NZVRS Constitution

Constitution of the New Zealand Vintage Radio Society Incorporated
Dated 15 Jan ‘98
Revised 17 Sept '01
1 Definitions:
Society
means the New Zealand Vintage Radio Society Incorporated
Members
means paid up financial members of the Society
Executive or Committee
means the elected executive or committee of the Society
Foundation Members
means those who attended the inaugural meeting (26 November 1979) to form the
Society.
2 Name:
The name of this Society shall be the “New Zealand Vintage Radio Society Incorporated”. It is
also commonly known as the “NZVRS”.
3 Objectives:
The Society objectives are:
1.
To foster interest in Vintage Radio Collecting including the preservation and restoration of early
radio equipment and related items.
2.
To document all facets of the history of radio especially in New Zealand.
3.
To educate by arranging shows, talks, displays etc and to participate where practical in sharing
members’ interests through various media.
4.
To act as an approachable body, encouraging members in all facets of this hobby.
5.
To promote fair trading and an information service for members through a regular newsletter.
6.
To accommodate and manage a catalogued library collection of material relevant to the Society.
4 Finance:
The Society is a non-profit organisation with surplus funds from its operations being invested to
make provision for unexpected expenses and possibly to provide its own clubrooms. The Society shall not
enter into any commercial activity other than minor purchase and supply (to members) of selected books,
components, materials etc.
1.
The financial year shall be from 1 January - 31 December.
2.
The day to day financial matters of the Society shall be the responsibility of the treasurer.
3.
All cheques will require two signatures and all signatories must be committee members {two in
addition to the treasurer is usual}.
4.
All financial outlays of greater than $2,000 (two thousand dollars) shall require executive committee
approval and be noted in the minute book.
5.
All money belonging to the Society, apart from some petty cash, shall be held in approved accounts
in the name of the Society.
6.
An annual account of the Society’s financial affairs will be presented at the Annual General Meeting
(AGM).
5 Powers to raise money
: Should the Society need to raise money for any of its objects, a two thirds
majority vote at an AGM or Special General Meeting (
SGM) is needed to approve the action. Alternatively
a postal ballot of all New Zealand financial members with a simple majority approval vote on a minimum
50% (fifty per cent) return may be used to approve the action.
6 No Pecuniary Gain for Members:
The assets of the Society shall be used solely to promote the
objects of the Society.
No portion shall be paid to any member of the Society
except for
the reimbursement
of reasonable expenses, or the payment in good faith, for services rendered to the Society by that member.
7 Membership:
Membership is available to any persons of apparent good repute expressing an interest in
Radio Collecting and upon application to the subscription secretary.
Payment of the subscription shall be taken as acceptance of the Society’s rules or constitution. The
executive of the Society reserves the right to decline any application.
Written advice of non-acceptance is to
be provided to the applicant as soon as practicable.
8 Subscription:
The annual subscription rate shall be determined at the AGM of the Society.
The subscription year is the same as the Society’s financial year 1 January - 31 December.
Failure by any member to pay their subscriptions by 31st March shall be deemed to be that member’s
resignation from the Society. Upon joining or re-joining the Society in any year, a full year’s subscription rate
applies.
9 Management:
The affairs of the Society shall be managed by the executive committee comprising:
President (or Chairperson), Secretary, Treasurer and from 5 (five) to 7 (seven) committee members.
1.
The executive committee shall be elected at the AGM (or
SGM in special circumstances).
2.
Meetings of the executive committee shall require a quorum of 5 (five) persons, including at least one
of the president, secretary or treasurer.
3.
Should any committee member(s) vacate or resign their position, those remaining may co-opt members
to fill the vacancy to assist with the running of the Society until the next AGM
or
SGM.
4.
The executive committee shall manage the positions of editor, librarian and subscription secretary.
These positions may have multiple appointments at the discretion of the executive committee and they
may also co-opt members to assist with any activities of the Society.
5.
The executive committee may carry out postal ballots (of all or some of its members as it sees fit) to
assist
decision making.
6.
All meeting details (Ordinary, Committee, AGM and
SGM) shall be recorded in a minute book.
7.
The President (or Chairperson) may exercise a casting vote right to maintain the status quo in cases of
a decision impasse.
