Bylaws Text

Provide representation for the membership on issues that impact paragliding activity on the South Coast.
Provide services to the membership that will facilitate their flying activities.
Promote flying activities and social activities for the membership.

Article 3: Organization

The association shall be organized as a non-profit, mutual benefit association of members who choose to associate for their own benefit and the mutual benefit of the association membership.

If operating cash on hand in the association treasury exceeds $1,500 for a one year period, the association will incorporate as a California non-profit, mutual benefit corporation before the end of the next calendar year.

Article 4: Affiliation

The SCPA will be a chapter of the United States Hang Gliding Association, hereafter referred to as the USHGA.

Article 5: Membership

The SCPA recognizes the following classes of membership:

Guest Member
Full Member
Household Member
Contributing Member

Guest Member

Qualifications: Current USHGA membership.

Dues: May be waived by a full member. Full member should log the guest activity on the SCPA web site. Donations are encouraged and should be forwarded to the Treasurer.

Benefits & Privileges: The same benefits and privileges as a full member except they will not be permitted to vote on items of substance.

Full Member

Qualifications: Current USHGA membership.

Dues: $30 per calendar year.

Benefits & Privileges: May fly from or into launch and landing sites that the association has the authority to oversee or regulate. May participate in all association activities. May cast one vote at the general membership meetings on items put to the general membership for a vote if they meet the voting requirements in Article 8 of these bylaws.

Household Member

Qualifications: Same as a full member plus another person residing at the same address must be a full member.

Dues: $30 per calendar year for the full member, $20 per year for the first household member, and $10 per year for additional household members.

Benefits & Privileges: Same as a full member. A house hold member is considered a full member, the designation is only intended to address dues.

Contributing Member

Qualifications: Same as a full member.

Dues: Same as full member plus a contribution approved by the membership.

Benefits & Privileges: Will be the same as a full member plus a contributing member may cast two votes at the general membership meetings on items put to the general membership for a vote if they meet the voting requirements in Article 8 of these bylaws.

Approved Contributions: The general membership may approve any contribution to the association, at any time. The following should be considered to qualify as approved contributions:

Hosting a general membership meeting.
Serving as an association officer or director.
Chairing a committee that publishes a report.
Donating 20 hours of non physical labor on association projects.
Donating 15 hours of physical labor on association projects.
A $100 cash donation to the association treasury in addition to the regular full membership dues.

Duration of contributing member status: Members who contribute a cash donation will be considered contributing members until their membership renewal the following year. Association officers, directors, and host will be considered contributing members the same calendar year they are serving. Members who's contribution is approved by the general membership will maintain their status as a contributor for the duration of the calendar year. The general membership may choose to renew contributing member status at the beginning of a new calendar year.

Duration of membership and payment of dues

Membership dues expire at the end of a calendar year. Dues may be prepaid through the end of the next calendar year. Full members and household members joining the association in mid year may prorate their dues for the remainder of the year, however the minimum payment to process a full membership application will be $20.

Termination of Membership

An individual's membership may be terminated by a 2/3 vote of the members present at the general membership meeting. Termination of membership is considered an item of substance requiring appropriate notification.

Article 6; Officers and Directors

Officers

The officers of the association shall have the authority to conduct business for the association, including but not limited to the expenditure of association funds and negotiating agreements in behalf of the association.

The officers shall include: a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

President

Shall be elected by a majority vote of the members present at the December general membership meeting.

Shall chair the general membership meetings as well as any BOD meetings that he or she may wish to call.

May appoint committees to work on association business.

May appoint someone to take the minutes if the Secretary is unavailable.

Shall appoint the Vice President, the Secretary, and the Directors.

Shall sign and execute all contracts in the name of the SCPA.

Shall have the authority to sign checks with verbal consent from the treasurer.

Vice President

Shall be appointed by the President.

Shall perform the duties of the president if the president is unavailable or the president is removed from office. Should take direction from the president and assist the president.

Secretary

Shall be appointed by the President.

Shall bring a hard copy of these Bylaws to The General Membership Meetings.

Shall keep The Minutes of The General Membership Meetings and any BOD meetings.

