By-Laws (Revised 05-16-2023) General Motors Amateur Radio Club

Article I – Purpose & Membership

Article I  — Section 1 — Purpose

The Purpose of the General Motors Amateur Radio Club (GMARC) shall be 100% charitable to further public relations, community service, emergency communications, to encourage the use of available Amateur Radio Spectrum to promote training and fellowship among licensed radio amateurs and persons interested in Amateur Radio [FCC Regulations Part 97.1] — as defined in our Articles of Incorporation for a Domestic Nonprofit Corporation [MCL 182 P.A. 1982] and filed with the Michigan Department of Commerce – Corporation & Securities Bureau on Mar 27, 1991, ID Number: 735-656.

GMARC is a recognized non-profit organization [MCL 432.103(K)(ii)] operating in the community of Utica, Michigan based on a Resolution passed by the City Council of the City of Utica at its regular meeting on  May 10, 2011.

GMARC is a non-religious, non-political Tax Exempt Organization as defined by Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). As such, the discussion of political matters that are not directly related to Amateur Radio at our meetings is not appropriate.

All persons interested in amateur radio communications, which is the Amateur Radio Service as defined by the Federal Communications Commission [FCC] Regulations 47 C.F.R. §97.1, may be eligible for membership.

Article I  — Section 2 — Membership

All persons interested in the Amateur Radio Service as defined by the Federal Communications Commission [FCC] Regulations 47 C.F.R. §97.1, shall be eligible to apply for membership. There are five classes of membership. They are: Regular, Life, Associate, Honorary and Heritage members. Some are voting members and some are not voting members as stated in the following sections.

Applications for membership shall be made only upon the official application form. The application shall be submitted to the Membership Secretary and shall be accompanied by the current dues.

This application shall then be considered by the Board of Directors at its next regularly scheduled meeting or via electronic vote. Applicants are approved by a two-thirds vote of The Board of Directors.

The Board shall notify applicants of the status of their application within thirty days following the meeting at which their application is considered.

The applicant immediately becomes a member of the GMARC upon approval by The Board of Directors and will be formally introduced at the next regularly scheduled general membership meeting.

A member in good standing is a member who is current on their dues.

Article I  — Section — 2.1 Regular Membership  (voting member)

Regular Membership is granted to those Club members who hold a valid Amateur Radio Operators License issued by the country of their residence. They shall also be current on their dues. And they have filed for membership into the Club and have been approved.

Article I  — Section — 2.2 Life Membership  (voting member)

Life Membership is awarded to a select few members in recognition of their major contributions to the GMARC. A member is nominated to Life Membership by the Board of Directors and approved by a 2/3 vote of the membership. As a further recognition of their contribution, a Life Member is not required to pay annual dues.

Article I  — Section — 2.3 Associate Membership     (non-voting member)

Associate Membership is a non-voting membership class that is granted to those Club members who do not hold a valid Amateur Radio Operators License issued by the country of their residence or have not filed an application to be a Regular Member and have been approved. Associate members also have to be current on their dues.

Article I  — Section — 2.4 Honorary Membership  (non-voting member)

The Club may, from time to time, nominate persons to be Honorary Members. Persons nominated shall be approved by a two-thirds vote of members present at any General Membership meeting. Honorary members do not need to hold an Amateur Radio Operators License, however. in general, they should represent significant standing in the community, state, or nation by their accomplishments or position to be considered for Honorary Membership. Honorary members shall not be required to pay dues and shall not vote as defined in Article I – Section 3.

Article I  – Section — 2.5 Heritage Membership    (non-voting member)

Heritage Membership is granted to Amateur Radio operators who were members of the former organization known as the “Firebird Amateur Radio Club”. Heritage members are not required to pay any dues.

Article I  — Section 3 —Voting

Each voting member, as defined in Article I – Section 2, shall be eligible to vote on each matter brought before the membership for a vote. Unless otherwise stated elsewhere in these By-Laws, a favorable outcome shall be determined by a simple majority. This shall be determined by a quorum of voting members present, including those present by electronic means, and absentee ballots.

