Adopted 5/8/2002 and Amended 10/14/2009 and 9/12/2012

BYLAWS OF THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COUNCIL

Article I – NAME

The organization will be known as the Regional Transportation Advisory council, referred to as the Advisory Council.

Article II – PURPOSE

The Regional Transportation Advisory Council advises the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) on transportation policy and planning. The Advisory Council provides a forum for broad public participation in the transportation planning process.

Article III – MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall consist of a broad and balanced spectrum of providers and users of any form of transportation. Individuals are welcome to participate in all meetings of the Advisory Council, but membership is limited to public and private organizations and governmental units, including state agencies and municipalities.

Member entities shall designate in writing one representative and up to two alternates. Representatives and alternates should be empowered by the entities they represent to cast votes on matters before the Advisory Council. Entities may be admitted to membership by vote of the existing members. Continuing membership shall depend on active participation, defined as attendance at the majority of council meetings in a federal fiscal year. As used herein, the term “member” refers to an entity, and the terms “representative” and “alternate” refer to individuals designated by a member entity.

All members of the MPOBoston Metropolitan Planning Organization shall be non-voting members of the Advisory Council.

Article IV – OFFICERS

The Officers shall be a ChairmanChair and a Vice ChairmanChair.

The Chairman Chair shall be the primary contact for the Advisory Council, shall set agendas and call and preside at the meetings.

As provided in the Boston MPO’s Memorandum of Understanding of December 13, 2001July 7, 2011: The Advisory Council is an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Boston MPO. and tThe Chairman Chair, representing the Advisory Council, will attend and participate in Boston MPO meetings.; the Chairman shall be a voting member of the Transportation Planning and Programming Committee of the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization; the Chairman will also chair the standing Public Participation Committee of the Boston MPO and the Chairman or his/her designee shall have the opportunity to be represented on all committees appointed by the Boston MPO and shall have full voting rights on these committees.

The Vice Chairman Chair shall serve in the absence of the Chairman Chair and shall replace the Chairman Chair in case of a vacancy in that office. The Vice Chairman Chair shall actively participate in meetings of the Transportation Planning and Programing Committee of the Boston MPO and will vote only in the absence of the Chairman Chair.of the Advisory Council.

In the absence of both the Chair and Vice Chair, the Chair may appoint a member of the Advisory Council who is a past Chair to represent and vote for the Advisory Council at any MPO meeting. The vice Chairman will actively participate in meetings of the Boston MPO in the absence of the Chairman of the Advisory Council.

Article V – MEETINGS

The Advisory Council will meet monthly as determined by the Chairman Chair with at least seven days notice of the time and agenda provided to the representatives. Special meetings may be called by the Chairman
Chair with seven days notice. All meetings are open to the public.

The conduct of the meetings shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, ; however, parliamentary discretion shall be vested in the ChairmanChair. The Chairman Chair shall recognize all attendees wishing to be heard, and shall grant the floor, except in the discussion of a motion on the floor, where the Chairman Chair shall have discretion.

Article VI – QUORUM

One third of the voting members shall constitute a quorum. A simple majority of members present and voting is necessary for passage of all motions.

Article VII – MOTIONS

Motions will be accepted only if moved and seconded by voting members’ designated representatives or alternates participating in a representative’s absence.

Article VIII – VOTING

Each voting member shall have one vote, to be cast by its designated representative, or in case of absence, by an alternate.

Article IX – COMMITTEES

The Chairman Chair shall appoint committees to assist in carrying out the business of the Advisory Council. Only Advisory Council members may vote on committees. Reports by committees shall be submitted to the Chairman Chair for report to the Council. The Chairman Chair shall publish a list of existing committees and their membership in NovemberDecember. The following committees will be established, as well as other committees deemed appropriate by the Chairman Chair of the Advisory Council, with members appointed by the Chairman Chair unless otherwise provided by these bylaws.

An Executive Committee shall consist of the ChairmanChair, the Vice ChairmanChair, the immediate past ChairmanChair, and Chairs of all standing committees. The Executive Committee shall be authorized to act in place of the full Advisory Council on any matters arising between Council meetings that require immediate action. Any actions so taken shall be reported to the Advisory Council at its next meeting. In the case of officer vacancies, the Executive Committee shall nominate replacements for election at the next occurring Advisory Council meeting, and the Executive Committee nominees shall serve until those elections.

A Membership Committee shall be chaired by the Vice Chair of the Advisory Council and shall include at least one representative each from a citizen advocacy organization, a municipality, and a regional or state agency. The Membership Committee should assess the breadth of representation on an ongoing basis and report annually to the Chairman Chair changes that should be made in Council membership, if any.

Committees shall be appointed by the Chairman Chair to review and offer recommendations on each of the following plans and programs: the Regional Long-Range Transportation Plan, the Transportation Improvement Program, and the Unified Planning Work Program.

A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Chairman Chair prior to yearly elections of officers, and shall be chaired by the immediate past Chairman Chair of the Advisory Council. Nominating Committee membership shall include at least one representative each from a citizen advocacy organization, a non-MPO member municipality, and a non-MPO memberregional or state agency.

Article X – ELECTIONS

The Nominating Committee shall recommend candidates for Chairman Chair and Vice Chairman Chair in AugustSeptember. Nominations from the floor, when duly seconded, will be accepted. Elections shall be held in SeptemberOctober, and the Officers’ terms shall begin in OctoberNovember.

Article XI – AMENDMENTS

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of members present and voting at a meeting of the Advisory Council. Specific notice of the proposed amendment shall be provided to members at least seven days in advance of the meeting, in order to have representation available to vote at the meeting.