A beautiful part of southeastern Pennsylvania

Open Space Commission - Bylaws TOWNSHIP OF CHARLESTOWN, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA OPEN SPACE COMMISSION BYLAWS 6-27-01   ARTICLE I: NAME OF COMMISSION The name of the organization shall be the Charlestown Township Open Space Commission (a.k.a. Open Space Commission).   ARTICLE II: AUTHORIZATION The authorization for the establishment of this open space commission is set forth in Act 153 of 1996, (amends act 442 of 1967 P.L. 992) Section 7.2. Powers and duties are delegated to the Open Space Commission by the Board of Supervisors by Ordinance 95-2001 in accordance with the aforementioned enabling act.   ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP SECTION 1: The Open Space Commission shall consist of up to seventeen (17) members appointed by the Board of Supervisors of Charlestown Township. Members shall include one (1) member from the Township Board of Supervisors; one (1) member from the Township Planning Commission; one (1) member from the Township Parks and Recreation Commission; one (1) member from the Township Historical Commission; one (1) member from the Township Historical Society; the appointed Township Land Planner, and up to eleven (11) members at large who shall be residents of the Township. SECTION 2: The term of membership shall be three (3) years for the five (5) individuals who are members of the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Historical Commission, and Historical Society and five (5) years for the at-large members, excepting the initial terms which shall comport with section 2(b)(ii) of Ordinance 95-2001. SECTION 3: In the event of vacancies, the Open Space Commission shall submit recommendations, by nominations seconded by a majority of a quorum, to the Board of Supervisors for its consideration, and the Board of Supervisors shall appoint a member from the submitted recommendations for the unexpired portion of the term. SECTION 4: Each member of the Open Space Commission shall be entitled to one (1) vote. SECTION 5: Each member of the Open Space Commission shall serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for necessary and reasonable expenses as approved by the Board of Supervisors. SECTION 6: Should the Board of Supervisors determine to decrease the number of members, the decrease shall occur by allowing to naturally expire, the term(s) closest to expiration and by making no new appointment(s) to fill the vacancy. Any determination to decrease membership shall not result in reducing the number of at-large members below five (5).   ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS SECTION 1: The officers of the Open Space Commission shall consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Financial Secretary. SECTION 2: The Chair shall preside at all meetings and hearings of the Open Space Commission and shall have the duties normally conferred by the parliamentary usage on such officers. SECTION 3: The Vice Chair shall act for the Chair in his/her absence or in the event of a conflict of interest as referenced in Article IX. SECTION 4: The Secretary shall keep the Minutes and records of the Open Space Commission and shall make a copy of the minutes from all meetings of the Open Space Commission available to the Board of Supervisors by providing same to the Township Secretary. The Secretary shall also prepare the Agenda of the regular and special meetings under the direction of the Chair, provide notice of special meetings to members, attend to general correspondence of the Open Space Commission and such other duties as are normally carried out by a Secretary. Minutes shall be prepared for distribution within ten (10) days after a meeting. SECTION 5: The Financial Secretary shall be responsible for monitoring the Open Space Commission's annual budget and shall report to the Open Space Commission and to the Board of Supervisors from time to time as is necessary.   ARTICLE V: ELECTION OF OFFICERS SECTION 1: The first ever election of Officers shall occur at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Open Space Commission as directed by the Chair Pro Tem. The first ever election of Officers otherwise shall follow the procedures set forth in this Article. SECTION 2: The annual organization meeting shall occur during the first regular meeting of the Open Space Commission of the calendar year. SECTION 3: Nominations shall be made from the floor at the annual organization meeting, and election of officers, as specified in Section 1 of Article IV, shall follow immediately thereafter. SECTION 4: A candidate receiving a majority vote of a quorum shall be declared elected and shall serve for one (1) year or until his/her successor shall take office. SECTION 5: Vacancies in Office shall be filled immediately by the election process referenced in Section 3 and Section 4, above. Those elected shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term(s). SECTION 6: Any Officer may be removed for good cause by the members of the Open Space Commission only upon a majority vote of the entire membership.   ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS SECTION 1: Meetings shall be held on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 P.M. in the Choral Room-154, Great Valley Middle School, 255 North Phoenixville Pike, Malvern, PA 19355 or at such other time and place as the Chair, with reasonable notice to the membership, shall designate from time to time. In the event of inclement weather, all members shall be notified of cancellation, and notice of cancellation shall be posted on the Charlestown Township website. SECTION 2: A quorum, the number of votes necessary to transact business, shall consist of a simple majority of the then total number of members of the Open Space Commission. A record of the action shall be kept in the Minutes, including the number for, the number against, and the number of abstentions by name. SECTION 3: Special meetings may be called by the Chair and it shall be the duty of the Chair to call a special meeting when requested to do so by a majority of members of the Open Space Commission. All meetings must be preceded by notice to the public in accordance with the Sunshine Law of 1986, as amended. SECTION 