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1 June 23, 2004 Revised January 2005 pending Membership Approval CORTLAND COUNTY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD BYLAWS ARTICLE I -NAME Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Cortland County Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board (hereinafter referred to as the “Board.”) ARTICLE II - AUTHORIZATION This advisory board was established by resolution of the Cortland County Legislature. ARTICLE III - RESPONSIBILITIES Section 1. The Board shall serve as an Advisory Board to the Cortland County Legislature and assist other regulatory agencies in the coordination of emergency medical services programs within Cortland County (hereinafter referred to as “County”), including but not limited to, utilizing, updating, and keeping current with the needs of the County and communicating with other agencies in County. Section 2. In pursuit of this purpose, the functions of the Board are: To determine what emergency medical care resources exist within the County and to maintain an accurate index of these resources. To determine if these resources meet local, state, and national standards and are sufficient in quantity and quality to meet the County’s total emergency medical care needs. To work in conjunction with the Central New York Regional Emergency Medical Advisory Committee and Regional Emergency Medical Services Council for the provision of Quality Improvement and EMS System development. To facilitate communication between Central New York Regional Emergency Medical Services Council; Cortland County Legislature and EMS agencies providing service in Cortland County. To act as liaison among all emergency medical services agencies providing service within the County. To recommend and support training programs and provide input to the appropriate regulatory agencies regarding training in emergency medical care for basic and advanced emergency medical technicians, public safety personnel, and the general public. To make recommendations regarding the effective operation of the County’s coordinated emergency medical communications system. ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP Section 1. The membership shall consist of representatives in accordance with “Attachment ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 June 23, 2004 Revised January 2005 pending Membership Approval Section 2. A member organization shall submit annually in writing to the Chairman of the Advisory Board the name of its delegate and alternate. The Chairman of the Advisory Board shall send a roster to the Chairman of the Cortland County Legislature for appointment. Section 3. In the event that the delegate and alternate are unable to attend a meeting, a letter of authorization designating another alternate may be submitted for that specific meeting. Section 4. Any delegate to the Board who misses more than three consecutive meetings without either informing the Chairman of the Advisory Board in advance or being represented by an alternate, shall be automatically terminated as a delegate to the Board. The Chairman of the Advisory Board shall in writing notify the member organization of such termination. In the event of a termination, the agency shall select a replacement within 30-days of notification of the termination. The name of the replacement shall be sent to the Chairman of the Advisory Board who shall then forward the name to the Chairman of the Legislature for appointment. Section 5. At no time shall voting membership of the board exceed 21 members. ARTICLE V- OFFICERS Section 1. The officers shall be: Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and such other officers as the Advisory Board may authorize. Officers shall be elected from among its own membership at the first regular meeting of the calendar year. Officers shall hold office for a period of one year or until their successors shall have been elected and assume office. Section 2. The duties of the officers shall be: a. The Chairman shall call and preside at all meetings of the Board, shall appoint the chairman and members of all committees and serve as Chairman of the Executive Committee. b. The Vice Chairman shall serve as Chairman in the absence of the Chairman. The Vice Chairman shall have all the power and authority of the Chairman when so serving. c. The Secretary shall record and retain the minutes of all meetings of the Advisory Board as required by these bylaws, keep records of membership, make such reports that are necessary, and perform all other duties as are incidental to the office. Section 3. All officers shall be subject to the direction of the Board and shall perform such duties as said Board may prescribe from time to time. Section 4. The officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the Board members present, a quorum being present. Elections shall be by ballot except when there is but one candidate for office, elections may be by voice vote. The nominating committee shall ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 June 23, 2004 Revised January 2005 pending Membership Approval submit a list of candidates for each office one month prior to elections. Candidates may be nominated from the floor. Section 5. Any officer may be removed for just cause by a two-thirds (2/3) ballot vote of all Board members then if office, excepting the member whose officership is under consideration. ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES Section 1. Executive Committee: a. The Board shall select an Executive Committee to be composed of the Board officers and a representative of each of the following: Transport Agency providing service in Cortland County; First Response Agency providing service in Cortland County; Hospital representative and an At-Large representative. The non-officer representatives of the Executive Committee shall be elected by the full Advisory Board membership. b. The Executive Committee shall have all the power and authority of the Board between meetings of the Board. No action of the Executive Committee shall countermand the action of the Board. c. The Executive Committee may call a special meeting of the full Board if deemed necessary by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. d. The Executive Committee shall report on all actions of the committee at the next regular meeting of the Advisory Board. Section 2. Standing Committees shall be composed of (members of the Board. The Standing Committees of the Board and their responsibilities shall be as follows: a. Training: To recommend and support training programs and recommend to the Advisory Board suggestions for the Board to provide input to the appropriate regulatory agencies regarding training in emergency medical care for basic and advanced emergency medical technicians, public safety personnel, and the general public. b. Communication: To make recommendations to the Advisory Board regarding the effective operation of the County’s coordinated emergency medical communications system. c. Nominating/Membership: Present a slate of candidates for Executive Committee 30-days prior to annual meeting. Ensure all disciplines have representation on the Advisory Board d. Resources: To determine what emergency medical care resources exist within the County and to maintain an accurate index of these resources. To determine if these resources meet local, state, and national standards and are sufficient in quantity and quality to meet the County’s total emergency medical care needs. ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 June 23, 2004 Revised January 2005 pending Membership Approval e. Legal Issues/Bylaws: Perform an annual review of the Bylaws and make appropriate recommended changes; communicate to the Board regarding state, federal, legislative and regulatory issues relating to EMS Section 3. Ad Hoc Committees All other committees shall be ad hoc committees and shall be appointed by the Chairman, subject to the approval of the Executive Board. ARTICLE VII- MEETINGS Section 1. Regular meetings of the Board shall be the fourth Tuesday of each month at 1930 hrs. unless otherwise designated by a majority vote of the Board. Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the Chairman, the Executive Committee, or a majority of the members of the Board, provided that 48 hours written notice is provided to all Board members. Only the business stated in the call of the meeting shall be conducted. Section 3. The regular meeting in the month of March shall be designated as the Annual Meeting of the Board. In addition to regular business, officers shall be elected. ARTICLE VIII - VOTING Section 1. A majority of member of the Board shall constitute a quorum. A majority vote of the delegates or alternates present shall constitute the act of the Board unless otherwise required by statute or these bylaws. Section 2. Each member organization with voting rights shall have one vote. In the event one individual is the appointed representative for multiple member agencies, that individual has one vote. At no time shall voting member organizations of the Board exceed 20 members. ARTICLE IX - CONFLICT OF INTEREST Any member may declare a conflict of interest prior to voting on an issue and may be recognized as abstaining on a vote. Members abstaining from voting shall not be allowed to speak on the issue. ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS Section 1. Proposed amendments to these Bylaws must be presented in writing to Board at the regularly scheduled meeting prior to the meeting at which they will be considered, or mailed to the Board members by either e-mail or through the United States Postal Service at least ten (10) days in advance of the meeting at which they will be considered. Section 2. Amendments shall be adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and voting, a quorum being present. ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 June 23, 2004 Revised January 2005 pending Membership Approval ARTICLE XII – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY Section 1. The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this Board is all cases where it is not in conflict with statute or these Bylaws. ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 June 23, 2004 Revised January 2005 pending Membership Approval Attachment A Membership shall consist of one representative and one alternate from each of the following Agencies providing service in Cortland County. Members can represent more than one agency at one time, for example, someone can represent both a transport agency and a first response agency. However, each individual receives only one vote regardless of the number of agencies he/she represents. There is no limit on the number of agencies participating on the board. At no time shall the voting agencies of the board exceed 21 agencies. 1. Transport Agencies with primary operating territory in Cortland County 2. First Response Agencies designated by the New York State Department of Health with an agency code 3. Industrial First Response Agencies (ex-officio without vote) 4. Cortland County 911 Center (ex-officio without vote) 5. Law Enforcement – one position representing Cortland County Law Enforcement (ex-officio without vote) 6. Fire Service – one position representing the Cortland County Fire Service (ex-officio without vote) 7. Hospital representative familiar with EMS 8. A Cortland County member of the Regional EMS Council (ex-officio without vote) 9. Cortland County Legislature (ex-officio without vote) 10. Cortland County Fire Coordinator Ex-officio members can represent another agency on the board but will not get a vote. Nothing in these Bylaws is intended to preclude involvement of any public or private agency. These agencies would not be members of the Board and would not have a vote