The organization will be known as the Regional Transportation Advisory Council, referred to as the Advisory Council.
The Regional Transportation Advisory Council advises the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) on transportation policy and planning. The Advisory Council provides a forum for broad public participation in the transportation planning process.
Membership shall consist of a broad and balanced spectrum of providers and users of any form of transportation. Individuals are welcome to participate in all meetings of the Advisory Council, but membership is limited to public and private organizations and governmental units, including state agencies and municipalities (entities).
Member entities shall designate in writing one representative and up to two alternates. Representatives and alternates should be empowered by the entities they represent to cast votes on matters before the Advisory Council. Entities may be admitted to membership by vote of the existing members. Continuing membership shall depend on active participation, defined as attendance at the majority of Advisory Council meetings in a federal fiscal year. As used herein, the term member refers to an entity, and the terms representative and alternate refer to individuals designated by a member entity.
All MPO member entities, except the Advisory Council, shall be non-voting members of the Advisory Council. Individual persons who represent any MPO entity cannot be a voting designee at the Advisory Council. The list of all current members will be maintained on the MPO website.
The Officers shall be a Chair and a Vice Chair.
The Chair shall be the primary contact for the Advisory Council, shall set agendas and call and preside at the meetings.
As provided in the MPOs Memorandum of Understanding of July 7, 2011: The Advisory Council is a voting member of the MPO. The Chair, representing the Advisory Council, will attend, participate, and vote in MPO meetings.
The Vice Chair shall serve in the absence of the Chair and
shall replace the Chair in case of a vacancy in that office. The Vice Chair
shall actively participate in meetings of the MPO and will vote only in the
absence of the Chair.
In the absence of both the Chair and Vice Chair, the Chair may appoint a member of the Advisory Council who is a past Chair to represent and vote for the Advisory Council at any MPO meeting.
The Advisory Council will meet monthly as determined by the Chair with at least seven days notice of the time and agenda provided to the representatives. Special meetings may be called by the Chair with seven days notice. All meetings are open to the public.
The conduct of the meetings shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order; however, parliamentary discretion shall be vested in the Chair. The Chair shall recognize all attendees wishing to be heard, and shall grant the floor, except in the discussion of a motion on the floor, where the Chair shall have discretion.
One third of the voting members shall constitute a quorum. A simple majority of members present and voting is necessary for passage of all motions.
Motions will be accepted only if moved and seconded by voting members designated representatives or alternates participating in a representatives absence.
Each voting member shall have one vote, to be cast by its designated representative, or in case of absence, by an alternate.
The Chair shall appoint committees to assist in carrying out the business of the Advisory Council. Only Advisory Council voting members may vote on committees. Reports by committees shall be submitted to the Chair for report to the Advisory Council. The Chair shall publish a list of existing committees and their membership in December. The following committees will be established, as well as other committees deemed appropriate by the Chair of the Advisory Council, with members appointed by the Chair unless otherwise provided by these bylaws.
An Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, the Vice Chair, the immediate past Chair, and Chairs of all standing committees. The Executive Committee shall be authorized to act in place of the full Advisory Council on any matters arising between Advisory Council meetings that require immediate action. Any actions so taken shall be reported to the Advisory Council at its next meeting. In the case of officer vacancies, the Executive Committee shall nominate replacements for election at the next occurring Advisory Council meeting, and the Executive Committee nominees shall serve until those elections.
A Membership Committee shall be chaired by the Vice Chair of the Advisory Council and shall include at least one representative each from a citizen advocacy organization, a municipality, and a regional or state agency. The Membership Committee should assess the breadth of representation on an ongoing basis and report annually to the Chair changes that should be made in Advisory Council membership, if any.
Committees shall be appointed by the Chair to review and offer recommendations on each of the following plans and programs: the Long-Range Transportation Plan, the Transportation Improvement Program, and the Unified Planning Work Program.
An Election Committee shall be appointed by the Chair prior to yearly elections of officers, and shall be chaired by the immediate past Chair of the Advisory Council, if available. Election Committee membership shall include a voting member from a citizen advocacy organization, a municipality, and, if possible, a regional or state agency.
The Election Committee will commence its election process each year at the July Advisory Council meeting.
The Election Committee will encourage members to seek election and will organize and administer the election, supported by staff.
The Election Committee will receive nominations and will submit the names of all candidates for Chair and Vice Chair at the September Advisory Council meeting. Additional nominations from the floor, accepted by the nominee, will be accepted during the September meeting and nominations will be closed as of the adjournment of the September meeting. The Election Committee will prepare a list of candidates and their statements and circulate this list to voting members prior to the October Advisory Council meeting.
Elections shall be held in October, and the Officers terms shall begin November 1.
These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of members present and voting at a meeting of the Advisory Council. Specific notice of the proposed amendment shall be provided to members at least seven days in advance of the meeting, in order to have representation available to vote at the meeting.