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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSPSAC 2017-09-27 Item 6C - Review BylawsPublic Safety Plan Siting Advisory Committee Bylaws Article I. Authority and Name The City of Tukwila created a Public Safety Plan Siting Advisory Committee to support the implementation of the Public Safety Plan, which has two general components: Public Safety Bonds: On the November 8, 2016 General Election, voters of Tukwila approved issuance of general obligation bonds not to exceed $77,385,000 to pay for: • Replacement of three seismically deficient fire stations (Stations 51, 52 and 54) • Guaranteed funding for fire equipment and apparatus for the life of the 20 -year bond • Construction of a Justice Center to house the Tukwila Police Department and Municipal Court. Public Works Shops Replacement: The City's shops will be replaced by allocating an equal amount of funds from the General Fund and Enterprise Fund to cover the cost of constructing the new facility. The City created a charter for the Committee, which was agreed to by consensus by the City Council and Mayor. Article II. Purpose and Responsibilities The Tukwila City Council and Administration share the common goal of ensuring robust community engagement regarding the siting of the facilities included in the Public Safety Plan. As such, the City has appointed and is staffing the Siting Advisory Committee to provide input and advice to City officials throughout the siting process, particularly with regard to the Justice Center. While fire station locations are data -driven to ensure optimum response times, and while the Public Works facility will be constrained by acreage and zoning requirements, these facilities can also benefit from the Siting Advisory Committee. It is important to note the distinction between the Siting Advisory Committee and the Public Safety Bond Financial Oversight Committee. Both are important efforts to ensure community oversight and review, but have distinct purposes and roles in this effort. The Siting Advisory Committee's responsibilities are to: • Meet regularly to review outreach efforts, provide advice on strategies and tactics for outreach, and key audiences. • Participate in public outreach efforts such as town hall meetings, review feedback generated by the community and verify that major themes are being incorporated into siting decisions and facility plans. • Provide City staff with feedback about the siting process and outcomes. • Provide City staff with outreach advice, such as reviewing materials and identifying other groups to contact. • Review potential sites and provide feedback to project team and the City Council. 5 Article III. Members and Officers A. Committee Structure and Membership The Committee shall have seven members comprising of two members of the City Council, the Public Works Director, and four community members, including at least one from the business community. B. Appointment Process The City will advertise broadly the opportunity to serve on the Committee. Interested individuals may apply by completing the City's Boards and Commissions Application Form available on the City website. Applications will be reviewed by the Mayor and the City Council's Public Safety Committee. The Mayor will appoint one community member, and the Council will appoint the other three. The Mayor's recommendation and the Public Safety Committee's recommendation will go forward consecutively to the Committee of the Whole. Volunteers for City Boards, Commissions, and Committees are subject to a background check and conflict of interest statement. All members shall serve without compensation. C. Term of Appointment Members shall serve for terms of two years. Community members may be reappointed for additional terms, if needed. The Committee shall continue in existence until each facility is constructed and fully occupied. The two seats held by members of the City Council will be appointed by the council President during his or her term and may be annual appointments. D. Officers Officers shall be a Chair and a Vice -Chair; both appointed members of the Committee and voted into office by the Committee. In absence of both the Chair and the Vice -Chair members shall elect a Chair pro tem. A Councilmember may not serve as Chair or Vice Chair. E. Duties of the Officers Chair The Chair shall preside at all meetings and adhere to the duties of the presiding officer prescribed in Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised. The Chair shall be a full voting member of the Committee. The Chair shall speak on behalf of the Committee before the City Council, the public and City staff. The term of office shall be one year. A Committee member may serve as Chair for no more than two consecutive terms. The Chair may delegate duties to other Committee members with the consent of the Committee. Vice -Chair The Vice -Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair in absence of the Chair. The Vice -Chair may also speak on behalf of the Committee before City Council, the public and City staff when the Chair is not available to speak. The term of office shall be one year. A Committee member may serve as Vice -Chair for no more than two consecutive terms. 6 F. Duties of Committee Members It is the responsibility of all Committee members to: • Arrange adequate time to carry out responsibility as a Committee member; • Come to meetings prepared: Read all reports, proposals and documents distributed prior to meetings; • Listen to other Committee members and communicate with respect and courtesy; and • Participate in group discussion and decision making. • Comply with the following requirements: 1. Ethics Training Every Commission member must complete Ethics Training and sign an Ethics Training Certification Form within 90 days of appointment and must complete the training within 90 days of reappointment or every four years, whichever comes first. 2. Open Public Meetings Act Training Pursuant to RCW 42.30.205, every Commission member must complete training on the Open Public Meetings Act and sign an OPMA Training Certification Form within 90 days of appointment and must complete the training within 90 days of reappointment or every four years, whichever comes first. 3. Public Records Training Every Commission member must complete training on the Public Records Act and sign a Public Records Training Certification Form within 90 days of appointment and must complete the training within 90 days of reappointment or every four years, whichever comes first. 