Revised June 2003

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of this committee shall be the In-Home Supportive Services Advisory Committee of Sonoma County (“Committee”). 

ARTICLE II

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Committee is to

1. submit recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on the preferred employer of record to be utilized in the County for in-home supportive services; and
2. provide ongoing advice and recommendations regarding IHSS to (a) the County Board of Supervisors, (b) any administrative body in the county that is related to the delivery and administration of IHSS supportive services, and   (c) the public authority, nonprofit consortium, contractor, and public employees.

ARTICLE III

COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

The Board of Supervisors shall appoint Committee members.

The Committee shall consist of ten members:

5   Members who are current or previous users (consumers) of personal assistance services, paid for through public or private funds who are representative of the Sonoma County IHSS caseload (Persons over 60, approximately 45%, and younger persons with disabilities, approximately 55%).  Strive for countywide geographic representation;

2   Members who are current or former IHSS providers;

2   Members with experience in program development, administration, and fiscal management who represent or advocate for home-care service-delivery organizations and their consumers; and

1   Ex-officio member from the Human Services Department of Sonoma County.

3. Terms:  All Committee terms begin on the date appointed by the Board of Supervisors, and continue for two-years.  Members may submit their request for reappointment to the Executive Committee of the Advisory Committee. Following the Executives Committee’s review and recommendation, the Board of Supervisors may re-appoint the member for another term.

The term of the ex-officio representative from the Human Services Department shall be ongoing. 

4.       Procedures for Filling Vacancies on the Committee
Recruitment of members to serve on the Committee shall be made consistent with the Maddy Act which requires reasonable written notice to and reasonable response time by, members of the general public, interested individuals, and organizations.  The Executive Committee of the Advisory Committee will review applications and select candidates to be invited for interview.  The Executive Committee will select a candidate(s) to be recommended to the Board of Supervisors for appointment.

5.       Procedures for Resigning from the Committee
Any member may resign at any time by giving verbal or written notice to the Chair of the Advisory Committee who forwards the notice to the Board of Supervisors.  In the event of a verbal resignation, the Chair of the Advisory Committee shall send a confirming letter to the resigned member.  Such resignation shall take effect on the date of receipt of such notice by the Board of Supervisors.

6.       Procedures for Removing Members from the Committee
The Committee, by a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote, not counting the vote of the member in question, may recommend to the Board of Supervisors that a member be removed from the Committee. A reason for removal includes, but is not limited to, three consecutive absences from noticed meetings. Before a recommendation is made, the Chair will contact the member concerned to discuss the issue/situation.

ARTICLE IV

1. The officers of the Committee shall be a Chair, a Vice Chair and a Secretary. The officers of the Committee will serve twelve (12) month terms and shall be elected annually, by majority vote of the Committee.  Officers may serve no more than two consecutive terms in any one office.

1. Each year the full Committee will convene a three member nominating work group. The nominating work group will submit a written slate of officers for review at a regular meeting.  Additional nominations will be solicited from the floor, if any, and a final slate of officers will be submitted at the following meeting for a final vote. Nominating work group members may be nominated for office.  A member of the nominating work group may not nominate his/her self from the floor.

1. Chair: presides at committee meetings, calls special meetings, prepares and distributes meeting agendas in consultation with In-Home Supportive Services Public Authoritystaff, and performs other such duties as pertain to the office.

1. Vice-Chair: performs the duties of the Chair in his/her absence.  The Vice Chair shall also assist the Chair in the performance of such duties as may be appropriately assigned.

1. Secretary: reads all correspondences addressed to the Committee at each meeting, and performs other such duties as pertain to the office.  In the absence of the Chair and Vice-Chair, the Secretary shall perform the duties and exercise the power of the Chair.

ARTICLE V

ADMINISTRATION

In-Home Supportive Services Public Authoritystaff provides administrative functions for the Committee.

ARTICLE VI

1. Brown Act:  All committeemeetings are open to the public and governed by the Brown Act. 

1. Regular Meetings and Agendas: Notice to the public will be given at least 72 hours before each committee meeting. Meeting notice shall include the posting of the agenda for the meeting.  The agenda shall contain a brief general description of each item of business to be transacted or discussed at the meeting.

Committee members who wish to place items on the agenda shall give those items to the Chair.  The Chair must receive agenda items at least six (6) business days in advance of the meeting. 

1. Special Meetings: Special meetings may be called by the Chair or a majority of the members and are also subject to all Brown Act requirements.

1. Public Comment: At each meeting, members of the public will be given the opportunity to directly address the Committee on agenda matters before being voted on, and on matters within the jurisdiction of the Committee.

5.       Quorum: A majority of the Committee members is a quorum.
A quorum is necessary to vote on an item of business.

ARTICLE VII

VOTING

1. Every member must be present in person or by speaker phone to vote, and no proxies are to be recognized.

1. A Committee member will abstain from voting where a Conflict of Interest exists.

APPROVAL OF BY-LAWS
The Board of Supervisors shall approve these By-laws, and any amendments.

ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS

The By-laws may be amended at any meeting of the Committee by a majority vote of the members of the Committee present at the meeting, provided that written notice of such change has been sent to each member at least two weeks prior to the meeting, and the amendments are approved by the Board of Supervisors.

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

On items not covered by these By-laws, Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the final authority.