Constitution and Bylaws

CONSTITUTION
of the
GEORGIA SINGLE SIDEBAND ASSOCIATION
Founded December 1, 1960

As amended

Article I
Name

The name of this organization shall be “The Georgia Single Sideband Association” hereafter referred to as the Association.

Article II
Purpose

The objectives of this Association shall be to (1) promote interest in Amateur Radio (2) improve operating techniques (3) sponsor and control a Single Sideband Net.

Article III
Membership

Section I. (a) Full membership in the Association shall be limited to licensed amateurs holding General class licenses or higher.
(b) Associate membership is available to amateurs holding license classes below general. Associate members enjoy all privileges of membership except those of voting and holding office. Such associate members shall pay reduced dues as determined by the Board in accordance with the Bylaws.
Section II. The Board of Directors shall determine membership dues and their payment in accordance with the bylaws.
Section III. Active members are members whose dues are received by the Secretary Treasurer prior to their due date.
Section IV. Inactive members are members whose dues are not received by the Secretary Treasurer prior to their due date. Such members are automatically suspended. When a member remains inactive for a period of two (2) months after the due date, he or she shall be dropped from membership.
Section V. Charter date – The effective date of this organization and its Constitution and Bylaws shall be 01 December 1960.
Section VI. The Board of Directors shall determine any refund of membership dues upon request by the member.

Article IV
Organization

Section I. The officials of this organization shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary Treasurer and two Directors.
Section II. Vacancies occurring between elections shall be filled by appointment by the President as provided by the By-Laws.
Section III. Fifteen (15) percent of the active membership shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business at any meeting that has been duly announced.
Section IV. The management, administration and operation of the Association shall be vested in the Board of Directors hereafter referred to as the Board.
Section V. Officers and Directors may be removed from office for persistent failure to perform the duties of the office or other persistent or serious misconduct. Removal shall be on motion of a member of the Board and approved by a majority of the remaining members of the Board voting without regard for the quorum requirement. Upon removal of an officer or director the office he or she held will be declared vacant.

Article V
Elections

Section I. Elections shall be held annually. A President, Vice President, Secretary Treasurer, and two directors shall be elected by the membership.
Section II. Nominations shall be accepted at an on the air special meeting of the membership called by the President prior to the annual business meeting. This meeting shall be in sufficient time to allow for the mailing of ballots to each member and for the return of those ballots by mail prior to the annual business meeting. Nominations shall also be accepted by mail to the Secretary Treasurer prior to the special meeting and presented to the membership at that meeting.
Section III. If more than one person is nominated for any office, an election shall be held. Otherwise, a motion may be made to accept the nominated officers by acclamation. Ballots to elect an officer or officers will be cast in a manner to ensure secrecy. The ballot may either be mailed or emailed to the Secretary Treasurer or brought to the annual business meeting, if held in person. Ballots will be tallied by the Secretary Treasurer. Ballots will be preserved until the meeting. Any member may request a vote counting committee comprised of three full members to audit the count of the ballots. The results of the counting will be announced prior to new business. The nominee receiving the most votes for each office shall be elected. Any resulting ties from the casting of the ballots shall be resolved by a vote of the membership present at the annual business meeting. The new President will begin presiding over the meeting and the officers and directors will begin their term of office at the beginning of new business. In the event officers are all elected by acclamation, as provided herein, the special meeting shall also be considered the annual business meeting.

Article VI
Meetings

Section I. An annual business meeting shall be held each year at a time, place and manner determined by the Board. The membership shall be notified 30 days or more of said annual meeting. Otherwise, all meetings shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws.
Section II. At least 30 days prior to the annual meeting of the Association the President shall appoint a committee of two to audit the books of the Treasurer. The Treasurer will provide the committee with the records of all income, disbursements and bank statements of the Association. The committee will make their report to the Association at the annual meeting of the Association.

Article VII
Bylaws

Appropriate bylaws to carry out the provisions of this constitution may be adopted by a plurality of a quorum of the Board. A quorum of the Board shall be four (4) members.

Article VIII
Amendments

This constitution may be amended at any annual or special meeting by a majority vote of a quorum of the active members provided the proposed amendment has been submitted to the Board for its consideration no later than seven days prior to the meeting. The Board’s recommendation must be read before a quorum of the active members before it is voted upon.

Article IX
Dissolution

The Association shall be dissolved in the event that a majority vote of a quorum of the members shall vote for dissolution. In the event of dissolution, the elected officials of the Association shall continue in office serving until all business of the Association has been concluded.

BYLAWS
of the
GEORGIA SINGLE SIDEBAND ASSOCIATION

Article I
Membership

Section I. Eligible persons may apply for membership by written application to the Board and the payment of dues. The Board shall accept no application until the requirements set forth in the application have been met. The application shall contain the statement that the applicant agrees to abide by the constitution and bylaws of the Association.
Section II. Any member of the Association may be expelled by a majority vote of the membership and Board. Any action deemed detrimental to the best interests of the Association shall be considered adequate cause. No member shall be expelled, however, without first being given ample notice and the opportunity to appear before the Board to explain his or her actions.

