Bylaws of the Highlands
ARTICLE I.
PURPOSES OF THE TASK FORCE
The
purpose of the Highlands County Mitigation 20/20 Task Force is to decrease the
vulnerability of the citizens, governments, businesses and institutions of
ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP
Participation in the Task Force is voluntary by all
entities. Membership in the Task Force is open to all jurisdictions,
organizations and individuals supporting its purposes
ARTICLE III. ORGANIZATIONAL
STRUCTURE
The organizational structure of the Task Force shall
consist of a Steering Committee, two permanent subcommittees, and other
temporary subcommittees as deemed necessary by the Steering Committee.
A. The
Steering Committee
The Task Force shall be guided by a Steering
Committee consisting of designated representatives of the following:
·
One representative from the government of
·
One representative from organizations and associations representing key
business, industry, and community interest groups of
·
Other such individuals appointed by a majority vote of the Steering
Committee.
Members
of the Steering Committee will be designated by formal resolution, appointment
or other action to serve as the official representative and spokesperson for
the jurisdiction or organization regarding the activities and decisions of the
Mitigation 20/20 Task Force. To maintain
good standing, members of the Steering Committee must not have more than two
unexcused absences from meetings during the course of a year.
B. Subcommittees
The Task Force shall have two permanent
subcommittees: Planning, and Public Information. Membership of the permanent subcommittees is
unlimited and is open to all interested jurisdictions, organizations and
individuals.
Temporary subcommittees may be established at any
time for special purposes by the chair of the Steering Committee, and their
membership designated at that time.
Membership
in the subcommittees is not restricted.
There are no requirements for individuals to maintain good standing as
members of a permanent or temporary subcommittee.
C. Program Staff
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
Any
member in good standing of the Steering Committee is eligible for election as
an officer. The Steering Committee will have a chair elected by a majority vote
of a quorum of the members. The Steering
Committee will also elect by majority vote a vice chair. Representatives of
both local government and any participating private sector organizations will
be eligible for election as an officer.
Each will serve a term of one year, and be eligible for re-election for
an unlimited number of terms. The chair and vice chair of the Steering
Committee are also considered to be chair and vice chair of the Task Force.
The chair of the Steering Committee will preside at
each meeting of the Steering Committee, as well as establish temporary
subcommittees and assign personnel to them. The vice chair will fulfill the
duties and responsibilities of the chair in his or her absence.
The
chair of each permanent or temporary subcommittee will be designated from the
members in good standing of the Steering Committee by its chair, and will serve
at the pleasure of the chair of the Steering Committee.
ARTICLE V. RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Steering Committee
The Steering Committee will be responsible for
oversight and coordination of all actions and decisions by the Task Force, and
is solely responsible for formal actions in the name of the Task Force,
including the release of reports, development of resolutions, issuance of
position papers, and similar activities.
The Steering Committee makes assignments to the subcommittees,
coordinates their work, and takes action on their recommendations.
B. Subcommittees
The permanent subcommittees have the following
responsibilities:
Planning – to identify, analyze, and monitor the hazards
threatening Highlands County and the vulnerabilities of the community to those
hazards, as well as to assist in the definition of actions to mitigate the
impacts of those hazards; to define structural and non-structural actions
needed to decrease the human, economic and environmental impacts of disasters,
and to prepare for consideration and action by the Steering Committee a
strategy for implementation of those initiatives in both the pre- and
post-disaster time frame; to define the general financial vulnerability of the
community to the impacts of disasters; to assist with identification of
initiatives to minimize vulnerabilities; and to seek funding sources for all
priority mitigation initiatives identified in the mitigation strategy developed
by the Task Force.
Public Information –- to secure public input and comment on the efforts of the Task Force; to inform the public about the activities of the Task Force; to conduct public information and education programs regarding hazard mitigation; to assist with the conduct of public hearings; and, to promote public acceptance of the strategy developed by the Task Force.
The responsibilities of temporary subcommittees will
be defined at the time they are established by the chair of the Steering
Committee.
C. Program Staff
Technical, clerical and other types of support
activities to the Steering Committee and subcommittees will be provided through
ARTICLE VI. ACTIONS
BY THE TASK FORCE
A. Authority for Actions
Only
the Steering Committee has the authority to take final actions in the name of
the Task Force. Actions by subcommittees or program staff are not considered as
final until affirmed by action of the Steering Committee.
B. Meetings, Voting and Quorum
Meetings of the Steering Committee and its
subcommittees will be conducted in accord with Robert's Rules of Order, if and
when deemed necessary by chair of the meeting. Regular meetings of the Steering
Committee will be scheduled at least quarterly with a minimum of 10 working
days’ notice. Subcommittees will meet at least quarterly prior to Steering
Committee meetings, or more frequently as deemed necessary, at the discretion
of their chairperson.
All final actions and decisions made in the name of
the Task Force will be by affirmative vote of a quorum of the Steering
Committee. A quorum shall be 50 percent
of the members of the Steering Committee in good standing at the time of the
vote. Each member of the Steering Committee will have one vote. Voting by
proxy, written or otherwise, is not permitted.
C. Special Votes
Special votes may be taken under emergency situations
or when there are other extenuating circumstances that are judged by both the
chair and vice chair of the Steering Committee to prohibit scheduling of a
regular meeting of the Steering Committee. Special votes may be by telephone,
email and/or first class mail, and shall be in accord with all applicable
statutes for such actions.
D.
Public Hearings
When required by statute or the policies of
E. Documentation
of Actions
All meetings and other forms of action by the
Steering Committee and permanent subcommittees will be documented and made
available for inspection by the public.
ARTICLE VII. ADOPTION OF AND AMENDMENTS TO THE
BYLAWS
The Bylaws of the Task Force may be adopted and/or
amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the members in good standing of the
Steering Committee. All proposed changes to the bylaws will be provided to each
member of the Steering Committee not less than ten working days prior to such a
vote.
ARTICLE VIII. DISSOLUTION OF THE TASK FORCE
The Task Force may be dissolved by affirmative vote
of 100% of the members in good standing of the Steering Committee at the time
of the vote, by order of a court of competent jurisdiction, and/or by
instruction of the