Constitution of the TAMR

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Constitution of the
Teen Association
of Model Railroaders

Article 1 - Name and Purpose

Section 1 - The name of this association is the Teen Association of Model Railroaders, known heretofore as the TAMR.

Section 2 - The purposes of the TAMR are to promote, stimulate, foster, and encourage among youth of all ages, by all manner and means, the art and craft of model railroading, the activity of railfanning, and the preservation of the history, science, and technology thereof. The TAMR is organized exclusively for charitable, non-profit, educational, literary, and scientific purposes which include, but are not limited to, the following:
          Part 1 - To develop the technical skills of all engaged in the art and craft of model railroading and the
          activity of railfanning as well as promoting fellowship amongst the group.
          Part 2 - To educate those engaged in model railroading and railfanning in the methods of building and
          operating a model railroad, the techniques of railfanning, and of the practices employed by prototype
          railroads.
          Part 3 - To further the understanding of those engaged in the hobby of model railroading and the activity
          of railfanning of the accomplishments of peers also engaged in these pursuits.
          Part 4 - To advance the hobby of model railroading and the activity of railfanning whenever and
          wherever possible by publications, meetings, and all other things necessary and incident to the
          preceding purposes.

Article 2 - Government

Section 1 - All legislative powers of the TAMR shall be given to the Congress, consisting of all elected officials, the auditor, promotional manager, and the editor. All officials will be elected by all TAMR members, with the exception of the editor, promotional manager, archivist, and auditor, who shall be appointed by the President.

Article 3 - Government Offices

Section 1 - The offices of the TAMR shall consist of a President, Auditor, Treasurer, Editor, Archivist, Promotional Manager, and five regional representatives. All officials are voluntary and shall in no way benefit financially from the TAMR.

Section 2 - The President, Treasurer, and regional representatives shall be elected by all TAMR members. The auditor, editor, promotional manager, and archivist shall be appointed by the President.

Section 3 - The duties of the office of President
          Part 1 - To oversee the day-to-day operation and coordination of the TAMR.
          Part 2 - To act as official representative and ceremonial leader when needed.
          Part 3 - To actively participate in Congress.
          Part 4 - To appoint members to auditor, editor, promotional manager, and archivist, and any vacant
          office(s).

Section 4 - The duties of the office of Auditor
          Part 1 - To perform a yearly audit of the TAMR finances.
          Part 2 - To actively participate in Congress.
          Part 3 - To control voting in Congress.
          Part 4 - To oversee all election proceedings.

Section 5 - The duties of the office of Treasurer
          Part 1 - To set up any financial accounts he/she deems necessary to responsibly handle TAMR funds.
          Part 2 - To keep a detailed account of all TAMR funds and to assure all money is spent for TAMR
          purposes.
          Part 3 - To prepare an end-year financial report to be published in the Hotbox and to arrange an audit
          with the auditor yearly.
          Part 4 - To actively participate in Congress.
          Part 5 - To oversee regional budgets.
          Part 6 - To provide financial records to any member upon request, with the deletion of personal records.
          Part 7 - To produce a membership handbook.
          Part 8 - To keep an up-to-date membership roster and to distribute renewal notices.
          Part 9 - To produce a mailing list for the editor monthly and to produce a mailing list quarterly for
          regional representatives.

Section 6 - The duties of the office of Editor
          Part 1 - To publish and mail the Hotbox, the yearly directory, the Constitution, and any other TAMR
          publications.
          Part 2 - To distribute election ballots from the Auditor.
          Part 3 - To actively participate in Congress.

Section 7 - The duties of the office of Regional Representative
          Part 1 - To oversee all activities of the region and to report to the Congress on regional proceedings
          Part 2 - To produce a quarterly newsletter for region members and to submit all financial records and
          receipts from the publication of the newsletter to the Treasurer.
          Part 3 - To organize regional fundraising activities.
          Part 4 - To actively participate in Congress.

Section 8 - The duties of the office of Archivist
          Part 1 - To safely manage and store all legislative matter, publications, and all other material of the
          TAMR for future reference.
          Part 2 - To provide archives to any member upon request with the deletion of personal information.

Section 9 - The duties of the office of Promotional Manager
          Part 1 - To oversee the day-to-day operation of the TAMR Promotions Department.
          Part 2 - To appoint a promotional staff if needed.
          Part 3 - To promote the TAMR within and outside the TAMR body.
          Part 4 - To organize a promotional effort to assist in stimulating the growth of the TAMR membership.
          Part 5 - To actively participate in Congress.

