CONSTITUTION

Article I - Name

This organization shall be known as the Lunarfins.

Article II - Purpose

Section 1 - Provide a social forum for the exchange of diving experiences between members.

Section 2 - Provide a means of organizing underwater recreation for members and their families.

Section 3 - Provide a means of qualification through training of members for skin and scuba diving; encourage continued diving education and safe diving.

Section 4 - Promote participation in local, national, and international archaeological and biological underwater exploration and research.

Section 5 - Encourage participation with other skin and scuba diving clubs.

Section 6 - Contribute to public welfare by providing assistance to local authorities when so requested. This assistance shall be in those areas best served by diving skills.

Article III - Membership

Section 1 – Regular Members – Regular Members shall consist of active or retired JSC employees; active or retired government personnel who are assigned to JSC; active or retired contractors assigned to work on NASA contracts in the Houston area; and immediate family members of the aforementioned or of deceased regular members.

Section 2 – Guest Members – Guest members shall consist of those persons not eligible for Regular membership.

Section 3 – Fifty-one percent of membership must consist of Regular members. Forty-nine percent may consist of Guest members. Accountability shall be accomplished through the membership roster.

Article IV - Officers

The elected officers of this club are President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Equipment Officer, and Social Director.

The appointed officers of this club are the Trip Coordinator, Training Coordinator, Lunarscope Editor, and Texas Gulf Coast Council Representative. These officers are appointed by the President.

Article V - Amendments

This constitution may be amended by a three-fourths affirmative vote of Club members present at a regular business meeting immediately following the regular business meeting in which the amendment was proposed in writing. The proposed amendment must be available to all members before the business meeting at which it is to be voted on by the club membership.

BY-LAWS

Article 1 - Meetings and Elections

Section 1 - A regular monthly business meeting shall be held at a place, date, and regular time to be announced in written notice and mailed to all members.

Section 2 - The election of officers shall be held at the regular March meeting of each year.

Section 3 - Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.

Article II - Officers

Section 1 - Officers shall be members in good standing. The majority of elected officers shall be Regular members. The offices of President, Vice-President, and Treasurer cannot be held by the same officer for more then two consecutive terms; however, they must be re-elected for the second term. The offices of Secretary, Equipment Officer, and Social Director can be held by the same officer for an indeterminate number of terms; however, they must be re-elected each term.

Section 2 - Duties of the President. The President shall give supervision to the club and its officers, see that the desires of the club membership are achieved, and preside at all meetings of the club, the board of directors, and of the executive council. The President is responsible for appointing all appointed officers and committees.

Section 3 - Duties of the Vice President. The Vice President shall perform all duties of the President in his/her absence, provide assistance to the President as required, and be responsible for programs presented at regular meetings.

Section 4 - Duties of the Secretary. The Secretary shall keep accurate and complete records of club business, record minutes of regular meetings, send and receive correspondence, and provide notification to club members as required. The Secretary is also responsible for maintaining and making available a current membership roster.

Section 5 - Duties of the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall manage the funds of the club, receive and record all dues, fees, and assessments, and co-authorize the expenditure of funds with the President or Vice President.

Section 6 - Duties of the Equipment Officer. The Equipment Officer shall manage the operation of the club equipment room and provide equipment rentals and air to members, maintain club awareness of equipment status, and coordinate activities involving equipment repair and preventative maintenance. The equipment officer shall establish and enforce operational and rental equipment rules, subject to approval by board.

Section 7 - Duties of the Social Director. The Social Director shall organize all social activities of the club and be responsible for any refreshments provided at regular business meetings.

Section 8 – Duties of the Trip Coordinator: The Trip Coordinator shall work with other dive clubs and dive shops in the area to maintain a regular awareness of the dive trip opportunities available to Lunarfins members. Maintain a current list of these dive trips and regularly communicate these diving opportunities and relevant details (location, dates, costs, operators) to the Lunarfins members at club meetings and in the newsletter. Organize Lunarfins sponsored dive trips, local and international, and communicate these opportunities to the Lunarfins members and other area dive shops and dive clubs.

Section 9 – Duties of the Training Coordinator: The Training Coordinator shall work with private dive instructors and dive shops in the area to maintain a regular awareness of the dive training classes available for Lunarfins members and prospective members. Maintain a current list of these classes and regularly communicate these dive training opportunities and relevant details (location, dates, costs, instructors) to the Lunarfins members and prospective members at club meetings and in the newsletter.

Section 10 - Duties of the Lunarscope Editor. The Lunarscope Editor shall be responsible for editing, publishing, and distributing the Lunarscope newsletter on a monthly basis.

Section 11 - Duties of the Texas Gulf Coast Council (TGCC) Representative. The TGCC Representative shall represent the Lunarfins’ interests at all TGCC meetings, and communicate all pertinent information between the TGCC and the club.

