COQUITLAM AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICES SOCIETY

CONSTITUTION

1. The name of the society is “COQUITLAM AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY

SERVICES SOCIETY”

2. The purpose of the society is as follows:

(a) To provide the Coquitlam Emergency Plan with amateur radio communications in
cases of emergencies.
(b) To assist members of the society in emergency communications and operating
procedures.
(c) To assist when possible, Coquitlam and other communities with amateur
communications in times of need.
(d) To further the art of amateur radio communications, in all its modes.
(e) To act as a resource base for amateur radio in the community.

BYLAWS

PART ONE – INTERPRETATION

1.
1) In these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires,

a) “Ofcers” means the directors of the society for the time being.

b) “Society Act” means the society act of the province of British Columbia
from time to time in force and amendments to it.

2) The denition in the society act on the date these bylaws become effective apply
to these bylaws. Words importing singular include the plural and visa-versa and
words importing a male person include a female person and a corporation.

3) “Objectives of the society" means the purposes of the society as laid out in the
constitution.

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 PART TWO – MEMBERSHIP

2.
a) There shall be five (5) classes of members: full member, honorary member,
affiliate member, auxiliary and a non-voting member.

b) A full member shall be a licensed radio amateur or an aspiring radio amateur who
supports the objectives and bylaws of the society and is in good standing with the
society. A full member has one (1) vote.

c) An honorary member may be a person who has performed an extraordinary

service to amateur radio in general or to the society in particular. An honorary
member shall be created by a special resolution. An honorary member may not
vote and shall pay no dues.

d) An auxiliary member is a person who only wishes to participate in emergency

planning, exercises and response activities. An auxiliary member may not vote,
pays no dues and does not receive full member privileges including unsupervised
access to CARESS facilities.

e) An afiliate member shall be any radio amateur club or association who supports
the objectives and the bylaws of the society and who is in good standing with the
society. A designated representative of the afliate member may have one (1)
vote, as only one (1) vote is allowed for an afliate member.

f) A non-voting member is a relative of a full paid member.

g) A person may apply to the directors for membership in the society and on
acceptance by the directors shall be a full member.

3. Cessation of membership:

a) Membership shall cease for any full, affiliate, auxiliary or honorary member:

i) Upon his/her death.

ii) Who is in arrears on the (1st) day of October of each current year.

iii) Who advises the society in writing that he/she wishes to resign.

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 b) A full, honorary, auxiliary or affiliate member may be expelled by a special
resolution. The member must have thirty (30) days notice of such a resolution,
and the member may state his/her case in person at the meeting at which the
resolution will be considered.

4. Dues:

a) Dues shall be paid on the rst (1st) of September of each year.

b) The schedule of dues may, from time to time, as deemed necessary by the
executive, be revised or altered by ordinary resolution at a general meeting.

5. Meetings:

a) Robert’s Rules of Order shall prevail at all meetings.

b) The annual general meeting shall be held on the last Thursday of April. A notice
containing location, date and time shall be transmitted to members at least (14)
days prior to the meeting.

c) Monthly general meetings shall take place on the last Thursday of each month
except for the months of: June, July, August, and December.

d) A general meeting may be called by:

i) A majority of the executive.

ii) Upon receipt by the society of a written request bearing the signatures of
not less than 1/3 of the voting membership.

e) For the purpose of conducting business at a general meeting or an annual meeting

a quorum shall be present.

f) A quorum shall consist of at least three (3) ofcers and two (2) members or such a
greater number as the members may determine at a general meeting.

g) No member may have more than one (1) vote per issue at any general meeting of
the society.

h) Votes by proxy shall not be allowed at any meeting of the society.

i) The chair of an official meeting may recognize any member attending remotely
via teleconference. If recognized by the chair, a remote attendee may form part of
the quorum and will be permitted to vote according to their membership class.

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 j) An official meeting may be held exclusively via teleconference, so long as the
teleconference is accessible to any member via public switched telephone network
and/or Internet based communications software, and all attendees who are eligible
to vote are recognized by the chair.

