The Constitution of the Home Unix Machine Brisbane User Group

1. The Club

1. The name of the club is the Home Unix Machine - Brisbane User Group.
2. The name of the club may either be identified by its full name, or by the acronym HUMBUG.
3. 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.

2. The Executive

1. The Executive shall be comprised of the following positions:
   • President
   • Secretary
   • Treasurer
2. In the absence of the President the position of Acting President shall be held by the Secretary, similarly in their absence the Treasurer assumes the position.
3. 1. The President is the head of the Executive.
   2. The Secretary shall be responsible for the day to day running of HUMBUG, and in particular arranging regular meetings.
   3. The Treasurer shall be in charge of maintaining the financial and membership records of HUMBUG.
4. No individual may occupy two or more executive positions simultaneously.
5. Any executive office bearers except the President may appoint club members to be assistants for their position.
6. 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.
7. These positions must be ratified by an executive decision at the next Executive Meeting or fall void.
8. All executive office bearers may appoint an individual to act in their place at executive meetings.
   1. This proxy position becomes effective as soon as a letter of authorisation from the office bearer is presented to the President.
   2. 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.
   3. The letter must be personally signed by the executive officer nominating the proxy.
   4. An individual to take on the proxy position must be a member of HUMBUG, but may not be acting in another executive position.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. This Special General Meeting must be announced within 14 days of the temporary appointment.
12. This Special General Meeting must be held within 1 month of its announcement.
13. If the position of President falls vacant the position shall devolve upon a member of the executive in the following order:
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer
    This executive member shall in the process of becoming president vacate his or her old executive position.

3. Elections

1. Elections for all executive positions will take place at the Annual General Meeting.
2. Current executive positions shall fall vacant at the end of the Annual General Meeting. The new executive will immediately take power.
3. For 14 days prior to an Election the Secretary will accept signed written nominations. This may be in physical or authenticated electronic form.
4. 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.
5. If a position has only one nomination, that person may take power without an election.
6. If no one nominates for a position, the President will declare the position vacant.

4. Executive Meetings

1. In order for an executive meeting to be opened a simple majority of elected executive members must be present.
2. Two types of executive decisions are recognised.
   1. An ordinary executive decision (here after called an executive decision) consists of a simple majority of an official executive meeting.
   2. An unanimous executive decision consists of an unanimous decision of all current executive members at an executive meeting.
3. The President has the right to bar non-executive members from an executive meeting, at any time.
4. The Executive may reverse the President's decision with an executive decision.
5. Any individual not barred by the President may be present at executive meetings, but may not vote.
6. At least one executive meeting shall be held in a six month period.
7. Notice of at least one week must be given for any executive meeting.

5. General Meetings

1. The Executive has the right to bar or unbar any individual from any Ordinary General Meeting, at any time.
2. At least one General meeting should be held per month.
3. Notice of at least one week should be given for any General Meeting.
4. Special General Meetings are to be held to elect positions, and as the president sees fit.
5. Notice of at least two weeks must be given for any Special General Meeting.
6. The secretary, or their nominated proxy shall take minutes of each Special General Meeting.
7. The Acting President shall chair each Special General Meeting.
8. Only members who are financial at the start of a Special General Meeting and who were financial sometime between 3 months and 3 years prior to the start of the meeting have voting rights at that Special General Meeting.
9. A member may proxy his voting rights for one Special General Meeting to another member with voting rights by providing a member of the Executive with signed written notice of their intent. This may be in physical, or authenticated electronic form.
10. A member may not proxy his voting rights more than 14 days prior to the announced date of the Special General Meeting for which his rights are to be proxied.
11. A quorum of half of all members with voting rights plus one is required for a Special General Meeting. Members voting via a proxy are included in the quorum.
12. No member of HUMBUG may be barred from a Special General Meeting.
13. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of September.
14. The Annual General Meeting shall be considered a Special General Meeting.

6. The Membership

1. The membership fee is $30.00 for one year or part thereof, and falls due the 31st day of August or the next AGM whichever is the latest. The fee is discounted to $25 if payment is made with PayPal. The Executive may publish a schedule of additional payment types that attract the same discount.

2. Membership fee changes are to be considered amendments to this constitution.

7. Club Services

1. 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.
2. The club may charge fees for the use of either category of service.
3. 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.
4. Any member may request in writing, that the secretary send them a copy of official announcements in writing.

8. Finances

1. All finance records are to be maintained by the Treasurer
2. Only members of the executive are to be signatories to the clubs bank accounts.
3. All club expenditure must be approved by a unanimous executive decision.
4. The executive may authorise the payment of recurring expenses or the allocation of a fund to pay for a class of expenses.
5. All financial/bank statements are to be sent to the secretary who should forward them to the treasurer.
6. The treasurer should be able to provide a statement regarding the clubs financial position on one weeks notice.
7. 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.
8. The President is responsible for arranging an annual audit of the clubs financial records. This may be done internally.
9. 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.
10. In a motion passed at a Special General Meeting the club membership may decide against an external audit.
11. Should an external audit be required, it must be performed by a non-member approved at a Special General Meeting.

9. Property

1. 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.
2. [rescinded]
3. [rescinded]
4. 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.
5. This audit must be presented to the club at a Special General Meeting called no later than two months after the Annual General Meeting.
6. If the audit fails to pass a motion to accept it. The President must propose an external audit.
7. The club may decide against an external audit.
8. Should an external audit be required, it must be performed by a non-member of the club approved at a Special General Meeting.

10. The Constitution

1. This Constitution is the basis of the authority and operation of elected and appointed positions of HUMBUG.
2. The constitution may only be altered by a two thirds majority vote of the members present at a Special General Meeting.
3. This constitution shall override all and any governing documents of any HUMBUG chapters.
4. Changes to this constitution can only be moved if a public notice containing the text of the proposed change has been sent to members at least one week prior to the meeting.