[Linux-aus] Proposed constitutional changes: cessation of membership

[Mary Gardiner]

I'm sure no one wants to hear anything about constitutions ever again now.

OK, so, this is a proposed implementation of what we discussed in the
"Proposal: yearly reminder/expiration of free membership". Russell Stuart's
argument about bounces convinced me at least that option 3, that is, sending
out an occasional (at most yearly) email and saying "reply to this/click on
this link or you're not a member any more" makes the most sense.

The idea is:
 - if there's a membership fee in any given year, this takes care of itself,
   people who don't pay it aren't members any more
 - if there's no membership fee in any given year, the secretary *can* (doesn't
   have to) ask people to renew their membership

Presumably this functionality would be added to MemberDB.

"""
 === 4. Cessation of membership ===

 A person ceases to be a member of the association if the person:
 * (a)    dies, or
 * (b)    resigns membership, or
 * (c)    is expelled from the association, or
-* (d)    fails to pay the annual membership fee under clause 8 (2) within 3 months after the fee is due.
+* (d)    fails to pay the annual membership fee under clause 8 (2) within 1 months after the fee is due.
+* (e)    fails to respond to a written request for membership renewal under clause 8(3)(b) within 28 days

 === 8. Fees and subscriptions ===

 (1)    A member of the association must, on admission to membership, pay to the association a fee of $1 or, if some other amount is determined by the committee, that other amount.
 (2)    In addition to any amount payable by the member under subclause (1), a member of the association must pay to the association an annual membership fee of $2 or, if some other amount is determined by the committee, that other amount:
-* (a)    except as provided by paragraph (b), before 1 July in each calendar year, or
-* (b)    if the member becomes a member on or after 1 July in any calendar year - on becoming a member and before 1 July in each succeeding calendar year.
+* (a)    except as provided by paragraph (b), before the date specified as the beginning of the financial year under clause 42 in each calendar year, or
+* (b)    if the member becomes a member on or after the beginning of the financial year in any calendar year - on becoming a member and before the beginning of the financial year in each succeeding calendar year.
+(3)    The annual membership fee due before the beginning of the financial year in a calendar year will be determined by the committee no later than 60 days before that fee is due, or else be held to be $0, and
+* (a) if this amount is not $0, the amount is to be notified in writing by the secretary to members no later than 40 days before that fee is due
+* (b) if this amount is $0, at the discretion of the committee the secretary may notify members no later than 40 days before the beginning of the financial year that they must renew their membership in writing past the beginning of the financial year. The form of such renewal is at the discretion of the committee.
"""

Note also the change to 4(d) in which people only have one month to pay their
membership fee, if any. That would reduce administrative burden on the Council,
but is it too onerous? (Recall that we have no plans to set a fee though!)

-Mary