Bylaws section of the RAC Web site
Approved August 19, 1994
The Society is a non-profit organization, the purpose of which is to publicize and stimulate interest in astronomy and to provide opportunities to further the education of the members.
The club will meet monthly at a time and place established at the previous meeting.
Each regular meeting will consist of:
Membership is available to all people interested in astronomy. People under the age of 18 must have parental permission.
A person becomes a member by written or verbal application to a club officer and payment of the requisite dues. Membership is valid for the calendar year and is renewed through the payment of dues.
Officers will serve a term of one year. The term of office is the calendar year. Nominations will be taken beginning in October. Elections of officers will be held at the January meeting or at the first meeting thereafter having a quorum of members. The previously elected officers will continue their duties until the new officers are seated. Officers and their duties are:
In the event that there are not enough members available for all the offices, the function of Historian shall be combined with Secretary/Treasurer. An officer may also be elected as Editor. If an editor is not elected, the President is responsible for these duties.
Presence of one-quarter of the members is required for election of officers and ordinary decision making, not to include changes in the by-laws. Presence of one-third of the members is required to change the by-laws.
Special committees will be appointed to pursue topics of interest for presentation at later meetings. Parental permission is required for participation of non-members under age 18 in special events. Each member will be responsible for his/her own equipment.
Annual dues are payable at the January meeting. A three month grace period is allowed for renewal. For new members, dues will be prorated to the next higher dollar for the remaining months of the year.
The dues amount will be voted upin in the last quarter of the year and take effect for the next year's dues. Guidelines for setting the dues amount follows.
The cost of special events will be determined separately and will be divided among those participating. Any expense over 10% of the club's checking account balance, other than standard operating expenses, must be approved by a vote of members at a regular business meeting having a quorum.
If the club should dissove all assets will be distributed to one or more regularly organized and tax exempt charitable, educational, or scientific organizations to be selected by the current members at the time of dissolution.
The club will offer discount subscriptions to astronomy magazines as available from the publishers to recognized astronomy clubs. Magazine subscriptions will be offered according to the interest of the members. To obtain the discount, subscriptions must be ordered through the club. Each member is responsible for renewing his or her subscription through the secretary/treasurer.
Certain magazines may request the club to submit all renewals as a block. In this case members must pay their renewal fee in time for the treasurer to submit their renewals by the required date.
The T.A.S. newsletter may be purchased by non-members at cost.
Alcoholic beverages may not be consumed by anyone under the age of 21 at any event sponsored by the club. Members of guests not conducting themselves in an orderly fashion can be asked to leave the function. In case of an offense deemed to rate expulsion or suspension from the club action will be brought by the officers and voted on by a quorum of one-third the members.
This section contains explanations of features in the bylaws. It is not a part of the bylaws.
This Web-ized presentation faithfully reproduces the text of the official paper version of the bylaws. I need to do a little more work to make it faithfully echo the look and feel of the paper version.
Triangulum Astronomical Society was the previous name of the Rappahannock Astronomy Club. The bylaws were not updated after the membership changed its name.