Article I: Purpose, Mission and Scope
(1) Purpose. The purpose of AHS International is to engage in educational and scientific activities, consistent with the non-profit requirements of section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, that advance the theory and practices of the science of vertical flight aircraft. The Federal City Chapter supports this by promoting vertical flight technology within its geographic area.
(2) Mission. The Federal City Chapter mission, as the AHS Flagship Chapter, is to support Government and Commercial helicopter vertical lift programs by bringing together all military services, government professionals, industry leaders, and academia through the sharing of information on current and future programs.
(3) Scope. The scope of the Federal City Chapter activities includes the following:
a) Conduct monthly chapter dinner meetings from September through May, excluding December, to provide local members with an opportunity to listen to speakers on a variety of topics in the field of vertical flight and to meet and interact with fellow AHS members.
b) Join together members of diverse backgrounds – including engineers, pilots, technicians, educators, students, and operators – who have a common interest in rotorcraft and vertical takeoff and landing technology.
c) Conduct activities that promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, the Vertical Flight Foundation (VFF) and other college and pre-college efforts.
Article II: Membership
(1) Federal City Chapter membership is through AHS International. AHS members are assigned to the chapter in which they reside when they join or update their mailing preferences. The Southeast Region may redefine the geographic area as new chapters may be established or disestablished within the region. The Federal City Chapter geographical area is generally defined as the National Capitol Region.
(2) Federal City Chapter membership categories and dues are set by AHS International.
(3) Both members and nonmembers are welcome at events sponsored by the Federal City Chapter.
(4) The Federal City Chapter is prohibited from charging local dues.
Article III: Governance
(1) The Federal City Chapter will be governed by a Board of Directors consisting of the Executive Board and Board Members.
a) Executive Board consisting of the following officers:
i) President – Supervises the affairs of the chapter, appoints standing and special committees as required, chairs meetings of the Executive Board, and submits reports as required.
ii) Vice President – Represents the President in his/her absence. Selects dinner meeting dates, contracts for meeting facilities, makes arrangements with speakers, informs the membership of meeting details, and sends follow-up letters of thanks to speakers.
iii) Treasurer – Keeps records of Chapter financial activities, submits reports to the Executive Board, the Southeast Region, and AHS International headquarters as required, and handles Chapter’s financial obligations. At dinner meetings, collects dinner fees, pays restaurant, and keeps record of attendance.
iv) Secretary – Submits annual and recurring reports to the Southeast Region and AHS International as required. Maintains the FCC website. Assists the Vice President with dinner meeting arrangements.
b) Board Members:
i) Membership Chair – Promotes activities to enroll new members in AHS, encourages current members to maintain their active status and to participate in Chapter activities, checks lists of those registering for Chapter trips and meetings for current membership status when necessary. Coordinates with AHS International Director of Membership.
ii) Scholarship Chair – Supervises and manages all activities associated with the Federal City Chapter Scholarship program.
iii) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Chair – Supervises and manages Federal City Chapter activities in support of STEM.
iv) Student Chapter Advisor – Represents the Federal City Chapter as mentor and advisor to the University of Maryland Student Chapter.
v) Technical Advisor – Advises the Federal City Chapter Executive Board in technical matters concerning the Chapter programs.
vi) University of Maryland Student Chapter President.
(2) Election Procedures and Terms of Office
a) Executive Board. The Executive Board will serve two year terms and will rotate from Secretary, to Treasurer, to Vice President, to President. The Chapter President will appoint a Chair and a Nominating Committee by April 1 of each year to confirm the slate of officers for the succeeding year, and if a vacancy exists, will nominate suitable replacement officers. The Chapter President will serve on this committee, and the Chair of the Nominating Committee may appoint additional committee members as necessary.
i) The Nominating Committee will submit a slate of officers for approval to the Executive Board by April 15. The Nominating Committee will begin the slate in accordance with the rotation process as described in paragraph III.(2).a) above, obtaining the consent of each person nominated in advance. In the event the nominee does not consent, a general call to the membership will be made. In the event no one volunteers, all attempts will be made by the Executive Board to fill the position.
