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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDevelopment Disabilities Committee BylawsKITTITAS COUNTY DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES ADVISORY COMMITTEE BYLAWS I. AUTHORIZATION & COMPOSITION: A. The Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) shall establish an advisory committee for the county developmental disabilities program. It will henceforth be referenced to as the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee (DDAC) as authorized by Kittitas Board of County Commissioners Resolution 2016-063. B. The County Developmental Disabilities Program shall be advised by a Committee consisting of nine (9) members l appointed by the BOCC, with the additional stipulation that: 1. Members shall be appointed for three-year terms l with the terms of one third of the members expiring each year. 2. A member whose term expires may be re-appointed. 3. The DDAC shall actively seek consumer representation. 4. The DDAC shall seek to recruit membership in accordance with RCW 71A14.020 which states, "Members appointed to the board shall include but not be limited to representatives of public, private, or voluntary agencies, representatives oflocal governmental units, and citizens knowledgeable about developmental disabilities or interested in services to persons with developmental disabilities in the community." 5. Interested individuals will submit an Application for Appointment to Kittitas County Boards and Commissions to the County Commissioners Office. 6. The Clerk of the BOCC will forward all applications to the Developmental Disabilities Coordinator who will make contact with the applicant and invite them to the next scheduled meeting. 7. The Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee (DDAC) will review applications and forward their recommendation to the BOCC to approve/deny an applicant. 8. The BOCC will review the Applications for Appointment along with DDAC recommendation for applicants and approve/deny appointment to the Committee. 9. The Clerk of the BOCC will issue letters of Appointment to applicants who are appointed to the committee by the BOCC. The terms ofthe appointment will be specified in the letter of appointment. 10. If a member needs to be removed from the Committee for reasons including but not limited to conflicts of interest, unexcused absences, or other reason unknown, the Committee will vote on this issue. If a simple majority of the Committee members in attendance votes to remove a member, the recommendation ofthe Committee will brought forth to the BOCC. 11. The BOCC will review the recommendation of the Committee to remove a member and will vote to retain or terminate the member's appointment to the Committee. II. DUTIES: A. Collaborate with the Kittitas County Developmental Disabilities Coordinator on the development, communication, and presentation ofthe county Developmental Disabilities Biennial Plan including: 1. Reviewing and assessing community and consumer needs, services, resources, priorities, facilities, and special problems related to developmental disabilities in Kittitas County. 2. Establishing priorities on the basis of this assessment and recommending the allocation of available county and state funds in alignment with the plan. B. Advise the BOCC on ensuring the continuation of community developmental disabilities services, which shall include the fullest and most feasible use of services. 1. per RCW 71A.14.020 Page 1 C. Recommend ways of implementing and influencing legislation governing county developmental disabilities programs and services. D . Review the Committee's bylaws every two years during the annual meeting in December. E. Collaborate with the Kittitas County Developmental Disabilities Coordinator to provide recommendations to the BOeC on applications for funding for developmental disabilities services. F. Receive, review, and make recommendations to the BOCC on applications from prospective new Committee members. III . PROCEDURES: A. A quorum shall consist of five people, regardless of current committee membership and will determine whether the committee may conduct any regular or special meeting. If a quorum is available, a voting requirement of those members in attendance will provide a simple majority to transact business. B. A full agenda of the business to be conducted shall be e-mailed to all Committee members prior to any regular or special meetings with the understanding that items may be added or deleted only by simple majority vote of the Committee members in attendance at the time of the meeting. C. Meetings shall take place at least every other month unless cancelled by the Chair, on a date and time to be established by the Committee members. D. Special meetings may be called at the request ofthe Chair, the BOCC, the county Developmental Disabilities Coordinator, or at the written request of four or more members of the Committee. Notice of all special meetings, along with an agenda, shall be mailed to all members at least one week in advance of the meeting date. E. The annual meeting shall take place in December. F. Three (3) unexcused absences from meetings per calendar year by any member may cause the Committee to recommend to the BOCC that the member be dropped from the DDAC. G. Prospective members of the DDAC shall submit the county application for appointment to the Committee. County staff shall bring applications forth to the DDAC for review and recommendation for appointment by the BOCC. H. The BOCC shall be notified of members who resign. The BOCC shall fill such vacancies as soon as the DDAC recommends a suitable replacement. The term of the appointment will be for the duration of the vacancy. 