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Wallowa County Commission on Children and Families
Policies and Porcedures (Updated March, 2010)
1. Name
Wallowa County Commission on Children & Families (Commission)
2. Purpose
The Wallowa County Commission on Children & Families was formed to accomplish the following:
Develop and monitor the implementation of all elements in the Wallowa County Comprehensive Plan, approved by the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners (BOC), which responds to the identified local service needs for children, youth and families. The plan shall be subject to the availability of funds and will meet the criteria as set forth in House Bill 2004 (1993) and SB 555 (1999).
Identify opportunities for service integration and facilitate the collaboration of existing services for children, youth and families in Wallowa County.
Promoting services which are flexible, accessible and address the full continuum of prevention, intervention and treatment. All services must address the strengthening of families in Wallowa County.
3. Membership
Nine (9) – Twelve (12) members (defined by ORS 417.760 -765, a Chairperson and a minimum of eight members.)
4. Appointment
Members shall be appointed by the BOC and shall consist of 80% lay members (a person whose primary income is not derived from offering direct service to children and youth or from administering a program for children or youth) representing a broad cross-section of Wallowa County citizens and 20% direct service providers. Up to one-third of total membership or a maximum of four chairs may be filled by youth. Individuals interested in serving on the board must submit an application (obtained at the Wallowa County Commission on Children & Families office) to the BOC.
5. Terms of Office
Members shall be appointed to four year terms. There will be a required two year break in service after serving two consecutive terms. Youth members will be appointed to a one year term and may be re-appointed on an annual basis for up to four years. Youth seats will be filled as vacancies occur.
6. Termination
Failure of a board member to notify the Commission office prior to a regularly scheduled meeting of their absence for three (3) consecutive months shall be treated as a resignation from the board. Exceptions may be made in situations of unusual circumstances of which the board has been apprised. In such cases, the member may retain his/her position with a majority vote of the board.
7. Vacancy
Vacancies shall be filled by the BOC. Appointments shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term.
8. Authorization
Board members shall serve at the discretion of the BOC as authorized by ORS 417 and shall be responsible in all actions to the Wallowa County Comprehensive Plan and the BOC.
9. Compensation
Board members shall be compensated for their travel and such other authorized expenses incurred when on official Commission business at the rate set forth in the Wallowa County Administrative Procedures Manual.
10. Officers
The BOC shall appoint the board Chair as provided for in ORS 417. Board members shall elect a member of the board as Vice-Chair. The Chair and Vice-Chair’s one-year term will commence and terminate at the January regular monthly meeting.
The Director of the Commission shall be appointed by the BOC. The Director shall make recommendations to the BOC regarding hiring other support staff necessary for operation of the Commission. The Director shall be responsible for supervising staff and all management functions of the Commission. The Director and staff shall not have a vote of the body.
11. Duties
The Commission staff will work with the board Chair to set the agenda for and preside over the meetings of the Commission. The board Chair shall make appointments to committees, make assignments as necessary to carry out the purposes of the organization, and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
The board Chair, as a member of the decision‑making body, may vote on any motion, and may speak on any motion by asking someone to preside while speaking. The Chair shall represent the Commission, inform board members and solicit their views before taking major action in the name of the Commission.
The board Vice‑Chair shall act as Chair in the absence or abstention of the latter. If the Chair and Vice-Chair are both absent, the board shall not convene.
12. Board Development
The Commission staff shall conduct an annual work session for board members covering policies and procedures, roles and responsibilities of board members and staff, comprehensive planning and other issues pertaining to the Commission system.
13. Meetings
All board meetings shall be in accordance with the provisions of ORS 192 and, more specifically, shall always be open to the public unless otherwise specified as an executive session pursuant to ORS 192. No quorum of the board shall meet in private for the purpose of decision on or deliberating toward a decision on any matter except as otherwise provided by ORS 192. Executive sessions shall be held for personnel matters only. Notice of executive sessions shall be in accordance with ORS 192.640.
The Modern Edition of the Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of all meetings unless otherwise specified beforehand or in these rules.
14. Schedule
The Commission shall hold one regular board meeting a month, generally held on the Second Wednesday commencing at 4:30 p.m. Meetings will generally be held at the Wallowa County Courthouse located at 101 S River Street., Enterprise, OR.
Meetings scheduled for different dates, times and locations shall be given due public notice pursuant to ORS 192.
15. Quorum
A simple majority of board members must be present to open a regular or special meeting of the Commission. If, due to absences and/or abstentions, an agenda item does not obtain the above quorum, board members present may proceed with the hearing for the purpose of receiving testimony. If, due to absences and/or abstentions, an agenda item does not obtain the necessary votes for final action, the agenda item may be continued for hearing at the next regular or special board meeting of the Commission or forwarded to the BOC for consideration. If the votes for final action cannot be obtained at the next regular or special board meeting of the Commission, the agenda item shall be forwarded to the BOC for consideration.
