MAWDB - Mission Statement and ByLaws

MISSION STATEMENT:

To provide employers and job seekers

a fully intergrated system of

employment, education and training services

for the purpose of developing

the economic strength and

global competitiveness of this area.

MOUNTAIN AREA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD BYLAWS

ARTICLE I. NAME

Section 1.  Name: The name of the organization shall be the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board, hereinafter referred to as the WDB or Board.

Section 2.  Purpose: It is the purpose of this Board to provide policy guidance for, and exercise independent oversight with respect to the implementation of federal and state workforce development programs within the Local Area, hereinafter referred to as the LA, consisting of Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania Counties.

Section 3.  Authority: The Board shall enter into an agreement with the designated Chief Elected Official within the LA to define the responsibilities of the grant recipient and administrative entity in accordance with the purpose of the organization.

ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  Membership: The membership of the Mountain Area Workforce Development Board shall consist of twenty-nine (29) members. The distribution of membership will be as follows: Buncombe - 15, Henderson - 6, Transylvania - 4, Madison - 4. The membership shall be appointed by the Board of Commissioners of each County in a manner consistent with Section 102 of the Job Training Partnership Act.

Section 2.  Private Sector Members: A minimum of 51% of the membership shall be representatives of private industry and shall be owners of business concerns, chief executives or chief operating officers of non-governmental employers, or other private sector executives who have management or policy experience and responsibilities. As prescribed in Section 102 of the Act, the remainder of the Board shall include representation of educational agencies, organized labor, rehabilitation agencies, community based organizations, economic development agencies, and the public employment service.

Section 3.  Term of Membership: WDB members shall be appointed for fixed and staggered terms, and may serve until their successors are appointed by their respective Chief Elected Official(s). All vacancies shall be filled by the procedure prescribed in the Act for initial appointments and shall be for the remainder of the term.

ARTICLE III. OFFICERS

Section 1.  Chairperson: The WDB shall elect a Chairperson from among members of the Board who are representatives of the private sector to serve pursuant to the requirements of state and federal law. The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Board, serve as Chairperson of the Executive Committee, appoint committees  and their chairpersons, perform such duties as directed by the Board, and shall have the authority to execute any document which may be lawfully executed on behalf of the Board.

 Section 2.  Vice-Chairperson: A Vice-Chairperson shall be elected from among members representing the private sector by the WDB membership and at the request of, or in the absence of the Chairperson, shall perform the duties of the Chairperson and serve as Vice-Chairperson of the Executive Committee. The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson shall not be representatives of the same county.

Section 3.  Elections: Elections shall be held at the last regularly scheduled meeting prior to July 1. The term of office shall begin on July 1.

Section 4.  Terms of Office: The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson shall be elected annually and may serve two consecutive terms.

ARTICLE IV. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1.  Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall consist of members as follows:   Buncombe 2, Henderson 1, Madison 1, and Transylvania 1, at a minimum. The WDB Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson shall serve as Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Executive Committee respectively. The immediate past Chairperson shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee. Otherwise, counties will select an Executive Committee representative from their delegation.  Chairpersons of the Standing Committees and the Youth Council shall be nonvoting ex-officio members of the Executive Committee.

Section 2.  Responsibilities: The Executive Committee shall provide counsel and direction to the staff between meetings which shall be subject to approval by the full Board at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES

Section 1.  Standing Committees: Three standing committees shall be established: the Planning Committee, Development Committee and Marketing Committee.

Section 2.  Ad Hoc Committees: Ad Hoc Committees may be established by the Board as required to deal with specific issues. Members shall be designated by the Chairperson.

Section 3.  Youth Council: The Youth Council shall be established as a subgroup of the Workforce Development Board to develop youth plans under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), recommend providers of youth services, and coordinate local youth programs and initiatives. Only members of the WDB appointed to the subgroup will have WDB voting rights.                                                                    

ARTICLE VI. BOARD MEETINGS

Section 1.  Regular Meetings: The Board shall hold regular meetings at least every two (2) months on a date, and at a time and place determined by the Chairperson. Written notification of the meetings shall be provided to each board member at least seven days prior to the scheduled meeting date.

Section 2.  Special Meetings: Special meetings of the WDB membership may be called at any time by the Chairperson or by a written request signed by not less than 50% of the membership of the WDB requesting such a meeting and setting forth the reason for calling such a meeting. Members will be contacted by telephone and the meeting confirmed by a written notice five (5) days prior to any called meeting.

Section 3.  Quorum: Those in attendance at a scheduled meeting of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the members.

Section 4.  Voting: All actions of the Board shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present and voting, except the adoption and amendments of the bylaws, which shall be by a two-thirds vote of the membership. Each member of the Board shall have one vote. A member may designate a representative to attend in his/her absence. The representatives may participate in discussions, but may not make or second motions or vote.

Section 5.  Conflict of Interest: No member of this Board shall cast a vote on the provision of services by that member, or any organization which that member directly represents, or vote on any matter which would provide direct financial benefit to that member or the organization which that member represents. This section does not preclude voting on the overall Board budget by members who represent businesses/organizations that have specific contracts with the LA.

Section 6.  Attendance: Board members who miss three unexcused consecutive meetings shall be contacted by the Chairperson to determine his or her continued interest in serving as a board member. If the member is unable to continue as an active member, the Chairperson will contact the Chief Elected Official(s) having made the initial appointment and request that a replacement be appointed to complete the term of the vacant position.

Section 7.  Order of Business: The Chairperson shall be responsible for orderly business of the Board and for calling items of the agenda. During the course of considering items on the agenda, only members of the Board or his/her designated representative shall participate in the discussion, except by prior arrangement with the Chairperson, upon request of a member of the Board, or during a public participation period.

Section 8.  Agenda: The agenda for Board meetings shall be developed and prepared by Local Area staff in consultation with the Chairperson.

Section 9.  Rules: All procedures of the Board, not set forth in these bylaws, shall be governed by the rules set forth in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Section 10.  Open Meetings: All meetings of the Board shall be open and accessible to the general public, and minutes shall be maintained and mailed to members prior to the next scheduled meeting.

ARTICLE VII. BYLAWS AMENDMENT PROCEDURE

These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Board by a two-thirds vote of the membership, provided the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing to the Board members thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. Such notice shall be deemed to be delivered to a member when deposited in the U.S. mail addressed to the member at his last recorded address on the LA's records with postage prepaid.

ARTICLE VIII. COMPLIANCE

All actions of the Workforce Development Board shall comply with the rules and regulations governing the workforce development programs, the laws of North Carolina and of the United States.