Full Text
1 City of Marysville – City of Arlington ‐‐Fire District #12 Regional Fire Authority Planning Committee Charter / Operating Rules Version dated 9.28.17 A. Mission of the Regional Fire Authority (RFA) Planning Committee: The mission of the Planning Committee is to create and propose to the elected leadership of the City of Marysville (Marysville), the City of Arlington (Arlington), and Snohomish County Fire District #12 (“the District”) a plan for a regional fire authority (“Plan”) encompassing the entire territory within the jurisdictional boundaries of Marysville and Arlington (collectively, the Cities) and the District, including the proposed governance, design, financing and development of fire protection and emergency service facilities and operations, and maintenance and preservation of facilities and systems, all as authorized by Ch. 52.26 RCW. The Planning Committee is advisory to Mayor and City Council of the Cities of Marysville and Arlington and to the Board of Commissioners of the District. The Planning Committee shall seek to develop an RFA Plan which, if approved by the voters within the Cities and District, will achieve the following goals and outcomes: 1. To provide stable, secure, affordable and sustainable funding and service levels over time to meet the needs of the growing population in the Cities and the District. 2. To improve efficiency and effectiveness of operations of the Cities and the District. 3. To provide service at levels equal to or better than those currently provided within the three participating jurisdictions. 4. To ensure the Plan addresses the concerns and needs of both the Cities and the District and is ultimately supported by both City Councils and the District Commissioners. 5. To provide transparent, understandable information to the public about the potential impacts of the proposed RFA. 6. To ensure meaningful public input opportunities during the planning process, and to consider public input received in the drafting of the Plan. 7. To ensure the governance plan for the RFA provides equitable representation of the three member agencies, and to provide sufficient flexibility in the Plan to allow additional cities and fire district to join the RFA in the future without needing to re‐ submit a new RFA plan to the voters of the Cities and the District. B. Membership: The Planning Committee membership shall include 3 elected representatives from the City of Marysville, 3 elected representatives from the City of Arlington, and the three the Fire District #12 Board of Commissioners. The Mayors of Marysville and Arlington shall serve as non‐voting Members and Co‐Chairs of the Planning Committee. Both Cities will appoint Alternate members to the Planning Committee to serve in the ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 absence of an appointed representative from their respective City. Alternates are encouraged to attend and observe all meetings. C. Process: 1. Schedule. The Planning Committee will meet approximately four times from August 2017 through December 2017, and twice a month from January through May 2018 at times convenient to the Planning Committee to ensure a quorum and participation by all three agencies at all Planning Committees. The goal of this schedule is to complete the Plan with sufficient detail, based on documentable information, and by a reasonable date, so that the City Councils and Board of Commissioners may review and deliberate on the Plan and make an informed and timely decision whether to place the proposal on the ballot for voter approval at the August 7, 2018 primary election. 2. Developing Preliminary Recommendations, Public Outreach Process. The Planning Committee will accomplish its mission by reviewing staff‐developed reports, information, options and recommendations and considering public input. The Planning Committee will identify preliminary recommendations with respect to all items that must be included in the Plan. The Planning Committee shall also provide advice on the public outreach effort accompanying the development of the Plan and public education effort after the Plan is approved. 3. Periodic Updates to Councils and Board. The Planning Committee will provide periodic updates to the City Councils and Board of Commissioners in the form of preliminary recommendations, in order that the Council and Board may provide timely input on the development of the Plan. 4. City Council and Board Deliberations. A City Council or the Board of Commissioners may determine it needs additional time to deliberate on a preliminary recommendation from the Planning Committee, and if so, the Planning Committee will shift its work plan so as to not delay the schedule any further than necessary. A City Council or Commission seeking additional time to deliberate on a preliminary recommendation will make every effort to conclude its deliberations by the end of its next regularly scheduled meeting. 5. Reconciling Direction from City Councils and Board. If either City Council or the Board of Commissioners is opposed to any preliminary recommendation of the Planning Committee, they will so advise the Planning Committee. The Planning Committee will then work to amend the preliminary recommendations to reconcile it with input from all three legislative bodies, and bring revised recommendations back for their review. In the event of any apparently irreconcilable conflicts between the parties, the Planning Committee will so notify the Councils and Board and propose a resolution. Work on the ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 project will cease at any point at which either Council or the Commission adopts a resolution to halt work on the project. D. Public Input. All meetings of the Planning Committee shall be open to the public and shall be duly noticed as public meetings as required by law. The Planning Committee is required by statute to ensure there are opportunities for public input in the development of the Plan. The Planning Committee shall adopt a plan for public input, which will at a minimum include conducting two public information and input sessions before the Plan is approved by the Council and District. The City and District will also host a website where the public and other