Newport Astronomy Club

Constitution and Bye-laws

Club Name.
The name of the club shall be the Newport Astronomy Club (NAC) - hereinafter referred to as the club.

Mission Statement.
To promote all aspects of amateur astronomy in an open, inclusive and friendly environment, by - organizing lectures and workshops, - arranging observing sessions, - participating in outreach programmes, - providing a club web site.

Ethos.
The club will foster a safe, educational and easy-going environment where members of every standard can enjoy astronomy.
The club’s approach is one of:
- participation and enjoyment for all,
- ‘sharing the eye-piece’,
- development of the knowledge and skills of individual members.

In particular, members will treat each other with respect at all times and will be courteous and polite in their communication with each other.

Government.
4.1 The club shall be governed by a committee consisting of at least three (Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer) and no more than two other committee members, elected at an Annual General Meeting. Committee members shall be assigned roles and responsibilities as deemed appropriate by the club committee.

4.2 An outgoing member of the club committee may be re-elected. However, no committee member shall serve in any one position for more than three consecutive terms.

4.3 Any one person shall not hold more then one of the following positions: Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer.

4.4 Committee members shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next Annual General Meeting unless otherwise resolved at an Extraordinary General Meeting.

4.5 The committee shall have power to transact all business relating to the management and direction of the club. Decisions of the club committee shall be entered into the minute book of the club, to be maintained by the club secretary.

4.6 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.

Amendments to the Constitution & Bye-laws.
The committee may initiate proposals for the amendment of the constitution and/or bye-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 Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting of the members present.

Annual General Meeting.
The club shall hold an Annual General Meeting in December each year.
Members shall be notified of the Annual General Meeting venue and date at least 14 days prior to the event.

The Annual General Meeting agenda shall be:

(a) Approval of the minutes of the previous year's Annual General Meeting,
(b) Approval of secretary’s report on club activities since the previous Annual General Meeting,
(c) Approval of treasurers report and statement of accounts for the period since the previous Annual General Meeting,
(d) Election of the committee,
(e) Objectives for the coming year,
(f) Setting of charges (subscriptions, admission prices to talks, etc.),
(g) Any proposed changes to the Constitution and/or bye–laws,
(h) Any other related matters.

Extraordinary General Meetings.
The committee may convene an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time by majority, otherwise the committee shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting upon the written applications of one quarter of the members.
Notices convening a Extraordinary General Meeting 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.

Procedure at Annual General Meeting / Extraordinary General Meeting.
The quorum for Annual General Meeting / Extraordinary General Meeting 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.

Procedure at Committee Meetings.
The quorum for the transaction of club business at committee meetings shall be two of the committee.
Decisions of the committee shall be by simple majority and in the case of a tie the chairperson may exercise a casting vote.

Subscriptions.
Club 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 January from which month annual subscriptions shall become due.
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 Annual General Meeting.
Members who fail to renew their annual subscription on or before the last day of February shall cease to be a member of the club and will be notified as such by the secretary.

Annual Expenditure.
The Chairperson and Treasurer shall ensure that sufficient insurance is in place to cover all club activities and shall also ensure that all recurring annual costs (website hosting and domain name, etc.) are paid in a timely manner.

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.

Funds.
The club shall be run as non-profit making organization.
No payments, other than payments in the recouping of expenses incurred on club business, shall be made to members of the club.
Either the chairperson or secretary may authorize 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.

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.

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 Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting of the club.

Property & Equipment.
The treasurer shall hold and maintain an inventory of club assets and their value.

Dissolution.
If, upon the winding up or dissolution of the club, there remains after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall be transferred to some other organization or organizations having objectives similar to the objectives of the club, such organization or organizations to be determined by the members of the club by resolution passed at a Extraordinary General Meeting.

Document Revision History:

This is Issue 1, Revision 0 of this document, as formally adopted at a meeting of club members on February 21^th, 2017.