BY-LAWS OF THE

TRANSYLVANIA NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL

NAME

ARTICLE I:        This organization shall be known as the Transylvania Natural Resources Council (hereafter referred to as TNRC).

PURPOSES

 ARTICLE II:       The purposes of the Transylvania Natural Resources are:

A.        Study, review and inventory Transylvania County’s natural resources and recommend to the Board of Commissioners, through the County Manager or other appropriate officials, county policies, procedures, ordinances and/or changes to the general statutes to responsibly manage Transylvania County’s natural resources and promote the environment.

B.         Promote education and understanding of the County’s natural resources and related issues.

C.         Other related duties and responsibilities as the Board of Commissioners may assign.

MEMBERSHIP

 ARTICLE III:      The Transylvania Natural Resources Council shall consist of:

A.        Regular Members:  The council shall consist of 15 members appointed by the Board of Commissioners.  Representation may include, but is not limited to, the following groups:  government, education, environmental groups, business/industry, and medical/health.

                           Members are to be selected from a broad cross section of the groupings with an emphasis on technical expertise and geographical representation.  The County Extension Director and the District Resource Conservationist will hold two of the 15 membership positions.  The TNRC will notify the Board of Commissioners of vacancies and make recommendations to commissioners of individuals who might serve if appointed.

               B.         Ex Officio Members:  The following may serve as ex officio members of the TNRC:  the County Manager and any county department head.  Ex officio members shall have an active voice in all meetings and may serve as an officer or subcommittee appointment, but shall not vote on council matters.

               C.        Vacancies:  Membership shall be filled by an appointment made by the Board of Commissioners.  The TNRC Secretary shall notify the Clerk to the Board of Commissioners, in writing, when a vacancy occurs.

               D.        Removal of Members:  All members shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Commissioners.  Members’ unexcused absence from two consecutive meetings shall result in attendance alert, mailing to the member and appointing authority.  Absence from three months of active participation will be considered member resignation, and a new commissioner appointment will be requested.

               E.         Terms of Office:  Members (with the exception of those specified in Article III, Section A) will serve staggered three-year terms with a two-term limit.  The initial board will be appointed to a one, two, or three year term as specified by the Board of Commissioners.  Members appointed to fill unexpired terms may be appointed to serve two additional terms.

               F.         Training and Orientation:  Training and orientation sessions will be held in January of each year.  The orientation is suggested for all new members and the training session will be for all members.

OFFICERS

ARTICLE IV:     The officers of the Transylvania Natural Resources Council shall consist of a Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary.  The Chairman shall be designated annually by the Board of Commissioners.  The Vice Chairman shall be elected by the TNRC members at the annual meeting held in September of each year.  The Transylvania County Cooperative Extension Director and the Soil and Water District Resource Conservationist shall serve as Co-Secretary.  The Chairman and Vice Chairman shall serve one-year terms, beginning the first day of October.  No one shall serve more than two consecutive terms as Chairman or two consecutive terms as Vice Chairman.

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

ARTICLE V:       The duties of each office shall be:

               A.        Chairman:  The Chairman shall preside at all meetings, and shall appoint workgroups as he/she or the council shall consider expedient or necessary and shall designate the chairman of each appointed workgroup.  The Chairman shall be the spokesperson of the council and will report at least annually to the Board of Commissioners.

               B.         Vice Chairman:  The Vice Chairman shall perform the duties of the Chairman in the Chairman’s absence.  In the absence of the Chairman and the Vice Chairman, an acting chairman shall be elected by the regular members at said meeting.  The Vice Chairman shall exercise such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the Chairman.

               C.        Secretary:  The Secretary shall keep all the minutes and attendance of all council meetings, issue attendance alerts and resignations, mail meeting notices, maintain a current and accurate membership roster, conduct all correspondence pertaining to the office, and perform such other duties as may be required by the Chairman, Vice Chairman, or by the council.  Copies of minutes and records of member attendance shall be provided through the County Manager to the Board of Commissioners, as well as to other official document depositories.

MEETINGS

ARTICLE VI:     ALL MEETINGS WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

               A.        Annual Meeting:  The annual meeting shall be held in September of each year.

               B.         Regular Meetings:  The TNRC shall meet at least quarterly.

               C.        Special Meetings:  Special meetings may be called by the Chairman, and the required legal notice of the special meeting must be given.

               D.        Orientation and Training Meetings:  Training and orientation sessions will be held in January of each year.  The orientation is suggested for all new members and the training session will be for all members.

               E.         Notice of Meetings:  Notice of time, place and agenda items for all meetings (annual, regular and special) shall be mailed by the Secretary to all members, to the Clerk of the Board of Commissioners, and to the County “Sunshine List”, in accordance with GS 143-318.12(2), at least one week prior to each meeting.

               F.         Quorum:  A quorum shall consist of 50.1 percent of the active membership of the council (usually 8 members); unfilled, regular-member positions are not counted.  A quorum is required to transact business.

               G.        Agenda:  Any member may request the Chairman to place an item on the agenda.  If the Chairman should decline to do so, a member may have such item placed on the agenda by submitting his request, in writing, to the Chairman with support signatures of three members.  Any matters not appearing on the agenda may be considered upon a favorable vote.

               H.        Rules of Order:  The deliberations of all meetings of the council and its various subcommittees shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

VOTING

ARTICLE VII:    Voting shall consist of:

               A.        One Vote Each:  Each council member, including the Chairman, shall be entitled to one vote.

               B.         Proxy Votes:  No member shall vote by proxy.

               C.        Majority:  A simple majority shall constitute a majority vote, as long as there is a quorum present to conduct business.

               D.        Abstentions:  An abstention of any vote, unless for a council-approved conflict of interest, shall be a vote with the majority and shall be so reflected in the minutes.

               E.         Determination of Actions:  All actions, council positions, or policy recommendations shall require the favorable vote of a majority of those council members present at the duly called meeting.

OPERATIONS

ARTICLE VIII:

               A.        Annual Report:  In October of each year, the Chairman shall present a report to the Board of Commissioners describing the council’s activities for the preceding year.

               B.         Recommendations:  Those items (e.g., ordinances, resolutions or policies) presented to the Board of Commissioners for action will comply with Article VII, Section D and all other provisions of these Bylaws.

AMENDMENTS

ARTICLE IX:     These Bylaws may be amended or replaced upon the affirmative vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the members at any duly-called meeting as long as a minimum of ten members are present.  All changes to the Bylaws shall be approved by the Board of Commissioners.