Article 4 - Membership

Section 1 - Membership regulations, classes, and fees shall be set by the Treasurer and published in the Membership Handbook, which shall consist of all matter relating to TAMR membership.
          Part 1 - Honorary Life memberships shall be given to those who have served the TAMR well and have
          been a great asset to it. Any member may nominate a current member for this with approval from
          Congress. The recipient may not be a current member of Congress and are not eligible for elected office
          but may vote. An honorary life member may hold the office of Archivist.

Article 5 - Regions

Section 1 - The TAMR shall consist of five regions. They shall be known as the Canadian/International, Central, Northeastern, Southern, and Western. The purpose of these regions is to foster TAMR benefits locally and to let members become more active in the TAMR.
          Part 1 - The Canadian/International shall consist of all countries outside of the United States, including
          U.S. territories.
          Part 2 - The Central shall consist of the U.S. states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan,
          Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
          Part 3 - The Northeastern shall consist of the U.S. states of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine,
          New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and the
          District of Columbia.
          Part 4 - The Southern shall consist of the U.S. states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
          Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Texas.
          Part 5 - The Western shall consist of the U.S. states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,
          Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Section 2 - Each region shall be governed by an elected regional representative, who shall participate in Congress.

Section 3 - Each region shall receive money from the TAMR government for a quarterly newsletter. In the event the representative cannot produce a newsletter or there is no current representative, the money will be withheld. In times of TAMR financial problems, the Congress may vote to discontinue payments until the situation improves.

Section 4 - In addition to quarterly funding from the TAMR government, each region may engage in limited fund raising activities, upon approval from Congress. These funds are to be used for the benefit of the region, and not to benefit any specific member financially. These fundraising activities will not turn the region or the TAMR into a business, and the Congress may vote to veto any fundraising it deems not in the best interest of the TAMR.

Article 6 - Election of Officers

Section 1 - Elections shall be held in the month of November. All offices shall come up for election every two years, with the exception of the auditor, editor, promotional manager, and archivist.

Section 2 - All candidates shall be current members of the TAMR and under the age of 21. Regional representative candidates must live within the region they are running for. All elected officials must maintain membership throughout their terms.

Section 3 - In the June of an election year, all elected officials shall write a letter of intent to the auditor stating their intentions of running for office or not. The auditor shall make it known in the Hotbox of all intentions. In July or August, all eligible members wishing to run for office shall register with the auditor. They all shall be allowed a short space in the Hotbox for a campaign message until elections are over. In the November Hotbox or by special mail, voting ballots shall be distributed to all eligible members. Ballots shall be returned within thirty days of distribution. Ballots received after the deadline or not properly completed will not be counted. The candidates with the majority of votes shall be declared winners. A tie shall be broke by a vote in Congress. The auditor shall send all ballots to the archivist for storage. The results shall be published as soon as possible in the Hotbox. The terms of elected officials shall begin January 1.

Section 4 - The ballot shall be clearly marked and shall list all offices with all candidates under each, in alphabetical order. A space for write-in votes shall be included under each office. It shall be stated that the voter may only vote for a representative in his/her region. There shall be space for the voter's signature and date.

Article 7 - Impeachment of Officers and Presidential Vacancy

Section 1 - If a majority of Congress feels an officer has overstepped his/her bounds or for other reasonable reasons, an impeachment vote may be called by any officer. The accused and the accuser shall distribute their arguments to all officers, including each other. A neutral officer shall then distribute voting ballots to all officers except the accused. A majority is needed to remove an officer from officer.

Section 2 - If the officer of President should become vacant in any way, a new one will be appointed by majority vote in Congress.

Article 8 - Voting in Congress

Section 1 - If an issue should arise that would affect the TAMR Constitution, it should be voted upon in the Congress.

Section 2 - A proposal may be brought up by any member of the TAMR. It shall then be voted upon by the Congress. If the bill is passed by majority vote, it shall become policy. If it is a tie, a compromise bill must be worked out until it is withdrawn or passed.

Section 3 - If a quorum of at least 50% of Congress is not present during a session, a proposal ballot must be clearly marked that it is a special vote. The proposal shall be written as it should officially appear. Lines fo approve, disapprove, signature, and date should follow the proposal. All copies shall be exactly the same, with no alterations. No propaganda should appear anywhere.

Section 4 - The auditor shall control all voting proceedings and be responsible for verifying results and sending all matter to the archivist for storage.

Article 9 - Publications

Section 1 - The TAMR official publications shall consist of the Hotbox, a member directory, and the Constitution. The editor shall oversee the publication of all of the above. The Hotbox shall be published monthly, and the directory annually. The Constitution, with amendments, shall be made readily available upon reuqest by any member. All officers must have a copy of the Constitution.

