Denver Latino Commission

Denver Latino Commission Bylaws

 

ARTICLE I

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ARTICLE II

 

1. MISSION STATEMENT

To oversee, recommend, and influence policies that affect the Denver Latino community while maintaining and encouraging a constituent focus.

 

2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

           To support this mission, the Commission shall:

 

1. Legislative Issues:  Respond to state or local legislative issues impacting the Latino community by identifying the issues from the constituency, identify pro and con arguments, identify key stakeholders to access the impact of the legislation and advise the Mayor on suggested political positions.

2. Mayor’s Agenda:  Respond to emerging issues identified by the Mayor on a timely basis by understanding the issues and their potential impact, identify the views of interested parties, and develop an analysis for the Mayor that is both responsive to the Mayor and the constituency.

3. Latino Groups, Organizations, and Initiatives:  Respond to new or existing Latino issues/initiatives by communicating with the interested parties and serving as a sounding board to understand their issues/initiatives, identify areas of common ground related to their issues/initiatives, and take positions to relay to the Mayor in support of common goals identified and agreed upon.

 

4. Develop a values statement and a process for reviewing, analyzing, and recommending public policy to the Mayor.

ARTICLE III

 

1. Number.  The Commission shall consist of no less than seven (7) and no more than twenty-one (21) members.

 

2. Composition and Selection.  All members shall be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council.

 

1. The membership of the commission shall make a good faith effort to represent the diversity of the Latino community including gender, age distribution, sexual orientation, political affiliation and geographic demographics.

2. The office of the Mayor and the Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations (hereinafter “HR/CR”) may provide staff liaisons who shall be non-voting members of the Commission.

3. No member of the Commission shall receive any compensation for serving on the Commission.

 

3. Term.  The term of the Commissioners shall be 2 years; and the terms shall be staggered so that approximately one-half of the members are appointed each year.  The term of office of Commissioners shall expire two years after their date of appointment.   In the event of the death or resignation of any member, his/her successor shall be appointed in the manner provided for original appointment, to serve for the unexpired portion of the term for which such member has been appointed.

4. Advisory Board Member.  The Commission shall elect a delegate to the HR/CR Advisory Board and one (1) individual as their alternate delegate.  The alternate delegate shall attend in the event that the primary delegate cannot attend a scheduled meeting or perform their duties.

5. Removal.  Any commission member with three or more unexcused absences from scheduled commission meetings shall be referred to the Executive Committee (defined in Article VI, 1 herein) and the HR/CR for potential disciplinary action which may include a recommendation to the Mayor for termination.  Only the Mayor has the responsibility for removing a member of the Commission. A member may resign his or her membership at any time by providing written or e-mail notice to the Director of Boards and Commissions and to the Commission Chair(s).

6. HR/CR Staff.  The Commission will have a HR/CR liaison.

7. Limitations.  No officer shall serve more than two consecutive one year terms.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

OFFICERS

 

1. The officers of the Commission shall be Co-chairpersons and must be comprised of one male and one female.  Advisory Board Member and Alternate Officers will be chosen by the Commissioners by election and will serve for a two year term.  An officer may serve as the delegate to the HR/CR Advisory Board.

 

2. The Co-chairpersons shall:

 

1. Preside at meetings of the Commission.

 

2. Establish standing committees, subcommittees and task forces consisting of one or more individuals, and designate their members and chairpersons.

 

3. Serve as an ex officio member of all committees.

 

4. Represent the Commission in their capacities as officers of the Commission.

 

5. Appoint members to represent the Commission on an ad hoc basis when necessary.

 

6. Supervise the implementation of Commission decisions.

 

3.   Secretary.  The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all commission meetings and shall attend all such meetings and keep a record of their proceedings.  The Secretary shall perform such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the Commission or by the Co-chairpersons.  If the Secretary is a HR/CR staff person, the person serves as an ex officio member.

 

 

ARTICLE V

 

MEETINGS

 

1. Number.  The Commission shall meet at least eleven (11) times a year.  Special meetings may be called at any time by the Co-chairpersons or the Commission for any purposes.