Absentee Ballots are permitted and must be received by the Recording Secretary prior to the meeting at which the vote takes place.

Proxy votes are not permitted. Members may not assign their voting rights to other members.

Article I  — Section 4 — Expulsion of members

Any member may be expelled from the organization for misconduct by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at a meeting.

Misconduct is defined as any willing and repeated infraction of the Rules and Regulations of the FCC [47 C.F.R. §97], any other laws pertaining to the Amateur Radio Service, or public misconduct so as to reflect unfavorably upon GMARC or its members.

This meeting will take place after the membership has been sent notice stating that there is a motion on the floor to expel a member. Any such motion must be approved by the Board of Directors before being posted.

Article II — Dues

The organization, by recommendation by the Board of Directors and approval by a vote of the membership, may levy upon the membership such dues or assessments as shall be deemed necessary for the business of the Club organization.

Dues shall be levied on each of the membership categories as defined in Article I – Section 2.

The membership period shall extend from January 1 of any given year, through and including December 31 of said year.

A member who is in arrears (dues and/or assessments) for a period exceeding three (3) months may have his or her membership terminated and will be dropped from the roster. A member dropped from the roster has no voting privileges and cannot serve as an Officer, Director, or Committee Head.

Article III — Officers

Article III — Section 1 — Officers

The officers of the organization shall be: President, Vice President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer. All elected officer positions shall be filled by voting members, as defined in Article I – Section 2 who are members in good standing and licensed Amateur Radio Operators at the time of election. In order to be nominated as an Officer or Director of the organization, a person must be a member in good standing of the Club, as defined in Article I Section 2.

Article III — Section 2  — Term of Office

The officers of the organization shall be elected for a term of one year, which shall run from January 1 through December 31. The election of the four Officers and two Directors shall take place at the December meeting, after nominations at the November meeting. The positions of Membership Secretary, Webmaster and the Repeater Trustee shall be appointed, by the new Club Officers, at the December club meeting and shall also run from January 1 through December 31.

Vacancies occurring between elections may be filled by a special election at the next regular meeting, upon Board approval of said vacancy.

Article III — Section 3 — Removal of Officers

Officers may be removed from office by a three-fourths vote of the members present at the next scheduled meeting of voting members, as defined in Article I Section 2. This shall be upon written notice to said officer and recommendation of the Board of Directors.

Article IV — Duties of Officers

All officers may enlist volunteer assistants as necessary to fulfill the duties of the office. All officers are charged with keeping accurate records as may be necessary for their position and turning over to their successor, upon expiration of their term, any and all items that shall belong to the Club.

Article IV — Section 1 — President   (elected position)

The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization and conduct them according to the rules adopted by the Club, make appointments to Committees and be responsible for the operation of the organization. The President shall oversee all Club activities.

The President shall also have voting rights at the Board of Director meetings..

Article IV — Section 2 — Vice President   (elected position)

The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President when the President is absent and assist the President in the affairs of the Club. The Vice President shall also lend assistance to the Recording Secretary, Membership Secretary, and Treasurer as necessary.

The Vice President shall also have voting rights at the Board of Director meetings..

Article IV — Section 3 — Recording Secretary   (elected position)

The Recording Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings as deemed necessary, maintain all correspondence for the Club, notify the membership of all communications to the Club, oversee the Club’s Constitution, oversee the Club’s By-Laws and have the same available for any inquiries by the membership.

After the annual election of Officers and Directors in December, the Recording Secretary shall file with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), an Annual Report reflecting new Officers and Directors.

The Recording Secretary shall file an annual Club Update with the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) reflecting new officers and activities of the Club.

The Recording Secretary shall file a bi-annual Special Services Club (SSC) application with the ARRL to keep GMARC’s SSC designation active.