Section 2 - Each region shall have an official quarterly newsletter, financed by the TAMR.
          Part 1 - The Canadian/International newsletter shall be the Intercolonial.
          Part 2 - The Central newsletter shall be the Pilot.
          Part 3 - The Northeastern newsletter shall be the Depot.
          Part 4 - The Southern newsletter shall be the Crescent.
          Part 5 - The Western publication shall be the Daylight.

Section 3 - All publications shall not be duplicated or distributed for means other than promotion without the written consent of the editor or regional representative.

Article 10 - Convention

Section 1 - The TAMR annual convention shall be held between the U.S. holidays of Memorial and Labor Day, and shall be held in a different city than that of the previous year.

Section 2 - The Convention Director shall have complete control over the location and proceedings of the convention and shall be appointed by Congress. He/she shall head the convention committee, consisting of any members interested in planning the convention. All details of the convention shall be made known to all TAMR members as early as possible. The Convention Director is responsible for securing all necessary reservations for convention proceedings. A convention budget shall be set by the Treasurer.

Article 11 - Freedom of Information

Section 1 - All TAMR records shall be made available to any member upon request, with the deletion of personal information.

Section 2 - All officers shall be required to list their addresses and phone number in the yearly directory.

Article 12 - Non-Discrimination

Section 1 - The TAMR shall in no way discriminate against any person on the basis of race, gender, nationality, religion, or financial status.

Section 2 - The TAMR shall in no way discriminate against any person on basis of age, with the exception of the right to hold office being limited to those under the age of 21. This exception may be waived in countries where this provision is illegal.

Article 13 - All proposals passed by the TAMR Congress shall become amendments in this Constitution

Ratified January 1994; President Brent Johnson, Secretary Matt Schwerin, Treasurer Brad Beaubien, Auditor Eric Boone, Editor Aaron Marcavitch, Canadian/International Rep. Mike Yan, Central Rep. Zachary Gooch, Northeast Rep. Mike Thideman, Southern Rep. Stefanie Greenwood, and Western Rep. Chris Harrison.

Amendment 1 - Office of Vice President

Section 1 - The office of Vice President shall be an independently elected position, not dependent upon the election of President.

Section 2 - The duties of the office of Vice President:
          Part 1 - To assist the President in the day-to-day operation and coordination of the TAMR.
          Part 2 - To act as ceremonial leader if the President is unable to do so.
          Part 3 - To temporarily assume the office of President should the President become incapacitated or
          impeached until a new President is elected.
          Part 4 - To actively participate in Congress.

Ratified August 1994

Amendment 2 - Divisions

Section 1 - Divisions shall consist of a group of states in an area of its region to promote local activity and promotion for the TAMR.

Section 2 - Each Division will have a director appointed for one year by the TAMR President.
          Part 1 - He/she will carry out promotional activities given by the Promotional Manager.
          Part 2 - He/she will sponsor local events approved by the regional representative.
          Part 3 - The Division shall make quarterly reports about local events and promotion to the regional
          representative and promotional manager.

Section 3 - Canadian/International Divisions
          Part 1 - East Coast Division: New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
          Part 2 - Hudson Bay Division: Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec.
          Part 3 - Territory Division: Northwest Territory and Yukon Territory.
          Part 4 - West Coast Division: Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan.
          Part 5 - World Division: All other territories or countries outside of the United States and Canada. If a
          country within the World Division has five TAMR members, they become their own Division.

Section 4 - Central Divisions
          Part 1 - Great Lakes Division: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio.
          Part 2 - Great Plains Division: North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota.
          Part 3 - Heartland Division: Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri.
          Part 4 - Hiawatha Division: Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.

Section 5 - Northeast Divisions
          Part 1 - Atlantic Division: District of Columbia, Delaware, and West Virginia.
          Part 2 - Midway Division: New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
          Part 3 - New England Division: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and
          Vermont.

Section 6 - Southern Divisions
          Part 1 - Dixie Division: Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
          Part 2 - Frontier Division: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.
          Part 3 - Seaboard Division: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Section 7 - Western Divisions
          Part 1 - Cascade Division: Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.
          Part 2 - Glacier Division: Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming.
          Part 3 - Pacific Division: California, Hawaii, and Nevada.
          Part 4 - Rocky Mountain Division: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.

Ratified January 1998

Amendment 3 - Inactivity

Section 1 - In the event the TAMR is inactive for a period of six months or more, the Congress may vote to dissolve the Association. A 2/3 majority vote is needed.

Section 2 - If the TAMR is inactive for a period of one year, the Association will automatically be dissolved.

Section 3 - Upon dissolution, all assets remaining after any incurred debts have been settled, shall be transferred to Operation Lifesaver, Inc. of Alexandria, Virginia, USA, a non-profit organization with 501c3 tax-exempt status.

Ratified January 1998

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