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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPolicies - BOCCGRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA MEETING REQUEST FORM (Must be submitted to the Clerk of the Board by 12:00pm on Thursday) REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: gOCC REQUEST SUBMITTED BY: CEMANELL CONTACT PERSON ATTENDING ROUNDTABLE: CEMANELL CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: []YES ® NO DATE: 03/1 0/2025 PHONE:2931 ITYPE(s) OF DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED: (CHECK ALL THAT A - PPLYP ❑Agreement / Contract ❑AP Vouchers ❑Appointment / Reappointment ❑ARPA Related ❑ Bids / RFPs / Quotes Award ❑ Bid Opening Scheduled ❑ Boards / Committees ❑ Budget ❑ Computer Related ❑ County Code ❑ Emergency Purchase ❑ Employee Rel. ❑ Facilities Related ❑ Financial ❑ Funds ❑ Hearing ❑ Invoices / Purchase Orders ❑ Grants — Fed/State/County ❑ Leases ❑ MOA / MOU El Minutes ❑Ordinances ❑Out of State Travel El Petty Cash ® Policies ❑ Proclamations ❑ Request for Purchase ❑ Resolution ❑ Recommendation ❑ Professional Serv/Consultant ❑ Support Letter ❑ Surplus Req. ❑Tax Levies ❑Thank You's ❑Tax Title Property ❑WSLCB 'SUGGESTED WORDING l C FC R ENDA Who, What, lt'it'hen, It h y Term, cost eta. Approval and Adoption of Tourism Bylaws/Policies and Procedures. If necessary, was this document reviewed by accounting? ❑ YES ❑ NO 0 N/A If necessary, was this document reviewed by legal? * YES ❑ NO ❑ N/A DATE OF ACTION: S � APPROVE: DENIED ABSTAIN D1: D2: D3: DEFERRED OR CONTINUED TO: WITHDRAWN: 4/23/24 Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee Bylaws Last Edited: February, 2025 ARTICLE I — ESTABLISHMENT 1) Introduction: The Grant County Board of Commissioners (hereinafter referred to as the Board) has a great interest in informing others of the many tourist attractions in Grant County. The Board relies on the expertise of the Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) to inform and recommend ideas and plans for the promotion of tourism in Grant County. The Board appreciates the insight that the Committee gives and will show respect to the Committee's recommendations when reviewing them for approval. 2) Name: The Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee was established by the Board in 1989 by Resolution 89-93-CC. The Committee is duly appointed by the Board. The official name of the Committee shall be "The Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee". 3) Authority: The Board has determined that the Committee shall serve as an advisory committee, not a policy committee; therefore, it can make recommendations but not set policy. The Committee retains the ability to: a. Serve in an advisory capacity for the Board: b. Make recommendations on matters pertaining to tourism marketing initiatives, tourism projects, and long-range plans for the tourism industry in Grant County, c. Investigate, research, and report on the feasibility of adoption or implementation of ideas and initiatives to further the County's tourism efforts and increase tax revenues and visitation numbers, d. Create and submit an application every calendar year for grant funds awarded by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee; and e. Present advice and recommendations for the use of grant funds that have been awarded by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. 4) Duties: The Committee's duties are to organize, plan and present advice to the Board regarding tourism promotion strategies for all of Grant County, Washington. This shall be accomplished by: a. The preparation of a tourism advertising budget and the planned expenditure of any monies related to tourism, b. Structuring a tourism promotion strategy and the planning of an annual Grant County marketing campaign, c. Promotion of all Grant County owned and operated facilities as they relate to tourism, d. Production and distribution of tourism/visitor information, and e. Coordination with other public and private organizations related to tourism/recreation promotion whenever possible. Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee Bylaws January, 2025 ARTICLE II — MEMBERSHIP 1) Membership and Composition: The Committee shall be made up of a total of nine (9) members appointed by the Board. Each of the three (3) County Commissioner districts will be represented by three (3) Tourism Committee members, totaling nine. 2) Appointment: The Committee members are appointed to a three (3) year term by the Board. Committee members may be reappointed by the Board for additional terms. The Tourism Advisory Committee does not have a term limit; however, Committee members who wish to be reappointed will be required to re- apply after two (2) terms. The terms for the Committee will begin on January 1 of the year of appointment to December 31, three (3) years later. 3) Vacancy: Upon vacancy by resignation, death or other cause, the Committee may provide to the Board recommended individuals to fill the vacancy from said district for the unexpired portion of the term. After completion of the unexpired portion of the vacancy, Committee members will be considered for reappointment for a standard three-year term. a. Member Recommendations: It is the responsibility of the appointed Committee members to assist in the search for new members to fill vacancies. 4) Requirements: All Committee members shall meet the following requirements to be appointed to serve: a. Members shall reside in Grant County, b. Members shall reside in the perspective district in which they represent, c. Members shall desire to serve as volunteers without compensation, i. Members that live outside of the County Seat, where meetings are held, will be reimbursed mileage, d. Members shall attend at least 75% of the scheduled meetings, e. Members shall be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, f. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the Grant County Commissioners. 5) Travel: Travel and training expenses must conform with the County's current Travel, Training & Expense Reimbursement policy, including per diem amounts. 