HomeMy WebLinkAboutLJ Bylaws Revised 11-17-21 (Clean Version)Kittitas County Law and Just Council Mission Statement and By-Laws - Page 1 of 7
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 to provide
recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners to promote the fair and
equitable allocation of resources in order to increase the effectiveness of all law
enforcement and criminal justice agencies’ ability to enhance the quality of life
for all in Kittitas County.
II. GOALS
The goals of the Kittitas County Law and Justice Council are as follows:
A. To reduce the duplication of services provided by law and justice entities
within Kittitas County;
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.
III. 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
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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.
1. MEMBERSHIP LISTING
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
l. A person representing public schools; **
m. 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 **
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s. A citizen at large to serve a two-year term beginning on January 1st **
of every odd-numbered year. A citizen at large to serve a two-year
term beginning on January 1st 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. In 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 at
a regular meeting in December of each calendar year by simple majority vote of the members
present at a meeting which represent a quorum of the whole. The term of office for the Chair and
Co-Chair shall be for one calendar year, and they may serve no more than two (2) consecutive
terms. Additional offices may be created by a two-thirds 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.
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The Meetings shall be conducted pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, chapter 42.30
RCW, 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. AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS
1. All proposed amendments to the By-Laws shall be presented in writing at a
regular or special meeting with all members receiving a copy of the proposed changes at least ten
(10) days prior to the final consideration of same. These proposed amendments shall also be
made available to the public in the same timeframe.
2. These By-Laws may only be amended by two-thirds majority vote of the of the
whole Council.
F. 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 unless a different voting majority is otherwise provided
in these By-Laws; 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.
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G. PUBLIC RECORDS; RECORDS RETENTION
The public 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.
H. 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 two-thirds majority of members present at a
meeting which represent a quorum of the whole shall be required to create or eliminate a
standing committee. A simple majority vote shall be necessary to establish or eliminate any other
committee.
1. 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 ensure 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.
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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 Behavioral Health and Recovery Advisory Board, Developmental Disabilities
Advisory Committee, and other concerned parties.
e. YOUTH MENTORING & PREVENTION COMMITTEE:
Responsible for coordination of criminal justice and community-based agencies working
with youth to improve mental wellness and school engagement and to decrease youth suicide,
substance use, justice system involvement and gang affiliation by partnering with and supporting
community-based mentoring programs that positively impact these outcomes for our youth.
Responsible for putting priorities for goals and objectives before the Law and Justice
Council for approval as a body of work accepted by the Council moving forward, and
responsible for implementing such approved goals and objectives.
Responsible for determining the composition of committee members to best address the
scope of work agreed upon by the Council, including such members and/or guests to be invited
to attend the meetings of this committee as deemed necessary by the committee to move their
work forward in an expeditious fashion. This committee is allowed and encouraged to bring in
community members to participate in the work of the committee, regardless if such community
members are also members of the Law and Justice Council. A community members inclusion on
this committee to assist with the committee’s work in no way creates an expectation or reality
that such individual is also gaining membership on the Kittitas County Law and Justice Council.
f. Nominating Committee
g. Other committees as may be deemed necessary from time-to-time
I. DEFENSE AND INDEMNITY.
Kittitas County will defend and indemnify Committee members as provided for in
Kittitas County Code Chapter 2.73, “Defense and Indemnification of County Officers,
Employees, and Volunteers,” as currently enacted or hereafter amended.
J. CESSATION OF OPERATIONS:
Upon a recommendation by a two-thirds 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.
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Adopted this __ day of _________________, 2021 by a majority vote of the membership
of the Council and following approval by the Board of County Commissioners.
_____________________________
Crystal Church, KCL&JC Chair
__________________________
Jackie Herum, KCL&JC Co-Chair