Pedigree Users Group - Constitution

Amendment History

November 2003 - adopted as replacement for the old constitution.

The Constitution

1. TITLE

   The name of the organisation shall be Pedigree Users Group, hereinafter referred to as PUG.

2. FUNCTIONS

   1. PUG shall provide a forum for mutual assistance amongst users of Pedigree, PediView and PediTree and associated genealogical programs.
   2. PUG shall, by whatever means it deems appropriate and efficacious, encourage further developments and improvements to the programs and advance the knowledge and use of
      1. the products of Pedigree Software.
      2. other computer programs and resources which may be used in conjunction with, or which are complementary to, the products of Pedigree Software.

3. MEMBERS

   1. Membership shall be open to all persons interested in furthering the objects of PUG. Classes of membership shall be determined by the Committee and may include such categories as ordinary, overseas and honorary membership.
   2. The Committee may suspend or terminate the membership of any member whose activities, in the opinion of the Committee, are prejudicial to PUG. Such members shall have the right to be heard by the Committee (accompanied, if they wish by another PUG member) before a final decision is taken. Any person whose membership is suspended or terminated in this way may appeal to an Annual General Meeting (AGM).

4. ADMINISTRATION

   1. PUG shall be administered by a Committee consisting of five officers, namely Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Editor, and not less than two nor more than five other members. All Committee members shall be members of PUG.
   2. The members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and their terms of office shall commence with the declaration of the election results at the Annual General Meeting.
   3. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members to fill casual vacancies (to serve until the next Annual General Meeting) on the Committee, as well as to invite individuals on an annual basis to undertake other tasks which are deemed to be necessary for the proper and effective conduct of PUG's affairs.
   4. All Committee members shall be eligible for re-election upon the completion of their terms of office.
   5. The Committee shall meet at such intervals as it may deem necessary, but not less frequently than once a year. Meetings held by electronic means shall be acceptable. All Committee members shall be informed, by e-mail or otherwise, of the date, time and agenda of any Committee meeting at least seven days in advance. A quorum shall consist of three Committee members, which must include one officer. Minutes of the proceedings of all Committee meetings shall be taken, confirmed and recorded in such manner as the Committee shall, from time to time, determine. A copy of the draft minutes shall be circulated to all Committee members as soon after the meeting as possible.
   6. If voting at a Committee meeting results in a tie then the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second, casting, vote.
   7. The Committee may appoint sub-committees with specific remits; sub-committees shall operate in such manner and on such conditions as the Committee may from time to time determine.

5. SUBSCRIPTIONS

   1. The Committee shall, from time to time, determine the annual subscriptions and charges for each category of membership, and the amount of entrance fee, if any.
   2. Subscriptions shall be due on 1 September.
   3. Any member whose subscription remains unpaid for more than 30 days, or such longer period as the Committee may decide, after the due date will be deemed to have resigned.

6. FINANCE

   1. All income and property of PUG, shall be applied solely towards the promotion and execution of the functions of PUG as defined in Clause 2 above, and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly in any manner to any member of the Committee providing that nothing herein shall prevent reimbursement of proper out-of-pocket expenses incurred on behalf of PUG or the payment of an approved fee when engaged as a speaker.
   2. The Committee shall make proper arrangements for the management of PUG's resources and cause proper books of accounts to be kept with respect to all sums of money received and expended by the Society and the matters in respect of which such receipts and expenditures take place.
   3. PUG's financial year shall commence on 1 September and accounts shall be prepared accordingly. PUG's accounts shall be independently examined prior to being presented for approval at the Annual General Meeting. Copies of the accounts shall also be given to all members as soon as practicable.

7. GENERAL MEETINGS

   1. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held each year at such time and place as the Committee shall decide. Notification of the meeting and the agenda shall be given to all members either in writing or by electronic means at least twenty-eight days beforehand. The business of the AGM shall be to:
      1. approve reports on the activities of the past year.
      2. approve the accounts.
      3. elect the officers and members of the Committee and appoint one or more independent examiners of the accounts.
      4. transact any other business of PUG of which due notice has been given.
   2. Nominations, which must be seconded, for officers, committee members and independent examiners shall be submitted to the Secretary not less than 14 days before the day on which the AGM is to take place. If there are more nominations than vacancies for the Committee, the Chairman of the meeting shall arrange for a ballot to be held, the results to be announced during the meeting. If insufficient nominations have been received to fill the vacancies, the Chairman of the meeting may, at his or her discretion, take nominations from the floor.
   3. No member may introduce any business or motion unless they have given notice in writing to the Secretary or Chairman not less than 60 days before the date of the AGM at which it is to be discussed.
   4. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be convened either at the request of the Committee or at the request of 5% of the membership. Notice of an EGM shall be given to members either in writing or by electronic means, at least twenty-eight days before the date of the proposed meeting setting out the business to be undertaken. Where a meeting is held at the request of the members, the quorum shall be 10% of the membership.
   5. An EGM shall deal only with the business for which it had been called.
   6. Except as provided for in Clauses 8c and 9 below, all decisions will be by simple majority of members present and voting at the meeting. In the event of a tie in any vote at a General Meeting, the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a second, casting vote.

8. THE CONSTITUTION

   1. The Constitution may be amended only at an AGM or at an EGM for which proper Notice has been given, such notice to include the Resolution setting out the terms of the proposed alteration.
   2. A copy of the proposed Motion amending the Constitution shall be circulated to members in sufficient time for any proposed amendments to the Motion amending the Constitution to be included in the Notice convening the General Meeting. Substantive amendments from the floor of the meeting will not be accepted.
   3. The Resolution must be approved by not less than two-thirds of the votes of PUG members voting on the resolution, including valid postal votes received by the Chairman or Secretary before the meeting.

9. DISSOLUTION

   Any resolution for the dissolution of PUG must be signed by not less than fifteen per cent of the membership, and must be submitted to the Committee not less than three months before the AGM. Such a resolution needs the approval of two thirds of the votes of PUG members voting on the resolution, including valid postal votes received by the Chairman or Secretary before the meeting. Any assets remaining on the dissolution of PUG after satisfying any outstanding debts and liabilities shall not be distributed amongst the members of PUG but shall be given to the Society of Genealogists or such other organisations with objectives related to genealogy as the members may direct.