Flying Aces Pilots Association
Club Bylaws &
Grievance Form
Approved May 3, 2008
1.
Board of Directors: Will
consist of 7 full members. each of the 5 club officers and 2 at large members.
the at large members will be voted on at the October meeting. the management of
the affairs of the Club shall be vested in the Board of Directors who shall have
the authority to establish and administer its policies.
Official decisions shall be made by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote or by a
quorum at the Board of Director meeting.
A quorum shall consist of at least 50% of the current Board members.
Official decisions shall be consistent with the stated purposed and objectives
of the AMA as set forth in its Bylaws and, where those Bylaws are not specified,
vested in the sound discretion of the Board of Directors.
2.
President:
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and shall act as
spokesperson in all matters pertaining to it.
3.
Vice-President:
The Vice-President shall act for the President when he/she is unable to serve,
and is to maintain an accurate record (including place of storage) of all Club
assets.
4.
Secretary:
The Secretary shall record minutes of each Club meeting and handle all
correspondence pertaining to Club activities.
He/she will also be the Club’s contact person with AMA in case of questions,
problems or situations.
5.
Treasurer: The Treasurer shall collect all moneys due and shall keep a record of
moneys disbursed by the Club.
He/she will also maintain a list of paid and past due members
6.
Safety Officer:
The Safety Officer shall be responsible for ensuring existing safety regulations
are enforced.
This includes processing the grievance forms and following the existing
grievance procedure documented in the by-laws. He/she will also be the contact
person for field maintenance issues.
7.
Event Committee Chairman: appointed as needed by the Club officers.
ARTICLE 2:
AUDIT
1.
The President and two at large members shall make an annual audit of the
Treasurer’s books. This audit will occur in the month of September with the
results presented at the October meeting.
ARTICLE 3:
TERMS OF OFFICE
1.
All elected officers of the Club shall normally serve for one (1) year from the
October meeting to the next election.
Officers are to be elected by a vote of simple majority of those present at the
regular meeting in the month of October.
Mail-in ballots will be made available for those members who have voting rights
and notify a club officer of their inability to attend the October meeting.
Those ballots, returned by mail (or email) before the next meeting, will be counted as if
those persons were present at the meeting.
New officers will take office immediately after the October meeting.
Personnel will be appointed by the elected officers and confirmed by a simple
majority vote of those members present during a regular meeting:
i.e. Newsletter Editor, Contest Director, etc.
2.
Nomination of Club officers shall be made at the general membership meeting
during the month of September.
Nominations for office may be made by any active Club member holding voting
rights, either in person or by submitting a proxy nomination to an existing
officer.
All known nominations for office will be announced at the October meeting prior
to the election.
3.
A show of hands is required for elections, or for the removal of a Club officer
or a member of the Board of Directors. The expulsion of a member from the Club
requires a secret ballot.
ARTICLE 4:
VACANCIES
1.
Vacancies in any office shall be filled by appointment by the remaining
officers; such appointee will serve until the end of the term for which his/her
predecessor was elected.
ARTICLE 5:
COMMITTEE
1.
Any committee of the Club shall be appointed by the President and may be
approved by a simple majority vote of the members present at a meeting (if a
vote is requested), to serve throughout the term, or less, of his tenure of
office.
ARTICLE 6:
MEETINGS
1.
Regular meetings shall be held at a time and place designated by the Club
officers and published on the Club web page. A news letter will be made
available to those without internet access upon request.
2.
Club officers may call special meetings with no less than five days prior
written notice of a special meeting.
The purpose of the special meeting shall be stated in the written notice.
3.
At any Club meeting for voting purposes a Quorum of 20% of the total membership
is needed for the passage of motions, abstentions will not be counted.
4.
Any member or probationary member of the Club may initiate a formal request for
action by the Board of Directors by submitting a written proposal to the
President.
The proposal shall include a written description of the nature, type, and extent
of the Board action recommended.
The President of the Board shall forward copies of the proposal to other members
of the Board of Director for their consideration.
Either the President, or any other Board member, may have the matter placed upon
the working agenda of the next Club meeting.
ARTICLE 7:
DUES AND MEMBERSHIP
1.
The current annual dues are listed in Article 8 paragraph 2. Dues shall be
determined by the Board of directors with the approval of a simple majority
vote.
