I. About:
Committee has authority granted under the current Joint Powers Agreement, applicable to contracts and State and Federal laws and regulations, including but not limited to 23 CFR Section 450.
II. Membership:
The Policy Committee is made up of ten (10) voting members. The respective governing boards of Doña Ana County, Town of Mesilla and City of Las Cruces are responsible for appointing three (3) elected officials to the Policy Committee. The District One Engineer of the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) is the 10th member. Each Policy Committee member or designated representative has one vote.
A. Officers
The officers of the Policy Committee shall consist of a Chair, and Vice Chair. The Chair and Vice Chair shall not be chosen from the same governmental entity.
1. Chair
The Chair shall be chosen from among the members of the Policy Committee at the first meeting of each calendar year. The duties of the Chair shall be to preside at all meetings of the Policy Committee.
2. Vice Chair
The Vice Chair shall be chosen from among the members of the Policy Committee at the first meeting of each calendar year, and shall be responsible for presiding at the meetings in the absence of the Chair.
3. Secretary
The Secretary is a non-voting, ex-officio position. The MPO Officer or designee shall be the Secretary, and shall have the responsibility for maintaining accurate records of all Policy Committee meetings, preparing agendas, and other duties designated by the Policy Committee.
4. Vacancy of Office
If an officer described in paragraphs one and two of this section resigns, the remaining Policy Committee members shall elect a replacement officer at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
B. Alternate Member
If a Policy Committee member is to be absent, another member of that governing body may be appointed to substitute for that particular meeting. The District Engineer may be substituted by an Assistant District Engineer. The agency or board shall submit written notification in a timely manner to the MPO Officer designating the alternate member.
C. Removal Procedure
1. Attendance is required at all Policy Committee meetings. If a Policy Committee member is absent for more than two consecutive meetings, then the MPO Officer may petition the absent member’s governing body chair for a new appointment to the Policy Committee. Additionally, if a Policy Committee member fails to attend seventy-five (75) percent of the Policy Committee meetings in a twelve-month calendar period,
membership may be terminated.
2. If a Policy Committee member vacates the position by nonattendance, the Chair of the Policy Committee shall notify the Policy Committee in writing of the same. A replacement member shall then be appointed. In the event that the Policy Committee member who has been absent from official meetings, sufficient to qualify for removal, is the Chair of the Policy Committee, the Vice Chair shall conduct the removal process. If the Vice Chair is unable to participate, another Policy Committee member, appointed by the remaining membership, shall conduct the removal process. In the event of a dispute concerning the abandonment or vacation of a Policy Committee member, the Policy Committee member affected may petition the MPO Policy Committee to be allowed an opportunity to show just cause why he/she should not be removed from
office.
3. The Policy Committee may remove any Policy Committee member by the affirmative vote of five (5) members upon the grounds of malfeasance or nonfeasance of office.
D. Replacement Procedure
The designated appointing entities shall make any and all replacement appointments to the Policy Committee. All replacement appointments made shall be provided in writing to the MPO Officer in a timely manner.
E. Ex-Officio Members.
The Policy Committee may, in accordance with the Joint Powers Agreement, add non-voting members to the Policy Committee through Resolution..
III. Meetings:
All meetings held shall be in compliance with the Open Meetings Act, as amended, (NMSA 10-15-1 – 10-15-4) and the yearly MPO’s Open Meeting Resolution. Written notice of meetings (agendas) and supporting documentation shall be provided to the Policy Committee members on the following schedule:
Regular Meetings – one (1) week notice and appropriate public notification according to the Open Meetings Act and the MPO Public Participation Plan
Special Meetings – four (4) day notice Emergency Meetings – four (4) hours prior to the meeting
A. Regular Meetings shall be scheduled each year by the Policy Committee.
B. Special Meetings shall be held on an as needed basis. Special Meetings may be scheduled by the Chair or a majority of the members of the Policy Committee, and will be primarily used to consider time-sensitive issues.
C. Emergency Meetings shall only be held to discuss issues with an imminent impact to health, safety, and welfare in the Mesilla Valley MPO area. Concurrence of a majority of the members of the Policy Committee is necessary to hold an Emergency Meeting.
D. At the first regular meeting of the calendar year, the Policy Committee shall consider the following items in addition to any other business:
1. Election of Officers
2. Adoption of Open Meeting Resolution
E. Quorum:
A quorum of the Policy Committee shall consist of five (5) members and shall consist of at least one member from each governing entity. No action shall be taken without a quorum of the Policy Committee in attendance at that meeting.
F. Voting Procedure
1. The methods of taking a vote are by a “show of hands,” by “raising the hand,” by rising, by ballot, or by roll call (“yes or no”).
2. Any vote that results in a tie shall be considered a failed action item.
3. Telephonic vote may be allowed when the quorum is not present at any Policy Committee meeting. Telephonic vote shall be enacted only to approve actions that have a deadline prior to the next regular meeting and postponement of actions will have adverse financial or other consequences for the Mesilla Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Telephonic vote shall be enacted on the request of any present Policy Committee Member with the approval of the majority of the present members. Only one Policy Committee Member shall participate telephonically at any allowable meeting.
Telephonic vote shall not conflict with the codes and regulations of the entity that is represented by the Policy Committee Member. The telephonic action shall be in accordance with the New Mexico Open Meeting Act, as amended.
IV. Committees:
A. The Committee reserves the right to create committees or sub-committees, as needed, to assist with achieving goals outlined in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan. These committees may include ad hoc groups, more temporary in nature, or longer standing, perhaps permanent, advisory committees.
B. Executive Sub-Committee: The Executive Sub-Committee shall be a four member sub-committee consisting of the current Chair and Vice-Chair, one member from the jurisdiction not represented by the Chair and Vice Chair, and the representative from NMDOT. The additional member shall be appointed by a majority vote of the Committee members, and can rotate among the members from the non-represented jurisdiction based on the will of the Committee. The whole Committee may designate the Executive Sub-Committee to draft correspondence on behalf of the whole committee when timeliness is a concern on agreed upon issues. Other duties may be assigned by Resolution.