Shannonside Astronomy Club Constitution
1. Club Name
The name of the club shall be the Shannonside Astronomy Club (SAC). Herein referred to as the club.
2. Club Objectives
To stimulate interest in astronomy and associated fields.
Where practicable, the club will participate in outreach programmes through newspaper/magazine articles, organising observing sessions, attendance at organised educational events, such as Science Week, and through the provision and maintenance of a club web site.
3. Governance
The club shall be governed by a committee consisting of:
Chairperson,
Secretary,
Treasurer,
and at least 1 other committee member.
Committee members shall be assigned roles and responsibilities as deemed appropriate by the club committee. A document, outlining the roles and responsibilities of all club committee members, shall be maintained and updated, namely (club roles and responsibilities), as required, by club secretary.
4. Trustees
Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer shall be appointed as trustees. The trustees along with the treasurer shall be the only club members authorised to sign cheques drawn on club funds.
All club properties shall be vested in the trustees.
5. Rules and Regulations
Nominations for election to the committee shall be made and voted on at the annual general meeting (AGM).
An outgoing member of the club committee may be re-elected.
To be eligible for membership of the committee, a person shall have been a member of the club for not less than one calendar years immediately prior to election to the committee.
Committee members shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next AGM unless otherwise resolved at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
Committee members shall not serve, in any one position, for more than 3 consecutive terms unless the committee member wishes to continue and there is no other nomination.
Any one person shall not hold more then 1 of the following positions, chairperson, secretary, treasurer.
Decisions of the club committee shall be entered into the minute book of the club, to be maintained by the club secretary.
6. Powers of the Committee
The committee shall have power to transact all business relating to the management and direction of the club.
Along with their identifiable roles on the committee, members of the committee may be assigned other specific tasks by the committee.
The committee may decide to co-opt a club member on to the committee for a specific task and for a defined period.
The committee may fill any position that becomes vacant during the year from the membership of the club. The candidate to fill the vacancy shall be proposed by one club committee member, seconded by another and approved by a simple majority of the remaining club committee members providing that the person has been a club member for at least 1 calendar year.
The club committee may appoint an action group for defined purposes for a defined period and are answerable to the chairperson and the secretary.
7. Amendments to the constitution & bye-laws
The committee may initiate proposals for the amendment of the constitution and/or
by-laws, otherwise any proposals for their amendments must be submitted in writing through the secretary and must be supported by at least 25% of the club members.
Any amendment to the constitution and/or by-laws shall be decided by a two thirds vote majority at the AGM or EGM of the members present.
8. Subscriptions
Members shall pay an annual subscription as fixed at the annual general meeting.
Different subscription rates may be fixed for persons of different ages or in different circumstances.
The club’s year shall commence in February from which month annual subscriptions shall become due. A person whose annual subscription is in arrears shall not receive any publication of the club until the annual subscription is paid, unless at the discretion of the committee.
New members are expected to pay the remainder of the year outstanding.
Existing members are expected to pay the annual subscription fee as set at the AGM.
Members who fail to renew their annual subscription on or before the last day of March shall cease to be a member of the club and will be notified as such by the secretary.
9. Club Liabilities
The chairperson and secretary shall ensure that sufficient insurance is in place to cover all club activities.
10. Club Membership
The committee must approve application for membership and the appropriate annual subscription must be lodged with the treasurer before the applicant shall be deemed to have been accepted as a club member.
The secretary shall provide every newly elected member with a welcome pack.
11. Meetings
11.1 Annual General Meetings
The club shall hold annual general meetings on a date and at a venue, which shall be decided on by the committee.
Notice of the AGM shall be promulgated to all members at least 7 days prior to the event by the secretary.
Either the chairperson or secretary shall produce the agenda for the AGM.
The AGM agenda shall contain inter alia:
i. Approval of the minutes of the previous years AGM
ii. Approval of secretary’s report on club activities since the previous AGM
iii. Approval of treasurers report and statement of accounts for the period since the previous AGM
iv. Election of the committee
v. Key objectives for the forthcoming year
vi. Subscription for the coming year
vii. Consider changes to the constitution and/or Bye — laws
viii. Any other related matters
11.2 Extraordinary General Meetings
The committee may convene an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) at any time by majority.
The committee shall convene an EGM upon the written applications of one quarter of the members.
Notices convening a EGM shall state the reason for the meeting, and no business shall be transacted at the meeting other than that stated in the notice.
The meeting must take place within 10 days of the secretary receiving notice of the request.
11.3 Procedure at AGM/EGM meetings
The quorum for AGM/EGM meetings shall be 10 persons, or one quarter of the membership of the club which must include the chairperson and secretary, whichever is the lesser.
Decisions of general meetings shall be by simple majority by show of hands. In case of a tie, the chairperson may exercise a casting vote.
The AGM can only be postponed once and for a maximum of one month.
11.4 Committee Meetings
The quorum for the transaction of club business at committee meetings shall be four of the committee and must include the chairman, secretary and 2 other committee members.
Decisions of the committee shall be by simple majority and in the case of a tie; the
chairperson may exercise a casting vote.
The committee, at a properly convened committee meeting, shall define the duties and responsibilities of the committee members.
12. Funds
No payments other than payments in recouping of expenses incurred on club business or payments in anticipation of the incurring of such expenses shall be made to members of the club.
Either the chairperson or secretary may authorise a single payment up to €250, amounts greater then this require committee approval.
Cheque payment shall require the signature of any two of the three authorized club signatories.
As the club is a non-profit making organization, any profits, which may accrue, and any surpluses shall be used to maintain, improve and develop the club's facilities or to carry out the objects of the club association to which it is affiliated.
13. Records
The financial accounts and the register of members of the club shall, subject to any reasonable restriction as to the time and manner of inspection, be open to inspection by club members.
The secretary shall maintain the club records in a safe and secure manner.
14. Expulsions
Any member of the committee may be removed from office or any member may be expelled from membership of the club by a resolution to that effect passed at an AGM or EGM of the Club.
15. Affiliations
Affiliations can only be sanctioned, by a simple majority vote, at an AGM or EGM
SAC is affiliated to IFAS.
16. Property & equipment
The treasurer shall hold and maintain an inventory of club assets and their value.
The secretary shall hold and maintain an inventory of club assets.
Club assets shall not be disposed of or loaned unless approved by the committee.
All property or equipment owned by the club may only be used for astronomical or
related scientific purposes.
17. Dissolution
If, upon the winding up or dissolution of the club, there remains after the satisfaction of all it’s
debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall be transferred to some other
organisation or organisations having objectives similar to the objectives of the club, such
organisation or organisations to be determined by the members of the club by resolution
passed at a Extraordinary General Meeting or in the absence of such a resolution to the Association
to which the club is affiliated.
Shannonside Astronomy Club Constitution
Moderator: SAC Committee