Dues are non-refundable, except under extraordinary circumstances, which will be
determined by the Board of Directors on a case-by-case basis.
Dues are to be paid no later than the January Club meeting.
2.
No special assessment shall be levied upon the Club membership, unless it is
approved by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) majority of the club members present at
the regular monthly meeting ,a quorum being 20% of the total membership, and the
members have been given at least five (5) days prior notice along with an
explanation of the assessment. The assessment shall be capped at $40
3.
New members who join in October thought December will pay initiation fee and
rates of $55.00. This will cover the membership dues until the end of the
following year.
4.
A member shall be in arrears and shall not be considered active if his/her dues
have not been paid as provided in Article 7, Section 1.
Any member who allows their membership to lapse beyond March 1 of any year shall
be considered a new member when renewing their membership and will not be given
preference over any other application should a membership waiting list be in
existence.
5.
Types of members and limits on the total number of members shall be determined
by the Club officers and approved by a Quorum of 20% of the total membership.
6. Club officers will have their annual dues waved for their term of office.
ARTICLE 8:
MEMBER STANDING
1.
All persons shall be eligible for membership, and shall agree to abide by the
Club’s bylaws, and those of the AMA.
2.
The membership shall be divided into the following categories:
a.
Full Member:
Is nineteen (19 years or older and has full privileges and voting rights.
Dues:
Full Member rate of $40 plus AMA Membership. A news letter will be made
available to those
Full
Members without internet access upon request.
b.
Junior Members:
Is younger than nineteen (19) years old, has full privileges and voting rights.
Dues:
Junior Member rate of $0 plus AMA Membership. A news letter will be made
available to those Associate Members without internet access upon request.
c. Associate Members:
a Non-Flyer, who is interested in the activities of the Club, has no voting
rights. Dues:
Associate Members rate of $1. A news letter will be made available to those
Associate Members without internet access upon request.
d.
Probationary Member:
A new member within the first calendar year of membership.
This member is not eligible for elected office; however they may serve the Club
in an appointment position.
Member has full voting rights at Club meetings.
Membership dues are per the rate structure stated above. A news letter will be
made available to those Probationary Members without internet access upon
request.
3.
Flying members will be required to hold and maintain current membership in the
AMA for the duration of their Club membership. Membership may be as an AMA
Associate Member or AMA Park Pilot Program Member.
All first-time flying members, applicants, as well as present flying members
seeking membership renewal, must show proof of membership in the AMA.
Non-flying
Members do not required AMA membership.
4.
Before joining the Club, new members shall be introduced in person by their
sponsor.
The membership, a quorum being 20% of the total
membership, by a
majority vote of the members present at a meeting, shall approve any application
for membership.
The applicant will be on probation for one (1) calendar year subsequent to the
approval of his/her application for membership.
After this probationary period has ended, his/her membership application may
again become subject to the approval of the Club.
Probationary members are ineligible to hold any elected office in the Club.
ARTICLE 9:
RESIGNATION, TERMINATION, DISCIPLINARY ACTION, EXPULSION AND REINSTATEMENT OF
MEMBERSHIP
1.
Any member in good standing may resign his/her membership by giving written
notice to the Club.
2.
If any members cease to have the qualification necessary of membership in the
AMA, his/her membership in the Club shall there by be suspended, subject to
reinstatement upon restoration of eligibility.
3.
Any member receiving a safety Grievance as stated in Article 16, who is involved
in non-flying violations, or who has key information of a non-flying violation
and withholds it from the Board of Directors, may at the Board of Directors’
discretion be placed on probation for one (1) year regardless of his or her
tenure in the Club.
4.
This section provides for enforcement of the Safety Rules that are related to
flying activities.
Any unacceptable behavior by an individual member or members, as defined by the
Board of Directors, become the responsibility of the Board of Directors as
stated in Article 1, Duties, Section 1 of these Bylaws.
Any individual may be expelled from membership from the Club by a two-thirds
(2/3) majority vote of the Board of Directors if, in the Board of Directors’
determination, such individual willfully commits any act or omission which is a
violation of any of the terms of these Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, or
the Rules of the AMA, or which is detrimental to the Club, the AMA, or to model
aviation.
5.
Any member who is expelled from membership may be reinstated to membership only
by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Board of Directors.
6.
