PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY TRAILS AND BLUEWAYS COUNCIL BY-LAWS
AS ADOPTED BY THE PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY PARK AUTHORITY BOARD ON FEBRUARY 25, 2009

Click here to view the Park Authority Board's resolution.
Note: Requires approval by the Prince William County Board of Supervisors

ARTICLE I:  Name

The name of this organization shall be the Prince William County Trails and Blueways Council, hereinafter referred to in these By-Laws as the COUNCIL, and shall be defined as all members and all committees, standing and appointed, as defined in these By-Laws.

ARTICLE II:  Authorization

The Prince William County Park Authority, hereinafter referred to in these By-Laws as the AUTHORITY, hereby establishes, through Resolution 09-0225-A3, on February 25, 2009, the COUNCIL to provide services for the development of trails and blueways in Prince William County.

ARTICLE III:  Mission

The COUNCIL is committed to the mission of advising the AUTHORITY and the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors, hereinafter referred to in these By-Laws as the BOCS, in the development of a County-wide trails and blueways system in Prince William County.

ARTICLE IV:  Purpose & Responsibilities

Section I.  Purpose:  The COUNCIL’s purpose is to serve as an advisory group to the AUTHORITY, and shall support development and growth of trails and blueways within Prince William County.  Other services may include, but are not limited to, the following:  publicity, promotion and organizational development support.

Section II.  Responsibilities:  The COUNCIL’s responsibilities shall include:

1. Developing baseline criteria for creating public trails
2. Recommending priorities for inclusion in the Prince William County Capital Improvement Program and the AUTHORITY’S Capital Improvement Program
3. Reviewing Comprehensive Plan amendments, rezoning, and special use permit applications
4. Recommending trail development opportunities
5. Actively seeking to establish a broad range of partnerships
6. Identify new trails for inclusion in the County-wide Trails Plan
7. Identify opportunities to increase public access to blueways and to create safe portage paths around obstacles
8. Create benchmarks to measure progress in completing the County’s trail network
9. Submit an annual Statement of Economic Interests and Disclosure of Real Estate Holdings as required by Section 2.1-639.14 of the Code of Virginia and Section 2-47 of the Prince William County Code

Section III.  Liaison:  The AUTHORITY will provide a Trails and Blueways Council Staff Liaison to guide the COUNCIL in achieving the stated goals of Resolution 09-0225-A3.  Staff support shall be provided by the AUTHORITY, the Prince William County Planning Office, and other agencies as directed by the BOCS.

ARTICLE V:  ORGANIZATION

Section I.  The Council

A.  Number, Qualifications, Election and Terms of Office:

1. The COUNCIL shall consist of sixteen (16) members.  Each Prince William County Park Authority Board, hereinafter referred to in these By-Laws as the PAB, appointee and BOCS appointee shall be an individual from the community-at-large and shall live within Prince William County.  COUNCIL members will be appointed by the PAB and the BOCS.  The sixteen (16) COUNCIL members shall consist of the following:

a. Eight (8) COUNCIL members shall be appointed by the BOCS – One (1) representative per each BOCS member

b. Eight (8) COUNCIL members shall be appointed by the PAB – One (1) representative per each PAB member

2. Each COUNCIL member’s term shall be for two (2) years.  Initial terms for PAB appointees shall be July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2012.  Initial terms for BOCS appointees shall be July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011.  Thereafter, COUNCIL members appointed by the PAB shall have terms commencing on even-numbered years.  The terms of COUNCIL members appointed by the BOCS will commence on odd-numbered years.

3. Current elected officials serving Prince William County constituents are not eligible for appointment.

B. Assumption of Duties:  Newly appointed COUNCIL members will assume their duties starting with the next meeting of the COUNCIL.

C. Vacancies: 

1.   In the event of a vacancy of a member prior to his/her appointment completion, a replacement appointee will be nominated to fill the vacancy within 30 days.  Replacement appointees will be nominated by the Park Authority Board member or County Supervisor who made the original nomination of the departing member.

2.   A special election shall be called by the COUNCIL to fill the vacancy of the Chairman by a majority vote of those COUNCIL members present and voting.

D.  Powers and Duties: With AUTHORITY approval, the COUNCIL shall have general power to manage and control the affairs of the COUNCIL, and shall have full power, by majority vote, to adopt rules and regulations governing the actions of the COUNCIL.

E. Resignations and Removals:

1. Any COUNCIL member may resign at any time by written notice to the COUNCIL or the Secretary of the COUNCIL.  The COUNCIL may petition the appointing PAB for removal of an appointed COUNCIL member for cause.

