MARINE RESOURCES COMMITTEE
BUSINESS RULES
Adopted March
20, 2000
Revised May
22, 2006
Revised May 21,
2007
The Marine
Resources Committee of Clallam County, Washington (being constituted by Board
of County Commissioners’ Resolution No. 58-1999, and re-established by Board of
County Commissioners’ Resolution No. 05-2007) adopts the following rules for
the transaction of its business.
1.0
Role and Function of the Marine Resources
Committee (MRC)
The role and function of the NMRC is as
stated by the Board of County Commissioners’ Resolution 58, 1999, or as that
resolution is amended.
2.0
Committee Members and Officers, Appointment,
Term of Office and Removal
2.1
The committee consists of fifteen members who are appointed
by the Board of County Commissioners for staggered terms of office. The
officers of the committee consist of a chair and vice-chair, each serving
one-year terms in office.
2.2
Additional ex-officio members may participate as described
in item IX of Board of County Commissioners’ Resolution 58, 1999.
2.3
The MRC may recommend to the Board of County Commissioners
the removal of an MRC member for inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance
in office. The MRC will consider three consecutive absences of a member from
the regularly scheduled monthly meetings of the committee as neglect of duty
unless permission has been granted by the chair of the MRC and so noted in the
minutes of those meetings missed.
3.0
Officers – Election of Officers – Succession
3.1 Annually, at its first May meeting, the committee will elect officers. Nomination of officers is from the floor and, where more than one nomination to an office is received, voting will be by secret ballot. Election of any officer requires a majority of the entire committee.
3.2 In the event of a vacancy in the chair, the
vice-chair will automatically succeed to the chair. A vacancy occurring in the
office of chair or vice-chair is filled by election, as defined above, to serve
for the unexpired portion of the term.
3.3 An acting chair will be elected by the
members present to serve during the absence of the chair and vice-chair.
4.0
Officers –
Duties
4.1 The chair is the chief executive of the MRC and is responsible to appoint subcommittees and to conduct business of the MRC between its meetings, in coordination with County staff. The chair will sign documents of the committee. The chair shall also serve as the official spokesperson for the group in matters relating to the press. The chair is entitled to a single vote and shall retain the right and responsibility to participate in all deliberations and to vote on all matters. The vice-chair will act for the chair in the chair’s absence.
4.2 The MRC will elect an official Representative
to the NW Straits Commission, and an alternate representative. The Representative
will be responsible to attend all NWS meetings, or arrange for an alternate; to
act as spokesperson for the MRC at NWS meetings, and to report back to the MRC
matters arising.
5.0
Meetings & Notices
5.1
All meetings shall be open to the public and all MRC actions
shall take place in MRC meetings.
5.2
Regular meetings of the MRC are held on the third Monday
each month at a place determined at the prior meeting. The MRC may substitute
another day, time or place for the regular meeting and include such notification
in the meeting call. If the business of a regular meeting cannot be completed,
the committee may designate a time for an adjourned meeting or may defer the
business until the next regular meeting. If another day, time or place is
selected public notice shall be given as follows:
a.
Posting of a notice at the entrance(s) to the building where
MRC meetings are customarily held; and
b.
Publication of a legal notice in the county newspaper of the
change to the MRC meeting schedule not less than ten calendar days prior to the
meeting; and
c.
Timely written request to the weekly local newspapers for
inclusion in the community calendar sections of those papers.
5.3
Public notices shall be prepared and published in a timely
manner to support scheduled meetings, in addition to posting the meeting notice
and the agenda at the meeting place before the start of each meeting. Meeting
calls including the agenda, meeting place and time, and other related
materials, shall be mailed to the MRC members at least seven days prior to
regular meetings and in a complete form to allow review by the members. The
Board of County Commissioners shall also receive a copy of the agenda and
related materials.
5.4
Special meetings may be called by formal action of the MRC,
by order of the chair or by written request to the chair by a minimum of three
members. Notice of such special meeting is to be provided to all committee
members at a minimum of ten days prior to the meeting and public notice will be
provided as specified in 5.2 above.
5.5
Subcommittee work sessions may be scheduled as needed. At
such meetings the public is welcome to attend but shall not ordinarily be
allowed to participate unless specifically requested by the subcommittee chair.
6.0
Attendance
To achieve its greatest effect, the MRC
needs the regular attendance of its members at most or all meetings; the
committee benefits greatly from full participation of each member and keenly
feels each absence. In light of this, committee members are expected and
required to notify the chair of anticipated absence from any meeting of the MRC
as far is advance of the meeting as possible. In the event that such
notifications indicate that a quorum will not be present, the chair will
ordinarily cancel or reschedule the meeting.
7.0
Quorum –
Voting
7.1 A simple majority of the total of the members currently appointed to the committee constitutes a quorum for the conduct of MRC business. Voting is by voice vote, except where these rules or the MRC itself may require a ballot or roll call vote. All MRC members other than alternates or ex-officio shall be voting members.
