By-Laws of the Stearns County Park Commission
(Amended March 12, 1980) (Amended February 1, 1983) (Amended June 8, 1988)
Article I - Name of the Commission
The name of the organization shall be the Stearns County Park Commission.
Article II - Authorization
The authorization for the establishment of this commission is set forth under Minnesota Statutes, section 398.32. Duties are delegated to the Park Commission by the County Board of Commissioners of Stearns County by a resolution dated October 20, 1970, and power pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 398.32 to 398.36.
Article III - Membership
The County Park Commission shall consist of five (5) regular members to be appointed by the Stearns County Board of Commissioners, each member representing a Commissioner District and two (2) ex officio members, consisting of one member from the Planning Advisory Commission appointed by said Commission, and one member from the County Board to be designated by said Board. The two (2) ex officio members shall have all the rights and privileges of appointed members including the right to vote.
Article IV - Term of Office
The term of the regular members shall be for three (3) years and shall be staggered so that no more than two members' terms expire in a given year. All regular terms shall expire at the first County Board meeting of the new calendar year. The ex officio members shall sit at the will of, and for such terms as the appointing Board of Commissioners shall designate.
Article V - Vacancy
Any vacancy in the regular membership shall be filled by the County Board of Commissioners and such appointee shall serve for the unexpired term so filled, and any vacancy in the ex officio membership shall be filled by the Board or Commission such member represented.
Article VI - Officers
Section 1. Elections. The County Park Commission shall elect at its January meeting from its membership, a chair, vice-chair and a secretary who shall serve for the term of one year and shall have such powers as may be prescribed in the rules of said commission.
Section 2. Duties of Chair. The chair shall preside at all meetings of the Park Commission and shall have the duties normally conferred by parliamentary usage of such officers.
Section 3. Duties of Vice-Chair. The vice-chair shall act for the chair in his absence.
Section 4. Duties of Secretary. A secretary may be appointed who is not a member of the board, but can be employed as a member of the County Planning staff. The secretary shall keep the minutes and records of the Commission; and with the assistance of the staff as is available, shall prepare the agenda of the regular and special meetings for the Commission members, arrange proper and legal notice of hearings when necessary, attend to correspondence of the Commission and other duties as are normally carried out by a secretary.
Article VII - Meetings
Section 1. Meetings shall be held on the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 6:00 p.m. In the event of a conflict with holidays or other events, a majority at any meeting may change the date and location of the meeting. The meetings shall be open to the general public.
Section 2. Quarterly Meetings. The Park Commission may hold joint meetings. with the Planning Advisory Commission of the following months: February, May, August, and November. During those months, there may be no need for a regular meeting.
Article VIII - Quorum
A majority of the total Park Commission members present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Article IX - Duties of the Park Commission
It shall be the duty of said Commission:
Section 1. To study and determine the park, recreation and open space needs of the County and make recommendations to the County Planning Advisory Commission and the County Board of Commissioners in respect thereof, including general and specific development standards and criteria for evaluating potential sites, the extent and objectives of county participation in outdoor recreation and a program for coordination with other groups or agencies, all in conjunction with the Stearns County Comprehensive Plan.
Section 2. To submit to the County Planning Advisory Commission and the Stearns County Board of Commissioners not later than July 1 of each year, a program for the ensuing fiscal year, together with an estimate of the cost thereof.
Article X - Amendments
These by-laws may be amended by a majority vote of the existing membership of the Park Commission, after full notice has been given in writing to all members.
Adopted this date: June 8, 1988
Chair: (s) William F. Vouk, Jr.
Vice-Chair: (s) James M. Gammell