By-Laws of The Arkansas Trails Council
Amended
Terry Eastin, Chair
Kris McMillen , Vice
Chair
Ian Hope, Executive Secretary
NAME
The name of this
organization shall be “Arkansas Trails Council.”
PURPOSE
AND OBJECTIVES
To correlate active
participation, to provide information and the necessary frame-work for a
cooperative and harmonious relationship between all persons interested in
development of the Arkansas Trails System; and other actions which implement
the “Arkansas Trails System Act of 1979” (Act 132) described as follows:
“An
act to create an Arkansas Trails System for the
purpose of recognizing outstanding
trails in Arkansas
and to encourage coordinated
development and maintenance
of high quality trails in Arkansas; to
recognize the Arkansas
Trails Council as a voluntary
cooperative organization of
state, federal and local agencies,
private landowners, and
trail users to oversee this system in
cooperation with the
Arkansas Department of Parks &
Tourism, Parks Division;
and for other purposes.”
To present
coordinated development plans, to disseminate pertinent information, to
cooperate with all private and public
agencies, to
recommend legislation, to act as an organized voice
for trail users and
resource providers, to encourage public
participation in the
development and use of trails in Arkansas, and
to carry out the
objectives of Act 132 of 1979.
The Arkansas Trails
Council shall act as a coordinating organization to bring together people and
resources as needed to solve problems or to carry out special projects to
further the
Arkansas Trails
System.
NATURE
& LOCATION
The Council shall be
a non-profit, voluntary organization.
The principle office
of the Council shall be that of the Executive
Secretary located
within the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism in accordance with Act
132 of 1979, Section 4-h. This
Office shall be
Statutory Agent for the Council.
MEETINGS
The Council will
meet the second Saturday of each quarter or as
specified in the
call, after approval of the Chairman.
The hour and location of each meeting shall be specified in the call to
meeting.
Quarterly meetings
shall be at a location close to the geographical center of the state to
facilitate the greatest participation by interested parties. The meeting
location may be moved to other parts of the state for special activities or
functions, after approval of the Chairman.
A call to meeting
shall be mailed to each member of the Council by the Executive Secretary at
least 45 days prior to each meeting.
The Officers of the
Council shall constitute an executive committee for the purpose of reviewing
the Council’s quarterly progress and establishing agenda, time and location of
the coming regular meeting.
Additional meetings
may be called as deemed necessary by the Chairman. Committee meetings may be called as deemed
necessary by the Chairman, Executive Secretary, or Committee Chairman.
Quorum: A Quorum shall be seven (7) regular
participating members of the Council.
Order: General Parliamentary rules, as in Robert’s
Rules of Order, with modification consistent with the Council’s rules,
regulations, and by-laws, shall be observed in conducting meetings of the
Council.
A tentative agenda
shall be mailed with each call to meeting.
The agenda shall outline topics for discussion and name the person or
agency responsible for specific reports in order to allow time for preparing
those reports. The tentative agenda may
be modified prior to the meeting to reflect information received from the
membership and with approval of the Chairman and Executive Secretary.
Each meeting agenda must
include the following:
Call to Order
List of those present
Identification of quorum
Review of minutes of last
meeting
Business or comments from the
membership
Adjournment
Items shall be added
to the agenda as requested by the membership or as deemed necessary by the
Chairman, Vice-Chairman or the Executive Secretary.
SPECIAL
EVENTS
The Council shall sponsor an annual Arkansas Trails Workshop or participate in a major event each year in order to provide information to the public and to allow additional access to the Council by the public.
The Council may
participate in other events as deemed appropriate and consistent with the
objectives of the Council, after receiving a favorable vote from membership or
with the approval of a selected committee approved by the membership.
Officers or
appointed members may represent the Council at events, hearings, etc., as
necessary to further the Council or its objectives.
MEMBERSHIP
The Council shall
include designated representatives of federal and state agencies,
municipalities, and private industry which control land upon which trails may
be made, or which have a management or other interest in trails in Arkansas.
The Council shall
also include those individuals who use or otherwise have an interest in trails
in Arkansas.
The Council shall
also include representatives of recreation, environmental, conservation or
other organizations which use or have interests in trails in Arkansas.
Representation from
users of all types of trails shall be actively solicited and encouraged.
Representatives or
individuals shall become voting members of the Council upon attending their
second regular Council meeting.
All persons
requesting continued information about the Council and its meetings shall be
placed on the mailing list. This list
shall include voting members and interested parties. All general mailouts and meeting notices
shall be sent to those on the mailing list except as deemed inappropriate by
the Chairman or the Executive Secretary.
All lists shall be
maintained by the Executive Secretary.
OFFICERS
The council shall function with three officers:
Chairman
Vice-Chairman
Executive Secretary
Chairman – The Chairman shall
preside at all Council
meetings, shall set an efficient pace for meetings, shall
insure
meetings follow proper rules of order, shall coordinate
activities with the
Executive Secretary and Vice-Chairman, and shall represent the Council or
appoint representation at appropriate meetings and functions
Vice-Chairman
– The Vice-Chairman shall be familiar with the workings of the Council so as to
be able to preside effectively as Chairman in the Chairman’s absence.
Executive Secretary
– In accordance with Act 132 of 1979, the Executive Secretary is permanently
located within the Department of Parks & Tourism and is not an elected
office. The office of Executive
Secretary is the principal office and statutory agent for the Council.
The Executive
Secretary maintains the records of the Council, serves as public contact for
the Council, and generally sees that the objectives of the Council and the
motions of each meeting are carried out.
The Executive
Secretary will keep or cause to be kept a full and true record of the Council’s
financial condition.
The Executive
Secretary shall issue or cause to be issued notice of regular meetings of the
Council and calls for meetings of the Council and calls for meetings as herein
provided. A written copy of the minutes
of the last meeting will be included except when otherwise distributed.
The Vice-Chairman
shall be elected each year by a voice vote at the last quarterly meeting of the
calendar year. Each officer shall assume
office at the following first quarter meeting and shall serve until his/her respective
successor has been duly elected and has qualified.
The Vice-Chairman
shall become the Chairman the year after he/she serves the Council as
Vice-Chairman.
In the event an
officer is unable to complete his/her term, an election may be held at any
regular meeting with nominations taken from the floor, a notice of such
election having been given in the call to meeting.
COMMITTEES
Committees shall be
appointed, or assignments made, at the discretion of the Chairman, to carry out
the objectives of the Council.
It shall be the
responsibility of the Committee Chairman to organize his/her committee,
establish meetings, make concise reports, and to complete the assignments
within one year or as determined by the Council Chairman.
The committee
chairman shall report on the progress of his/her committee at each regular
meeting unless directed otherwise by the Chairman. At the end of one year after a committee
appointment, the committee chairman shall, along with his/her report, report on
the value of the committee’s work and request the Chairman to reappoint the
committee or to discontinue it.