Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutBEC Bylaws Revised 2018 CITY OF PRIOR LAKE BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE BYLAWS Adopted July 11, 2011 Amended April 9, 2012 Amended August 19, 2013 Amended January 20, 2015 Amended January 11, 2016 Amended February 08, 2016 Amended April 08, 2018 SECTION 100: PURPOSE 101. The purpose of the City of Prior Lake Business Engagement Committee (the Committee or BEC) 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 annually by the Committee, and any changes or amendments agreed to by a majority vote of the Committee shall be recommended to the Economic Development Authority (EDA) for adoption at its annual meeting. SECTION 200: STRUCTURE OF COMMITTEE 201. COMMITTEE CREATED: The City Council has established an Business Engagement Committee. The Committee is advisory and its purpose is to study and provide reports, analysis and recommendations to the Economic Development Authority and City staff on economic development matters as assigned. Members to the Business Engagement Committee shall be appointed by the Economic Development Authority. Members shall serve three (3) year-terms beginning November 1st and ending October 31st. The members of the Committee shall annually elect officers in accordance with the procedures of paragraph 206 herein. 202. DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE: The duties and responsibilities of the Committee include: 1. Serve as a liaison between city government and the community through interaction with business leaders and community residents. 2. As requested, review and comment on economic development and redevelopment policies to the Economic Development Authority or City staff. 3. Make recommendations to the Economic Development Authority or City staff regarding economic development issues, strategy development and implementation and other initiatives that can be undertaken by the Economic Development Authority to expand and strengthen business retention & expansion. 4. In conjunction with Economic Development Authority members or staff, introduce potential or new business representatives to others in the community. 203. APPOINTMENT: The Committee shall consist of no more than thirteen (13) members appointed by the Economic Development Authority. Said members shall consist of residents and non-residents affiliated with a business located within the City of Prior Lake as may be determined by the Economic Development Authority. Only residents of the City who are at least 18 years old shall be considered for appointment. No more than 40% of the Committee shall be non- 2 of 4 residents. Said members shall serve three (3) year-terms beginning November 1st 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. 204: COMMITTEE LIAISONS: The Economic Development Authority, the Prior Lake Chamber of Commerce and other organizations deemed appropriate by the EDA and BEC, may appoint Liaisons to serve on the Committee. The role of a Liaison is to act as a conduit and resource for information for the Committee. The Liaison shall not participate in the discussion or deliberation of any matter pending before the Committee, except where the Committee is meeting in a study or work session. The Committee, at its discretion, may ask the Liaison for input on the subject under consideration. The Liaison shall never use this occasion as an opportunity to communicate their personal position regarding the matter under consideration. 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 Economic Development Authority may appoint a replacement in the following manner: 1. Applications are solicited. A notice of the vacancy is made public and individuals may be encouraged to consider the position. The notice shall state the deadline for submitting applications. 2. Screening Committee. The City Manager or his designee, the EDA liaison to the Committee, the staff liaison to the Committee, and one member of the Committee appointed by majority vote of the Committee shall serve as the Screening Committee. An individual subject to re-appointment may not sit on the screening committee. 3. Appointment. The Screening Committee shall interview all candidates who have applied for appointment or reappointment and make a recommendation to the EDA. The recommendation of the Screening Committee will be presented to the EDA. The EDA may accept or reject the recommendation. If the recommendation is rejected, the EDA may appoint another individual or reopen the application period and invite new candidates to apply. 206. OFFICERS: The Committee shall elect from among its members a Chair and Vice-Chair. The City Manager or his/her designee 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 Board members present at the meeting. The term of the chair shall begin in November and run for one year. The duties of the chair shall include approval of meeting agendas, presiding at meetings, and giving an accounting of its activities and any information the Board may consider relevant before the EDA annually or as directed otherwise. 2. Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall be appointed 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. Secretary: The Secretary shall be responsible for recording and compiling a written summary of all official activities of the Committee. 3 of 4 4. Vacancy: 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 on the 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 BEC may be removed from office by a four-fifths (4/5) vote of the entire EDA for reasons including but not limited to: (i) failure to attend a minimum of 75% of meetings; (ii) failure to attend site visits/inspections; (iii) failure to review and understand agenda materials; (iv) failure to participate in an appropriate and productive manner; (v) failure to continue to meet any requirement set forth in Section 203; and (vi) failure to comply with any provision of these bylaws or any federal, state or local rule or regulation. 209: STAFF LIAISON: The Mayor shall appoint one or more staff liaisons to serve on the Committee. The staff liaison shall schedule meetings and provide information at the direction of the Committee. The staff liaison may provide information on the staffs’ position at the request of the Committee but shall not direct the Committee or advocate for a position. 210: STUDENT MEMBERS: The Committee may select up to two individuals who are 18 years or under to be student members on the Committee. The Committee shall establish an application and interview process to select the student members. The student members shall be full voting members of the Committee. SECTION 300: STATEMENT OF ETHICS 301: The Statement of Ethics is located in the EDA Bylaws Section 16. SECTION 400: CONDUCTING MEETINGS 401: MEETINGS: All regular and special meetings shall be open to the public and shall be noticed in conformance with the Minnesota Open Meeting Law. 402: 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. At such meetings, no business shall be considered other than as designated in the notice. 403: QUORUM AND VOTING: At each meeting a majority of all the members appointed (e.g. three out of five, four out of six) 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 applicable, 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”. 4 of 4 SECTION 500: MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS 501: POWERS AND DUTIES: The Committee shall act in an advisory capacity to the Prior Lake EDA and shall advise the EDA 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 EDA. Additionally, specific powers, duties and responsibilities may be assigned to the Committee upon approval of the EDA. 502: SUBCOMMITTEES: The Committee may divide its membership into subcommittee, as it deems necessary to implement its goals and objectives. SECTION 600: AMENDMENTS 601: AMENDMENTS: These bylaws shall be reviewed by the Committee annually. The Committee may recommend revised Bylaws to the EDA for final approval.