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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOriginal SignedJIM KITTITAS COUNTY LAW AND JUSTICE COUNCIL MISSION STATEMENT AND BY-LAWS I. MISSION STATEMENT: The mission of the Kittitas County Law and Justice Council is as follows: A. To reduce the duplication of services provided by law and justice entities within KittitasCounty; B. To increase the coordination between the various law and justice agencies responsible for the protection of the public health and safety of our county; C. To increase the efficiencies of the law and justice system in Kittitas County; D. To identify and present to the Board of County Commissioners, as needed, areas of concern, potential solutions, and suggested actions; E. To make recommendations for funding of grants to meet the above stated objectives, as well as grants aimed at reducing crime in our county or educating our citizens about law and justice concerns; and F. To address issues related to: (a) jail management; (b) mechanisms for communication of information about offenders, including the feasibility of shared access to databases; and (c) partnerships between the state department of corrections and local community policing and supervision programs to facilitate supervision of offenders under the respective jurisdiction of each and timely response to an offender's failure to comply with the terms of supervision. II. BY-LAWS: A. MEMBERSHIP OF COUNCIL: The Kittitas County Law and Justice Council is a requirement of state law, as declared in chapter 72.09 Revised Code of Washington. The Board of County Commissioners created the council, and is responsible for the appointment of members, pursuant to RCW 72.09.300. The size and composition is within the discretion of the Board of County Commissioners. Statutory members may appoint an alternate of their choosing to represent them on the Council which alternate will have full voting rights of the member. Non -statutory members, who serve at the will of the County Commissioners, may appoint an alternate of their choosing to attend from time -to -time, in their absence. Should a non -statutory member not be able to attend and participate on a regular basis, the Council may seek to have that member provide another individual to represent the non -statutory member to the Council. Should a non -statutory member not be able to provide an individual to attend and participate on a regular basis, the Council, with the approval of the County Commissioners, may amend these By-laws to eliminate that position on the Council, or replace that member with a different entity/ individual. An alternate is any person chosen by the statutory or non -statutory member to attend in their place, and shall have any and all rights of the Council member, except as limited by the person appointing them as an alternate. An alternate must come from the appointing member's organization, or be a member of the entities represented by that member. The person appointed as an alternate may not be another sitting Council member, as that would be an appointment of a proxy, which is not allowed. a. The Kittitas County Sheriff; b. The Kittitas County Prosecuting Attorney; C. The Kittitas County Clerk; d. A representative of the Kittitas County Superior or District Court Judges; e. The Kittitas County Jail Commander; f The Kittitas County Risk Manager; g. A Chief of Police or equivalent executive from each of the following four (4) general authority law enforcement agencies: • Ellensburg Police Department; • Cle Elum/Roslyn/South Cle Elum Police Department • Kittitas Police Department • Central Washington University Police Department *** h. A city legislative authority from each of the five (5) incorporated *** cities in Kittitas County; i. A city attorney from one of the incorporated cities in Kittitas *** County; j. A representative of KITTCOM ** k. A representative of each of the following state law enforcement ** agencies: • Washington State Patrol • Department of Fish and Wildlife 1. A person representing public schools; ** in. A representative of the Washington State Department of *** Corrections; n. The Kittitas County Juvenile Court Administrator; ** o. The Kittitas County Chief Probation Officer; ** P. A representative of the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration; ** q. A representative of the Kittitas County Auditor's Office r. The Kittitas County Coroner; and S. A citizen at large to serve a two-year term beginning on January I't ** of every odd -numbered year. A citizen at large to serve a two-year tern beginning on January I" of every even numbered year. * Statutory member per RCW 72.09.300; ** Additional member not required by statute; and *** Member that is statutorily required, but which has been modified by the Board of County Commissioners. hi most instances, it was the addition of an additional representative from that category. In the case of the Department of Corrections representative, it was a substitution of a local representative for the Secretary of Corrections. B. APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS: When a vacancy occurs on the Council, due to resignation or the end of a term without re -appointment, the Council shall search for a suitable replacement from the appropriate category of representative. Upon location of such an individual, and with agreement of others in the class of representative, the Council shall forward the name of such individual to the Board of County Commissioners for appointment. C. COUNCIL OFFICERS: There shall at all times be a Chair and Co -Chair, chosen by the members of the Council. Additional offices may be created by a 2/3s majority vote of the members of the Council. The Chair and Co -Chair shall appoint a secretary to be responsible for recording of the Council's business. The Chair and Co -Chair shall enlist the support of the Council in carrying out the functions of the Council. The Chair and Co -Chair shall appoint such ad hoc committees as are necessary to conduct the business of the Council, as deemed appropriate with the consent of the Council, and shall appoint members necessary to carry out the tasks of the ad hoc committees. The Chair and Co -Chair shall be responsible for conducting meetings of the Council, addressing correspondence to/from the Council, and conducting any other such business as necessary to meet the statutory obligations of the Council, or to accomplish the tasks identified by the Council. D. MEETINGS: 1. Regular meetings The Kittitas County Law and Justice Council shall hold regular meetings on the third Wednesday of each month at 8:00 a.m. and shall adjourn when the business at hand is concluded. The Meetings shall be open to the public and shall be held in the Kittitas County Commissioners Auditorium. In the event another location or time for regular meeting is required, such location and time shall be posted at the Commissioner's Auditorium and notification shall be given to the legal newspaper for the County, by staff of the Board of County Commissioners, at least one week in advance of such meeting. 