1. No Committee member shall have a contract with Kittitas County to provide developmental disabilities services, nor shall any Committee member be an officer, member, or employee of an agency contracting with Kittitas County to provide such services. Subcontractors who receive funds from agencies under contract with Kittitas County shall not be similarly barred from membership, unless the funds originate from the county. J. All members shall fully disclose to the DDAC at an open public meeting all matters of financial interest and other matters relating to appearance of fairness and conflict of interest concerns. The Chair, after review by the Committee, shall decide all related issues, including the necessity or desirability to excuse any member from discussions and/or voting on particular issues. IV. OFFICERS --Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting for a term of one (1) year from January through December, or until their successors are elected, and shall include the following, with duties and functions as set forth: A. Chair: 1. The Chair shall be appointed by the BOCC as the Commissioner assigned to oversee the Committee. 2. The Chair shall preside at meetings of the Committee, serve as Chair of the Executive Committee, serve as a member ex-officio of all standing committees, and perform such 1. per RCW 7 lA. 14.020 Page 2 other duties as are assigned by the BOCC. s. The Chair shall establish and appoint members to sub-committees . B. Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair in case of the Chair's absence or disability or during any vacancy in the office of Chair. C. Executive Committee: 1. The Executive Committee shall consist ofthe Chair, Vice-Chair, and two (2) members-at- large elected at the annual meeting. A simple majority of Executive Committee members shall be required to take action at an Executive Committee meeting. 2. The Executive Committee shall represent the Committee in matters of business, which arise during the period between meetings ofthe Committee. Such matters shall be reported and the action taken ratified by the Committee at the next meeting. The Executive Committee shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Committee. s. The Executive Committee shall make recommendations to the Committee on: a . Changes in Committee bylaws and procedures . b. Committee meeting agenda with proposed motions. 4. The Executive Committee shall report to the Committee on: a . Recommendations made to the BOCC. b. Minutes of Executive Committee meetings. 5 . The Executive Committee shall conduct business through: a . Meetings called by the Committee Chair or majority of the committee. b . A telephone poll conducted by the Chair and authorized unanimously by Committee members. V . SUB-COMMITTEE -At the December annual meeting, the Chair shall appoint the following standing committees-which shall consist of at least three members each, with duties and functions as set forth: A. Biennial Plan Standing Committee: The Biennial Plan Standing Committee will assist the county Developmental Disability Coordinator in developing and presenting the Developmental Disabilities Biennial Plan to the Committee and the BOCC. VI COUNTY COORDINATOR RESPONSIBILITIES: A. The County Developmental Disabilities Coordinator or designee shall: 1. Attend all Committee meetings; 2. Provide reports to the Committee about the status of the county developmental disabilities program, sub-contractors, and the statewide program; s. Take meeting minutes for the Committee; 4 . Work with the Committee Chair to finalize the agenda for each meeting; 5 . Send timely reminders and materials via email to Committee members for upcoming meetings; 6. Maintain all official records of the Committee; 7. Ensure Committee bylaws are followed; 8. Ensure Committee meeting notifications, agendas, and minutes are posted on the Kittitas County website; 9. Maintain and update the County website related to the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee; lO. Request formal and informal feedback from the Committee, as appropriate; 11. Recruit new members for vacancies on the Committee as needed. 1. per RCW 71A.14.020 Page 3 VII . AMENDMENTS: A. The bylaws may be amended at a regular meeting of the DDAC provided that: 1. Proposed amendments have been read at one meeting prior to voting; 2. Proposed amendments have been submitted in writing to the members of the Committee prior to the first reading; and 3. A simple majority of the members of the Committee vote in favor of implementation of any amendment. B. Final approval of bylaw amendments is made by the Board of County Commissioners. COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S APPROVAL: ~ Paul Jewell C hair, Kittitas County Board of Commissioners " Kittitas County Commissioner 1. per RCW 7 lA. 14.020 a ,ldri ( t Date Page 4