ARTICLE
I - PURPOSE AND NAME
SECTION 1
The formal name of
this club shall be "PATUXENT
AEROMODELERS, INCORPORATED." It
shall also be informally known as the “Patuxent Aeromodelers”, “Patuxent
Aeromodelers, Inc.”, “Pax Aero”, or Pax Aero, Inc.”.
SECTION 2
The PATUXENT AEROMODELERS, Inc. is formed
to foster and advance the operation of radio controlled model aircraft in a
setting where camaraderie and safety of operations prevail. The purpose of this
club is to promote the building, study, engineering, and flying of all types of
model aircraft; to establish an organization dedicated to the encouragement of
aeromodeling interests to individuals of all ages; and to promote safety and
responsible operation of flying model aircraft.
ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1
Membership in the PATUXENT AEROMODELERS, Inc. shall be
open to all Open, Extra, and Youth members in good standing of the Academy of Model
Aeronautics. Park Pilot Program members of the Academy of Model Aeronautics are NOT
eligible for membership in the Patuxent Aeromodelers, Inc. Any individual who indicates
an interest in model aircraft or in furthering the objectives of the club may
apply for membership. Membership shall not be limited because of sex, race,
age, creed, color, religious affiliation, mental or physical handicap, national
origin, ancestry or marital status.
SECTION 2
Membership shall
be divided into the following categories:
A) Regular Members are those members, nineteen
years of age or older as of July 1st of the year of application for membership.
They shall have full voting privileges, be eligible to hold any club office,
and be eligible to serve as committee members.
B) Family Members are those members
that reside in the same
household as the Regular Member. The Regular Member and all Family Members
together shall constitute a Family Membership.
All members that reside in the same household shall have full voting
privileges.
C) Junior Members are those members who
have not attained their nineteenth birthday by July 1 of the year of
application for membership. They will not be eligible to hold club office, but
shall have full voting privileges and be able to serve as committee members.
D) Associate Members are those members of
any age who wish to participate in the sport of aeromodeling and further the objectives
of the PATUXENT AEROMODELERS, Inc,
but do not wish to engage in actual flying operations. They will not be
eligible to hold club office, or hold voting privileges, but shall be eligible
to serve as committee members. No more than one quarter of the total club
membership shall be Associate Members.
An Associate Member may change their
status to full membership at any time by paying the difference in membership
dues and initiation fees for the category in which the individual/s fall under.
SECTION 3
Club membership
ends each year on December 31, regardless of the date a membership application
is accepted. Dues for new members shall be assessed at the full current rate of
the appropriate category. They shall
also incur a processing fee at the time of application which is equal to the
amount in the category in which they are applying. For new members applying after September 1,
dues will be assessed at 1/2 the annual rate for the membership category being
applied for plus the processing fee.
Renewal of membership shall be at the full current rate regardless of
date of renewal, and shall be due at the first regularly scheduled meeting of
the New Year. If a member has not
renewed by the end of the first scheduled meeting, their newsletter will be
withheld and their membership considered no longer valid. A late fee shall be accessed for those that
have let their membership lapse which will be accessed at one-half of the
category in which they fall under.
SECTION 4
Membership in the
club shall be by application and must be approved by a club officer.
SECTION 5
Termination of
membership for any reason other than resignation shall require the approval of
two-thirds of the members present at a regularly scheduled meeting of the PATUXENT AEROMODELERS Inc., and in
general will follow the procedures set forth in ARTICLE V of the BYLAWS OF THE
SECTION 6
By reasons of club
insurance and liability coverage, and provisions stipulated in the club land
lease with the State of Maryland, it is required that all members of the PATUXENT AEROMODELERS, Inc. who engage
in actual flight operations, be members in good standing of the ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICS. The club
will designate a maximum of (3) “Introductory Pilots” as stipulated in the AMA
Introductory Pilot Program and fund their administrative fee. This program is
intended to introduce non-AMA members to aeromodeling while providing liability
insurance coverage to both the non-AMA member and the club. To assist in
monitoring non-club member activity at the field, it is mandatory that club
members display both their AMA and club membership cards on the radio impound
frequency control board. Club members who are sponsoring guests are to ensure
that guests are complying with standing club rules, especially frequency
control procedures.
ARTICLE III - OFFICERS
SECTION
1
Club Officership
shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Safety
Officer, and Newsletter Editor, and collectively they make up the Executive
Board.
SECTION
2
All Officers will
be elected by general vote, and shall hold office for a period of one year. In
the case of filling a vacated office, he/she shall hold office for the
remainder of the period, until the next scheduled election.
SECTION
3
Officers shall be elected by simple majority. [Note that Quorum is required for
all Club Votes per Article IV, Section 1]
SECTION 4
Vacancies in any
office shall be filled by special election.
SECTION 5
A term limit of
two years shall exist for all club officers. Waiver of this term limit may be
approved on a case by case basis by a two-thirds vote of the members present at
a regularly scheduled club meeting.
SECTION
6
Any Officer of the
club may be impeached and removed from office for good cause. Such action shall
require the approval of two-thirds of the members present at a regularly
scheduled meeting of the PATUXENT
AEROMODELERS, Inc. Notice of any such action shall be published in the
newsletter and on the PATUXENT AEROMODELERS web site prior to that meeting.
ARTICLE IV - A QUORUM
SECTION
1
A Quorum for the
Executive Board shall consist of not less than 3 Officers. A Quorum at a scheduled member meeting shall
consist of three officers and fifteen members, or 20% of the total club
membership, whichever is less. A quorum
must be present before an official club vote can be taken, or for the election of Officers.
ARTICLE V - FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
SECTION
1
PATUXENT AEROMODELERS, INC. is designated a non-stock, non-profit corporation in
the state of
SECTION 2
As a special
interest group, no financial support from any military or governmental
organization will be solicited.
SECTION 3
In the event of
the liquidation of this club, priority shall first be given to paying off all
debts incurred by this club, after which all remaining funds will be disposed
of as approved by a two-thirds vote of the members present at a regularly
scheduled or special club meeting.
ARTICLE VI - MEETINGS
SECTION
1
Executive Board meetings will be at the
discretion of the President but usually once a month prior to the regular
monthly meetings. Regular monthly
meetings of the PATUXENT AEROMODELERS,
Inc. shall be held on the first Thursday of each month. This date may be
altered, as directed by the President, to avoid conflicts and ensure maximum
opportunity for the membership to attend.
SECTION
2
Special meetings may be called at anytime by
the President or, in his absence, by the Vice President.
ARTICLE VII - AUTHORITY IN PARLIAMENTARY LAW
SECTION
1
This organization shall be governed by the
rules of parliamentary law as set forth in "Robert's
Rules of Order".
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS
SECTION 1
This constitution may be amended at any
regular meeting, provided that the amendment shall have been submitted at the
previous regular meeting and published prior to the meeting at which it will be
voted upon.
SECTION
2
Adoption of an amendment shall require
approval of two-thirds of the members present at a regularly scheduled meeting
of the club.
Amended: