HomeMy WebLinkAbout10D Amend TSAC TRAFFIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE BYLAWS
Adopted January 5, 2009
Amended October 19, 2009
Amended January 3, 2011
Amended January 17, 2012
I Amended January 13. - , 2014
SECTION 100: PURPOSE
101: The purpose of the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee bylaws is to provide a set of operating
procedures for the Committee, and to establish a code of ethics and conduct.
102: The Bylaws shall be reviewed annuaily by the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee, and any
changes or amendments agreed to by a majority vote of the Committee shall be recommended
to the City Council for adoption at its annual meeting. The City Council conducts its annual
meeting at the first meeting in January of each year.
SECTION 200: STRUCTURE OF COMMITTEE
201: COMMITTEE CREATED: The Prior Lake Traffic Safety Advisory Committee is created for the
City, its purpose to be of an advisory nature to the City Council and staff on issues re�ated to
traffic safety.
The members of the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee shall annually elect officers in
accordance with the procedures of paragraph 206 herein.
202: DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE: The duties of the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee are as
foliows:
1. Review community traffic safety issues and proposed solutions in accordance with
Minnesota statutes.
2. Provide guidance to City staff on traffic safety issues.
3. Advise the City Council on traffic safety issues.
4. Conduct public meetings on traffic safety issues as directed by the City Council.
� 5. Recommend siqnage chanqes.
203: APPOINTMENT: The Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members and no more than
I five (5) members as determined and appointed by the City Council, +"° �'�+„ �nr�„ +��,�
rh�; +��p^��, �„�� onti-r:. Only residents of the City who are at least 18 years old shall be
considered for appointment. Said members shall serve three (3) year-terms beginning
November 1 and ending October 31St. The Committee shall be representative of the citizens
who live in Prior Lake. Committee members may serve additional terms upon approval by the
Prior Lake City Council, based upon satisfactory attendance and participation, continued
residence within the corporate limits of the City of Prior Lake, and in accordance with the term
limit policy established herein. Committee members may be appointed at any time throughout
the year. If a Committee member is appointed at any time other than the standard City
appointment process in October, the Committee member shall begin service immediately upon
appointment and shall serve as if appointed in the previous October, serving two full years and
a partial year. I n addition to the appointed members. the Citv Engineer, the Fire Chief and the .
Police Chief shall be ex-officio members of the Committee and shall have the riqht to
�articipate in all discussions but not the right to vote.
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� 204: COUNCIL NA�-48t�LIAISON: Annually the City Council will appoint a Council member to
serve as a Liaison between the Council and the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee. The role
of the Liaison is to act as a conduit and resource for information by and between the Council
and the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee and the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee and the
Council. The Liaison shall make periodic reports to the Council on the activities of the Traffic
Safety Advisory Committee. The Liaison shall communicate any Council input on a particular
issue to the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee. The Liaison shall not participate in the
discussion or deliberation of any matter pending before the Committee, except where the
Traffic Safety Advisory Committee is meeting in a study or work session. The Traffic Safety
Advisory Committee, at its discretion, may ask the Liaison whether the Council has discussed
the subject under consideration and the nature of the discussion. The Liaison shall never use
this occasion as an opportunity to communicate their personal position regarding the matter
under consideration.
A Liaison may always testify or submit written comments at a Public Hearing in their capacity
as a private citizen so long as they make clear at the beginning of their testimony or their
written comments that they are speaking on their own behalf and not on behalf of the Council.
205: VACANCIES: If an appointed member of the Committee resigns, is terminated, reaches a term
limit, or otherwise vacates a seat of the Committee, the Prior Lake City Council shall appoint a
replacement in the manner set forth in the City Council Bylaws for Committee Vacancies.
206: OFFICERS: The Traffic Safety Advisory Committee shall elect from among its members a Chair,
� and a Vice-Chair. The ------ Staff Liaison shall serve as Secretary
of the Committee.
1. Chair: The Chair shall be elected at the first meeting in November by majority vote
of the Committee members present at the meeting. The term of the chair shall begin
in November and run for three years. The duties of the chair shall include approval
of ineeting agendas, presiding at meetings, and giving an accounting of its activities
and any information the Committee may consider relevant before the City Council
annually or as directed otherwise.
2. Vice-Chair: The vice-chair shall be elected in the same manner as the Chair and shall
perForm the duties of the Chair in his/her absence. The vice-chair shall assume such
other duties as assigned by the chair.
3. Secretarv: The Secretary shall be responsible for recording and compiling a written
summary of all official activities of the Committee.
4. Vacancv: If the office of Chair or Vice-Chair becomes vacant, the Committee shall
appoint a replacement by majority vote of those members present at the next regular
meeting, and such election shall be for the unexpired term of said office.
207: TERM LIMIT: It is the policy of the Prior Lake City Council to impose a three term service
limitation for all appointed positions to the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee. The term limit
applies only to full three year terms. The purpose of the term limit policy is to encourage
resident participation on City advisory bodies and provide community members with the
opportunity to participate in their local government.
208: REMOVAL OF MEMBER: Any member of the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee may be
removed from office for just cause by a four-fifths (4/5) vote of the entire City Council. Just
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cause includes but is not limited to excessive nonattendance at Committee meetings, lack of
� participation, or lack of residence in Prior Lake.
SECTION 300: STATEMENT OF ETHICS
301: POLICY STATEMENT: The City of Prior Lake recognizes our system of democratic
representative government is dependent in large measure, upon people having trust and
confidence in their public officials. The public rightfully expects governmental officials will
conduct City of Prior Lake business in ways which benefit the public good generally and that
public office will not be used chiefly or improperly to advance personal interests. The City
Council of Prior Lake has pledged the goals of fair, efficient and honest government will be
fostered and that it will strive for integrity and objectivity from all of its officials.
1 The City of Prior Lake finds that the proper operation of democratic representative
government requires that:
• Elected and appointed officials be independent, impartial and responsible to the
people;
• Governmental decisions and policy are made in the proper channels of the
governmental structure;
• Public office and position not be used for personal gain; and
• The public have confidence in the integrity of its government.
2 The City of Prior Lake shall adhere to the highest ethical standards that enhance the public
trust in local government by:
• Creating transparency in its actions through honest and open communication;
• Basing decisions and adopting public policies based on what is in the best interest
of the public and the overall community;
• Supporting the public's right to know the public's business; and
• Exercising fairness, optimism, responsiveness and respect in communicating with
the public.
• Providing a forum and periodic training for public officials and employees to discuss
organizational values that reflect high standards and current conditions and
concerns.
3 This Statement of Ethics shall be liberally construed in favor of protecting the public's
interest in full disclosure of conflicts of interest and promoting ethical standards of conduct.
302: ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT: Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 10A, Ethics in Government, is
incorporated herein by reference. This policy shall be construed and interpreted in consultation
with the City Attorney according to Minnesota Statutes and case law.
303: GIFTS AND FAVORS: No public official shall accept any valuable gift, favor or thing of value,
regardless of amount whether in the form of money, service, loan, thing or promise from any
person which to the official's knowledge is concerned, directly or indirectly in any manner
whatsoever in business dealings with the City.
304: USE OF EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES: No public official shall request or permit the
unauthorized use of City-owned vehicles, equipment, materials, property, labor or services for
personal convenience or profit.
305: CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Except as authorized in Minn. Stat. 471.88, a public officer who is
authorized to take part in any manner in making any sale, lease, or contract in official capacity
shall not voluntarily have a personal financial interest in that sale, lease, or contract or
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personally benefit financially therefrom. (Minn. Stat. Section 471.87)
306 A public official or local official elected to or appointed by a metropolitan governmental unit
who in the discharge of official duties would be required to take an action or make a decision
that would substantially affect the officiai's financial interests or those of an associated
business, unless the effect on the official is no greater than on other members of the official's
business classification, profession or occupation, must take the following actions:
1 Advise the City Attorney of the potential conflict of interest as soon as possible, preferably
before the meeting; and
2 The City Attorney shall determine whether a disqualifying conflict of interest exists.
3 Any Committee member shall orally inform the Committee of the potential conflict and
abstain from any participation in that agenda item if a conflict is determined to exist.
307: The purpose behind the creation of a rule, which would disqualify public officials from
participating in proceedings in a decision-making capacity when they have a direct conflict of
interest in its outcome, is to ensure that their decision will not be an arbitrary reflection of their
own selfish interests. There is no settled general rule as to whether such an interest will
disqualify an official. Each case must be decided on the basis of the particular facts present.
Among the relevant factors that should be considered in making this determination are: (1)
nature of the decision being made; (2) the nature of the pecuniary interest; (3) the number of
officials making the decision who are interested; (4) the need, if any, to have interested persons
make the decision; and (5) the other means available, if any, such as the opportunity for review,
that serve to ensure that the officials will not act arbitrarily to further their selfish interests.
�
SECTION 400: CONDUCTING MEETINGS
401: REGULAR MEETINGS: In conformance with the Minnesota Open Meeting Law all meetings of
the Committee are open to the public. Regular meetings shall be held on a minimum of a
quarterly basis during each calendar year at Prior Lake City Hall, 4646 Dakota Street SE, Prior
Lake, Minnesota. Regular meetings may be rescheduled, canceled or changed depending upon
unique circumstances and subject to the approval and consent of either the Chair or Vice-Chair.
402: NOTIFICATION: A schedule of all regular meetings shall be kept on file at the City Clerk's �
Office. Notice of all meetings shall be provided as required by the Minnesota Open Meeting
Law.
1. Unless extenuating circumstances exist, a copy of the notice, agenda and
accompanying materials shall be received by the Committee, staff and others
designated by the Committee, no later than three (3) business days prior to the
next scheduled meeting and no later than two (2) days prior to a special meeting.
2. Notice of any Public Hearing must be published as required by statute.
403: SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special Meetings of the Committee may be called by the Chair or any
two (2) members of the Committee for the purpose of transacting any business designated in
the notice. Staff may recommend calling a special meeting, but must receive approval from
either the chair or two members of the Committee. Notice of a special meeting shall be
provided as required by the Minnesota Open Meeting Law. At such meetings, no business
shall be considered other than as designated in the notice.
404: AGENDA AND MEETING FORMAT: Business of the meeting will be conducted according to
� the Agenda prepared by the �_ .Staff Liaison� A memo, report,
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or brief explanation of each agenda item shall be included in the Committee agenda packet. The
information provided by staff should serve to inform the Committee of the subject matter under
discussion. The information should explain in detail the staff comments or work, or state that the
staff will present the necessary details and comments at the meeting. The meeting agenda will
be prepared according to the following:
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Approval of Minutes
4. Hearings
5. Old Business
6. New Business
7. Announcements / Correspondence
8. Adjournment
� 405: MINUTE PREPARATION. The Staff Liaison is responsible for the
preparation of the minutes of the meeting. The meeting proceedings will be audio-recorded
and written minutes will be prepared. The written minutes of the meeting as approved by the
Committee are the official record of the meeting. The audio recording is intended to
supplement the minutes for the purpose of an "on the record review" in a judicial proceeding. A
DVD recording may also be prepared for the purpose of rebroadcast of the meeting on the
City's public access cable channel. The following two requirements for "minute" preparation
shall be adhered to:
1. All motions typed in capital letters.
2. List the names of the Committee Members after their vote on each motion.
The official minutes shall be prepared and presented to the Committee at the next regularly
scheduled meeting as part of the agenda packet. The text of the minutes shall consist of
officiat Committee business conducted while the Committee is in session. Any comments
made at a meeting that are made prior to the start of or after adjournment of the meeting, or
during any recess, shall not be made part of the minutes. The Committee shall review the
minutes and the presiding officer shall call for any additions or corrections. If an addition or
correction is presented, the change must be specific as to place, paragraph, and sentence, if
applicable. The official minutes shall be corrected to reflect the change.
Approval of the minutes requires a motion, second and a majority vote of the members present
at the meeting unless otherwise provided by these bylaws, State Statute or City Code.
Committee members who were not present at the meeting for which the minutes are being
approved shall abstain from voting on the action to approve the minutes.
� The Staff Liaison is responsible for the maintenance and
filing of the minutes.
1. The approved minutes shall be retained as a permanent record of the Committee meeting.
2. The approved minutes of the past twelve months of Committee meetings shall be available
on the City Website.
3. All audio and DVD recordings will be retained in accordance with the City's data retention
schedule.
406: ROLES AT MEETING
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1 All meetings of the Committee shall comply with the Minnesota Open Meeting law,
which requires meetings (with few exceptions) of all municipal bodies to be open to
the public. The City of Prior Lake encourages citizen attendance. Public attendance
at meetings of the Committee helps to develop a more enlightened, interested and
participatory citizenry.
2 Any Committee member may recognize a member of the public for the purpose of
asking question(s) relating to the matter under consideration by the Committee.
Members of the Committee must use judgment and discretion when recognizing
members of the public to answer a question during the time they have the floor.
3 Members of the Committee may also ask questions of staff in order to clarify their
understanding of the relevant information necessary to make an informed judgment.
In preparation for Committee meetings, Committee members may want to consider
� contacting the — ------- ; Staff Liaison, in sufficient time prior to
the meeting, to advise the question they intend to ask in order for the
� ------- _ Staff Liaison to attempt to bring the additional information to the
Committee meeting.
4 The Chair shall be the presiding officer at all meetings. If the Chair is absent, the
Vice-Chair shall preside at the meeting. If the Chair and the Vice-Chair are both
� absent, the ---- -----Secretarv shall call the meeting to order and
preside until such time the Committee elects among itseif a member to preside at the
meeting. The presiding officer, at all times, shall be allowed to vote in the same
manner as all other members of the Committee.
5 The presiding officer has two unique powers: interpreting and applying the rules of
procedure; and recognizing speakers from the audience. That official shall have the
obligation to be impartial and objective in conducting the meeting.
6 The presiding officer shall recognize all speakers from the audience, except when a
member of the Committee has the floor and they expressly recognize a member of
the audience who desires to speak on the issue under consideration.
7 The presiding officer has the responsibility to facilitate discussion by the Committee.
This may occur in a variety of ways, including:
• Interpret and apply rules of procedure
• Decide whether motions are properly made.
• Decide whether motions are in order.
• Decide whether questions of special privilege ought to be granted.
• Decide when to recognize speakers.
• Call for motions or recommend motions.
• Expel disorderly persons from the meeting.
• Enforce speaking procedures.
8 The presiding officer is responsible for maintaining order at the meetings. Although
meetings must be open to the public, no person who is noisy or unruly has a right to
remain in the Council Chambers. When individuals abuse their rights to be present,
the presiding officer, subject to overrule by the Committee, can order their removal
from the room.
407: PUBLIC HEARING FORMAT. Public Hearings shall be conducted in the following manner:
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1. The presiding officer announces the agenda item that is the subject of the public
hearing.
2. It is the intent of the Committee to open all public hearings at the time indicated in
the public hearing notice, or as soon as possible thereafter. From a practical
standpoint, not all hearings can be opened at their designated time. The Committee
may delay the start of a hearing until the pending business is acted upon. However
under no circumstances may a public hearing be opened prior to the time specified
in the notice and published in the official newspaper.
3. Staff and/or a consultant make a presentation or report on the subject matter of the
public hearing.
4. At the conclusion of any presentation or remarks by staff and/or a consultant, the
presiding officer asks the Committee members if they have questions of the staff or
consultant.
5. The presiding officer requests a motion and second from a member of the
Committee to open the public hearing and calls for a vote.
6. The presiding officer declares the public hearing opened, announces the time and
then proceeds to ask for citizen input, comments and questions.
• Members of the public, interested parties or their authorized representatives
may address the Committee orally. If the speaker intends to present written or
hard copy materials to support their presentation to the Committee, they must
provide the staff, at the time of their presentation or before, seven (7) copies of
the original for distribution to Committee members and City staff. The materials
will be included in the public record. If the speaker intends to present audio or
video materials to support their presentation to the Committee, such materials
must be in an electronic format that is compatible with the City's existing
equipment. An audio or video presentation may not introduce testimony from
any person other than the author. The electronic materials must be submitted
to the staff by 12:00 p.m. noon of the day of the meeting.
• If unable to attend the meeting, members of the public, interested parties or
their authorized representatives may submit written comments and supporting
materials. Seven (7) copies of the comments and materials must be submitted
to the City staff prior to the Committee meeting. The comments and materials
will be distributed to Committee members and City staff. The written comments
and materials will become part of the record, but will not be read aloud at the
meeting
• If unable to attend a meeting, members of the public, interested parties or their
authorized representatives may submit testimony to the Committee using a
prerecorded audio or video communication. An audio or video communication
must be in an electronic format that is compatible with the City's existing
equipment. An audio or video presentation may not introduce testimony from
any person other than the author. The author of the recorded testimony must
provide seven (7) copies to the City staff at least seven (7) calendar days prior
to the meeting in order to allow staff an opportunity to view the presentation and
prepare a written summary. The recorded testimony and summary prepared
by the staff will be provided to the Committee as part of their Committee
agenda package. The audio or visual communication may be used by
individual Committee members in preparation for the Committee meeting, but
will not be played during the meeting. The presentation and the summary will
become a part of the public record. Generally, Committee agenda packages
are distributed to members of the Committee three (3) days prior to the
meeting.
7. After all persons have been heard, the presiding officer will ask whether there are
any other persons in attendance who want to be heard on the matter pending. If
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there is no other testimony, the presiding officer requests a motion. There are two
(2) possible motions, seconds and votes:
• A motion and second to close the public hearing. Once the vote is taken, the
public hearing is closed. The presiding officer announces, for the record, the
time the public hearing is closed; or
• A motion and second to continue the public hearing to a date certain. The
I presiding officer, in consultation with the - Staff
Liaison and the Committee, shall select and announce a time and date certain
for the continued public hearing. No additional publication or notice are needed
if a hearing is continued to a later specified date. No public hearing may be
continued more than once without re-notice, publishing the time, date, location
and subject of the public hearing.
8. Discussion of the subject matter of the public hearing by the Committee requires a
motion and a second to formally put the matter before the Committee. The
Committee addresses the subject matter through deliberation. The Committee may
ask questions of the staff and City Attorney. If the public hearing has been closed
Committee members should refrain from calling upon a member of the public
except for the sole purpose of asking a question that can be answered by a"yes" or
"no" response.
9. If the public hearing has been closed, rather than continued until a date certain, the
Committee may take action on the subject matter.
408: QUORUM AND VOTING: At each meeting a majority of all the members appointed, at least
three out of five, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
The voting options available to the Committee when a vote has been initiated are: aye
(affirmative); nay (negative vote); and a qualified abstention. When a vote is to be taken, the
presiding officer shall first call for the ayes, then the nays, and if applicabie, shall call for
abstentions. The votes of each member shall be recorded in the minutes. If a member of the
Committee is absent during a vote, the member's vote for the official minutes shall read as
"absent".
SECTION 500: MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS
501: The Committee may take formal action in one of two methods - motions or resolutions. All
motions in any form require a second unless otherwise stated below. All votes of the Committee
in any of the two methods require a majority vote for approval unless otherwise specified below
or prescribed by statute or City code.
502: MOTIONS: A motion is a matter of parliamentary procedure. Motions are a formal method of
bringing business before the Committee and for stating propositions on which a decision will
have to be made. It also can be used in the form of a proposal so that the Committee can act
by resolution. Motions may be used to introduce resolutions, to amend them, and to take any
other actions concerning them. Motions may also be used for action on simple administrative
acts, such as approving the monthly department reports, or directing City Staff.
Every motion shall be stated in full and be reasonably understood, to the extent practical, before
it is submitted to a vote by the presiding officer.
503: RESOLUTIONS: Resolutions are normally used to reflect the Committee position on items of
business that do not require or warrant an ordinance. Resolutions may be enacted on a
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motion, which has been duly seconded, and received majority vote. The
� -- -- Staff Liaison will maintain a record of all resolutions and
will be responsibie for the proper numbering and execution of each resolution adopted by
the Committee.
SECTION 600: SCOPE OF POWERS AND DUTIES
601: POWERS AND DUTIES: The Committee shall act in an advisory capacity to the Prior Lake City
Council and shall advise the City Council on matters identified in Section 100 or as assigned to
the Committee. The Committee Chair shall give an accounting of the Committee's activities with
respect to its goals and objectives before the City Council. Additionally, specific powers, duties
and responsibilities may be assigned to the Committee upon approval of the City Council.
602: SUBCOMMITTEES: The Committee may divide its membership into subcommittee, as it deems
necessary to implement its goals and objectives.
SECTION 700: AMENDMENTS
701: AMENDMENTS: These bylaws shall be reviewed by the Committee annually. The Committee
may recommend revised Bylaws to the City Council for final approval.
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