OHIO WATER UTILITY COUNCIL

BYLAWS

OHIO SECTION OF AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION

 

ARTICLE 1 – PURPOSE

 

Section 1.1  The purpose of the Ohio Water Utility Council (OWUC) of the Ohio Section (Section) shall be to develop and implement action programs which will evaluate data and initiate response to local, state and national legislative, regulatory and other matters that directly affect the water industry and to encourage provision of better water service to the consumer.

 

Section 1.2  The OWUC shall also bring to the attention of other councils and committees wherein the Section and the National Association those policies, procedures and matters which may fall within their areas of interest.  In particular, the OWUC will endeavor to cooperate with the National Association’s Water Utility Council in responding to and implementing its program.

 

ARTICLE 2 – ORGANIZATION

 

Section 1 – Membership

 

1.1  The OWUC shall be composed of seventeen (17) voting members.  There shall be a Chairman and four (4) representatives from each of the four (4) Districts of the Section.  Three members from each district and the chairman must be employed by a Water Utility.  One member per district (four total) can be employed by other AWWA member agencies.

 

1.2  The sixteen (16) representatives from the districts shall be appointed by their respective District Chairman.  Each district representative must be an active member of AWWA.

 

1.3  Should a vacancy occur on the OWUC, the Section Chairman shall request immediate appointment by the respective District Chairman.

 

1.4  The Section Chairman may appoint a contact person to provide liaison with the Section Governing Board.

 

Section 2 – Officers and Terms of Office

 

2.1  The officers of the OWUC shall be a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary.

 

2.2  The Chairman of the OWUC shall be employed by a Water Utility of the Section.  The Chairman shall be elected by the OWUC members and he shall be a current member of OWUC.  The term of office for the Chairman shall be two (2) years with no succession to another term.  When the Chairman is elected from the OWUC membership, a replacement shall be selected by the Section chairman from the appropriate district.

 

2.3  The Vice-Chairman shall be a member of the OWUC and elected by the members for a two-year term.  By a majority vote of the OWUC members, the Vice-Chair will become chairman after the chair leaves office.

 

2.4  The Secretary shall be appointed by the Council every two years.  He shall have no vote unless he (she) is a member of Council.

 

Section 3  - Committees and Responsibilities

 

3.1  The OWUC committees shall include an Executive Committee and two (2) Standing Committees, titled Legislative and Regulations.  Ad Hoc Committees may be appointed by the OWUC Chairman as deemed necessary.

 

3.2  The Standing Committee Chairman shall be members of the OWUC and appointed by the OWUC Chairman for two year terms.

 

3.3  Ad Hoc Committees may be appointed by the OWUC Chairman as circumstances dictate, and as approved by the OWUC members.  The Chairmen of Ad Hoc Committees must be OWUC members.

 

3.4  The members of the Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees shall be appointed by the OWUC Chairman.  It is required that all committee members be selected from the OWUC membership.

 

3.5  The Legislative Committee shall be made up of at least four (4) members and be responsible for promoting new legislation and the monitoring of proposed legislation.  The committee shall notify the OWUC Chairman of their recommendations for action by OWUC.  The OWUC Chairman shall then notify the Section Chairman of OWUC’s actions.  The committee shall conduct liaison with other public and private interest groups and professional organizations.  The committee shall assemble and analyze data and develop proposed Section positions on legislation.

 

3.6  The Regulations Committee shall be made up of at least four (4) members and be responsible for monitoring regulations being proposed or enacted.  The committee shall notify the OWUC chairman immediately of their recommendations.  The OWUC Chairman may consider actions to take and shall notify the Section Chairman of OWUC’s actions.  The Committee shall conduct liaison with other public and private groups and professional organizations.  They shall assemble and analyze data and develop proposed Section positions on regulations.

 

ARTICLE 3 – MEETINGS

 

1.1  The OWUC shall hold two regular meetings each year.  One meeting shall be at the Annual Conference.  At this meeting, when necessary, the Section Vice-Chairman shall conduct the elections and the elected OWUC Chairman will conduct the rest of the business.  The second meeting shall be as scheduled by the OWUC Chairman at a time and place deemed appropriate for the conduct of the OWUC’s business.  Special meetings may be called by the OWUC Chairman as circumstances dictate.

 

1.2  Each OWUC member and the OWUC Chairman shall have one vote.  A majority of the OWUC appointed members shall constitute a quorum.  The affirmative vote of a majority of those members at an OWUC meeting will authorize action on any matter (providing a quorum is present).

 

1.3  OWUC members should attend all meetings of the OWUC to the best of their abilities.  If a member is unable to attend a meeting, a substitute may be sent as a representative, but the substitute shall not vote.  No proxy votes will be accepted.

 

ARTICLE 4 – BALLOTS BY MAIL OR FAX OR E-MAIL

 

1.1  Letter ballots may be sent to OWUC members when a decision is needed and the question cannot be deferred until the next meeting.

 

1.2  Each letter ballot will contain a summary of the issue to be voted on, any attachments necessary for information, a response date, provision for comments and a three-option (yes, no, abstain) answer.

 

1.3  A majority of the OWUC appointed members’ affirmative votes shall be required for passage of an issue on a letter ballot.  A member who does not respond within the designated period of time will be considered as voting yes.

 

ARTICLE 5 – BUDGET

 

1.1  The OWUC will submit an annual budget to the Section Treasurer when requested by the Section.  The OWUC Chairman will prepare the budget, considering telephone calls, stationery, postage and meeting lunches among other things.

 

1.2  The OWUC, with the approval of the Section Governing Board, shall have the authority to solicit additional funds for the specific purpose of responding to legislative or regulatory initiatives which require expenditures for special counsel and/or lobbying efforts.

 

ARTICLE 6 – PROGRESS REPORTS

 

1.1  Ten copies of a report on OWUC activities should be submitted to the Section Secretary by the OWUC Chairman for each Governing Board meeting, so that it can be distributed to the Board Members.  The report shall include a summary of activities, progress and changes in existing programs, and proposals for new programs.

 

ARTICLE 7 – AMENDMENTS

 

1.1  These By-Laws may be amended by 2/3 majority affirmative vote of the appointed members, providing the amendment(s) were submitted to the members at least fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting, and by approval thereafter by the Section Governing Board.

 

 

REVISED  5/05/99