2. Special meetings Special or emergency meetings may be called by a unanimous decision of the Chair and Co -Chair, who shall be responsible for written notification delivered personally or by mail, email or fax at least 24 hours before the time of the special meeting to all members of the Council, to the legal newspaper for the County, and to any local media that has on file with the Council a written request to be notified of that special meeting or of all special meetings. The notice must specify the time and place of the special meeting and the business to be transacted at the meeting The Council may take final action only concerning matters identified in the meeting notice. The agenda for meetings shall be prepared by the Chair and Co -Chair, with prior input from Council members, either in writing or from input at a prior meeting. The Recording Secretary shall distribute meeting agendas along with the minutes of the prior meeting. Minutes shall be taken and reproduced by the Recording Secretary. In order for the Council to function properly, all members need to actively participate. If a non -statutory member is absent three (3) or more times in any given year, the Council may, at their option, seek a replacement for such member in accordance with the appointment procedures established previously. A member shall not be deemed to have been absent if they had an alternate attend in their place. E. VOTING; QUORUM Each member shall have one vote to cast on any business to be conducted by the Council. Voting shall be by a member or his/her alternate, and proxy voting will not be allowed. At all meetings of the Council nine members of the Council shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the conduct of business. Once a quorum is established, any business may be authorized by a simple majority of the members present; provided however, any amendment of the mission statement and by-laws by the Council shall be subject to further approval by the Board of County Commissioners. F. RECORDS RETENTION: The records of the Kittitas County Law and Justice Council shall be housed in the Office of the Board of County Commissioners. The Board of County Commissioners shall be responsible for addressing any and all requests for public disclosure, creation of an index of documents, a filing system, and other necessary operations for records retention. G. COMMITTEES: Committees shall be created from time -to -time as deemed necessary by the Council. The Chair and Co -Chair shall be responsible for staffing such committees with sufficient numbers of volunteers to complete the task assigned. There shall be certain standing committees, and such other committees as are created by the Council. A 2/3 majority of members shall be required to create or eliminate a standing committee. A simple majority vote shall be necessary to establish or eliminate any other committee. STANDING COMMITTEES: a. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: A five -member Executive Committee, composed of the Chair, Co -Chair, chair of the Budget Committee, and two members of the Council chosen annually by the members of the Council, responsible for determining priorities; identifying the nature of priorities for projects and committees; and identifying responsible member(s) or committee(s) in order that the Chair may assign tasks to assure successful completion. The Chair of any other committee may be invited to and may participate in an Executive Committee meeting which may affect the responsibilities of such committee. The Chair will insure that minutes of the committee meetings are recorded. b. BUDGET COMMITTEE: Responsible for making recommendations to the Council on all matters related to the financing of the Law and Justice Plan, development of budgets for joint projects, and review of grant proposals for expenditures of the 1 /10th of 1 % sales tax allocated by the Board of County Commissioners for such projects. Responsible for promoting and facilitating the exchange of information necessary to let interested parties know of the process for submittal of grant applications. Responsible for recommendations for proposed expenditures, as well as oversight of expenditures on grants. C. PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Responsible for development and implementation of a public relations plan geared for promoting the needs of the Kittitas County Law and Justice Community to the public. d. MENTAL HEALTH/DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES COMMITTEE: Responsible for coordination of criminal justice related mental health, developmental disability, and drug and alcohol issues cooperatively developed with representatives of the County's MH/DD Advisory Board and other concerned parties. 2. AD HOC COMMITTEES a. Nominating Committee: b. Other committees as may be deemed necessary from time -to -time H. CESSATION OF OPERATIONS: Upon a recommendation by a 2/3 vote of the Law and Justice Council to cease operations, the Board of County Commissioners shall hold a public hearing to hear testimony as to the pros and cons, as well as the legality of eliminating the Kittitas County Law and Justice Council and its operations. The Board of County Commissioners shall after such hearing make a determination as to whether the Council shall continue or be disbanded and take all necessary action connected with such decision. Adopted this Id day of March, 2016 by a majority vote of the membership of the Council and following approval by the Board of County Commissioners. Steve Cordero, Administrator JR/Parke Creek Community Facility KCL&JC Co -Chair