ii) Upon approval of the nominees by the Executive Board, elections will be conducted on a ballot on the final dinner meeting of the year in May.
iii) The winner of the election for each position will be the candidate receiving the majority of the valid votes cast for that position.
iv) All members of the Chapter will be notified of the results of the election.
v) The terms of office shall be two years, beginning on June 1.
vi) Vacancies will be filled by the election of a replacement by the Executive Board.
b) Board Members.
i) The Membership Chair, Scholarship Chair, STEM Chair, Student Advisor and Technical Advisor will be appointed by the Federal City Chapter President
ii) The University of Maryland Student Chapter President will be elected by the student members.
Article IV: Limitations
(1) The Federal City Chapter will conduct all operations in keeping with the AHS International bylaws.
a) The Chapter may not engage in any activities that offer goods, facilities or services that do not further its tax-exempt purposes.
b) AHS International headquarters has the right to veto changes to the Federal City Chapter bylaws if it deems that the Chapter is operating outside the bounds of the AHS International bylaws.
c) If the Chapter is non-compliant with the requirements set forth in this Article, AHS International headquarters may revoke the charter for the Chapter.
(2) The Federal City Chapter will conduct all operations in keeping with requirements of section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code.
a) No Chapter Directors, Trustees or Officers may receive compensation for discharging their Chapter duties. No part of the earnings of the Federal City Chapter shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, any of its Directors, Trustees or Officers. Payments to other entities of reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the tax-exempt purposes is allowable.
b) The Federal City Chapter shall not participate in, or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. No contributions to political activities are permissible.
c) Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Federal City Chapter shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code, or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
Article VI: Meetings
(1) General Meetings: The Chapter will set a goal of having eight dinner meetings of the Chapter membership, September through May, excluding December.
(2) Executive Board Meetings: The Executive Board shall set a goal of meeting at least two times a year at the call of the Chapter President, generally in December and July.
(3) The Chapter President will bi-annually forward to the Southeast Region a report of each meeting held.
(4) The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order Revised will govern at all Federal City Chapter meetings in all cases where they are applicable and not inconsistent with these Bylaws or with the Bylaws of AHS International.
Article VII: Voting and Quorums
(1) A majority of the voting members of the Executive Board constitutes a quorum for meetings of the Board. Acts of a majority of the voting members of the Board present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be recognized as acts of the Board.
(2) A quorum for general Chapter meetings will be a minimum of 15 percent of the voting membership.
(3) The Executive Board may order the submission of any question to the general membership by ballot. Members of the Chapter may also order the submission of any question to the general membership of the Chapter by letter ballot by obtaining a majority vote of those present at any general Chapter meeting at which a quorum is present, or by a petition signed by 15 percent of the Chapter membership.
(4) In any matter to be decided by a ballot, including elections of officers, a quorum shall consist of the number of valid votes cast.
Article VIII: Fiscal Year
The Chapter’s fiscal year shall be from January 1 to December 31. The end of the fiscal year report must be submitted to AHS International no later than March 31 each year.
Article IX: Fees and Dues
No membership fees or dues shall be assessed by the Chapter. Members are responsible for fees and dues as required by AHS International.
Article X: Amendments
(1) Amendments to these Bylaws may be initiated by any voting member by submitting the proposed amendment to the Executive Board. The Board will review the proposed amendment and decide if it should be submitted to the membership for a ballot.
(2) The Executive Board may itself initiate amendments to these Bylaws.
(3) The membership of the Chapter may propose an amendment for vote by ballot without approval of the Executive Board by submitting a written petition. This petition shall be signed by 20 percent of the members, and will be in the form in which the amendment is to be presented for letter ballot. The amendment will be sent along with a ballot to all voting members within 30 days of its receipt by the Executive Board with a deadline for return.
(4) Amendments shall be adopted when they have been approved by the voting membership by letter ballot, and the Board shall immediately cause such amendments to be appropriately implemented.
Approved 15 May 2013