Revised November 23, 2004 

    The name of the club shall be the SARASOTA R/C SQUADRON, INC. and under the acronym "SRQ". 

    The offices of the Association shall be located in the State, of the current President's residency. 

    A. Its purpose shall be to bring together all persons interested in promoting and fostering a common interest in the building and flying of all radio controlled model aircraft and the securing and maintaining of flying sites.

    B. All regular and/or special undertakings and activities of SRQ shall conform to the policies of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and the regulations of that organization governing model aircraft contests. 

    Each year SRQ shall secure and renew a charter from the AMA. 

     A. Any person desiring to become a Member of SRQ shall submit a written application to the Treasurer or any current board member together with the current initiation fee and a minimum of the yearly dues then in effect. The term of Membership shall commence upon acceptance of such application and dues and shall terminate upon expiration of the applicable dues period, unless renewed. All renewing members shall present their renewed AMA card to the SRQ treasurer at the beginning of each calendar year verifying AMA membership. Flyers requiring an AMA waiver, such as a turbine engine waiver, shall also provide a copy of the waiver to the treasurer upon application for membership and renewal. Flyers operating on an FCC amateur radio band shall submit a copy of their FCC license to the treasurer upon application for membership or renewal. 

    B. Membership in SRQ is available to all individuals satisfying the following requirements:

        1. For members with flying privileges, be a member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA).

        2. Agree to abide by all the rules and regulations of AMA and SRQ as they may from time to time be established.

        3. Pay an initiation fee and membership dues for the current period.

    C. Termination of membership in SRQ may be accomplished in the following ways:

1. Failure to timely pay dues.

                2. Improper conduct and/or failure to abide by the Rules and Regulations of SRQ. This forced resignation to be effected by a majority vote of the total membership present at a general membership meeting.

                3. Failure to renew AMA membership when due.

    D. Reinstatement of terminated members may be accomplished in the following ways:

                1. Members who resign in good standing may be reinstated if they can produce a valid AMA license and pay the requisite dues for the current dues period.

                2. All other former members seeking reinstatement will be treated as new applicants and shall be required to pay an initiation fee in addition to the requisite dues.

                3. Persons dropped from the membership in accordance with paragraph C. 2. above will not be considered for reinstatement without the approval of the membership.

    E. The following types of SRQ memberships are provided:

                1. Regular members with flying and voting rights.

                2. Junior members, under the age of 18 with flying and voting rights at reduced initiation fee and membership dues.

                3. Family membership with flying and voting rights for each family member at reduced membership dues.

                4. Honorary members with flying and voting rights & no initiation fee or membership dues. Such members will be established by a majority membership vote.

    A. Officers to be elected by the membership shall consist of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. In addition to these elected officers, the President elect shall appoint a Safety Officer for each flying site used by SRQ.

    B. The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three members of SRQ elected at large.

    C. A Nominating Committee consisting of at least three (3) SRQ members shall be appointed during the general membership meeting in August of each year. The Nominating Committee shall then select at least the requisite board and officer nominations from current SRQ/AMA members in adequate time for all candidates' names to appear in the SRQ newsletter before the elections, preferably by the October general membership meeting.

    D. Officers and board members shall be elected at the November meeting with due notice of this meeting having been given to the membership. A plurality vote of the members in attendance at this meeting shall be required to be elected. No officer or director shall hold the same office or directors position more than two (2) consecutive terms in his or her elected office.

    E. Newly elected directors and officers shall assume their duties on January 1 of the year following their election. An installation ceremony of the new officers and board members shall be held at the December meeting.

    F.  Newly elected officers and board members shall hold a joint meeting with the previously elected officers and board members in December to become familiar with the duties and information from the outgoing Board of Directors.

    G. Duly elected officers and board members may only be removed from office by a majority vote of the board at a special meeting held for that purpose only, with a quorum being present. The action of the board must be confirmed by a majority vote of the members present at the next regularly scheduled membership meeting. Notification of the membership of the impending vote shall be via the club newsletter. No name will be published. The effected member shall be notified by registered letter of the date and time of all meetings scheduled to remove him from office. 

    H. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Membership Committee. The purpose of this committee is to maintain a single database that contains pertinent membership information. The Membership Committee shall be responsible for periodically publishing a club roster, publishing membership badges and coordinating with the Orientation and Training Chairman to assure that no new member receives their flying privileges without proof of qualifications.

    A. The President shall:

        1. Preside at all board and general meetings.

        2. Act as spokesman for SRQ.

        3. Appoint chairpersons of all committees subject to board approval.

        4. As Chairman of the Board, assure a quorum of five (5) voting members of the board for any requisite vote and be responsible for proxies.

        5. Authorize emergency or special expenditures not exceeding fifty dollars ($50) in any one instance.

        6. Replace officers and board members who are unable to fulfill their required duties due to excessive absences, reasons of health and so on. Replacements will finish out the unexpired term of the replaced board member. Replacements must be approved by the board.

        7. Call appropriate executive groups as needed to carry out necessary business. Such group members need not be members of the Board.

        8. Cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie.

    B. The Vice President shall:

        1. Act for the President when he is unable to serve due to resignation, removal, death or disability. If the Vice President is unable or unwilling to serve, then the line of succession will be Treasurer, Secretary then longest serving Board member.