6) Officers of the Committee: The officers of the Committee shall consist of a Chair, Vice -Chair and Clerk, and such other officers as the Committee may, by majority vote, approve and request for appointment by the Board. a. The Chair and Vice -Chair shall be elected by the Committee at the first meeting of the year and shall serve a one (1) year term by majority vote of the Committee members. No member may serve more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office. b. The Chair shall preside over the meetings of the Committee and exercise all the powers usually incident to the office; retaining however, to themself as a member of the Committee, the full right to have their own vote recorded in all deliberations of the Committee. c. The Vice -Chair shall, in the absence of the Chair, perform the duties of the Chair and other duties as assigned by the Committee. i. In the absence of the Chair and Vice -Chair, the members present may elect for the meeting a temporary Chair who shall have full powers of the Chair during their absence. Page 2 of 7 Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee Bylaws January, 2025 d. The Board shall assign a Grant County Commissioner's Office staff member as the Clerk of the Committee, who is not a member of the Committee. The Clerk shall be responsible for: maintaining all Committee records; the recording of meeting minutes, which shall be sent to every Board member after each meeting; notification to the public of Committee meetings; and publication of agendas and meeting minutes to the Grant County website to be available to the public. ARTICLE III — MEETING PROCEDURE 1) Attendance: Due to the time -sensitive nature of tourism and marketing, it is extremely important to have a quorum of the Committee in attendance at the monthly meetings to conduct business. It is also imperative to have a complete Committee to ensure the effectiveness of the tourism program and business operations. a. Requirements for attendance: i. Committee members shall attend at least 75% (9) meetings annually, ii. Committee members with more than three (3) excused absences may be recommended for removal from the Committee Chair to the Board. iii. Committee members with more than one (1) unexcused absence may be recommended for removal from the Committee Chair to the Board. iv. To be excused from a meeting, members must contact the Chair or the Clerk at least 24 hours prior. • Excused Absence: A planned or emergency absence from a regularly scheduled meeting/event; excused with a telephone call, text or email message to the Chair, Vice -Chair or Clerk at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Members are allowed three (3) excused absences per year. • Unexcused Absence: Missing meetings, events or retreats without notification to the Committee. Failure to meet requirements for attendance above are grounds for removal from the Committee. Emergency situations arise, but should be an exception, not the norm. 2) Quorum: A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of the current number of filled committee positions. In the case of an even number of appointed committee members, over half of the members must be present for a quorum to exist. 3) Regular Meetings: The Tourism Advisory Committee meetings shall typically be held monthly on the first Wednesday of the month in the Grant County Commissioner's Hearing Room #101, located at the Grant County Courthouse, 35 C St. NW, Ephrata, WA 98823. An online option will also be made available, with information found in the posted agenda. The Committee shall hold no less than one regular meeting in each month of the year; provided that if there are no issues over which the Committee jurisdiction are pending upon its calendar, a meeting may be cancelled by the Chair of the Committee with a majority vote. a. Special Meetings: Special Meetings may be called by the Chair as deemed necessary. These meetings may include changing the date, time or location to accommodate the Committee's needs. Special Meetings must be declared at least 24 hours prior to the anticipated meeting. Page 3 of 7 Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee Bylaws January, 2025 4) Records and Minutes: The Clerk of the Committee will prepare minutes of each meeting and distribute to the Committee for review the Friday before the scheduled meeting. The minutes will include a record of the persons present (including names of Committee members, names of staff, and the names of members of the public from whom written or verbal presentations were made) and a complete and accurate description of the matters discussed, conclusions reached, and copies of all reports received, issued or approved for Board recommendation by the Committee. 5) Conflicts of Interest: No Committee members shall participate in discussion or vote on a matter in which the member has an actual or apparent conflict of interest. 6) open Meetings: Unless otherwise determined in advance, all Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public but are not subject to the Open Public Meetings Act, as any discussion and decisions reached by the Committee are advisory in nature (Citizens Alliance v. San Juan County, 2015). Once an open meeting has begun, it will not be closed for any reason. Members of the public may attend any meeting open to the public for any portion, and the Chair will provide a time for public comment. Members of the public may submit comments to the Committee at any time through online form submission, email, mail, by phone or in person. 7) Voting: Voting will only be permitted during open meetings. Votes may only be taken to reach a consensus regarding the presentation of recommendations to the Board, and internal decision -making matters. Voting to act on behalf of the Board is not permitted. Voting must have a quorum of the Committee for action. Voting via phone or online meeting is only permitted during meeting times with at least one Committee member present in person at the advertised location of the meeting. All voting must be documented by the Clerk of the Committee. a. Tie Vote: The Committee will follow the Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, which states: "On a tie vote the motion is lost, and the chair, if a member of the assembly, may vote to make it a tie unless the vote is by ballot. The chair cannot, however, vote twice, first to make a tie and then give the casting vote. In case of an appeal, though the question is, "Shall the decision of the chair stand as the judgment of the assembly?" a tie vote, even though his vote made it a tie, sustains the chair, upon the principle that the decision of the chair can be reversed only by a majority, including the chair if a member of the assembly". ARTICLE IV — PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY 1) Rules of Order: Though the Committee is advisory only in nature, meetings shall be conducted according to the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised as they are applicable and in which they are consistent with these bylaws and/or Grant County Code, policy or ordinance. ARTICLE V — POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ATTACHMENT A Page 4 of 7 Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee Bylaws January, 2025 ARTICLE VI — AMENDMENTS 1) Recommendations: Recommendations to amend the bylaws to the Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee may be submitted at any time. Recommendations must have a majority vote of the Committee for review by the Grant County Prosecuting Attorneys Office and consideration by the Board for approval and adoption. 2) Review: These bylaws will be reviewed at the first meeting of the year or as necessary to adapt to County procedure changes. Bylaw updates require approval from the Board prior to being fully enforceable. ARTICLE VI — ADOPTION BYLAWS APPROVAL: Dated this day, 1J� , 2025. Attest: «° F Caitlin E. Manell, Tourism Advisory Committee Clerk GRANT COUNTY TOURISM ADVISORY COMM TTEE awn Cardwell, Chair a;tlx <72 Pam Thorsen, Vice -Chair Dated this �97M' day, , 2025. Atte t: Barbara J. Vasquez, CMC �D' Clerk of the Board BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Grant County, Washington Cindy Cartek, Vice - Kevin R. Burg - ,'Member Page 5 of 7 Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee Bylaws January, 2025 ATTACHMENT A Policies & Procedures 1) Voting: Tourism will follow Robert's Rules of Order for internal decision -making matters to ensure clarity regarding decisions and roles within the Committee, including recommendations to the Board, modifications to contracts, invoices and any ongoing roles/responsibilities for individual committee members to be accepted by the committee member and then voted on. 2) Contracts & Invoices: a. All contracts entered for the County with the recommendation of the committee will be reviewed by the Tourism Leadership. This includes new contracts, subcontracts through the Marketing Manager, and contracts for renewal. Specific things that will be reviewed in each contract include but are not limited to: i. Washington State Business License, ii. Reasonable proposed deliverables for the requested contract amount, iii. Timeline for completion of work, iv. Location of contractor — this will be considered but does not indicate eligibility, and v. Committee's past work with said contractors, if relevant, and satisfaction with the completed work. b. Contracts will first be reviewed and assessed by the Marketing Manager, then brought to the Tourism Leadership for review. The Tourism Leadership will have a one -week deadline for recommendations of edits to the contract. Upon Leadership approval, contracts will then proceed with the established process for County legal and Commissioner review and final approval. c. In the case of contracts with amounts less than $5,000.00 (amount designated in the Marketing Manager contract), the Tourism Leadership may approve the contracts after their review. Contracts which the Marketing Manager is not in charge of will go to the Tourism Leadership for review and vetting before being brought to the Tourism Advisory Committee for recommendation action. d. All contracts over $5,000.00 being considered for execution must be drafted with the understanding that they are contracted or subcontracted with a government entity; Therefore, it will take a minimum of four (4) to six (6) weeks until contracts are executed if approved. i. This timeline must be shared as a standard expectation to all potential contractors upfront, with the understanding that no work should be done until Grant County's legal office has approved of the contract. This is the minimum length of time before any payments should be expected from the County. e. Contracts must be approved by the Board and fully executed before any invoices are paid. Any work done before the Board and legal have authorized the contract may not receive payment should Grant County deny said contract. Any non -contracted items without a named line -item listing in the Marketing Budget must submit a written proposal to the Tourism Leadership before invoicing. These items would include one-time purchase of photos or videos, printing costs and other one-time, less frequent purchases. 3) Contract Proposals: For any new contracts over the amount of $5,000.00, proposals from at least three businesses (if available) must be reviewed by the committee for recommendation to the Board. Page 6of7 Grant County Tourism Advisory Committee Bylaws January, 2025 a. When possible, a variety of Grant County artists and vendors (including photography, videography, graphic design, etc.) are represented from each district, which may be voted on when appropriate. 4) Marketing: All ongoing ad campaign designs must be approved by a majority vote of the Committee before being sent to print, radio, streaming, etc. 5) Budget Changes: Any reallocations within the Marketing Manager (Prof Serv) budget lines must be voted on. All recommended changes to the greater Tourism budget (Fund 114) must be voted on before being presented to the Board and Accounting for action. 6) Policy & Procedure Changes: Recommendations to amend the bylaws to the Policies & Procedures may be presented at anytime. Recommendations must have a majority vote of the Committee for review by the Grant County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and consideration by the Board for approval and adoption. 7) Review: These Policies & Procedures will be reviewed at the first meeting of the year or as necessary to adapt to County procedure changes. Updates require approval from the Board prior to being fully enforceable. Page 7of7