Augusta-Richmond County LEPC

Welcome to the Augusta-Richmond County Local Emergency Planning Committee Web Site!

By-Laws

ARTICLE I: NAME

This organization shall be known as the Richmond County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC).

ARTICLE II: PURPOSES

The duties and activities of the LEPC are those set forth by the Richmond County Board of Commissioners, not limited to, but, in accordance with Title III of the Superfund Amendments and

(1) Establishes procedures for reviewing and processing requests from the public for information under section 324 of the Act.

(2) Develops a chemical hazard/risk analysis.

(3) Develops emergency response procedures for off-site emergency response personnel.

(4) Identifies private/public sector resources available to deal with hazardous materials emergencies.

(5) Reviews emergency plans submitted by the subcommittees and makes recommendations on revisions of the plans that may be necessary to ensure coordination of such plan with emergency response plans of other emergency planning agencies.

(6) Exercise emergency response plans and update them accordingly.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Section I. Members. The LEPC shall consist of as many members as shall be deemed necessary by the Richmond County Board of Commissioners, the Georgia Emergency Response Commission and in accordance with Title III.

(1) All appointments to the committee will be made by the Richmond County Board of Commissioners.

(2) The members of the committee must have the ability, commitment, authority, and resources to get the job done.

(3) The committee must possess or have ready access to a wide range of expertise relating to the community, our industrial facilities and transportation, and the mechanics of emergency response and response planning. (4) The committee must be representative of all elements of our community with a substantial interest in reducing the risks posed by hazardous materials.

Section 2. Inactive Members. Inactive Members. Appointed members shall be considered inactive and have their membership revoked after missing two consecutive regular LEPC meetings. Exceptions will be made for members who provide a representative or by providing notifications, no later than three working days prior to the meeting, to the LEPC Chairperson or staff office.

Appointed members missing three consecutive regular meetings shall automatically have their membership revoked, contingent upon approval by the Executive Committee.

Section 3. Removal of Members. All members of the LEPC shall serve at the pleasure of the Richmond County Board of Commissioners.

Section 4. Vacancies. Vacancies in membership of the committee shall be filled by the original appointing authority for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Section 5. Performance Issues: The LEPC Chairperson shall make various task assignments. Members may be removed from the LEPC upon recommendation to the Augusta-Richmond County Board of Commissioners, following a majority vote of the LEPC Executive Committee, for failure to perform assigned tasks in a satisfactory manner.

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS

Section 1. Named. The officers of the committee shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and a Secretary/Treasurer.

Section 2. Election and Term. The LEPC shall elect the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary/Treasurer of the committee. At the first meeting of each calendar year, the committees shall elect from its own membership, a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and a Secretary/Treasurer who shall serve for one year until his/her death, resignation, retirement, removal, disqualification or his successor shall have been elected and qualified.

Section 3. Removal. The Vice-Chairperson or Secretary/Treasurer may be removed by the committee whenever in its judgement the best interests of the committee will be served thereby.

Section 4. Vacancies. The Richmond County Board of Commissioners shall fill all vacancies caused by death, resignation, or other reasons, except as otherwise provided in Article IV, Section 2.

ARTICLE V: DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

Section 1. Duties of the Chairperson. The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Section 1. (cont'd) committee, preserve order during its meetings, appoint all subcommittees, and sign all minutes, and such records, vouchers, or other documents connected with the work of the committee requiring such signature.

Section 2. Duties of the Vice-Chairperson. In the absence of the Chairperson or in the event of his inability or refusal to act, the Vice-Chairperson, unless otherwise determined by the committee, shall perform the duties of the Chairperson, and when so acting shall have all the powers of the Chairperson. He/she shall exercise such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the Chairperson of the committee.

Section 3. Duties of the Secretary/Treasurer. The Secretary/Treasurer shall have charge of all books, papers, records, and other documents of the committee; shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the committee and the executive board thereof; shall conduct all correspondence pertaining to the office of the Secretary/Treasurer; shall compile statistics and other data as may be required for the use of the members of the committee, and shall perform such other duties as may be directed by the Chairperson or by the Executive Board. In the absence of both the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, shall perform the duties of the Chairperson, and when so acting shall have all the powers of the Chairperson.

ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES

The following standing committees shall be appointed and given mandate by the Chairperson

within thirty (30) days after taking office:

1. Enforcement/Liability/Legislation Committee (Chairman-Bill Walls-Solvay) 2. Funding Committee (Chairman-Earl Hilson-Olin) 3.Industrial Outreach Committee (Chairman-Randy Barrs-Kelloggs) 4. Public Information Committee (Chairman-Sharon W. Bennett-EMA) 5. Training (David Brown-VA Hospital) Committee

Ad hoc or subcommittees may be formed at any time for special purposes or assignments. They will cease to function when their specific task is completed.

ARTICLE VII: MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular Meetings. The committee shall meet bi-monthly for regular meetings unless otherwise specified by the Council, but no less than quarterly.

Section 2. Special Meetings. The Chairperson may call such special meetings as may be deemed necessary to carry out the duties of the committee. Upon the written request of at least four members, the Chairperson shall call a meeting within (10) days.

Section 3. Hearings. The committee shall hold such hearing as it may deem necessary and desirable at such times and places as may be determined by a majority vote of he committee in a regular meetings.

Section 4. Quorum. One third of the number of the Committee members serving shall institute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 5. Agenda. Any member may request the Chairperson to place an item on the Agenda. If the Chairperson should decline to do so, a member may have such item placed on the Agenda by submitting it in writing to the Chairperson with supporting signatures of three members.

Section 6. Rules of Order. The deliberations of all meetings of the committee and its various subcommittees shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order (Newly Revised).

Section 7. Notice of Meetings. Notice of time, place, and Agenda items to be considered at each meeting shall be give in writing to all members at least two weekends prior to each meeting by the staff. Any matters not appearing on the Agenda may be considered upon a favorable vote of a majority of the members present. Notice of special meetings and intended Agenda items shall be given to all committee members by telephone at least seven days in advance of any special meetings.

ARTICLE VIII: VOTING

Section 1. One Vote Each. Each committee member, including the Chairperson, shall be entitled to one vote.

Section 2. Representative vote. Any person representing a committee member shall have the authority to vote for that member. All members should discuss any upcoming agenda items with their representative.

Section 3. Abstentions. Members may register their abstention any vote which shall be reflected in the minutes, and members are encouraged to abstain on matters which pose for them a conflict of interest.

Section 4. Determination of Actions. All final actions, committee positions, or policy recommendations shall require the favorable vote of a majority of those committee members present at a duly called meeting.

ARTICLE IX: REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Section 1. Annual Report. By March 1 of each year, the committee shall make a report describing its activities for the preceding calendar year to the Chairperson of the Augusta-Richmond County Board of Commissioners.

Section 2. Review of Draft Reports. A draft of any proposed annual report shall be circulated to all members of the committee at least (30) days prior to consideration by the full committee at a regularly scheduled meeting.

Section 3. Issuance of Reports. No reports of any kind shall be released in the name of the committee unless and until it has been duly adopted by a favorable vote of a majority of the members of the committee.

Section 4. Ordinance/Resolutions Recommendation. The committee may address matters regarding ordinances and resolutions to be endorsed by the committee in between regularly scheduled meetings. This may be accomplished by means of telephone conferences provided the requirements of Georgia open meeting laws are met. In the event that the committee is divided into smaller groups to accommodate the logistical requirements of telephone conferencing, the committee Chairperson shall be a party to each conference.

ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS

The bylaws may be amended to replaced upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the committee at any regular meeting of the committee provided that any proposed changes have been circulated to all member (30) days prior to any action thereon.

ARTICLE XI: RATIFICATION PROVISION

The bylaws are duly adopted by a majority of the members of the committee this 21st day of May 1993 in Richmond County, Georgia, ammended on June 13, 1995.

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Last modified: April 02, 2009