HELDERBERG RADIO FLYERS CONSTITUTION:

(JANUARY 2022)

1. NAME:

The name of the Club shall be: HELDERBERG RADIO FLYERS

2. OBJECTIVE:

To provide facilities for, and encourage, the flying of RADIO CONTROL MODEL aircraft, and in so doing to foster a spirit of good fellowship amongst members and other modelers. The Club shall be a non-profit making body.

3. PUBLIC LIABILITY INSURANCE:

All flying members of HRF shall at all time hold current membership with a valid Aviation Recreation Organisation (ARO) so that each member shall have valid Public Liability Insurance as supplied by the ARO. This ARO membership will not be administered by the Club. It will be the responsibility of all members to provide the Secretary with valid proof that he/she holds a current ARO membership.

4. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:

An annual general meeting shall be held at a suitable time during the month of March each year for the purpose of electing office bearers for the forthcoming year as well as for the discussion of matters pertaining to the management of the Club. Proper notice of the annual general meeting shall be communicated to all members at least one month prior to the date of the annual general meeting. A quorum shall consist of one third (1/3) of the current paid-up members, if a quorum has not been reached within thirty minutes after the advertised starting time, those members present shall be deemed a quorum. A special general meeting may be called by written application of at least one third of paid-up members. Such application must be with the secretary at least one month prior to the date of such meeting and notice of such general meeting shall be given to all members at least twenty-one days prior to the date of the meeting. A quorum shall consist of one third of the paid-up members, if a quorum has not been reached within thirty minutes after the advertised starting time, those members present shall be deemed a quorum. A general meeting can also be called for via a disciplinary appeal and the same notice procedures are to be followed.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: The members duly elected at an AGM shall be the Executive Committee responsible for the running of the Clubs affairs. The Executive Committee, hereafter referred to as the Committee, shall consist of the following:

CHAIRMAN

VICE CHAIRMAN

SECRETARY

TREASURER

SAFETY OFFICER

COMMITTEE MEMBER

The Committee shall have the right to co-opt as many members as it deems necessary to ensure the efficient functioning of the Club.

5. COMMITTEE MEETING:

For the purpose of committee meetings, three committee members, of whom one shall be either the chairman or the vice-chairman, shall form a quorum. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt additional members as necessary. Abbreviated minutes of meetings will be kept by the Secretary.

6. CLUB MEETING:

Regular club meetings will be held and arranged by the Committee. The purpose of club meetings is to inform and update members on club activities and to obtain member input on issues relevant to the hobby and the running of the Club. Abbreviated minutes of meetings will be kept by the Secretary.

7. AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION:

Amendments to the constitution can only be implemented at the annual general meeting or at a special general meeting. Proposals to amend the constitution must be submitted in writing to the secretary at least two weeks prior to the meeting and be signed by both the proposer and the seconder. The constitution must be approved by the members and signed by the chairman as approved and kept by the secretary in the meetings file.

8. LEGAL LIABILITY:

The legal liability of the Club is vested in its members and not in individuals or office bearers. The English version of the constitution and club rules will be the official legal document, the Afrikaans copy, if available, will be for reference purposes only.

9. DISCIPLINE:

All members are bound by the club rules as published and amended from time to time as required. The amended rules are to be signed by the chairman or vice chairman and kept safely by the secretary. The Committee shall have the right to suspend membership or to take any other disciplinary action against members guilty of conduct prejudicial to the interest of the Club. An appeal may be lodged with the secretary, in writing, within seven days, and the matter shall be brought before a general meeting within four weeks thereafter. The decision of the general meeting shall be binding.

10. MEMBERSHIP:

A prospective member shall complete the official HRF application form for membership. The Committee shall then consider the application where after a decision will be made as to whether an application is accepted, rejected or pending for a deferred decision. The decision made by the Committee shall be final. All dues become payable on application for membership.

JUNIOR MEMBER

A junior member is an active modeler who is not self-supporting, has no fixed income and is under 18 years of age. Junior members will have no voting power. A junior members parent must give their consent on application for membership.