Shall publish draft minutes on the web site and solicit clarifications, additions, and corrections.
The Secretary may modify and republish drafts at their discretion.

Shall ask for certification of the minutes.

Shall maintain the records of the association with the exception of the membership list which shall be directly maintained by the treasurer. The secretary should have access to the membership list.

Treasurer

Shall be elected by a majority vote of the members present at the December general membership meeting.

Shall maintain the association membership list.

Shall maintain the association bank account and keep possession of the association checks.
Shall have the authority to sign association checks.

May give association checks to the president and verbally authorize the president to sign those checks.

Directors

In addition to the officers, the following positions may be appointed by the president and have the title of director: News Letter Editor, Activities Director, and Information Systems Director.

News Letter Editor

Shall publish a club news letter at the beginning of Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall.

Activities Director

Shall have the authority to plan and schedule activities without direct ratification of the membership.

Information Systems Director

Shall advise the officers on the current informational system options available.

Shall maintain the technical aspects of the associations information systems.

Removal of Officers or Directors

Officers and directors may be removed from office by a 2/3 vote of the members present at the general membership meeting. Removal of officers and directors is considered an item of substance requiring appropriate notification.

Article 7: Meetings

A regularly scheduled general membership meeting will be held on the Wednesday following the first Thursday of the following even calendar months: February, April, June, August, October, December.

The time and place of the next general membership meeting will be decided prior to the close of the current membership meeting.

The purpose of the general membership meeting is to conduct association business and take limited comment from the membership at the discretion of the chairperson.

A special or emergency general membership meeting may be called at the discretion of the president. The party requesting the special meeting must notify all voting members who have operational voice mail as to the time and place of the meeting at least 1 day prior to the meeting.

Article 8: Voting

Items of substance affecting policy or procedure brought before the association membership for a vote must be presented to the membership by the sponsor in a final written form at least two weeks prior to the meeting at which the vote is to be taken. Presentation must specify the date a vote will be taken. Presentation will be considered satisfactory if the sponsor gives a copy of the proposal to the members present at a regularly scheduled general membership meeting, or Post a copy of the proposal to the appropriate SCPA web site discussion page.

Items of substance affecting policy or procedure should be approved by a 2/3 vote of the ballots cast at a general membership meeting.

For items of substance affecting policy or procedure, members may also cast their ballots by e-mail addressed to Secretary@SCPA.info or by logging on to the SCPA web site and logging their vote on the appropriate page if that service is available. Votes entered electronically must be time stamped prior to the midnight hour preceding the day the vote is scheduled to be taken. Votes sent by e-mail should clearly indicate the voters identity and intent.

Less critical items not significantly affecting policy or procedure may be proposed and voted upon at the same meeting. Those items may be passed by a majority vote of the members present.

To be eligible to vote, participants must satisfy the following:

Must be full members, household members, or contributing members.
Must have previously attended at least two general membership meetings within the past 12 months.
Must have a current USHGA para 2 certification or higher.
Must have read the proposal if one has been presented.

Full members and household members may cast one vote per issue and contributing members may cast two votes per issue

Article 9: Bylaw Amendments

These bylaws may be modified or changed by a 2/3 vote of the members casting ballots at a scheduled general membership meeting. Depending on the nature of the amendment, a proposal to chance the bylaws may be considered an item of substance and may require appropriate notification.

Article 10: Operational Policy & Procedures

In addition to these bylaws, The Association may develop and enact specific operational policy and procedure.

Revision History & Description:

2/12/03

Article 1: Name & Mailing Address

Drop the PO box and set the association mailing address to follow the officers

2/20/02

Article 5: Membership

Drop Subscriber Class, and lower Dues to reflect increased membership

2/8/01

Article 6: Secretary

Distribution of the Minutes was changed from hard copy to web site posting

Article 8: Voting

Absentee ballot mechanics changed from mail in to web site voting

8/10/00

Article 7: Meetings

The meeting day was changed form the 2nd Thursday to the Wednesday following the first Thursday.

04/13/00

Atricle 1: Mailing Address

The Mailing address was changed to the new P.O. Box 50651

02/09/00

Atricle 7: Meetings

Meeting day changed from 1st Wednesday to 2nd Thursday

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