The Recording Secretary shall be responsible for providing to the Webmaster (See Article IV Section 7): meeting minutes, upcoming calendar events such as monthly Membership Meetings, Field Days, Trunk Swaps, and other information of interest to the Amateur Radio community.

The Recording Secretary shall also have voting rights at the Board of Director meetings..

Article IV — Section 4 — Treasurer   (elected position)

The Treasurer shall accept and deposit in the Club’s bank account, all monies collected by the Club, make disbursements as authorized by the Club, and shall be responsible for and keep an accurate record of the financial status of the Club. Any disbursement over $500 shall be brought before the next General Membership Meeting for approval.

The Treasurer shall develop an Annual Budget of projected income and operating expenses for the upcoming Calendar Year and present the Budget to the Board of Directors for approval.

GMARC is a Tax Exempt Organization as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Along with Tax Exempt Status come the following recordkeeping and reporting requirements to the IRS:

Record-keeping requirements:

• Section 501(c)(3) organizations are required to keep books and records detailing all activities, both financial and non-financial. Financial information, particularly information on its sources of support (contributions, grants, sponsorships, and other sources of revenue) is crucial to determining an organization’s public charity status.
• A charitable organization must provide a written disclosure to a donor who makes a payment in excess of $75 partly as a contribution and partly for goods and services provided to the organization. (See IRS Pub. 1771).
• Annual reporting requirements to the IRS:

          Beginning in 2008, small organizations must submit an annual Electronic Notice using Form 990-N [Electronic Notice (e-Postcard) ]. The e-Postcard can only be filed electronically; there is no paper version.

• It shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to assure full compliance with the above stated requirements from the IRS.

The Treasurer shall also have voting rights at the Board of Director meetings.

Article IV — Section 5 — Director-at-Large   (elected position)

The two Directors-at-Large shall support the officers of the Club. They shall attend the Board of Director’s meeting which generally precedes the GMARC general meetings. Their function is to support the officers of the Club.

The two Directors-at-Large also have voting rights at the Board of Director meetings..

Article IV — Section 6 — Past-President Director   (automatic position)

The immediate past president of the GMARC shall be an automatic Director at Large. This position shall run from January 1 to December 31 of the following year of when the past president was in office.

The immediate past president shall also have voting rights at the Board of Director meetings..

Article IV — Section 7 — Webmaster    (appointed position)

The Webmaster shall be appointed by the new Board of Directors at the December meeting. The Webmaster will also have voting rights on the Board of Director’s meetings.

The Webmaster shall be responsible for maintaining, updating, and making additions to the www.gmarc.org website, Social Media and other electronic presence on the Internet.

The Webmaster shall make sure that Club documents. e.g. Constitution, By-Laws, Meeting Location, and Membership Application are up to date on the website.

The Webmaster shall maintain a section on the website about our WW8GM Repeaters.

The Webmaster shall receive from the Recording Secretary minutes of monthly membership meetings and scheduled calendar events and post them to the web site. The webmaster shall maintain an “index page” showing all minutes available on the website.

The Webmaster shall receive from the Membership Secretary a Roster of all Regular and Associate members who have paid their current year’s dues and post said Roster to the website.

The Webmaster shall also have voting rights at the Board of Director meetings..

Article IV — Section 8 — Repeater Trustee    (appointed position)

The Repeater Trustee shall be appointed by the new Board of Directors at the December meeting. The Repeater Trustee will also have voting rights on the Board of Director’s meetings.

The Repeater Trustee may be changed by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

The Repeater Trustee shall be responsible for maintaining proper operation of the WW8GM repeater(s) according to the rules of the FCC [47 C.F.R. §97]. The Repeater Trustee shall appoint and direct technicians and control operators as needed for the proper operation of the Club’s repeaters.

Bi-Annually, the Repeater Trustee shall file a Technical Data Summary (TDS) with the Michigan Area Repeater Council (MiARC) to update the coordination of our two WW8GM repeaters – UHF: 443.075 MHz, and VHF: 145.210 MHz to assure that GMARC maintains its coordination with MiARC.