4: All meetings of the Open Space Commission shall be open to the public and in accordance with the Sunshine Law of 1986, as amended. SECTION 5: Minutes shall be recorded for each meeting of the Open Space Commission. Minutes may be recorded by the Secretary or by a Township employee, who need not be a Township resident. SECTION 6: Unless otherwise specified, Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the proceedings at the meetings of the Open Space Commission. SECTION 7: Members are expected to attend and participate in all meetings of the Open Space Commission, including work sessions. Excessive absences from meetings may be cause for the Chair to request that Member to submit his/her resignation from the Open Space Commission. SECTION 8: Members shall be responsible for notifying the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary or Financial Secretary in advance of any meeting for which that Member will not be in attendance.   ARTICLE VII: ORDER OF BUSINESS SECTION 1: The Order of Business at regular meetings shall be: a. Call to Order b. Announcements c. Approval of Minutes of previous meeting(s)- (Motion) d. Reports of Officers and subcommittees (as necessary) e. Other/New Business including Public Comment f. Adjournment- (Motion) SECTION 2: For expedience and convenience, the Chair may alter the Order of Business. ARTICLE VIII: EMPLOYEES SECTION 1: The Open Space Commission may employ such consultants and/or staff personnel from time to time as the Open Space Commission deems necessary by majority vote of a quorum. SECTION 2: The Township Solicitor shall be utilized, when necessary and duly authorized by either the Board of Supervisors as legal counsel to the Open Space Commission.   ARTICLE IX: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST SECTION 1: Every member of the Open Space Commission shall have an ethical obligation to bring to the attention of the membership at an Open Space Commission meeting, potential conflict of interest. SECTION 2: Any member having such a conflict of interest on any matter pending before the Open Space Commission shall give notice at a meeting of the Open Space Commission and shall recuse himself or herself from any formal vote on the matter in question. However, the member shall be permitted to participate in discussions notwithstanding his or her conflict of interest. SECTION 3: A member's assertion of a conflict of interest and recusal shall be final as to that individual and as to that subject for which the member has sought recusal. SECTION 4: Any member having such a conflict of interest shall be counted in determining the quorum for the meeting.   ARTICLE X: HEARINGS SECTION 1: In addition to those meetings required by law, the Open Space Commission may hold public hearings when it decides that such hearings will be in the public interest. SECTION 2: Notice of the time and place of such hearings shall be published once a week for two (2) successive weeks on the Charlestown Township website and/or in such other manner as complies with Law. The first notice shall not be more than thirty (30) days and the second notice shall not be less than seven (7) days from the date of the hearing as required by statutes governing the proceedings of the municipality. SECTION 3: Minutes shall be kept of those speaking before the Open Space Commission at such hearings. Minutes shall be kept in the same manner as for regular meetings of the Open Space Commission.   ARTICLE XI: ADDITIONAL PROCEDURAL PROVISIONS SECTION 1: The Chair may assign specific property reviews (oversight) to two or more members (regarded as a subcommittee) for the purpose of ensuring effective processing and level of detail. The membership of the Open Space Commission shall be advised of specific property reviews at regular or special meetings. SECTION 2: Specific property reviews may be referred to the Charlestown Township Parks and Recreation Board, Planning Commission, and/or Historical Commission, or to such consultants as the Open Space Commission shall determine by a majority vote of a quorum. SECTION 3: At the time a property is reviewed by the Open Space Commission, the review will be issued a Township Open Space Review number by the Open Space Commission Secretary. SECTION 4: Recommendations for property acquisition shall be made by a majority vote of a quorum at any regular or special meeting. SECTION 5 Disbursements and Expenditures from the Open Space Commission's budget shall be made subject to a majority vote of a quorum at any regular or special meeting. SECTION 6: Members who have a question on any matter before the Open Space Commission and who may require the services of a paid Township consultant (engineer, solicitor, land planner, etc) shall first consult with the Chair for approval before seeking the services of such individual(s) prior to engaging the consultant. SECTION 7: From time to time as necessary and appropriate, the Open Space Commission shall make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors concerning all matters relevant to the Open Space Commission including but not limited to the use of consultants, acquisition of any interest in property, funding, and financial matters related thereto. SECTION 8: The Open Space Commission, via the Secretary or other designated individual, shall submit information and reports to the Board of Supervisors in accordance with Section 4 of the Ordinance. The submission of such information and reports shall occur only upon approval by the majority of a quorum. SECTION 9: This section purposefully left blank.   ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS These Bylaws may be amended from time to time by a majority vote. For purposes of this Article, the "majority" shall be determined by counting the entire membership of the Open Space Commission. ADOPTED THIS _____________ DAY OF __________________, 2001. ATTESTED: TOWNSHIP OF CHARLESTOWN OPEN SPACE COMMISSION ______________________________ Secretary ______________________________ Chair

Home      Site Overview      Contact Us Please report any problems with this site by clicking here. Site development, maintenance and funding by Township resident Jacob D. Merriwether. Hosting by PLH Worldgroup Communications, Inc.