16. Committees
The board Chair shall designate the number and responsibilities of such committees he/she believes necessary to develop and implement the Wallowa County Comprehensive Plan and its authorized activities. The Chair will appoint and charge a Chair for each committee. The committee Chairperson shall be responsible for tasks necessary to the fulfillment of the committee's responsibilities.
Committee members may invite other individuals working in the field of children, youth and family services to attend and participate in meetings as advisors without vote.
17. Conflict of interest
A board member (or his/her relatives) who would obtain financial gain or avoid financial detriment if a particular proposal was approved would have an actual conflict of interest as defined by ORS 244. He/she may not vote, nor participate in the discussion after announcing the conflict and declaring its nature.
A board member who could have a potential conflict of interest (versus would have a conflict) shall announce and state the nature of the conflict but may be allowed to participate in the discussion and to vote as defined by ORS 244.
The law allows an exemption if a board member's vote is necessary for the voting body to meet a required minimum number of votes necessary to take official action as defined by ORS 244. A board member with an actual conflict may vote in order to save the quorum, but may not participate in the discussion.
18. Confidentiality
Board members agree not to divulge any information of a confidential nature involving clients or staff of service providers, revealed as a result of their official duties, without prior approval of the client or staff member.
19. Motions
All motions shall be entered into the record of the meeting pursuant to the requirements of ORS 192 together with the essence of the discussion of the motion and a record of those voting in favor of the motion and of those in opposition.
The board Chair shall formally announce the results of each vote. An amendment to a motion is permissible and may be hostile, but it must be germane.
20. Voting
All motions shall be approved by simple majority of board members present.
21. Notice
The Commission staff shall provide public notification of regular and special meetings at least five (5) days in advance. Such notification shall contain the agenda of pending matters including the location of materials available for public review prior to the meeting.
22. AGENDA
Twelve (12) copies of items to be considered by the board shall be in the hands of the Commission staff no later than the 15th of the month prior to the next meeting. As much as possible, the Commission shall abide by the agenda and shall not act on matters not scheduled or out of order.
23. Minutes
The Commission staff shall be held responsible for recording the minutes of all board meetings. The minutes shall be in written form and shall include the following:
All members of the board present.
- Guests present in the audience.
- All motions proposed and their dispositions.
- The results of all votes.
- The general substance of the board’s proceedings.
- The record of a meeting shall include all materials submitted or collected for consideration.
All records and minutes shall be kept on file in the office of the Commission and shall be filed with the Wallowa County Clerk.
Any interested persons or parties shall be afforded access to the Commission's meeting minutes and recordings pursuant to ORS 192.650. All materials will be disbursed according to Wallowa County public records policy which may include fees for service. Written minutes may be downloaded from our website at www.co.wallowa.or.us/ then select Commission on Children and Families from the Community Services tab.
Commission minutes shall be retained as specified by ORS 192.
24. Funding
The Commission will provide funding to support strategies identified in the Wallowa County Comprehensive Plan. A competitive or collaborative funding process will be conducted to solicit proposals for allocation of funds at least once during the course of the biennium. All funding decisions will be presented to the BOC for their approval. The decision of the BOC is final.
25. Reporting Requirements
Programs receiving funding from the Commission shall be required to submit quarterly monitoring and fiscal reports due ten (10) working days following the end of the quarter. Quarters run July-September, October-December, January-March and April-June. Submission of late or incomplete reports will result in the withholding of funds.
26. Work Plans
Programs receiving funding from the Commission will have a written work plan as part of their contract with Wallowa County. The work plan will assist the program and the Commission in monitoring the progress of the program. The Commission must be notified in writing of any changes to the program or the program's budget.
27. Site Visits
Programs receiving funding from the Commission will receive at least one site visit each year to be conducted by Commission staff and board members. The Commission may recommend and/or require that changes/improvements be made to a program.
28. Financial Statement
Programs receiving funding from the Commission will be required to submit a financial statement to the Commission at the end of each fiscal year to show all revenues and expenditures for the program.
29. Amendments
The board will review policies and procedures within the first quarter of each calendar year and shall submit written recommendations for amendments to the BOC for their approval.
30. AUTHORIZED SIGNATURES
_______________________________________ ___________
Stephanie Williams, Chair Date
Wallowa County Commission on Children and Families
_______________________________________ ___________
Mike Hayward, Chair Date
Wallowa County Board of Commissioners
_______________________________________ ___________
Dan DeBoie, Commissioner Date
Wallowa County Board of Commissioners
_______________________________________ ___________
Susan Roberts, Commissioner Date
Wallowa County Board of Commissioners
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