ACAG Charter - long version

[Chris]

Here's the text of the ACAG charter. This is a version that would be
very formalized. We can consider different charters or models if that
would work better for this group.


FINAL DRAFT BY-LAWS FOR THE AUSTINGO
COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP

ARTICLE 1. NAME.

The name of this Advisory Committee shall be known as the AustinGO
Community Advisory Group (ACAG).

ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE AND MISSION.

The purpose of the ACAG should be to assemble a balanced membership
reflecting persons and organizations who are interested in
participating in general discussions on how the City of Austin’s
website (austintexas.gov) delivers and receives information to and
from internal and external stakeholders. The mission of the ACAG is
to provide input and guidance from various parts of the Austin
community to the Communications and Public Information Office to
create, maintain, and evolve a transformative, interactive
communications and service delivery resource.

In coordination with the Communications and Public Information Office,
the ACAG shall:

* Participate in general discussions and provide feedback on the
development and implementation of a strategic plan for the City’s
website;
* Provide annual feedback and recommendations to CPIO and CTM on the
targets, measurements, benchmarks, timelines, and/or outcomes outlined
in the strategic plan;
* Participate in general discussion around challenges or opportunities
facing CPIO/CTM;
* Facilitate ongoing public education and awareness of how the
community can participate in providing continuous feedback on the
efficiency and effectiveness of austintexas.gov;
* Assess community feedback for any gaps, critical requirements, and
possible improvements that can be made to the brand and design of
austintexas.gov;
* Recommend technical and non-technical solutions that will assist the
City with operating austintexas.gov as a world-class government
website;
* Actively identify and partner with civic, volunteer, and
neighborhood groups to foster and promote the use of austintexas.gov;
* Explore, advise, and support the implementation of policies that
contribute to the continued use, development, and maintenance of
austintexas.gov;
* Provide periodic input and information to applicable Boards,
Commissions, or City Committees that may be taking action that impacts
austintexas.gov;
* Identify at-large community members that have the interest,
experience, and commitment to serve on the ACAG;
* Provide other related support as determined appropriate by the ACAG
and the City Web Team.

ARTICLE 3. MEMBERSHIP.

(A) The ACAG is a citizen-based committee of nine members. Initially,
seven seats will be selected from seven core organizations. The seven
core organizations will include the following:

* Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce,
* Austin Freenet,
* Austin Neighborhood Council,
* Community Action Network,
* Community Technology & Telecommunications Commission,
* Main.Org, and
* LBJ School of Public Affairs

The seven selected members from these organizations will select two
community members to serve in two at-large positions. Selected
members should have relevant experience in areas including but not
limited to Web content/design, information technology, communications,
marketing, advertising, public relations, or management.

(B) The City’s Web Content Manager at CPIO will consult with these
organizations and select representatives from each group.

(C) Each ACAG member shall meet the following criteria:

I. Have an interest in embracing the purpose and mission of ACAG;
II. Demonstrate a willingness to identify and bring resources,
including knowledge, and/or volunteers, that will contribute to the
success of austintexas.gov;
III. Not be employed in a department of a City or County entity;
IV. Participate in establishing a defined process for selecting
additional or replacement members consistent with the aforementioned
criteria and ensure that process considers diversity through adding
members that do not have the same interest or skills sets represented
by any of the seven core organizations;
V. Prepare for all meetings as deemed necessary by the Committee,
including reading materials, consulting with affected groups and/or
others for advice or direction, or preparing constructive proposals
for the City Web Team’s consideration;
VI. Keep their respective organizations or communities informed on
issues being discussed;
VII. Share with the City Web Team and fellow committee members
feedback or input from their respective organizations and communities;
and
VIII. Not act or represent the ACAG in an individual capacity outside
the consensus of the ACAG.