stakeholders can gather information and review the agendas, proceedings and materials considered by the Planning Committee. The Planning Committee may determine whether to take public comment at its meetings, and shall provide the public a means to submit written comments at Planning Committee meetings and online. If the Planning Committee determines to take public comment at its meetings, it shall adopt rules relating to such public comment. E. Public Communications. Members of the Planning Committee may be called on from time to time to comment about the activities of the Planning Committee or the subject matter under deliberation. In such communications, Members will take care to distinguish any adopted Planning Committee positions from individual Member positions. Members agree to refer inquiries from the press to the Co‐Chairs of the Planning Committee for response on behalf of the Planning Committee. F. Co‐Chairs of Planning Committee: The Mayors of Marysville and Arlington shall serve as non‐voting Co‐Chairs of the Committee. The Co‐Chairs will review and approve agendas in advance of meetings. The Co‐Chairs will take turns presiding over Planning Committee meetings, shall serve as spokespersons for the Planning Committee, shall sign transmittals and reports of the Planning Committee, and assume such other duties as may be delegated to them from time to time by the Planning Committee. Any vacancy in the post of Co‐Chair may be filled by the Planning Committee upon a vote of a majority of the Planning Committee, provided that at no time shall the Planning Committee have more than nine voting members, three from each jurisdiction. G. Resignation and Appointment of Replacement Members. Any Member of the Planning Committee may resign, and such resignation shall be effective upon submitting written notice to the Chair and the resigning member’s agency CEO (Mayor or Fire Chief). The legislative body of the resigning Member’s agency shall take prompt action to appoint a replacement member. ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 H. Planning Committee Meetings. Notice of all meetings of the Planning Committee shall be given by the Chair or his/her designee in writing by electronic mail or personal delivery to all Members at least seven days prior to the date on which the meeting is to be held; provided, however, the Panel Chair may call for special meetings, and not less than three days' notice may be given for a special meeting. Any notice shall specify the date, time and place of the meeting; provided, however, notice may be waived in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to such notice, whether before or after the time at which the notice is required to be given, which shall be equivalent to the giving of such notice. 1. Attendance. Members must be present to participate in meeting; participation by conference call is not allowed. 2. Agendas. Prior to each regularly scheduled meeting, the Planning Committee, the Co‐ Chairs shall work with staff to confirm an agenda for the meeting. At the beginning of the meeting, any Member may request that an item be added to the Agenda. The decision whether to add an item shall be made by the presiding Co‐Chair, but this decision may be overturned by a vote of not less than 6 planning committee members including two from each jursidiction. Agendas will be made available to the Members electronically (by email) at least 3 days prior to the meeting. Staff supporting the Planning Committee shall make best efforts to provide all meeting materials to the Panel at least 2 days prior to the meeting date. 3. Quorum. A quorum at any meeting shall consist of Planning Committee Members who represent a simple majority. 4. Rules of Order. All meetings of the Planning Committee shall be conducted in accordance with the latest edition or revision of Robert's Rules of Order, except as otherwise provided in this Charter. 5. Minutes. Summary minutes shall be kept of Planning Committee meetings, recording attendance, general discussion items, decisions and votes (where taken). The Planning Committee shall approve all such summaries, which shall, be provided to the City Councils and Board of Commissioners and posted online. I. Decision Making: 1. Votes. The Planning Committee shall attempt to make decisions by consensus, defined as approval from not less than two‐thirds of the Planning Committee members from each of the three participating jurisdictions. Where such consensus cannot be achieved, items may be approved by a majority of the Planning Commission Members, however, the lack ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 of consensus shall be noted. The minutes shall reflect the votes of each member. Each Member of the Planning Committee has one vote, excepting the Co‐Chairs which are non‐voting. No proxy voting is allowed. 2. Routine Items. Routine actions of the Planning Committee (for example, approval of the meeting summary) will be confirmed by the vote of a majority of the Members of the Committee. 3. Approval of Final Recommended RFA Plan. Notwithstanding the terms of Sections I.1‐2, the final proposed RFA Plan must be approved by not less than two‐thirds of the voting Planning Committee members from each of the three participating jurisdictions. Voting by proxy will be allowed for this item if necessary to ensure all Planning Committee member votes are cast. J. Staff support for Task Force: Staff support will be provided by the employees of the Cities and the District, and an independent facilitator, and legal counsel appointed by the jurisdictions for the project. The Planning Committee members acknowledge that additional consultant support may be necessary to develop all the information needed to develop a final recommended RFA Plan. K. Funding: The parties have entered into a separate agreement addressing how costs of the Planning Committee process will be shared. That agreement may need to be amended from time to time as work on the project proceeds. L. Approval and Amendment of this Charter: This Charter shall be approved by vote of not less than two‐thirds of the voting Members of the Planning Committee including at least two members from each jurisdiction. Any amendments to this Charter must be similarly approved.