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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 08-65 Providing a Citizens Advisory Board and Communications PolicyTOWN OF WESTLAKE RESOLUTION 08-65 A RESOLUTION BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF WESTLAKE, TEXAS, PROVING A CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD/COMMITTEE/AFFILIATE RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS POLICY. WHEREAS, the Westlake Town Council has identified citizen engagement and communication as a strategic priority; and, WHEREAS, the Westlake Town Council desires to set out a clear policy covering how its citizen advisory boards, committees, and affiliates operate, interact, and communicate with the Council (and vice versa); and, WHEREAS, the Town Council has determined that such a policy will enhance the effectiveness of the Council and all its advisory committees, boards, and affiliates by improving communication between these groups and the Council, as well as establishing parameters for their financial administration, stewardship, structure, program accountability, effectiveness, and accountability; and, WHEREAS, the Town Council finds that the passage of this Resolution is in the best interest of the citizens of Westlake. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF WESTLAKE, TEXAS: SECTION 1. THAT, all matters stated in the Recitals hereinabove are found to be true and correct and are incorporated herein by reference as if copied in their entirety. SECTION 2. THAT, the Town Council of the Town of Westlake, Texas, hereby approves the attached Citizen Advisory Board/Committee/Affiliate Relations and Communications Policy attached hereto as Exhibit "A"; and further directs the Town Manager to take necessary steps to immediately implement this policy and communicate this policy to all affected groups covered by this policy. PASSED AND APPROVED ON THIS 8 DAY OF DECEMBER 2009. ATTEST: 1�i Sutter, TRMC, Town Secretary Laura Wheat, Mayor TomIBU-me anager Fa Town Westlake Academ] Town Council / Board of Trustees CITIZEN ADVISORY BOARD/COMMITTEE/AFFILIATE RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS POLICY CITIZEN VIS E FFA ITE RELATIONSI"I ICY I. POLICY PURPOSE.................................................................................................................................... 2 II. POLICY GOALS......................................................................................................................................... 2 III. POLICY PARAMETERS............................................................................................................................. 2 A. Annual Meeting with Board............................................................................................................. 2 B. IRS Tax -Exempt Status Requests...................................................................................................... 3 C. Use of Town and Academy Name, Resources, and Logos............................................................... 3 D. Fiduciary/Stewardship Responsibilities and Requirements............................................................ 3 1 (adopted December 87 2008) n POLICY PURPOSE. To establish a clear framework and process for enhanced collaborative interaction, communication, and mutual understanding of roles and responsibilities between the Town Council (TC) and the Board of Trustees (BOT) and their various citizen advisory boards, commissions, committees, and organizations affiliated with the Town of Westlake and/or Westlake Academy. . POLICY GOALS. The goals of this policy are: A. Enhanced two-way communication between the TC/BOT and its various advisory boards, commissions, committees and affiliate organizations (and vice versa). B. Reaching mutual agreement regarding annual programs of work for these various citizen advisory boards, commissions, committees, and affiliate organizations to enhance and assist in the pursuit of the TC's/BOT's strategic priorities. C. Achieving a common paradigm that all advisory boards, commissions, committees, and affiliates of the Town of Westlake and Westlake Academy exist to further the TC/BOT strategic agenda and are under the direct control of BOT/TC or, if they are a Westlake Academy affiliate, are under the day-to-day direction of the Head of School. D. Creating a clear understanding, coordination, and agreement by the TC/BOT and its citizen advisory boards, commissions, committees, and affiliate organizations as to each group's role, function, and scope of responsibility in terms of their relationship to the Town of Westlake and/or Westlake Academy. E. Establishing a direct link between Westlake Academy, its Head of School, and the Academy's Senior Management Team as being the first point of contact for coordinating the activities of Westlake Academy affiliates. Ill. POLICY PARAMETERS. To achieve this policy's purpose and goals, the following parameters are put in place: 0 All TC/BOT advisory boards, committees, commissions, and affiliate organizations shall meet at least annually with the TC/BOT to: 1.) Report on progress to date in implementing that group's program of work for the current fiscal year 2.) Review a proposed program of work for the coming fiscal year as well as submit any budget