10 Control of the common seal of the Society
: The secretary of the Society shall have custody of the
common seal of the Society and shall use it only as authorised by these rules and with the approval of the
executive committee of the Society.
11 Annual General Meeting:
The AGM of the Society shall be held annually within 3 months of the end
of the Society’s financial year. All financial New Zealand resident members of the Society shall be advised
(through the Society’s newsletter or otherwise) of the date and place of the AGM at least 30 days before the
meeting.
The AGM agenda items include:
a)
election of the executive committee
b)
setting of the subscription rate for the following financial year (starting in the next calendar year)
c)
president’s report
d)
annual financial accounts balance report
e)
appointment of the financial auditor of the Society’s accounts
f)
any special business
g)
any general business
The quorum for an AGM shall be not fewer than 10 (ten) members and voting may be secret or by show of
hands depending upon the choice of those present.
{Signed and seconded nominations for President, Secretary and Treasurer close 14 days before the meeting
with the present secretary or nominated returning officer. Nominations for the remaining committee may be
taken from the floor at the meeting.}
12 Ordinary Meetings:
There shall be at least 10 (ten) ordinary meetings of the Society each year where
all members are invited to participate in the general activities of the Society. The time and place of these
ordinary meetings will be listed in the Society’s newsletter or Bulletin.
13 Committee meetings:
The executive may call committee meetings to be held as, where and when it
decides during the year to manage the Society’s affairs.
14 Special General Meeting:
A Special General Meeting (
SGM) of the Society may be called by any 10
(ten) New Zealand resident and financial members of the Society
provided that
:
1.
all financial members of the Society are advised (through the Society newsletter or otherwise) of the
date and place of the
SGM at least 30 days before the meeting.
2.
the purpose and agenda of the meeting is clearly defined and not deviated from.
3.
the date of the
SGM is not within 3 months of a (possible) AGM as defined in this constitution.
The quorum for an
SGM shall be not fewer than 10 (ten) members and voting may be secret or by show of
hands depending upon the choice of those present.
15 Financial Auditor:
The Society shall annually appoint an auditor to inspect the Society’s financial
records. The financial auditor may be a member but
cannot
have any other duties in the Society nor be on
any committee. The auditor has no remuneration for their task. The auditor shall report back in writing to the
executive committee before the Society accounts (or balance sheet) are published or circulated beyond the
AGM.
16 Life Members:
The Society may allocate life membership to any member deemed to have
demonstrated particularly meritorious service to the Society. Nominations may be made and seconded by
any financial members, but must be received by the President (Chairperson) at least 14 days before the
AGM. Life members retain full membership privileges in all Society matters
, retain their normal voting rights,
may stand for election to, or be seconded to any position. There can only be a maximum
of 5 (five) life
members of the Society at any one time. Life membership can be “resigned” by a member or may be
withdrawn at an AGM (or
SGM) with a
two thirds majority vote of those present.
17 Withdrawal of Membership (Expulsion):
A member can be expelled from the Society by an AGM
(or
SGM) resolution passed with a two thirds majority vote of those present. The member named in the
resolution is to be informed in writing at least 30 days before the meeting, and then informed of the result in
writing, as soon as practicable, after the meeting (even if they were present at that meeting). There is no
refund of membership fees and all rights or privileges cease immediately. Once expelled a member cannot
rejoin the Society for at least five years.
18 Code of Ethics
: Society membership may be withdrawn for any act of dishonesty, conduct contrary to
the spirit of the Society’s constitution or for any act likely to bring the Society into disrepute.
1.
No one shall use (or copy) the Society’s logo, symbol, official seal, stamp, letterhead or imply the
approval of the Society in any advertising, promotional material, correspondence or transaction,
without prior authorisation in writing by the Society’s committee.
2.
The Society is in
no way
financially responsible for any transaction of a
member which is not the
authorised official business of the Society.
3.
No one shall use the Society’s databases of membership details (or any other information) for any
purpose without prior written authorisation from the Society’s Committee.
Members are generally authorised to use the membership contact list only for direct personal contact
with other members. Members shall have the option (usually on the subscription renewal form) to have
their contact details kept confidential.