        2. Coordinate the programs for the monthly membership meetings.

    C. The Secretary shall:

        1. Keep the minutes of all Board of Directors and general meetings of SRQ.

        2. Cause to be carried out the official correspondence of SRQ.

        3. Maintain a file of SRQ correspondence, insurance records, corporate charter and so on.

        4. File and maintain all requisite reports pertinent to retaining charter membership in the AMA.

    D. The Treasurer shall:

        1. Collect all monies due, disburse same and keep accurate records of all transactions.

        2. Present a report of all transactions to board meetings and be prepared, as required, to report at General Meetings of Members. Present an annual financial statement to the membership within sixty (60) days next following the beginning of each calendar year.

        3. Keep all SRQ funds in a checking and/or savings account as approved by the board.

    A. The general membership shall meet once a month as determined by the Board based upon the availability and time of a meeting location. The minutes of the previous general membership meeting shall be read or published for approval or revision. The President or Vice President shall give a brief report of board activities. The Treasurer shall provide a written report of all income expenditures and all current SRQ account balances as appropriate.

    B. The Board of Directors shall meet once a month at a regularly scheduled time. It shall be the responsibility of the board members to keep abreast of the opinions and ideas of the General Membership in order that SRQ activities and direction are in the best interests of SRQ and its members.  Additional board meetings may be called as deemed necessary by the President. 

    C. The conduct of these meetings shall be in accordance with regular parliamentary procedure per "Roberts Rules of Order". 

    Flying sites designated by SRQ will be approved by the membership and insured by the AMA.

    A. Each SRQ member should be aware of the fact that the obtaining and keeping of flying sites is a prime purpose of this club. To accomplish this, in addition to the current AMA model aviation safety code, SRQ field guidelines will be provided. It is also the intent of the AMA safety code and field guidelines to provide safety not only for the spectators, but for the members as well.

    B. The Safety Officer shall enforce these Rules and Regulations and is charged with the obligation of bringing any infractions of these rules and regulations to the attention of the membership.

    C. Because the Rules and Regulations change from time to time, as flying sites change, these Rules and Regulations covering flying sites, safety and general conditions shall be provided separately and each member shall be responsible for obtaining the latest copy.

    D. A copy of the Rules and Regulations shall be posted in a prominent place at each flying site. 

    E.  Guest pilots shall be members of AMA. A guest pilot may fly three calendar days per year.

    The General Membership shall be notified in advance, in writing (via the SRQ newsletter or special notice) that amendments will be considered at the next General Meeting. Proposed changes to the By-laws shall then be published in their entirety in the Newsletter. Voting on the proposed amendment shall occur at the membership meeting following publication. Proposed amendments to the By-Laws of SRQ may be made by the Board or any Member in good standing. Amendments to the Bylaws will require a two-thirds vote of SRQ Members in good standing present at the meeting at which the vote is taken.

        A. All voting at meetings shall be by show of hands except for election of officers and directors. Election of officers and directors shall be conducted by secret ballot.

        B. The Nominating Committee shall supervise, count and report the results of all voting for elections of officers and directors.

        C. A member who is unable to attend a meeting where an issue is to be voted upon by written ballot may vote by proxy. The proxy vote must be in writing. 

        A. The Treasurer shall make only those expenditures of SRQ funds authorized and approved by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is authorized to approve expenditures of up to $500. All proposed expenditures of above $500 must be approved by a majority of SRQ members present at a general membership meeting.

        B. The Treasurer shall set aside forty percent (40%) of all SRQ membership dues collected each year for a capital improvement reserve fund. Expenditures from this capital improvement reserve fund shall only be made for that purpose and only after the general membership has been notified in advance, in writing (via the SRQ newsletter or special notice) that such an expenditure will be considered at a general meeting. Approval for any such expenditure will then require a two-thirds vote of SRQ members in good standing present at the meeting at which the vote is taken. 

        A. The annual membership dues shall be presented by the board to the membership in conjunction with a proposed budget for the upcoming year submitted for approval by a majority vote of the members in good standing present at the September general membership meeting. The general membership shall be notified in writing (via the Newsletter or special notice) that the dues and budget are being presented at this meeting for membership consideration. A change in dues shall become effective on the first day of October next following any approved change.

        B. No special assessments shall be levied except upon the recommendation of the Board and approved by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Members in good standing present at a general membership meeting.

        C. The fee for initiation into SRQ shall be established annually by the board.

        D. Any Member delinquent in paying next years dues by December 31^st of the current year shall forfeit all rights and privileges of membership and will be dropped from SRQ in good standing until all dues and fees are paid.

    The Board of Directors shall maintain liability and property coverage on the buildings and contents.  Contents coverage shall be based on an annual inventory of the existing records.  The records and insurance policies will be kept by the Secretary. 

        A. The corporation may be dissolved with the approval of a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the total membership. 

        B. Upon the dissolution of the corporation, the Treasurer shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all the liabilities of the corporation, dispose of all of the assets of the corporation exclusively for the purposes of the corporation in such manner, to the Academy of Model Aeronautics.