Constitution

The Constitution of the Home Unix Machine - Brisbane User Group


Section 1: The Club

1a)	The name of the club is the Home Unix Machine - Brisbane User Group.

1b)	The name of the club may either be identified by its full name, 
	or by the acronym HUMBUG.

1c)	The aim of HUMBUG is to help people with unix like operating
	systems, to advance the cause of free software and open systems,
	and provide a social environment for people who enjoy using unix
	like operating systems to meet.

Section 2: The Executive

2a)	The Executive shall be comprised of the following
	positions:	President
			Vice President
			Secretary
			Treasurer
			Librarian

2b)	In the absence of the President the position of Acting President
	shall be held by the Vice President, should they also be absent
	the position shall fall to the secretary, similarly in his absence
	the Treasurer assumes the position, and in their absence the
	Librarian.

2c)	(i)	The President is the head of the Executive.

	(ii)	The Vice-President shall assist the President in the
		execution of their duties.

	(iii)	The Secretary shall be responsible for the day to day
		running of HUMBUG.

	(iv)	The Treasurer shall be in charge of maintaining the
		financial records of HUMBUG.

	(v)	The Librarian shall be in charge of maintaining the
		equipment owned by HUMBUG.  This includes arranging
		storage for equipment not in use.

2d)	No individual may occupy two or more executive positions
	simultaneously.

2e)	Any executive office bearers except the President and Vice
	President may appoint club members to be assistants for their position.

2f)	The President may create non-executive positions, and appoint club 
	members to these positions.  These positions shall carry
	responsibilities as determined by the President at the time 
	the position is created. 

2g)	These positions must be ratified by an executive decision at the
	next Executive Meeting or fall void.

2h)	All executive office bearers may appoint an individual to act in
	their place at executive meetings.

	(i)	This proxy position becomes effective as soon as a letter
		of authorisation from the office bearer is presented to the
		President.

	(ii)	The letter of authorisation must contain clear indication of
		the intent to transfer power to the proxy, and must contain
		the time that the proxy status will expire.  Proxy status
		may not last longer than 28 days from the date of presentation.

	(iii)	The letter must be personally signed by the executive 
		officer nominating the proxy.

	(iv)	An individual to take on the proxy position must be a member
		of HUMBUG, but may not be acting in another executive 
		position.

2i)	An executive position shall be deemed to have fallen vacant should
 	the member holding the position fail to attend (in person or
	proxy) or send apologies for three consecutive executive meetings 
	or any one Special General Meeting.

2j)	If any executive position except President falls vacant the
	President shall appoint a member of HUMBUG who is not in the
	executive to this position.  This appointment will only be valid
	until the next Special General Meeting, at which an election for
	the position must be held.

2k)	This Special General Meeting must be announced within 14 days of
	the temporary appointment.

2l)	This Special General Meeting must be held within 1 month of its 
	announcement.

2m)	If the position of President falls vacant the position shall
	devolve upon a member of the executive in the following order:
		Vice President
		Secretary
		Treasurer
		Librarian
	This executive member shall in the process of becoming president
	vacate his or her old executive position.


Section 3: Elections

3a)	Elections for all executive positions will take place at the Annual 
	General Meeting.

3b)	Current executive positions shall fall vacant at the end of the Annual 
	General Meeting.  The new executive will immediately take power. 

3c)	For 14 days prior to an Election the Secretary will accept signed
	written nominations.  This may be in physical or authenticated 
	electronic form.

3d)	During the Annual General Meeting, the President will call for
	nominations for the next Executive.  All members of HUMBUG may
	nominate themselves or be nominated by another club member for these 
	positions.  Each nomination must be seconded in order to be valid.

3e)	If a position has only one nomination, that person may take power
	without an election.

3f)	If no one nominates for a position, the President will declare the
	position vacant.  

Section 4: Executive Meetings

4a)	In order for an executive meeting to be opened, the 
	following two conditions must be met:

	(i)	The President or Vice-President must be present.

	(ii)	At least 3 executive members must be present.

4b)	Two types of executive decisions are recognised.
	
	(i)	An ordinary executive decision (here after called an
		executive decision) consists of a simple majority of an
		official executive meeting.

	(ii)	An unanimous executive decision consists of an unanimous
		decision of all current executive members at an executive 
		meeting.

4c)	The President has the right to bar non-executive members
	from an	executive meeting, at any time.

4d)	The Executive may reverse the President's decision with an
	executive decision.

4e)	Any individual not barred by the President may be present
	at executive meetings, but may not vote.

4f)	At least one executive meeting shall be held in a three month
	period.