The Repeater Trustee is responsible for the Station License of the GMARC Repeaters – FCC call sign: WW8GM, FRN: 0020685319. The Repeater Trustee shall assure that the Station License is renewed every ten years with the FCC within 60 days of its expiration.

The Repeater Trustee shall also have voting rights on the Board of Director’s meetings.

Article IV — Section 9 — Membership Secretary   (appointed position)

The Membership Secretary shall be appointed by the new Board of Directors at the December meeting. The Membership Secretary shall not have voting rights at the Board of Director meetings.

The Membership Secretary shall keep the records of current Regular, Life, Associate, Honorary and Heritage members of the club – showing the date through which their dues are paid. The Membership Secretary shall provide this information to the Webmaster for posting on the www.gmarc.org web site.

The Membership Secretary shall also be responsible for making GMARC Badge IDs for members, for new member information, and for seeing that each new member receives all necessary information about the Club.

Article V — Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall consist of NINE (9) members. They are the elected Officers, President, Vice President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer, two elected Directors-at-Large, the immediate Past President, the Webmaster and the Repeater Trustee.

In order to be nominated as a Director of the organization, a person must be a member in good standing of the Club, as defined in Article I Section 2.

The Board of Directors shall be the governing body of the organization and shall meet regularly to determine such policies necessary for the continued growth and welfare of the organization. A quorum for the Board of Directors meetings for the transaction of business shall be four (4) board members. Meetings are open to all GMARC members. But only the Board of Directors shall have a vote in these proceedings.

Article VI — Meetings

Article VI — Section 1 — Regular Meetings

Regularly scheduled general membership meetings shall be held at least four (4) times per year except in the months of July and August. A quorum for the meetings for the transaction of business shall be 10% of the voting membership, as defined in Article I Section 2. Meetings are open to all GMARC members and guests, when accompanied by a current member. Only voting members, as defined in Article I Section 2, shall have a vote in the proceedings.

Meetings may take place in a physical location, by electronic means, or by a combination of both.

Article VI — Section 2 — Special Meetings

The Board of Directors, as deemed necessary, may schedule special meetings. Notice shall be sent to all members at least one (1) week prior to the special meeting.

Article VI — Section 3 — Minutes

Minutes of all meetings will be taken by the Recording Secretary and posted to the Club’s Web Site (www.gmarc.org) after approval of the general membership.

Article VI — Section 4 — Parliamentary Authority

All meetings of GMARC will be conducted by Robert’s Rules of Order regarding Parliamentary Procedure. In all other cases, the GMARC By-Laws shall be followed.

Article VII — Committees of the Club

The need for Committees shall be determined by the membership through the daily activities of the Club. The President shall appoint or request a volunteer to Chair each Committee as needed. Each Committee Chairperson shall be responsible for appointing assistants or requesting volunteers as needed to complete the work of the Committee.

Article VIII — Changes to the By-Laws

All changes to the By-Laws shall be accomplished by a written draft presented at a regularly scheduled meeting and transmitted to the entire membership. The membership shall have a minimum of three weeks to review the draft. Voting on the changes shall take place at the next scheduled General Membership meeting. Voting shall be accomplished by written ballot, absentee ballot, or by electronic ballot.

Article IX — Club Funds – (Disbanding of the Club)

It is the wish of the membership that if the General Motors Radio Club (GMARC) disbands as a Club, that all equipment owned by the Club be sold. All funds from the sale, along with any other funds of the organization, shall be donated to an organization selected by the Board of Directors and approved by the membership.

By-Laws Revision History:

GMARC By-Laws – Revised: September 16, 2009
GMARC By-Laws – Revised: January 15, 2013         (v1.51)
GMARC By-Laws – Revised: September 14, 2017   (v1.81)
GMARC By-Laws – Revised: December 15, 2020    (v2.00)

GMARC By-Laws – Revised: May 16, 2023                (v2.10)

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