4. Conflict of Interest Washington's ethics laws prohibit public officials from gaining financially as a result of his or her position. Public officials must declare any conflicts of interest at a public meeting. A conflict exists if a recommendation potentially could affect the finances of the group member or the finances of a family member. If a conflict exists, the member must declare this fact at a meeting where the issue is being discussed and refrain from discussing or voting on the recommendation. Every Commission member must sign a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form within 90 days of appointment and must sign a new Disclosure Form within 90 days of reappointment or every four years, whichever comes first. Article IV. Elections The Committee shall elect a Chair and a Vice Chair each year. Generally, officers shall be elected and take office annually at the first Committee meeting in the calendar year. The election will take place as the first item of new business and the elected officers will assume their duties at the close of elections. The election of the Chair will be conducted by the Committee staff person who will ask for nominations from Committee members. No one Committee member shall nominate more than one person for an office. Nominations do not require a second. Staff will repeat each nomination, ask for further nominations, and declare the nominations closed. A motion to close nominations is not necessary. Committee members will be asked to vote by a raise of hands. As soon as one of the nominees receives a majority vote of the seated members staff will declare that member elected as the Chair. No votes will be taken on any remaining nominees. A tie vote will result in a failed nomination. If none of the nominees receive a majority vote staff will call for nominations again and repeat the process until a single candidate receives a majority vote. Upon election, the Chair will conduct the election for Vice - Chair following the same process. Should the Chair be vacated prior to the completion of the Term, the Vice -Chair will assume the duties and responsibilities of the Chair for the remainder of the Term. The Chair will then conduct elections for a new Vice -Chair. Should the Vice -Chair be vacated prior to the completion of the Term, the Chair will conduct elections for a new Vice -Chair to serve out the remainder of the Term. Time spent fulfilling a vacated Term shall not count towards the two consecutive Term limit for Chair and Vice -Chair. Article III. Meetings All Committee meetings shall comply with the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act RCW 42.30. All meetings shall be noticed and open to the public. A. Schedule and Frequency The Committee shall determine its meeting schedule according to the flow of information to evaluate. Meetings will be held at a time and place that work for all members of the committee. This could change depending on where the City is in the process of each facility. B. Notices Public notice of the meeting date, time and location will be provided on the City website, and the preliminary agenda for the forthcoming Committee meeting will be posted in the City's Digital Records Center. Article IV. Rules of Meetings A. Absences Members are expected to reliably attend and participate in meetings. Absence without cause from more than two (2) meetings may be cause for removal. Members shall communicate with the Chair, the Vice -Chair or the City staff person with requests for an excused absence in the event they will miss a meeting. Emergency requests may be considered. The Chair may approve the absence. B. Quorum A quorum is required for the Committee to take any action. At all meetings, the presence of the majority of the currently seated members constitute a quorum. When fully seated at seven members, four members constitute a quorum. C. Rules of Procedure The current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall provide the basis for meeting structure and official decisions shall be made by motion and vote of the Committee. D. Meeting Decorum To provide a fair and efficient forum for the conduct of business at Committee meetings the following rules of decorum shall be observed: 8 1. No person shall address the Committee without first obtaining recognition from the Chair. 2. The Committee may allow comments from members of the public attending Committee meetings by permission of the Chair or majority vote of the Committee members present. 3. To aid in the creation of accurate meeting minutes all speakers should provide their first and last name each time they address the Committee. E. Voting In instances where a vote is called for or required, the present majority is sufficient to act (provided a quorum is present). Each member shall have one vote and no proxies shall be allowed. The Council alternate member will be allowed to vote only if one of the two seated Council representatives are not present. Present members may abstain. The Chair may vote on any issue and shall vote in the event of a tie. No action is taken if the Chair votes and the tie continues. A majority vote shall carry and minority opinions shall be formally registered in the minutes and report to the City Council. F. Adjournment/Recess/Continuations Meetings shall be adjourned by a majority vote of the Committee or by the chair when it appears that there is no further business. The Committee may, by majority vote or consensus, recess for a short break. The proposal to recess may set a time limit or can be until the Chair calls the meeting back to order. Continuations of meetings shall be to a definite time and place by the majority vote of present Committee members. Article V. Reports to the City Council The Committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for improvement to the City Council at least semi-annually. Any reports or recommendations shall be provided to the Council and the public in electronic format and posted on the City website. Hard copies shall be made available upon request at City Hall. Article V. Amendments These Bylaws may be amended or repealed and new Bylaws may be adopted at any meeting by a majority of the vote of the membership. A copy of the proposed Bylaws or amendments thereto, shall be furnished to each member at least three (3) days prior to the date of the meeting. All amendments to the Bylaws shall be submitted to the Mayor and City Council for their information. 9