requests and requested staff resources for this proposed program of work. Said program of work will be discussed within the context of the organization's program of work carrying out the TC's/BOA'S strategic plan for both the Town and Westlake Academy. All funding requests should be submitted not later than the July 1St prior to the upcoming fiscal year. Requests received after that time will not be considered until the following fiscal year. 3.) Review fund raising activities underway or planned to support the current or proposed plan of work. N adopted Deceniber 8, 2005) 4.) The chair of each advisory board, committee, and/or affiliate organization shall schedule this annual meeting (or more frequent if needed) through the Town Secretary's office. The TC/BOT may choose to hold these meetings one or two times per year. 5.) All affiliates of Westlake Academy, prior to meeting with the TC/BOT, will meet with the Head of School to make sure they their proposed efforts are coordinated through the Head of School and his/her designates. All advisory committees, commissions, boards, and affiliates seeking tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service 501(c)3 must receive prior approval from the TC/BOT. When submitting a request to the TCIBOT to apply for this IRS 501(c)3 status, the organization wishing to apply must be able to demonstrate and illustrate to the TC/BOT the benefits of this status for achieving TC/BOT strategic priorities as well as the advantages of this designation not currently afforded by the Town's existing tax- exempt status. Further, the organization requesting to apply for this 501(c)3 status must be able to demonstrate to the TC/BOT their organizational capacity to administer and comply with all IRS regulations related to this status on an on-going basis. r ...a _ ... ,A 4e m_ Any advisory board, commission, or committee, as well as affiliate organizations of the Town or Westlake Academy, that wish to begin using the Town or Academy's name or logo in their operational efforts must receive prior approval from the TC/BOT. Said approval can be withdrawn at any time by the TC/BOT. Additionally, any on-going use of Town facilities, resources, and staff by an advisory committee, commission, board, or affiliate must be requested through the Town Manager's office and is subject to his/her approval prior to on-going utilization of those resources. Requests to add organizations covered by this policy to the Town's insurance policy shall be submitted to the Town Manager for his prior approval before any insurance coverage is extended. If approved, the annual cost of this insurance shall be borne by the requesting organization. Requests to add staff to support any advisory board, commission, committee, or affiliate shall be made through the Town Manger's office as a park of the annual budget preparation process and must be approved in advance by the TC/BOT. This request will include the identification of funding resources to pay for this position, the operational reporting arrangement for this position, and which payroll/insurance program this position will fall under. w ra ear,. g All advisory boards, commissions, committees, and affiliates that expend funds through their own bank accounts must first have TC/BOA approval to have separate bank accounts. All such groups will also submit their financial control procedures to the Town Manager or his/her designate for review and approval as to providing acceptable internal control on collection and expenditure of funds from these bank accounts. 3 (adopted eceixibe , 2008) Additionally, if this approval for separate bank accounts is authorized by the TC/BOT a timely annual audit of this account(s) shall be submitted to the Town Manager or his/her designate for presentation to the TC/BOT. Said audit may be conducted by an external CPA auditing firm or may be conducted by the Town's Director of Finance with that decision being made by the Town Manager depending on staff workload requirements at the time. Since the Westlake Academy Foundation has IRS 501(c)3 status at the time of the adoption of this policy, that organization shall, at its cost, utilize the same external auditor concurrently used to audit Westlake Academy finances. This Westlake Academy Foundation audit shall be prepared on a timely basis for presentation to the TC/BOT at the same time that the Academy's audit is presented. For those advisory boards, commissions, and committees funded by the TC/BOT through the Town or Academy approved budget, use of approved budgetary allocations shall be made on transaction by transaction basis. That is, the chair or president of that organization will identify the vendor they wish to utilize, contact the Town's Director of Finance, and submit necessary invoices so that the vendor can be paid by the Town for goods/services rendered to that advisory committee, commission, or board from their TC/BOT approved budget. Use of approved Town budgeted funds by these organizations shall be in accordance with State purchasing statutes and Town purchasing policies. All by-laws for proposed for citizen advisory boards, commissions, committees, and organizations affiliated with the Town of Westlake and/or Westlake Academy shall first be reviewed and approved by the TC/BOT. 4 (adopted December S, 2008)