The Board of Directors shall have the discretionary authority to provide for and
to impose disciplinary action for such acts or omissions, which do not justify
expulsion from membership.
ARTICLE 10:
AMENDMENTS
1.
Amendments may be made to the bylaws at any general meeting of the Club
membership, provided the members shall have been notified of the proposed
amendments by placement on the club web site at least five (5) days in advance
of the amendments consideration.
Copies of the proposed amendments shall be provided to all members without
internet access upon request. Amendments shall be approved by no less than a
two-third (2/3) majority vote of the members present, at the regular monthly
meeting.
Mail-in ballots will be made available for those Full members who cannot attend
the meeting.
Those ballots, returned by mail before the next meeting, will be counted as if
those persons were present at the meeting.
ARTICLE 11:
SPECIAL FUNDS
1.
The Treasurer of the Club is authorized to receive contributions or specially
obtained funds from any individual or institution, to be applied to the
operating expenses of the Club.
2.
The President will have discretionary spending, up to $100.00 without requiring
Club approval.
3. Multiple discretionary expenditures totaling in excess of $300 in a one month
period requires approval by at least one other officer.
ARTICLE 12:
DURATION
ARTICLE 13:
DISSOLUTION
1.
The Club may be dissolved with the approval of a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote
of the total membership.
2.
Upon the dissolution of the Club, the Board shall, after paying or making
provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the Club, dispose of all
the assets of the Club exclusively for the purposes of the Club in such manner,
to the Academy of Model Aeronautics, Inc., or to such other organization or
organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational,
religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt
organization or organizations under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended, or to such other organization with purpose similar to the
purposes of this Club, as the Board shall determine.
Any of such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of
Common Pleas (or similar court) of the county in which the principal office of
this Club is then located, exclusively for such purposed and to such
organization or organizations, as said court shall determine, which are
organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.
ARTICLE
14:
LOGO
1.
The official Club logo shall be:
ARTICLE 15:
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE (FLIGHT AND GROUND SAFETY RULES)
1.
Purpose:
The grievance procedure provides a mechanism to enforce existing safety rules by
providing a progressive disciplinary system when needed. Although most
complaints can be resolved informally, if a complaint is serious or cannot be
resolved informally, the matter should be referred to the Board of Directors for
its consideration by means of a Grievance Form to be filled out and turned into
the Safety Officer.
At least one witness is required to sign the Grievance Form.
2.
The Board of Directors shall use its judgment in carrying out action on the
following:
a.
A grievance form (see attached) will be filled out and turned into the Safety
officer. At least one witness is required
b.
FIRST VIOLATION
i. Viewpoints of both complainants and the
accused will be
considered.
ii. Complainant’s name will be disclosed
iii.
If the complaint is found to be valid a verbal reprimand will be given to the
guilty party by the Board of Directors, and this will be recorded in the Board
of Directors files.
c.
SECOND VIOLATION
i. Viewpoints of both complainants and the
accused will be
considered.
ii. Complainant’s name will be disclosed.
iii.
If found guilty
the guilty party has the right to a written rebuttal, to be reviewed by the
Board of Directors.
iv.
The flying privileges of the guilty party will be suspended for thirty (30)
days.
Written notice of this shall be issued to the accused .
d.
THIRD VIOLATION
i. Viewpoints of both complainants and the
accused will be
considered.
ii. Complainant’s name will be disclosed.
iii. The Board of Directors will
notify the accused and
the Club members via email that the Club will vote on the expulsion of
the
accused at
the next meeting.
iv.
If found guilty the
accused will be expulsed. Said expulsion will last for one-year minimum.
(Longer if deemed necessary by the Board of Directors).
v.
A member may be expelled from the Club only upon a two-thirds (2/3) majority
vote of the membership present at the meeting.
vi.
Voting will be by secret ballot at a regular monthly meeting.
vi.
The expelled member may reapply for membership after the expiration of the
expulsion time period.
e.
The three actions will not be enforced unless they are accumulated within a
two-year period of time.
f.
Any member receiving a Grievance, who directs any retaliation against the person
filing said Grievance, will be subject
to 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 Board of Directors.
FLYING ACES PILOTS ASSOCIATION
GRIEVANCE FORM
Date:
__________________
Time: _____________
Nature of Violation:
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Signature:
_______________________
Witness:
________________________
Additional Witnesses (optional):
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