2. Three (3) consecutive absences from regular COUNCIL meetings in one fiscal year shall constitute a COUNCIL member’s resignation, unless the COUNCIL member sends a letter to the AUTHORITY’s Trails Council Staff Liaison indicating his/her intent to continue service on the COUNCIL.

F.   Standing and Other Committees:  Standing committees shall consist of the Executive Committee and the Nominating Committee.  The Chairman may provide for such other committees as he/she shall deem appropriate and may, from time-to-time, delegate to each committee such duties and powers not inconsistent with these By-Laws.

G.  Responsibilities:  Council members who are not officers of the COUNCIL shall be responsible for actively contributing to the COUNCIL’s well-being and shall serve on a committee or committees and/or undertake such projects as may be specifically requested by the COUNCIL and its officers.

Section II:   Officers

1. Number, Qualifications, Election and Terms of Office:
   
   

   1. The officers of the COUNCIL shall be Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Secretary, who shall be elected for a term of one year by a majority of those COUNCIL members present and voting.
      

   2. The Chairman and Vice Chairman should rotate from year to year between residents of Eastern and Western Prince William County as defined by the BOCS, with one from Eastern and one from Western during any given year.

   3. The officers shall form the Executive Committee, which shall serve as an advisory body to the COUNCIL.
      
      

2. The Chairman: The Chairman shall have such powers of supervision and management as customarily pertain to the office; shall preside at all meetings of the COUNCIL; shall call special meetings; shall be, ex officio, a member of all committees except the Nominating Committee; shall appoint all committee chairmen (except the Nominating Committee) subject to the approval of the COUNCIL and the AUTHORITY; shall establish additional special or ad hoc committees from time-to-time at the request of the COUNCIL; shall, with the AUTHORITY’s Trails and Blueways Council staff liaison, present an annual report to the COUNCIL and the AUTHORITY; and, shall perform other such duties as the COUNCIL may direct and those activities determined by the AUTHORITY.  The out-going Chairman shall remain on the Executive Committee, ex officio, one year following the elected term of office.
   
   
3. The Vice-Chairman:  The Vice Chairman shall perform such duties as directed by the Chairman of the COUNCIL, and shall direct and preside at meetings in the absence of the Chairman. 
   
   
4. Secretary:  The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings.  A draft version of the minutes of each meeting shall be provided to the COUNCIL for their review within 10 days of the meeting.  The Secretary shall notify all officers of their election and all COUNCIL members of their appointments; shall send the agenda with minutes to each COUNCIL member; and, shall perform such other duties as the Chairman and COUNCIL directs.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS

Section I.  Council Meetings

1. There shall be at least ten (10) meetings of the COUNCIL each year.  The time and date shall be determined by the COUNCIL prior to August 1 of each year.  The location shall be the AUTHORITY’s Board Chambers.  The Chairman shall call a special meeting upon the written request of five (5) members of the COUNCIL.

2. Quorum:  Ten (10) members of the COUNCIL shall constitute a quorum. 

Section I.  Nominating Committee:  The Nominating Committee shall consist of three (3) individual members of the COUNCIL as decided by vote of the COUNCIL.

Section II.  Committee Vacancy:  Vacancies occurring in a committee shall be filled by the Chairman.

Section III.  Report of the Nominating Committee:  The report of the Nominating Committee, containing its nominations for officers, shall be sent to all COUNCIL members one month prior to the election.  Nominations may be made from the floor immediately thereafter, provided the consent of the nominee has been obtained.

Section IV.  Election:  Election shall be by ballot or verbal vote.  A majority vote of those members voting shall constitute an election. 

ARTICLE X: PARLIMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the COUNCIL in all cases to which they are applicable and not inconsistent with these By-Laws or policies of the AUTHORITY.

ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENTS

The COUNCIL members, at a regular meeting or special meeting called to amend the By-Laws, may propose to the PAB amendments to these By-Laws provided that the proposed amendments are submitted to the voting COUNCIL members in writing at least 30 days in advance and a two-thirds vote of COUNCIL members present at that meeting.  Subsequent approval by the PAB constitutes amendment.

ARTICLE XII: NON-PARTISAN STATUS

The COUNCIL is a non-partisan organization serving the development and maintenance of trails and blueways in Prince William County and does not support or endorse political parties or candidates.

ARTICLE XIII: FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

The COUNCIL shall abide by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, §2.2-3700 et seq. of the Virginia Code.  Minutes of all meetings shall be maintained and copies shall be kept by the COUNCIL Secretary for appropriate distribution to COUNCIL members and the AUTHORITY.  Except as otherwise provided by law, all COUNCIL meetings shall be open to the public, including COUNCIL and committee meetings.  Regulations of the Freedom of Information Act shall govern all COUNCIL Executive Committee meetings.  Appropriate copies will be available to the public upon written request and according the regulations of the Freedom of Information Act.