4g)	Notice of at least one week must be given for any executive 
	meeting.


Section 5: General Meetings

5a)	The Executive has the right to bar or unbar any individual from
	any Ordinary General Meeting, at any time.

5b)	At least one General meeting should be held per month.

5c)	Notice of at least one week should be given for any General
	Meeting.

5d)	Special General Meetings are to be held to elect positions, and as
	the president sees fit.

5e)	Notice of at least two weeks must be given for any Special General
	Meeting.

5f)	The secretary, or their nominated proxy shall take minutes of each
        Special General Meeting.

5g)	The Acting President shall chair each Special General Meeting.

5h)	A Financial Member must have been a member for a minimum of three
	months to have voting rights at a Special General Meeting.

5i)	An eligible Financial Member may proxy his voting rights for one 
	Special General Meeting by providing the president, vice-president, 
	or secretary with signed written notice  of their intent.  This may 
	be in physical, or authenticated electronic form.

5j)	A member may not proxy his voting rights more then 14 days prior to 
	the announced date of the Special General Meeting for which his rights
	are to be proxied.

5k)	A quorum of three times the number of executive positions,
	as defined in section 2a, of the Financial Membership of the
	Club is required for a Special General Meeting.

5l)	No member of HUMBUG may be barred from a Special General Meeting.

5m)	The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of 
	September.

5n)	The Annual General Meeting shall be considered a Special General 
	Meeting.

Section 6: The Membership

6a)	The membership fee is $20.00 for one year or part thereof, and 
        falls due the 31st day of August or the next AGM whichever is 
        the latest.

6b)	Membership fee changes are to be considered amendments to this
	constitution.


Section 7: Club Services

7a)	The club may offer three schedules of service.
		Schedule 1: public access.
		Schedule 2: available only to financial members of HUMBUG.
		Schedule 3: available to financial members upon payment of
			an additional fee.

7b)	The club may charge fees for the use of either category of
	service.

7c)	The club mailing list is to be considered an official announcement
	channel of the club.  Any information announced on the mailing list
	shall be considered to have been announced to the club membership.
	All club members should be subscribed to the mailing list.

7d)	Any member may request in writing, that the secretary send them a
	copy of official announcements in writing.

Section 8: Finances

8a)	All finance records are to be maintained by the Treasurer

8b)	Only members of the executive are to be signatories to the clubs 
	bank accounts.

8c)	All club expenditure must be approved by a unanimous executive
	decision.

8d)	The executive may authorise the payment of recurring expenses or
	the allocation of a fund to pay for a class of expenses.

8e)	All financial/bank statements are to be sent to the secretary who
	should forward them to the treasurer.

8f)	The treasurer should be able to provide a statement regarding the
	clubs financial position on one weeks notice.

8g)	A copy of the financial records (all or partial) of the club must
	be made available to any member of the club should they request it.
	The costs of preparing the copy may be recovered from the member.

8h)	The President is responsible for arranging an annual audit of the
	clubs financial records.  This may be done internally.

8i)	A full financial statement and audit must be presented to the club
	at the AGM.  Should a motion to accept them as accurate fail, the
	President must propose an external audit.

8j)	In a motion passed at a Special General Meeting the club 
	membership may decide against an external audit.

8k)	Should an external audit be required, it must be performed by a
	non-member approved at a Special General Meeting.

Section 9: Property

9a)	Any property in the possession of the club shall be held by it for 
	the purpose of the body and if at any time the body ceases to exist 
	shall devolve upon an organisation with similar aims and goals.

9b)	All club property and non-financial assets are to be administered
	by the Librarian.

9c)	The Librarian should be able to provide a statement regarding the
	clubs assets on one weeks notice.

9d)	A report on all property and non-financial assets owned, or
	controlled by the club is to be presented to the club at the AGM.
	Should a motion to accept the report as accurate fail, the
	President must propose an audit.  This may be done internally.

9e)	This audit must be presented to the club at a Special General
	Meeting called no later then two months after the Annual General 
	Meeting.

9f)	If the audit fails to pass a motion to accept it.  The President
	must propose an external audit.

9g)	The club may decide against an external audit.

9h)	Should an external audit be required, it must be performed by a
	non-member of the club approved at a Special General Meeting.

Section 10: The Constitution

10a)	This Constitution is the basis of the authority and operation of 
	elected and appointed positions of HUMBUG.

10b)	The constitution may only be altered by a two thirds majority vote
	of the members present at a Special General Meeting.

10c)	This constitution shall override all and any governing documents 
	of any HUMBUG chapters.