Article III - Board

The board shall consist of all elected and appointed officers. The board shall meet on a regular basis, and act in the capacity of, and in the interest of the club, when items of business cannot be delayed for a regular club business meeting. The board shall ensure an annual budget is prepared for the club at the start of each club year, and provide a status on income and expenditures at the end of each club year. The outgoing board shall make recommendations to the incoming board to assist them in preparing a new budget.

Article IV - Advisors

Advisors shall be members in good standing and are appointed by the Board. Advisors shall provide guidance in club activities.

Article V - Executive Council

The Executive Council shall consist of the officers and advisors of the club, and shall meet to act in an advisory capacity of, and in the interest of the club when requested by any current officer.

Article VI - Committees

Committees are created by the President with approval by the board. Any permanent committee shall be added to the by-laws. A Nominating Committee shall be created 60 days prior to a meeting when officers are elected. The purpose is to propose a slate of officers for the coming year and publish the proposed slate in the Lunarscope prior to meeting when the election is held.

Article VII - Suspension and Removal

Section 1 - Any member who is in 60 days arrears of any financial obligations to the club shall be removed from club membership.

Section 2 - Any member who persists in violation of the safety rules promulgated by Article X of these By-Laws, or who misuses club property or whose conduct is detrimental to the best interests of the club may be suspended or removed from the club membership. These proceedings may be initiated by an affirmative simple majority vote of the members at a regular meeting, in which event, the offending member shall be immediately notified and the matter presented to the next regular meeting. The member may be removed, as may be determined by a secret ballot vote of 75 percent of the members present.

Section 3 - An officer or advisor may be removed from office or advisory status for conduct detrimental to the best interest of the club. The proceeding may be initiated by an affirmative simple majority vote of the members at a regular meeting, in which event, the offending member shall be immediately notified and the matter presented to the next regular meeting. The member may be removed, as may be determined by a secret ballot vote of 75 percent of the members present.

Section 4 - It is emphasized that the conduct of club members, officers, and advisors can greatly affect other members of the club, or the sport as a whole. It is of utmost importance and imperative that good conduct and safe diving be adhered to at all times.

Article VIII - Finance and Property

Section 1 - The necessary expenses of this club shall be met from funds secured through club membership dues, fees, assessments, fund raisers, and contributions.

Section 2 - Dues shall be $15.00 for single or $20.00 for a family on a yearly basis. Dues shall be paid at the February meeting. In addition, dues may be prorated for new members who join after August 1. Only one-half of the annual dues will be due after August 1 for membership through the following February. Family memberships are available for members residing at a single residence, and are entitled to one mailing of any club publication. New enrollment forms including the liability release statement must be completed and submitted when dues are paid.

Section 3 - Equipment may only be rented and used by members who are certified divers. All users of Lunarfin rental equipment must sign a liability release waiver.

Section 4 - Rules for equipment rental and rental rates shall be approved by the board.

Section 5 - Expenditure of greater than $100.00 above and beyond regular budgeted items must be approved at a regular business meeting. All Lunarfins checks must be signed by any two of the three following officers: President, Vice President, and Treasurer.

Section 6 - The Club shall operate on a fiscal year beginning April 1 and ending March 31.

Section 7 - Club assets shall include, but are not limited to, Club owned property located at on-site JSC facilities and accounts held at financial institutions in the name of Lunarfins. The Club shall maintain accounts to provide for

a) the operating expenses of the Club during the fiscal year (i.e., the Checking Account),

b) an operating contingency fund (i.e., the Credit Union account), and

c) a compressor fund for the sole purpose of maintaining the Club’s air compressor capability (i.e., the Savings account, CDs).

Section 8 - The use of any funds from the operating contingency fund and/or compressor fund shall be approved at a regular Club business meeting. In addition, the use of funds from the operating contingency fund and/or compressor fund in an amount greater than $1,000 in any fiscal year shall require the approval of a majority of the Club membership present at the regular business meeting in which it is presented. Withdrawals from the operating contingency fund and/or compressor fund shall require the signature of two members of the Executive Council.

Section 9 - In the event of dissolution of the Club, a Plan for Disbursement of the Club assets shall be prepared by the Executive Council and shall require the approval of two-thirds of the Club membership by written proxy and/or those present at the regular business meeting in which it is presented. All beneficiaries and uses of the Club assets designated in the Plan for Disbursement shall be not-for-profit. In addition, these beneficiaries and uses shall be SCUBA/Skin Diving related and/or marine life preservation/protection/educational related.

Section 10 - For the purpose of determining a two-thirds approval of Club membership, a “single” membership shall be given one (1) vote and a “family” membership shall be given two (2) votes.

Article IX - Johnson Space Center Affiliation

This club shall maintain its affiliation with Johnson Space Center (JSC) and thereby continue to utilize on-site facilities and support.

Article X - Club Diving Trips

All dive trips sponsored by the club shall be governed by published rules. The rules shall be considered part of this article.

Article XI - Amendments

The By-Laws may be amended by two-thirds vote of Club members at a regular business meeting following written notice mailed to all members.