STUDENT MEMBER

Any member over the age of 18 and not self-supporting due to the fact that such member is a bona fide student, and could produce proof to the Committee, should be treated as a senior member with full voting rights but at a membership fee equal to that of a junior.

COUNTRY MEMBER

Any person residing beyond a radius of one hundred (100) kilometers of the Clubs official flying field may submit an application for country membership.

SOCIAL MEMBER

A social member is a non-flying member and may apply to the Committee to become a social member. Social members will have no voting power.

PENSIONER

A pensioner is accepted as a bona fide pensioner at the beginning of the Clubs financial year or at acceptance as member. Bona fide pensioner status must be approved by the Committee.

HONORARY MEMBER

The spouse of a pensioner, full member and country member are honorary members of the Club. (If such spouse is however an active flying member, normal membership fees shall apply). The Committee may award honorary membership to any member for services to the Club or aero modelling in general for a predetermined time period.Honorary members will have no voting power.

LIFE HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

The Club may at the annual general meeting or special general meeting award honorary life membership to a member for services to the Club or aero modelling in general. Honorary life members will have full voting power.


11. LIMITATION OF MEMBERSHIP:

If at any time the Committee considers that facilities of the Club to be being fully utilized, they may, at their discretion, hold in abeyance any existing applications and further applications. In the event of prospective members having to be placed on a waiting list, preference shall be given to social members and local residents.

12. JOINING FEE:

All new members except for pensioners, students, junior-, honorary-, life honorary, country- and social members are obliged to pay a club joining fee to be determined from time to time by the Committee. This joining fee shall be a once-off payment in addition to the annual subscription. The joining fee may be paid monthly as agreed with the Committee. The Committee shall, on receipt of a written application fully outlining the circumstances, be empowered to waive, suspend, defer or otherwise amend the joining fee. Where the membership of a member lapses without valid notification, the joining fee shall be payable upon re- registration and all conditions outlined in this paragraph will apply.

13. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES:

The annual membership fees shall be agreed upon at the annual general meeting. Club membership fees for any one calendar year shall become payable on 1st March. Any member failing to pay his/her club membership fees by 1st March without notifying the Committee as to the reasons for nonpayment, will automatically cease to be a member. A Member will have to reapply for membership if said membership has lapsed, no joining fee will be applicable. This shall not relieve him/her of their obligation regarding any outstanding balance. Members joining after 1 September will pay 1/2 the annual membership fee or a fee as determined by the Committee.

14. RESIGNATION OR SUSPENSION:

On resignation or suspension a member shall not be entitled to a refund of any moneys already paid and such resignation or suspension shall not relieve the member of his/her obligation to pay his/her outstanding balance. A member in financial difficulty or special circumstances may submit a written application to the Committee for his/her outstanding balance to be deferred, reduced, waived or suspended by the Committee as they deem fit.

15. VISITORS FEES:

Visitors or social members who make use of the Club's flying facilities will be required to pay an amount per day as decided upon from time-to-time by the Committee. This charge will not apply on official invitation to other clubs, or at the discretion of the Committee. All visiting flyers must have proof of ARO insurance cover.

16. FINANCIAL:

Annual subscription fees, joining fees and other payments will only be recorded as received once the funds have been registered into the Clubs bank account. (All moneys received by Committee members must be paid into the clubs banking account within 10 (ten) days of receipt. All Committee members will be required to hold club receipt books and to record therein funds received on behalf of the Club. All membership fees must be paid directly into HRF bank account and deposit slip faxed or handed to the Club Secretary or Treasurer. All expenses must be approved by a Committee quorum, as per section 5 (five) above, prior to the disbursement of funds. All cheques or withdrawals must be signed by any 2 (two) of the following.

Chairman

Secretary

Treasurer

The Clubs financial year will be from 1 March to the last day of February. A balance sheet and financial report must be presented at the annual general meeting.

17. ASSETREGISTER:

An asset register must be kept and updated by the Secretary at each Committee meeting. Items can be depreciated, scrapped or reported stolen at the discretion of the Committee.

18. DISBANDMENT:

In the event of the Club being disbanded, all debts shall first be honored and thereafter all property and possessions sold and the income thereof, together with any other assets, shared between the members at the time of disbandment.