(D) Each ACAG member shall adhere to the following guidelines:

I. The two at-large ACAG members will serve for a staggered term of
two years beginning at the time the committee commences, with the
exception of the initial terms of the committee. At a designated
meeting, the two at-large Committee members will draw lots to
determine the one member whose term will expire after the first year
and one member whose term shall expire after the second year. No at-
large member shall serve for more than two consecutive two year
terms. A member whose term has expired may return to the ACAG after
not serving for one year.
II. A member who is absent for two consecutive regular meetings or one
half of all regular meetings in a twelve month time period
automatically vacates the position. This does not apply to an absence
due to illness or injury if the member notifies the ACAG Chair or his/
her designee of the reason for the absence no later than the next
meeting of the ACAG.
III. A member who seeks to resign from the ACAG may submit a written
resignation to the ACAG Chair or his/her designee. If possible, the
resignation should allow for a 30 day notice so the Chair, with the
consensus of the ACAG, can appoint a qualified replacement from
applicants on file.
IV. A member who is unable to attend an ACAG meeting may vote by
written proxy through another ACAG member who is in attendance at the
meeting in question. A vote by proxy will not be counted toward the
number of ACAG members needed to be present to constitute a quorum for
the transaction of business. A proxy is valid only for the meeting for
which it is given.
V. An ACAG member may be removed with cause (e.g. not attending fifty
percent of the meetings, misrepresenting the recommendations of ACAG,
etc.) at any duly constituted meeting of the ACAG by the affirmative
vote of a majority of then-serving ACAG members.

ARTICLE 4. OFFICERS.

(A) The officers of the ACAG shall consist of a Chair, Vice-Chair, and
Secretary.

(B) Officers shall be elected at the first regular meeting after the
committee commences.

(C) The term of office for officers shall be one year, beginning at
the time they are elected. An officer may continue to serve until a
successor is elected. An officer may be re-elected for not more than
one additional consecutive one-year term.

(D) After serving as an officer for two consecutive years, an officer
may be eligible to serve as an officer again after not serving as an
officer for a one year period.

(E) A member may not hold more than one office at a time.

ARTICLE 5. DUTIES OF OFFICERS.

(A) The Chair shall preside at ACAG meetings and represent the
Committee at other required meetings.

(B) In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall perform all
duties of the Chair.

(C) The Secretary or his/her designee shall prepare and distribute the
agenda to the ACAG members and post the agenda on the Open Austin
Portal not less than seven days before the meeting. The Secretary
shall also take minutes documenting actions or discussions at all ACAG
meetings. The minutes will be posted on the Open Austin Portal within
seven days after the scheduled meeting.

ARTICLE 6. AGENDAS.

(A) One member as the sponsor, with one member as the co-sponsor, may
place an item on the agenda by oral or written request to the Chair or
his/her designee at least ten days before the meeting.

(B) The Secretary or his/her designee shall prepare and distribute the
agenda to the members at least seven days before the meeting and post
to Open Austin portal.

ARTICLE 7. MEETINGS.

(A) The regular meeting of the ACAG shall be held quarterly on a day,
time, and a location mutually convenient to the ACAG members. If the
regular meeting day is a holiday, the meeting will be held on an
alternate date, time, and location determined to the ACAG members.

(B) The Chair may call a special meeting, if requested in writing by
three or more members. A special meeting must be submitted to the City
Web Team to post on the Open Austin Portal. The notice posting shall
state the purpose of the meeting. The notice for a special meeting
must be submitted to all members at least seven days before the
posting of the meeting.

(C) A quorum is one more than half of the members currently in office.

(D) If a quorum for a meeting does not convene within one-half hour of
the posted time for the meeting, then the meeting may not be held.

(E) To be effective, any formal actions (e.g. selection or replacement
of members, recommendations to the City Web Team, modifications to the
by-laws, etc.) taken by the ACAG must be adopted by affirmative vote
of the majority of those present.
(I) The Chair has the same voting privilege as any other member.
(j) The minutes of each ACAG meeting shall document the vote of each
member on any items requiring formal action, a member’s absence or
abstention from the vote on an item, and a member’s vote by proxy on
an item.


ARTICLE 8. STANDING OR SPECIAL SUB-COMMITTEES.

(A) The ACAG may establish standing or special sub-committees by
affirmative vote and provide a written purpose to each sub-committee.
Each standing or special subcommittee shall consist of at least two
ACAG members and may include other relevant community members.

(B) Each standing or sub-committee shall be chaired by an ACAG member.

(C) A majority of the total number of sub-committee members
constitutes a quorum.

(D) Each standing sub-committee shall meet on a regularly scheduled
basis and report to ACAG at each ACAG meeting.

(E) The minutes of each ACAG standing or special sub-committee meeting
shall document the recommendation of each member on any items
requiring a formal position.

ARTICLE 9. AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS.

These by-laws may be amended by a majority vote with approval by the
Communications and Public Information Office. Amendments to core
responsibilities, roles, procedures, and functions shall not take
effect unless approved by the Web Content Manager.