2. Notice of Meetings.  Notice of each meeting of the Commission shall be given not less than seven (7) days prior thereto to each commissioner personally, by mail or e-mail.  The notice of all meetings shall state the place, day and hour of the meeting and the agenda for the meeting.

 

3. Place of Meeting.  Meeting of the Commission shall be held at such place or places within the City and County of Denver as may be designated.

 

4. Quorum.  A majority of the Commissioners of record shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of the Commission.  In the absence of quorum at any such meeting, a majority of the Commissioners present may adjourn the meeting for up to thirty (30) days without further notice.  The Commissioners present at a duly constituted meeting may continue to transact business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Commissioners to leave less than a quorum.

5. Organization.  Either Co-chairperson shall call meetings of the Commission to order.  In the absence of said officers, any Commissioner may call the meeting to order and a temporary Chairperson shall be elected for purposes of conducting the meeting.  In the absence of the Secretary, a person appointed by the Chairperson shall act as Secretary of the meeting.

6. Voting.  Each Commissioner shall be entitled to vote.  No voting by proxy shall be allowed.  When a quorum is present at any meeting, the affirmative vote of a majority of those present shall decide any question brought before such meeting unless a different vote is required by ordinance or these bylaws, in which case such express provision shall control. The Co-chairpersons may direct that a mail, electronic mail, fax or telephone ballot be taken on matters requiring immediate decision.  All members must be notified at least 24 hour prior to this action and a majority of all members is required to carry official action under this procedure.  A record of this electronic vote shall be maintained.

7. Participation.  A commissioner may participate in a meeting of the Commission or a committee thereof through the use of any means of communications, such as telephone, by which all members participating in the meeting can hear each other during the meeting.  A member participating in a meeting in this manner is deemed to be present in person.

8. Rules of Procedure.  All regular and special meetings of the commission and its committees shall be open to the public.

  ARTICLE V1

 

1. Executive Committee.  There shall be an Executive Committee of the Commission consisting of Co-chairpersons, chairpersons of any committees that may be appointed and the delegate to the HR/CR Advisory Board.  The Executive Committee may exercise all of the authority delegated to it by the Commission by resolution except as otherwise prescribed by law.  Only members of the Commission shall be voting members of the Commission.

2. Nominating Committee. The Commission will form a Nominating Committee, which will review and recommend potential members for the Commission to the Mayor.  The Nominating Committee shall be comprised of the Commission’s co-chairs, any members of the Executive Committee, and any members that are voted on to the Nominating Committee.

 

3. Other Committees.  The Commission may designate such other committees including task forces and special projects, as deemed necessary or appropriate and shall prescribe the duties, functions and duration by resolution.

 

 

ARTICLE VII

 

POWERS AND DUTIES

 

 

1. The Commission shall: 

 

1. Advise the Mayor on the special issues and opportunities of constituency groups.

 

2. Recommend necessary procedures, programs, legislation or administrative action to promote equal rights and opportunities for the Latino community.

 

3. Annually recommend goals and objectives of the Commission.

 

4. Elect one individual as their delegate to the HR/CR Advisory Board and one individual as their alternate delegate.

 

5. Perform other duties and functions as requested by the Mayor.

 

     2.   Other staff support may also be provided by HR/CR.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

AMENDMENT

 

 

The bylaws of the Commission shall be subject to alteration, amendment or repeal, and new bylaws may be adopted, by the affirmative vote of a majority of a quorum of the members of the Commission.  Notice of proposed changes, edits or updates will be provided to Commissioners in advance with the meeting notice.  These By-laws shall be amended as needed to conform with City and County law and Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations’ Policy.

 

 

ARTICLE IX

 

EFFECTIVE DATE: APPLICABILITY

 

ARTICLE X

 

CERTIFICATION

 

 

The undersigned hereby certifies that she or he is the duly elected, acting and hereunto authorized Secretary of the Commission and that the foregoing bylaws constitute a true and complete copy of the duly adopted bylaws of the Commission presently in full force and effect.

 

 

APPROVED THIS 29TH OF DAY JANUARY 2008.

 

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