COLUMBIA BASIN NET BY-LAWS
Established September 8, 1959
The first official meeting of the Board of Directors of the Columbia Basin Net, herein afterward known as the "CBN" convened at 2030 hours PST at 1035 Evergreen Drive, Moses Lake.
Present were Net Manager: K7BIV; Directors: W7CZE, W7HRK, and W7VME. Absent was W7CTS, Secretary-Treasurer. The following By-Laws and Policies of the CBN were acted on and approved. Meeting adjourned at 2230 hrs PST.
** By-laws amended 1964, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2020
Article One: Nomination and Election Process for Net Officers
Net members may nominate one (1) Net Manager, one (1) Secretary/Treasurer and up to five (5) different Directors. Net members are not required to nominate someone for every position. However, in order to facilitate accurate record keeping, all nominations must be done at one time. Any nominee may decline or withdraw his/her name at any time prior to the voting process. Any member that has been nominated for a particular office and has declined the nomination cannot be placed back on the list of nominees for the same position during that election year. The member CAN, however, be nominated for a different position other than the one he/she declined.
The nomination process will begin at the start of Net on the first Sunday following Labor Day in September of even years. It will continue until the Net closure on the following Tuesday. Members are encouraged to make their nominations on the air during the Net. However, nominations may also be made via e-mail or regular mail addressed to the Secretary/Treasurer. Nominations received in this manner will be read by the Secretary/Treasurer on the Net and must be received by Net closure on the last day of nominations.
Voting will begin at the start of Net on the Wednesday of the week of nominations and continue until Net closure on the following Saturday. In order to facilitate accurate record keeping, members must vote for all parties they wish to vote for at one time. The voting will be done in the same manner as the nominations. The votes are not to be tabulated and/or announced prior to the close of voting.
Nominations and voting will be recorded by the Secretary/Treasurer and other net members designated by the Net Manager. The names of the nominees will be read several times during the nomination and voting periods so that all net members will know who has been nominated and who (if any) has declined a nomination.
Within 24 hours after voting is closed, the voting committee will tabulate all votes and the newly elected Net Officers will be announced. In the event of a tie, the current Net Manager will pick a number between 1 and 10 and the nominee closest to the chosen number will win the election.
Article Two: Columbia Basin Net Officer Positions
Officers:
·Net Manager
·Secretary/Treasurer
·Directors (5)
No person may hold more than one office at any given time.
In the event that the Net Manager must relinquish/vacate his/her office, the first-elect Director (Director with the highest number of votes in the most recent election) shall become Net Manager.
In the event that the Secretary/Treasurer must relinquish/vacate his/her office, the second-elect Director (Director with the second highest number of votes in the most recent election) shall become Secretary/Treasurer.
In the event that a Director must relinquish/vacate his/her office, whoever had the next highest number of votes for Director in the most recent election shall take over the position.
Once an office has been relinquished/vacated, that person may not return to said office during that same election term.
Article Three: Terms of Office
Terms of office will be two (2) years. The term of office shall start on October 1 of the year elected and continue for two years unless said office is relinquished/vacated. If an office is relinquished/vacated, the replacement will hold office thru September 30 of that term. There will be no limit to the number of consecutive terms the Net Officers may be re-elected.
Article Four: Duties and Authority of the Net Officers
The Officers of the CBN shall consist of: the Net Manager, the Secretary/Treasurer and five Directors. As the duly elected representatives of the CBN membership, they shall be the governing body of the CBN. Each Net Officer shall have equal voting privileges.
The Net Officers shall take any and all appropriate actions to ensure compliance with the CBN By-Laws and smooth operation of the Net. All actions require a majority vote of the Net Officers. These actions may include, but are not limited to; instructing the Net Manager, instructing the Secretary/Treasurer, instructing a Net member, or rescinding membership to the CBN.
In the event any Officer cannot or will not perform his/her required duties, the remaining Net Officers may take action to remove him/her. Removal of a Net Officer requires a majority vote of all Net Officers.
The Net Manager has the authority to make decisions pertaining to the operation of the Net. This includes Net start time, operating procedures/standards, and early check-in policy.
Net Control Stations and alternate Net Control Stations shall perform to all Net operational standards set by the Net Manager.
The Net Manager has the authority to appoint and remove Net Control and alternate Net Control stations, as needed. The Net Manager will affect said changes via phone, email, or US mail service.
The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain a current and accurate record of all Net funds.
The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain roster sheets and keep minutes of business meetings. The Secretary/Treasurer may delegate these responsibilities to approved Net members.
The Net Manager and Secretary/Treasurer are responsible for the Net roster. This includes additions and deletions based upon attendance or request.
All decisions of the Net Officers shall be final.
Article Five: Member Qualifications & Obligations
Membership shall be open to those persons holding a valid amateur radio operator license permitting voice operation on the CBN frequency. Stations will be added to the next Net roster when they meet the minimum ten (10) check-in requirements and inform the Net Manager or Secretary/Treasurer they wish to be added as CBN members.
Stations must check in at least ten (10) times per calendar month to remain on the roster. Exception to this rule is an excuse authorized by the Net Manager and/or the Secretary/Treasurer. Failure to participate in the minimum requirements for check-ins may result in the removal of the member's name from the roster. The member may be put back on the roster when they return and state their intentions of being an active participant of the Columbia Basin Net. The re-instatement process shall be coordinated between the Net Manager and the Secretary/Treasurer.
Membership in the Columbia Basin Net is a privilege and not a right. Net members shall conduct themselves in an appropriate manner that is conducive to good amateur radio practice and the FCC rules at all times during Net time and any Net meetings. Inappropriate conduct shall include, but not be limited to: offensive name-calling, sexually derogatory remarks, racially derogatory remarks, disruption of the net (including excessive interruptions), or harassing behavior.
Net members shall follow instructions of Net Control at all times during Net.
Article Six: Net Business Meetings
A CBN business meeting shall be held at least once per election year (more often if needed) on a day and at a time set by the Net Manager, with due notice being given to the CBN membership and Officers. The Net Manager will be the Chairperson for Net Meetings. If the Net Manager is unable or unavailable to attend the Net meeting, the first-elect Director shall be Chairperson for the meeting. A quorum of four (4) or more Net Officers must be in attendance to conduct Net business. Recognizing that some matters are too time-consuming, delicate, personal, etc. for discussion on the air, the Net Officers, as the duly elected representatives of the CBN membership, may hold discussions via e-mail, regular mail, phone, or any other means necessary.
All Net Officers will be given the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. Results of any discussions/meetings shall be announced on the air during Net time following the determination of said results.
Article Seven: Amendments
Any additions, deletions and/or other changes to the CBN by-laws shall require a majority vote of all Net Officers in order to be implemented. To facilitate member input, any proposed changes to the CBN by-laws will be posted on the CBN website with hard copies available upon request (with SASE) from the Secretary/Treasurer for a minimum of 15 days prior to voting by the Net Officers. Any amendments to the by-laws pertaining to the nomination and voting process shall be finalized at least 30 days prior to the start of the election process. All by-laws pertaining to the nomination and voting process shall stand during the election process.
