Region 9: 2012 By-Laws

 

ESTABLISHMENT OF AND BY-LAWS FOR

ILLINOIS REGION 9 HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

FOR

HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLANNING

These by-laws, on behalf of the Illinois counties of Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Fayette, Green, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, and Montgomery (herein referred to as Region 9) are established for the purpose of creating and maintaining a Human Service Transportation Plan (herein referred to as HSTP) in fulfillment of the provisions of the Federal Transportation Act of 2012: Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (herein referred to as MAP-21); formerly the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act, a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and for prioritizing and recommending projects for federal transit funds to the Illinois Department of Transportation-Division of Public and Intermodal Transportation (herein referred to as IDOT-DPIT).

 

WHEREAS,       MAP-21 (Sec. 20011(e)(2)(A)(i) and Sec. 20012(g)(2)(A)) requires the establishment of a locally-developed, coordinate public transit human services transportation plan for projects that receive funding through Section 5310 (Elderly and Individuals with Disabilities) and the Job Access Reverse Commute component of Section 5311 (Formula Grants for Rural Areas).

 

WHEREAS,       MAP-21 (Sec. 20011(e)(2)(A)(ii) and Sec. 20012(g)(2)(B)) requires the HSTP to be developed and approved through a process that includes participation by seniors, individuals with disabilities, representatives of public, private, and nonprofit transportation and human service providers, and other members of the public.

WHEREAS,       IDOT-DPIT has designated the South Central Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission (herein referred to as SCIRP&DC) as the Regional Planning Organization responsible for carrying out the planning and programming requirements for Region 9 in cooperation with the state. SCIRP&DC has entered into a contract with IDOT for transit planning purposes: and

NOW, THEREFORE, the by-laws established below will set the purpose and functions of SCIRP&DC in cooperation with an Illinois Region 9 Transportation Committee.

 

 

ARTICLE I.  PURPOSE

A.      SCIRP&DC shall perform and carry out a cooperative, comprehensive, and continuing area wide transit planning and programming process for Illinois Region 9 in accordance with the requirements of applicable laws, policies, and procedures with the assistance of the Illinois Department of Transportation.

B.      SCIRP&DC shall maintain an Illinois Region 9 Human Services Transportation Committee (HSTC) to oversee and coordinate the process in a manner that will ensure that transportation planning and programming decisions are reflective of the needs of local and state governments and transit operations.

 

ARTICLE II.  MEMBERSHIP, VOTING, QUORUM, AND ATTENDANCE

A.      The HSTC may be composed of the following representatives, each having one vote:

1.      A local government elected official or appointed official or appointed representative from each of the 10 counties in the Illinois Region 9 geographic area.  Elected officials will be appointed by the county board chair that they represent and can be either county or city officials or a designee.

2.      Not-for-Profit, Human Services Organizations or other institutions which represent the citizens of the Illinois Region 9 geographic area.  Representation should balance special needs, aging, disabled, workforce, and educational interests when possible.

3.      Public or Private Transit Providers with representatives from throughout the geographic area of Region 9.

B.      As a ‘Public Body’ covered by The Open Meetings Act (OMA) all voting members, proxy’s and appointed or elected officers of the HSTP Committee are required to receive the OMA electronic training.  This training must be completed as part of the process in becoming a voting member and Committee officer.   Upon completion of the training, members will receive a certificate of completion from the Office of Attorney General & should provide a copy of this certificate to the HSTP Coordinator to be placed on file.  

C.      Resignation by a member of the Committee must be relayed to the HSTP Coordinator, for documentation in meeting minutes, either by letter &\or email or by letter at a HSTP quarterly meeting.

D.     Upon failure to attend consecutive meetings without sending a stand-in OR failing to send an agency stand-in to at least half of the scheduled meetings in the previous 4 quarters, a member agency will be considered an INACTIVE MEMBER.  Inactive members will have their voting rights suspended and their presence or lack there of will not count towards a quorum for voting purposes.  Once a member agency becomes an inactive member, that agency may regain active status by a simple majority vote and attending consecutive meetings.