7.2 The decision making approach of the MRC will
be by consensus. Consensus is defined as a decision that allows each
representative to say “The group I represent can live with the decision and
accept it, regardless of whether it is exactly what I want.” If consensus still
cannot be reached, the issue under consideration will be tabled until the next
meeting where it will be addressed as old business. If at this time consensus
as defined herein still cannot be reached on the issue, the MRC will recognize
a simple majority vote. The minority opinion will also be forwarded to the
Board of Clallam County Commissioners.
8.0
Conflict of
Interest
Conflict of
interest will rarely arise as a matter of concern for MRC members; however, in
the discussion, preparation and submittal of funding proposals for MRC projects
it is possible that a conflict or the appearance of a conflict may arise.
Conflict of interest is defined as the possibility or appearance of
possibility, and not just the actuality of a private benefit, direct or
indirect, or the creation of a material personal gain or advantage to the
member, family, friends or associates who hold some share of a member’s
loyalty.
Any member who
believes that he or she has a conflict of interest on any matter before the
committee must, as soon as the chair introduces the matter, announce that he or
she has a conflict and promptly leave the room. The particulars of the conflict
need not be disclosed.
A member who
believes he or she may have the appearance of a conflict but does not believe
that an actual conflict exists nor that his/her ability to reach an unbiased
conclusion is in any way compromised should, at the opening of the discussion,
disclose the apparent conflict, declare that he/she does not believe he/she is
biased in any way and ask if anyone in the audience would object to his/her
participation in the matter. If there is an objection and the committee would
have a quorum without the member, the member should step down and leave the
room. If there is no objection the member may remain and participate in the
matter.
If a member
has not disclosed any appearance of a problem but is challenged from the floor
and the challenge has no basis in fact, the member should so state and may
decline to step down. A member is not obliged to accede to groundless
challenges. However, if there may be an appearance of conflict, the member
should respond in accordance with the earlier instructions in this section.
A member who
has questions about his or her participation in any matter to come before the
committee should direct those questions to the chair who may, if necessary,
call upon the planning director for a decision. The planning director, in turn,
may call upon the Prosecuting Attorney for a decision.
A member’s
absence due to possible or actual conflict of interest shall be an excused
absence and the reason shall not be disclosed to the MRC or the public prior to
or during the committee’s consideration of the item.
9.0
Order of
business – Meeting Procedure
1. Review of
meeting notes from previous meeting
2. Committee
reports
3. New business
4. Discussion of
next meeting date and agenda
5. Public
comments (at the discretion of the chair)
The chair may
alter the regular order of business in preparing the agenda when special
circumstances and the efficient use of time dictate.
All meetings
shall be conducted pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act (RCW 42.30, copy
attached).
10.0
Meeting Notes
and Records
Findings and
recommendations, resolutions, etc., of the MRC are prepared at the direction of
the chair. Copies will be provided to all MRC members in a timely manner for
review and approval at the next regular MRC meeting. The minutes shall contain
a summary record of topics discussed, motions, motion makers and seconders,
resolutions, and other determinations of the committee, and shall also contain
details of time, place, type of meeting, members present, excused and absent
without notice, speakers, and records of all votes, etc. All meetings shall be
recorded; the tape record shall constitute the official record of the MRC.
Once approved,
the meeting notes, with associated materials attached, shall be signed by the
recording secretary or the chair and filed for the public record with the Board
of County Commissioners.
11.0
Financial Support to Committee Members
11.1 Committee
members receive refunds for travel expenses while conducting MRC business they
undertake, in accordance with
11.2 All invoices shall be submitted to the
Department of Community Development for payment from the funds allocated by the
county for MRC operations. The Department of Community Development will provide
appropriate expense vouchers for reimbursement for MRC members’ use upon
request.
12.0
Parliamentary
Procedure
Robert’s Rules
of Order shall govern matters of procedure when consensus is not possible,
except as otherwise provided in these rules or in
13.0
Amending Rules
These rules
may be amended at any meeting by a vote of the majority of the entire
membership of the committee, provided five (5) days’ notice has been given to
each MRC member.
AMENDED THIS 21st DAY OF MAY,
2007.
MARINE RESOURCES COMMITTEE
_________________________________
Nathan West
(
_________________________________
Walt
Blendermann
(Sequim City
Council)
_________________________________
Todd Ritchie
(
_________________________________
Vince Cooke
(Makah Tribal
Council)
_________________________________
Doug Morrill
(
_________________________________
Lyn Muench
(
_________________________________
(Commissioner
District I)
_________________________________
Aleta Erickson
(Commissioner
District II)
_________________________________
Joe Schmitt
(Commissioner
District III)
_________________________________
Roy Morris
(Clallam
Bay/Sekiu Community)
_________________________________
(Commercial
Fishers)
_________________________________
David
Croonquist
(Sport
Fishers)
_________________________________
Ron Thom
(Conservation/Environmental
Interests)
_________________________________
Ed Bowlby
(Academic
Community)
_________________________________
(Development
Community)