PART THREE – OFFICERS

6. Ofcers of the society:

a) The ofcers of the society shall be a president, a vice-president, a secretary and a

treasurer and one or more directors.

b) Ofcers shall be elected from the membership of the society by nomination and a
majority vote, and shall hold office for the period of one (1) year. The election of
ofcers shall take place at the annual general meeting and they shall assume
office prior to the commencement of new business at that meeting.

c) An officer shall have one (1) vote per issue at executive meetings.

d) A quorum at an executive meeting shall be not less than four (4) ofcers.

e) A majority vote at executive meetings shall be necessary to pass motions.

f) Where immediate action is required in any matter dealing with the business of the
society, before it is possible to refer it to the society membership, the executive
may act as they see t.

g) The officers shall conduct the day to day business of the society.

h) A vacancy on the executive occurring during the term of ofce may be lled by
appointment by the executive. Such appointments to take effect until the next
general meeting. A general meeting shall be called by the executive to elect a
member for the vacant position within two (2) months.

i) The society shall be directed by the senior officers.

j) Ofcers of the society may also be known as directors.

k) A member standing for office, must be a member in good standing for a period of
not less than two (2) years.

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7. Duties of ofcers:

a) The president shall be required to:

(i) Preside at all meetings.

(ii) Enforce any and all bylaws.
(iii) Form committees as required.
(iv) Where and whenever necessary he/she shall represent the society.

b) The vice-president shall be required to:

(i) Assist the president at all times.

(ii) Assume the duties of the president in his/her absence.

c) The secretary shall be required to:

(i) Keep minutes of all meetings of the society.

(ii) Be responsible for the general correspondence of the society.
(iii) Keep up to date records of all names and addresses of all members.
(iv) Ensure that all copies of the society’s business, required by the registrar
under the societies act are forwarded promptly.
(v) If a common seal is adopted, have custody of the common seal of the
society.
(vi) Issue notice of meetings of the society and of the executive.
(vii) Have custody of all records and documents of the society except those
required to be kept by the treasurer.

d) The treasurer shall be required to:

(i) Maintain all nancial records of the society.

(ii) Maintain the funds of the society in a bank account in the name of the
society.
(iii) Pay all expenses by cheque. All cheques must be signed by two (2) of
three (3) authorized ofcers of the society.
(iv) Perform any other duties pertaining to the ofce of treasurer.

e) The directors shall:

(i) Assume duties as decided by a majority of the executive.

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8. Removal of the executive:

a) Any member may be removed from the executive by special resolution upon
receipt of his/her written resignation, or on his/her death.

9. No member of the executive shall receive remuneration pertaining to his ofce.

PART FOUR – GENERAL

10. The society may borrow or raise or secure payment of money by an ordinary resolution.
No debenture shall be issued without the sanction of a special resolution.

11. The accounts and books of the society shall be examined at least once a year and
scrutinized for correctness.

12. The bylaws of the society may be amended at any general meeting or annual meeting of
the society by special resolution adopted by a majority of not less than 75% of the
members of the society present at any general or annual meeting.

13. The minutes of proceedings of all meetings shall be entered into a minute book. All
books of records of the society shall be in the custody of the secretary.

14. Any member on giving at least fourteen (14) days notice in writing to the executive shall
have access to the nancial books and records of the society.

15. A special resolution shall mean a resolution passed at a general meeting or an annual
general meeting by a majority of not less than 75% of those members of the society who,
being entitled to so vote in person.

16. Notice required for a special resolution:

a) Special resolutions shall require:

(i) Not less than fourteen (14) days notice specifying the intention to propose
the resolution as a special resolution must be given by posting, or –
(ii) If every member entitled to attend and vote at any such meeting so agrees,
at a meeting of which less than fourteen (14) days notice has been given.

17. The society shall not be held responsible by members or visitors for any injuries or other
damages incurred while on society property.

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 18. The society shall be carried on without purpose of gain for its members and any prots or
other accretions to the society shall be used for promoting its objectives.

19. On the winding up or dissolution of the society and after all debts have been paid or
provision for payment has been made, the assets of the society then remaining shall be
paid, distributed, transferred or delivered to such charitable institutions as the directors
shall resolve and the members approve by special resolution.

20. The provisions of clauses 18 and 19 were previously unalterable.

21. Although the society is primarily a senior society, it is open to members of all ages; the
nances and assets of the society shall be controlled by the directors of the society.

22. The provisions of clause 21 were previously unalterable.

Dated 12 April 2020.

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