 

E.      While in-person attendance is preferred, in certain circumstances a Committee member may be able to attend by teleconference.  If this form of attendance is needed, the member agency will contact the HSTP Coordinator at least 2 weeks in advance of the scheduled meeting to make this request.  In some circumstances, teleconferencing might not be available.  If the HSTP Coordinator is unable to fulfill the request, the member agency will be counted as absent for that meeting.  

F.       A quorum of the Regional Human Services Transportation Committee shall consist of a simple majority of active Committee members, without regard to county origin.  Active Committee members are those who have made a commitment to serve on the Committee as defined above in Sections C and D.

 

ARTICLE III.  OFFICERS

A Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary of the HSTC shall be chosen by representatives of the Committee at the first meeting held in odd numbered years.  The Chair or any member presiding over the Committee may vote and make or second motions.  Any other officer positions may be created as the committee sees fit.

 

ARTICLE IV.  MEETING LOCATIONS, DATES, AND NOTIFICATIONS

A.      Other local governments, human service agencies, and transportation providers within Region 9 who are not members of the HSTC may receive information and may attend all meetings.  Any other interested individuals or the media may contact the Regional HSTP Coordinator at the SCIRP&DC office and be added to the mailing list for meeting notifications.

B.      Meetings will be scheduled during weekdays at a location within Region 9 unless otherwise agreed upon by Committee members.  The date, location, and time for meetings will be chosen by SCIRP&DC staff under advisement from the Committee.  In any three year time frame the Committee must meet in at least 3 different locations within 3 different counties of Region 9.  Meeting locations should be selected in order to minimize travel time for all members and to not show favorability towards any geographic area of Region 9.

C.      The Committee as a whole shall meet at least 4 times a year.  Meetings shall be held roughly quarterly (every 3 months), but may be moved in order to align with deadlines set by IDOT.

D.     Except for extraordinary circumstances, meetings shall be announced at least 3 weeks (15 business days) in advance.

 

 

ARTICLE V.  SUBCOMMITTEE FORMATION

Subcommittees may be comprised of voting and non-voting members.  Selection of subcommittee members will be on a volunteer basis.  If subcommittee members are needed and there are no volunteers or if a subcommittee member must resign after volunteering, either the HSTC or the Coordinator will appoint members to the subcommittee.

 

ARTICLE VI.  PLANNING ACTIVITIES, RESPONSIBILITIES

A.      The HSTC shall develop, in conjunction with IDOT, a regional evaluation process to prioritize Section 5310, 5311, and any other projects for Illinois Region 9 rural areas, and recommend those projects to IDOT\DPIT for funding consideration.  IDOT\DPIT may expand prioritization of projects at its discretion or by mandate.

B.      The HSTP shall be prepared by the HSTP Coordinator, which will include all elements required by state and federal transportation authorities in addition elements requested by local government representatives.  The HSTC will review and approve the HSTP and any subsequent changes.

 

ARTICLE VII.  AMENDMENTS, SEVERABILITY

A.      If any one or more of the provisions of this Agreement is declared unconstitutional or contrary to law, the validity of the remainder of the Agreement shall not be affected thereby.

B.      This Agreement is subject to amendment.  If a HSTC member would like to recommend an amendment to these bylaws, that member should submit the request, in writing, to the Coordinator at least 30 days prior to a scheduled quarterly meeting.  The amendment will be approved when a majority of ALL active members (without regards to a quorum) of the HSTC adopts the amendment.

 

ARTICLE VIII.  DURATION OF AGREEMENT

This Agreement shall become effective upon approval by a majority of all active members, and shall remain in effect until terminated by a two-thirds majority vote of all active HSTC members.

 

ARTICLE IX.  TERMINATION

These by-laws and establishment of an HSTC may be terminated at the discretion of IDOT\DPIT in compliance with changes to federal requirements or by a two-thirds majority vote of all active HSTC members.