OARS ByLaws
Bylaws of the Olympia Amateur Radio Society
Article 1 - Officers
1.1 The President shall preside over all regular membership and Executive Board meetings
and is responsible for the overall operation of the club.
1.2 The Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President. The Vice President's
responsibilities include chairing the Program Committee.
1.3 The Secretary shall record the minutes of the regular club meetings, handle club
correspondence, maintain club records and distribute the club's monthly newsletter.
1.4 The Treasurer shall control and maintain records of all club funds, keep the membership
list current and keep detailed records of other fund drives. The Treasurer will keep the records
current and provide the Executive Committee a detailed monthly report. The Treasurer will
report the current balances of accounts, expenditures and income by including a monthly
statement in the newsletter. The books will be available for display at each club meeting.
1.5 The Member-at-Large shall represent the general membership at the Executive Board
meetings, and can serve on other committees as needed.
Article 2 - Executive Board
2.1 The Executive Board shall consist of the elected officers to be elected at the October
meeting. The President shall preside at Executive Board meetings.
Article 3 - Membership Procedures
3.1 All applications for membership shall be in the form prescribed by the Executive Board.
Such application must be accompanied by a membership fee (dues) as prescribed in Article 4
of the bylaws.
3.2 Nominations for Honorary Lifetime membership may be introduced by any member at a
regular meeting of the membership. Upon a vote of a two-thirds majority of the voting
membership present at the next regular meeting, the Honorary Lifetime membership shall be
awarded.
3.3 No person shall be accepted for membership unless he/she agrees fully to comply with all
of the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation, the Constitution and the Bylaws of the
Olympia Amateur Radio Society. Any member who violates his/her membership agreement
may have his/her membership revoked by a two-thirds majority of the voting members
present at any regular meeting of the membership.
By-Law Changes, Section 4 Membership Dues Only
February 19, 2020
Article 4 - Membership Dues
4.1 Any change in annual dues that may be recommended by the Board of Directors shall
be approved by the membership at a duly scheduled monthly or special meeting. The change
shall take effect on the 1 st day of January following the vote. Notice of a proposed change in
dues shall be published in WattS News the month before the vote.
4.2 Honorary Lifetime members shall not be required to pay dues.
4.3. The spouse and dependent children of a member in good standing (hereinafter “Family
Unit”) shall not be required to pay additional dues. A Family Unit shall be limited to a single
member vote.
4.3 Licensees under age 18 shall be required to pay dues beginning the year after her or
his eighteenth birthday if not a member of a Family Unit.
4.4 Dues in the full amount are payable on January 1st for renewing members and new
amateur licensees who join OARS before May 31 st . Amateur licensees who become a
member of OARS on or after June 1 st shall pay 50% of the annual dues for the remainder of
the year. Reduced dues are not available to former members.
4.5 New licensees are not required to pay dues for the calendar year in which they are first
licensed as a radio amateur. Membership under this paragraph shall be effective on the
treasurer’s receipt of an email confirming the licensee’s interest in membership and providing
his or her new call sign.
4.6 Only members in good standing shall be entitled to vote on any matter requiring
membership approval under state law or these bylaws as amended.Article 4 -
Article 5 - Club-Owned Property
5.1 A Custodian shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board.
5.2 The Custodian will be the custodian of all club-owned property, and shall maintain a
current inventory list in duplicate of all items and their locations. One copy of the list will be
held by the Custodian and one will be held in the file of the Treasurer.
5.3 Members shall have access to the use of club-owned property as defined in the station
rules. Individuals using club-owned property in this manner are responsible for the care and
preservation of the property while in their hands. No item of club-owned property may be
modified or removed by any of the members without express approval of the Executive Board.
5.4 Acquisition of new property and the disposition of old property shall be subject to a
majority vote of the voting membership attending any regular meeting. Necessary repairs to
club-owned equipment will be accomplished at a minimum cost to the club, and such costs
shall be subject to review and prior approval of the Executive Board.
5.5 The Board of Directors shall select a Trustee from the OARS membership to be the
Trustee of the Club Callsign/License issued by the FCC. The Board of Directors may change
the Trustee of the Callsign/License as necessary. Notification of the change shall be given to
the outgoing Trustee and the OARS membership.
Article 6 - Meetings
6.1 Monthly meetings will be held at a regular time and place as determined by a majority of
members in good standing at a monthly meeting. The Board may change the time and
location of single meetings should exceptional conditions occur, provided adequate notice is
provided to the membership. The December meeting will be a special dinner meeting.
6.2 The Executive Board shall meet once each month at a time other than the regular meeting
of the membership. The time and place of the Board meeting shall be designated by the
President and announced at the regular club meeting.
Article 7 - Station Rules
7.1 Station Rules shall be defined and/or modified by the Executive Board.
Article 8 - Committees
8.1 Committees may be appointed by the President as needed. The President shall be an ex-
officio member of all such committees.
8.2 The committees may appoint such agents or assistants as they find necessary to conduct
committee business.
8.3 Standing Committees:
RFI Committee
Objectives: To identify the source of RFI complaints and, if amateur related, attempt to
resolve.
Policies and Procedures:
1. The RFI Committee will intervene only if requested by the complaining party -- or the FCC.
2. If an RFI complaint is determined to be within the complainant's equipment, the RFI
Committee will advise action to be taken; not correct or repair any equipment.
3. If the assistance of the RFI Committee is requested by the FCC, the Committee will attempt
to locate the source of the RFI:
a. If the source is of or by a commercially operated licensee, the findings will be so reported.
b. If the source is of or by citizens' band operated stations, the findings will be so reported.
c. If the source is of or by amateur radio, the Committee will make contact and attempt to
resolve.
Repeater Committee
Objective: Maintain repeaters for use by club members.
1. It should consist of a chief operator and not more than four members appointed by the
Executive Board.
2. All maintenance and/or modifications to the repeaters must go through this committee.
3. This committee is responsible to the Board of Directors and ultimately the membership.
The committee has discretionary control of budgeted repeater maintenance funds. Any extra
expenditures must be approved by the Board of Directors/membership.
Article 9 - Amendments
9.1 These Bylaws may be amended by the submission in writing of a proposed amendments
at any regular meeting, but may not be acted upon until the next regular meeting.
9.2 Voting members shall be notified, in writing, at least seven days prior to a meeting in
which bylaws amendments are acted upon. The proposed amendment shall be stated in the
notice.
9.3 The adoption of a proposed amendment shall require the approval of two-thirds of the
voting members present in a formal vote.