Constitution
The power of the Management Committee to make and amend by-laws is provided by Section 10 of the Constitution:
“The Management Committee may from time to time make, amend or repeal by-laws, not inconsistent with this constitution, for the internal management of the Society and any by-law may be set aside by a Special Meeting of members”.
Current By-laws (As amended 17th January 2017)
1. The classes of Membership are defined in the Constitution (4.1)
2. Schedule of Annual Membership Fees and other charges:
| TYPE | AMOUNT | NOTES |
| Full Membership: | $48.00 | $4.00/month (pro rata balance of year from joining month). |
| Family Membership: | $72.00 | $6.00/month (pro rata balance of year from joining month). |
| Student Membership: | $36.00 | $3.00/month (pro rata balance of year from joining month). |
| Pensioner/Senior Card Membership: | $36.00 | $3.00/month (pro rata balance of year from joining month). |
| Associate Membership: | Free | Valid for 12 months unless renewed by Committee. |
| Honorary Membership: | Free | Lifetime. |
| Joining Fee (per application form): | $15.00 | |
Payment by cash, cheque, direct deposit to MAS bank a/c or via PayPal. Please make PayPal payments to contact@macastro.org.au and please ensure your name is identified. Visa and Mastercard also accepted at our monthly meetings, Macarthur Astronomy Forum.
3. Membership Cards
The Society will provide annual membership cards to members and make them available for renewed members to collect at the first meeting following closure of renewals; or for new members as soon as practicable after joining.
4. Annual Membership Renewal.
The due date for annual membership renewal is the first day of the Macarthur Astronomical Society’s financial year (01 March).
5. Management Committee Positions
The Management Committee shall consist of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer (as provided in the constitution clause 5.1) and three additional elected committee members.
All committee positions and appointments shall be re-affirmed or reconsidered at the first committee meeting following an AGM.
6. Roles of Office Bearers on the Management Committee.
President
a. Co-ordinates all of the Society’s activities.
b. Chairs all of the Society’s meetings.
c. Is the central contact person for members and non-members.
d. Collates and publishes and presents the Annual Report.
Vice President
a. Assists the President.
b. Becomes Acting-President in the President’s absence.
Secretary
a. Takes, distributes and keeps on file minutes of all committee meetings, Special General Meetings and Annual General Meetings.
b. Presents all general correspondence received at the Society’s Management Committee Meetings.
c. Where necessary, responds to correspondence.
d. Completes and sends the Department of Fair Trading (DOFT) Annual Statement within one month of the Annual General Meeting.
e. Issues routine publicity and media relations.
f. Receives nominations for election and business for consideration at any meeting.
g. Prepares meeting agendas in consultation with the President.
h. Is registered by DOFT as Public Officer.
Treasurer
a. Collects membership dues and all other monies; and issues receipts.
b. Pays all accounts in a timely fashion.
c. Maintains proper records of accounts.
d. Presents annual financial report to the AGM and provides regular reports to management committee meetings.
7. Role of Other Committee Members
Membership Officer
a. Maintains records of membership, completing paperwork and adding new members to MAS’s website database. b. Issues membership notices of acceptance, rejection and termination
c. Issues renewal reminder notices to members at the last e-mail address provided by each member. Such renewal notices shall be issued:
+ Approximately six weeks prior to membership renewals falling due; and
+ Approximately one week prior to each Ordinary General Meeting held after renewals fall due and one week (April 23) before any un-renewed memberships expire – April 30th.
d. Maintains a register of laser pointer owners. Members shall be advised annually that they are required to formally disclose laser pointer ownership as a condition of membership.
Elected Committee Members – Two
Contribute to the Society’s activities with guidance and practical support for the Office bearers. Undertake additional actions on behalf of the Management Committee as decided upon in committee
Merchandising Officer
Any Committee member – Controls purchasing and sales of MAS merchandise, reports to the Treasurer.
8. Non Committee Positions
Speaker Liaison
a. Currently a non-committee position, shall be filled by appointment of the Management Committee b. Corresponds with astronomers and scientists to fill our schedule of speakers for our monthly Macarthur Astronomy Forums and any other events that may require a speaker
Webmaster
This non-committee position shall be filled by appointment by the Management Committee from the Society’s financial members. Maintains and backs up the Society’s website, allocates e-mail addresses to office bearers. Moderates the Society’s Web Forum.
Editor
This non-committee position shall be filled by appointment by the Management Committee from the Society’s financial members (as necessary).
Stargard Field Liaison Officer
a. The Society has obtained Wollondilly Council authorization to use, as an official user group, the Stargard Field at the Dudley Chesham Sportsground (The Oaks, NSW) to further the Society’s objectives. It is a Council requirement that user groups have a representative on the Sec. 355 Management Committee of the Dudley Chesham Sportsground. To meet this requirement, the Position of Stargard Field Liaison Officer has been created.
b. The Position shall be filled by appointment by the MAS Management Committee from the Society’s financial members. If circumstances at Stargard Field should so warrant, the position may be discontinued by the Committee.
c. Duties
i) Provide a yearly schedule of dates to council and give sufficient notice of any Public Nights as decided by the Society. Any rescheduled nights that occur due to inclement weather must be notified to council at the earliest opportunity, council offers some discretion to the Society to alter dates on an as needs basis
ii) Pass on any notices received from council that impact on an observing night i.e. ground closures, public works or special events.
iii) Facilitate payments of invoices for yearly fees, key deposits and other items to the council in a timely manner. Facilitate payment of the societies Public Liability Insurance when the invoice is received
iv) Provide a Certificate of Currency in which the Wollondilly Shire Council is listed as an interested party on the certificate. This is to be obtained after payment of the Public Liability Insurance and forward to the council as soon as possible before the expire date of the insurance)
v) The Officer shall not give authorizations or make commitments on behalf of Macarthur Astronomical Society unless they have minor or no impact on MAS operations. If a matter arises that requires immediate action and is outside the above guideline, advice must be sought from the Society President or another Office Bearer of the Society.
Auditor
One month prior to the end of the Society’s financial year, the Management Committee shall appoint a person to audit the Society’s accounts and present a written opinion as to the state of the accounts. The Auditor’s identity shall be announced to ordinary members at least two weeks prior to the end of the financial year. The Auditor shall not be a member of the committee.
9. Membership Awards
Certificates will be awarded to members who have completed five, ten, fifteen and twenty years of continuous membership, and every five years thereafter. March 1st, the start of MAS’s financial year, is used to calculate ‘continuous years of membership’ for certification.
Award badges – for the completion of ten years of continuous membership shall be presented at each AGM.
An engraved plaque will be awarded for completion of twenty years of continuous membership.