Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCEC Bylaws 2022 1 CITY OF PRIOR LAKE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE BYLAWS Adopted January 6, 2020 Revised November 7, 2022 SECTION 100: PURPOSE 101. The purpose of the City of Prior Lake Community Engagement Committee (the Committee) bylaws is to provide a set of operating procedures for the Community Engagement Committee, and to establish a code of ethics and conduct. 102: The Bylaws shall be reviewed as needed by the Committee, and any changes or amendments agreed to by a majority vote of the Committee shall be recommended to the City Council for adoption SECTION 2 00: STRUCTURE AND DUTIES OF COMMITTEE 201: COMMITTEE CREATED: A Community Engagement Committee is hereby created for the City, its purpose to educate and engage residents in City government and to be of an advisory nature to the City Council and City staff. 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 of the Committee, as directed by City staff and the City Council, are as follows: 1. Learn about city government, including departments, budgets, policies and projects. 2. Relay accurate information and serve as a resource for residents seeking information about the City. 3. Serve as a liaison between City government and the community through interaction with residents using methods such as personal networks and social media. 4. Advise and provide feedback on matters as directed by the City Council and City staff. 5. Assist on projects such as City communications efforts, annual Spirit of Prior Lake and other community awards, major ordinance amendments, annual budget review, and large road construction projects. 6. Participate in and volunteer for community events. 7. Participate on subcommittees on special projects and issues. 8. Periodically review and recommend revisions to these bylaws. 203: APPOINTMENT: The Committee shall consist of at least seven (7) members and no more than twelve (12) members as appointed by the City Council. 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 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 qualification, 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, 2 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: Annually the City Council will appoint a Council member to serve as a Liaison between the Council and the Committee. The role of the Liaison is to act as a conduit and resource for information by and between the Council and the Committee and the Committee and the Council. The Liaison shall make periodic reports to the Council on the activities of the Committee. The Liaison shall communicate any Council input on a particular issue to the Committee. The Liaison shall participate in discussion or deliberation as an individual and not as a spokesperson for the Council, except when the Council has provided specific information to be conveyed to the Committee. The Liaison’s role is to be an equal member of the Committee, not to direct the Committee in its work. 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 following manner: 1. Incumbents. The City Council liaison and Committee Chair shall determine if eligible incumbents shall be put forward for reappointment or if the vacancy shall be opened for public application. 2. 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. 3. Appointment. City staff shall review applications and conduct interviews, if necessary, of all candidates who have applied for appointment or reappointment. Staff will then make a recommendation to the City Council for appointment. The Council may accept or reject the recommendation. If the recommendation is rejected, the City Council may appoint another individual or reopen the application period and invite new candidates to apply. 206: OFFICERS: The Community Engagement 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 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 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. 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 to the Committee. The term limit applies only to full three- year terms. 208: REMOVAL OF MEMBER: Any member of the Committee may be removed from office by a four- fifths (4/5) vote of the entire City Council for reasons including but not limited to: (i) failure to 3 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 City Manager 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 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 City Council Bylaws Section 1300. 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 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. If a member of the Committee is absent during a vote, the member’s vote for the record shall read as “absent”. SECTION 500: SCOPE OF POWERS AND DUTIES 501: 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 202 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. 502: SUBCOMMITTEES: The Committee may divide its membership into subcommittee, as it deems necessary to implement its goals and objectives. 4 SECTION 600: AMENDMENTS 601: AMENDMENTS: These bylaws shall be reviewed by the Committee as required. The Committee may recommend revised Bylaws to the City Council for final approval.