seven years unless otherwise necessary. Upon leaving office, the Secretary shall turn over all Club records in their possession to their successor and assist in any transition as necessary.

ARTICLE VI – CLUB CALLSIGN TRUSTEE

Section 1. A club callsign Trustee is not an officer in the Club, but is required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in order to have a Club callsign.

1. The Club callsign Trustee will ensure that use of the Club callsign and its applicability and validity are in accordance with FCC rules and regulations.
2. The Trustee will be an FCC licensed amateur radio operator and an active member of the Club. Should the Trustee decide to step down, any FCC licensed amateur radio operator and active member of The Club may volunteer to be the Trustee. Should there be no volunteer, The President will take the appropriate measures according to FCC regulations to be the Trustee if the Club wishes to continue having a club callsign.

ARTICLE VII – MEETINGS

Section 1. Monthly meetings are facilitated by the President and utilize basic Roberts Rules of Order. In the event the President is unavailable, the meeting will be facilitated by the Vice President, or next available officer.

1. A quorum consisting of 30% of active members must be in attendance at monthly and annual meetings in order to vote on Club business and elections.
2. Meetings are held on the first Sunday of each month, from September to June. The December meeting is the Club’s annual meeting, at which elections are held.

ARTICLE VIII − DUES

Section 1. The Club is supported through membership dues, fees, and assessments. Dues for the coming year shall be set by member vote at each annual meeting.

Section 2. Dues shall be payable on January 1 st of each year and considered in arrears if not received by January 31 st. Dues paid in the last quarter of the previous year are considered paid through the current year. Dues are waived for one year for newly licensed applicants who received their license within the twelve months prior to their membership application. Dues are also waived for members age 18 and under.

Section 3. Payment of dues determines the active status of members. Active members can vote at Club meetings, receive Club emails, have access to the Club email reflector, and are able to operate at Club special event stations. Lapse of membership renewal results in revocation of the above benefits, however, inactive members may renew their membership at any time by paying the current annual dues.

1. At the discretion of the Club Officers, dues may be waived in cases of disability or economic hardship. Honorary membership status may also be extended to Repeater owners and other amateur radio community members in recognition of their service to the hobby. Honorary members receive news of club events and can participate in events, but are not afforded voting rights.

ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended at a member meeting by a majority vote with an established quorum. At least thirty (30) days prior to the vote, a notice of proposed amendments must be furnished to all Club and Board members.

ARTICLE X – FISCAL YEAR

Section 1. The Club’s fiscal year shall be from January 1- December 31.

ARTICLE XI – INDEMNIFICATION

Section 1. The Board of Officers shall be indemnified by the Club to the fullest extent permissible under the laws of the state of Maine.

ARTICLE XII – DISSOLUTION

Section 1. Dissolution of the club requires an affirmative vote by 75% of active members. This vote shall be conducted via an emailed survey method to all active members.

1. In the event of an affirmative vote, all assets shall be donated to a 501(c)7 organization.
2. No assets shall be distributed to members except lawful refunds of prepaid dues.

These Bylaws were approved and adopted on June 7, 2026 by member vote of the York County Amateur Radio Club.