Article II
Board of Directors

Section I. Management, administration and operation of the Association shall be vested in the Board and shall be consistent with this constitution and bylaws.  The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer and two Directors.
Section II. The presence of four (4) members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transacting Association business and a plurality vote of this quorum shall be binding.
Section III. The Board shall meet at the call of the President who shall serve as chairman. It shall also meet upon request of the majority of the Board members or upon receipt of a petition signed by not less than fifteen (15) percent of the active membership. Notice of this meeting shall be sent to each member of the Board at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting except in an emergency requiring immediate Board action. In such cases maximum notice will be given to Board members.
Section IV. Each elected Board member will serve without financial compensation except for expenses which may be reimbursed upon approval of the Board.
Section V. The Board shall maintain and publish a record of its meetings. This may be done at the annual meeting, via email, or by posting at the web site of the Association. The Board shall also present a full statement at the annual meeting showing in detail the condition of the financial affairs of the Association.
Section VI. The Board shall have the power and authority to promulgate and enforce all business transactions of the Association under the provisions of the constitution and these bylaws.
Section VII. All legal transactions of the Association shall bear the signature of the President and the Secretary Treasurer. Checks shall carry the signature of the President or Secretary Treasurer.

Article III
Officers

Terms of office shall begin and end with the Association’s annual business meetings. New officers shall be installed by the immediate past President. The new President shall preside from that point until the expiration of his or her term of office.

Article IV
President

Section I. The President shall serve as the Chairman of the Board. He or she shall preside over all meetings of the Board and of the Association. He or she may call any meeting of the membership or of the Board and shall have, subject to the advice and consent of the Board, general charge of the business of the Association. He shall execute with the Secretary Treasurer in the name of the Association all certificates of membership, contracts and other instruments, which have been approved by the Board.
Section II. The President shall be responsible for the operation of the Association.  Vacancies occurring in any Board position shall be filled by appointment by the President with the concurrence of a simple majority of the remaining Board members.  He or she shall manage and control the Georgia Single Sideband Net which will be the voice of the Association. The procedures and policies establishing the Georgia Single Sideband Net its use and objectives shall be outlined specifically within another instrument of the Association. It shall be the duty of the President to enforce all provisions contained in that instrument in order that the integrity and prestige of the Association shall at all times be high.

Article V
Vice President

Section I. The Vice President shall assume all duties of the President in the absence of the latter. Section II. He or she shall perform such other duties pertaining to the Association, as the President shall properly prescribe.
Section III. If a vacancy should occur in the office of the President, the Vice President shall automatically become the President of the Association.

Article VI
Secretary Treasurer

Section I. The Secretary Treasurer shall record the minutes of all meetings of the Association and the Board. He or she shall keep an accurate file on all items of business of the Association and other data that may be used in maintaining the accurate history of the Association.
Section II. He or she shall be responsible to the Board for all financial records of receipts and expenditures. He or she shall receive and expend all moneys of the Association upon approval of the Board.
Section III. The Secretary Treasurer shall perform such other duties pertaining to the Association as the President may properly prescribe.

Article VII
Committees

Section I. Committees shall consist of two types, temporary and standing.
Section II. The President shall activate committees.
Section III. The Board, prior to presenting them to the membership, shall approve all committee recommendations.

Article VIII
Meetings

Section I. At least one meeting shall be held annually for the purpose of conducting Association business.
Section II. The time, place and manner of the meeting shall be determined by the Board.
Section III. The President upon a thirty- (30) day public notice and announcement of the purpose of such meeting shall call special meetings of the Association. Special meetings shall also be called upon written request of the majority of the Board and upon written request to the President of fifteen (15) percent of the active membership.
Section IV. The meetings of the Association and the Board shall be in accordance with the latest edition of the Robert’s Rules of Order on Parliamentary Procedure.
Section V. All meetings and special meetings of the members, committees and the Board may be held on the air, by video conference, email or other reasonable means.

Article IX
Quorum

Section I. A quorum for transacting business at any Association meeting shall be at least fifteen (15) percent of the active members. In case a quorum is not present the controlling Board will continue in office until the next annual meeting or a called special meeting.
Section II. A quorum for transacting business at a Board meeting shall be four (4) members.

Article X
Single Sideband Net

Section I. The Georgia Single Sideband Net shall be a function of this Association in accordance with the provisions in Article II of the constitution.
Section II. The Board shall formulate an instrument dictating the policies and procedures for operating the net. This instrument shall set forth specifically the objectives of the Net, time of Net operation and operation under unusual conditions.

Amendments and Updates
To The
Constitution and Bylaws
Of The
Georgia Single Sideband Association

Passed September 15, 2021

All previous amendments and updates are now included in the Constitution and Bylaws.
Administrative updates included to various articles to bring them up to date and compatible with other articles and other small changes to the wording.
Constitutional Amendment: Added Article IV Section V.
Bylaws Amendment: Added Article VIII Section V.                                                                                                                                                                  Bylaws Amendment: Added Article II Section I Sentence 2 and Article IV Section II Sentence 2   Sept. 12, 2022