Article I – Purpose
These Bylaws are promulgated in accordance with Section 2-3 of the Charter of REGIONAL REFUSE DISPOSAL DISTRICT ONE, a public body, corporate and politic, formed by resolutions of the respective legislative bodies of the Towns of New Hartford,Barkhamsted, Colebrook, and Winchester on May 25, 1970, acting in accordance with provisions of Sections 7-330, 7-332, and 8-35~d) of the Connecticut General Statutes.
Article II – Membership of the District Board
Terms of membership on the Board shall hereafter begin on January first of the respective year. Any question concerning the seating or term of office of individual board members shall be resolved by reference to the most recent certificate from the Town Clerk of the respective constituent municipality. Such certificate shall show the date of appointment, the date the term is to begin, and the date the nominee was sworn. Certifications received shall be incorporated in the minutes of the first subsequent Board Meeting.
Article III – Meetings of the District Board
A. Unless otherwise specified by resolution of the District Board, the Annual meeting shall be held on the second Monday in January. Additional meetings for conducting the business of the District shall convene at the call of the Chairman, or on petition to the Secretary by three or more Board Members. B.Each Board Member shall be informed of the date, time, place, and proposed agenda of each meeting, by written notice postmarked or otherwise delivered not later than the tenth day prior to the date of the meeting. The requirement for such notice may be waived, with respect to any single meeting, by petition or consent of a majority of all members of the board, including at least one member from each constituent municipality. Notices of meetings and other communications shall be forwarded to each board member at the place he designates as his mailing address for the business of the District.
C. The Proposed Agenda for each meeting shall include all items specified by the Chairman, together with any additional items requested by petition of two or more Board Members. Action shall be taken only upon items included in the Proposed Agenda, except
in the case of routine administrative or procedural matters
D. As specified in Section 2-5 of the Charter, the majority of the entire membership of the board shall constitute a quorum.
E. Action of the District Board shall be by majority vote of all members present, except as otherwise specified by these bylaws, the Charter, or the Connecticut General Statutes.
F. Each member of the District Board, including the Chairman, shall be entitled to one vote. A tie vote shall not be sufficient except for the adoption or enactment of any resolution, rule, or motion. In balloting for officers, if no candidate receives a majority of all votes cast, the field shall be successively reduced by eliminating the candidate the the fewest vote’s and balloting shall be
repeated until a majority vote is realized, or until the remaining candidates are tied. Any tie unresolved by an additional ballot or by the withdrawal of a candidate shall be broken by lot, according to a procedure to be determined by the Chairman.
G. The 1970 edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall govern the conduct of business by the Board in all cases to which it is applicable and in which it is not inconsistent with applicable law, the Charter, these Bylaws, or other rules adopted by the Board.
H. A copy of the preliminary Minutes of each Board Meeting, including a list of those Board Members present, shall be transmitted promptly to each Board Member. After approval, copies shall also be transmitted to the Clerks of each of the, Constituent municipalities.
Article IV – Officers
A. Officers of the District Board shall include a Chairman, a Vice Chairman, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. Officers shall be chosen from the membership of the Board by ballot at the Annual Meeting. Their terms of office shall extend through the next Annual Meeting, but no term shall expire until a successor has been duly elected, except that no officer shall remain in office after his membership on the Board ceases.
B. Vacancies arising during the year shall be filled from, the membership of the Board by ballot at the first Board Meeting after the vacancy occurs.
C. By a majority vote of the entire membership of the District Board, an Officer may be removed from the office to which he has been elected. His membership on the Board, however, may be terminated only as specified in the Charter. D. Chairman. The Chairman shall convene and preside at meetings of the Board; affix his signature to all official reports, plans, and publications which have been adopted by the Board; sign contracts in the name of the Board when so authorized; assure the timely performance of the duties of the Secretary or of the Treasurer in case of their absence or incapacity; and perform other executive or administrative duties at the request or instruction of the Board. The Chairman shall give bond to the Board to the satisfaction of its members, the cost of such bond to be borne by the Board.
E. Vice Chairman. The Vice Chairman shall assume the powers and duties of the Chairman in case of the latter’s absence or incapacity, providing that the Vice Chairman shall not exercise any control over the financial resources of the Board, or encumber them through contract or otherwise, without first giving bond to the Board, to the satisfaction of its members. The cost of such bond shall be borne by
the Board. F. Secretary. The Secretary shall issue notice of Board Meetings as specified in Article III; prepare ~minutes of said meetings; and maintain or oversee the custody of all minutes and other official records of the Board, including the official copy of these Bylaws for the Conduct of Business. Such records shall be open to inspection at a reasonable time and place by Board Members and by the public. The Secretary
shall be custodian of the seal and shall attest to all official papers. He shall receive and dispatch the Board’s correspondence, incorporating in the official records copies of all items essential to an adequate permanent record of the Board’s acts and operations. In the absence of the Secretary at any Board Meeting, the Minutes shall be prepared by a Secretary ProTem, to be appointed by the Chairman.
G. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall receive and take charge of all money, property and securities of the Board delivered to him. He shall promptly deposit all money so received to the credit of the Board in a bank or banks selected by the Board, and shall disburse funds of the Board in accordance with the procedures and limitations set forth in Article VI. He shall keep an accurate record of receipts and disbursements, and shall render a report thereon to each Board Meeting. He shall submit his books and records to an Auditor named by the Board for annual audit under the provisions of the Municipal Auditing Act, Chapter III of the 1958 Revision of the General Statutes. The Treasurer shall give bond to the Board to the satisfaction of its Members, the cost of such bond to be born by the Board.
Article V – Committees Except as specifically~ authorized by the Board, the function of Committees shall be to investigate and make recommendations to the Board. No executive action shall be taken in the name of the Board except as specifically authorized by the Board, in a manner consistent with these Bylaws and the Charter.
Article VI – Financing
A. Gifts, bequests, or contributions for effectuating the purpose of the District may be accepted by vote or resolution of the District Board.
B. Requests for grants-in-aid from the state or Federal Government shall be approved by the Board. Approval of such requests shall provide authorization for the Chairman and Secretary to sign such agreements or contracts with the state or Federal Government as may be required by such government, within the scope of the request approved by the District Board.
C. Expenditures of funds of the Board shall be within a budget approved by the Board in accordance with provisions of the Charter. Disbursements shall be made only in compliance with the following procedures: 1.Each disbursement shall be made by check drawn to the Board’s account. Checks shall bear the signatures of both the Treasurer and Chairman, or in the absence or incapacity of either, the signatures of the Vice Chairman and the Treasurer or Chairman. 2. Checks shall be drawn and numbered in accordance with vouchers specifying the payee, amount, object, budget classification, manner of authorization, and other relevant details of the disbursement. The signature of the Chairman or Vice Chairman on the Voucher and/or check shall represent certification by that officer that the disbursement has been duly authorized. 3. Before any commitment shall be made on behalf of the District Board (a) to construct or acquire items valued a five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or more, (b) to make other than emergency purchases of individual materials whose anticipated annual requirement is of a value five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or more, or . c) to engage contractual services of a nature ‘commonly procured through bidding procedures and in an amount five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or more, requests for sealed bids or proposals shall be published in one or more newspapers having wide circulation throughout the District and the normal local supply area for the specified goods Or services. Such requests for bids or proposals shall indicate how and where detailed specifications for the required goods or services may be obtained, all requirements to be observed in submitting bids, and the date of a meeting of the Board at which bids will be opened. After examination, the Board may accept or reject any or all bids, taking such additional measures as it deems appropriate and economical for obtaining the required goods and services. 4. Any disbursement in an amount of five hundred dollars, $500.00) or more shall be made only after certification by the Chairman, or in his absence or incapacity by the Vice Chairman, that such disbursement has been duly authorized by vote or resolution of the Board. Disbursements in amounts of less than five hundred dollars, $500.00) for routine operating expenses including personal services, utility services, rents, and incidental supplies, except as expressly restricted by act of the Board, may be authorized directly by the Chairman, or in his absence or incapacity by the Vice Chairman.
Article VII – Submission of Budget and Annual Reports
A. A budget for each fiscal year shall be prepared by the District board before April first of the previous fiscal year. After holding a public hearing as specified by Section 4-2 of the Charter, the Board shall adopt its budget and refer it to the Board of Selectmen or Councilor Board of Aldermen, as the case may be, of each constituent municipality, during the month of April.
B. An Annual Report shall be prepared as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year, for distribution to the constituent municipalities, their citizens, and other interested persons.
Article VIII- Seal
The District Board’s corporate seal shall consist of its name lettered between two concentric circles, the arabic numeral “1” being outlined prominently in the inner circle, crossed by the word “Connecticut”, in the appropriate form of Exhibit A.
Article IX – Amendments to Bylaws
These Bylaws may be ended by a majority vote of the entire membership of the Board, providing that the complete text of the proposed amendment shall have been mailed with the call of the meeting to all members.
These Bylaws adopted by vote of the Board at a meeting on October 19, 1970:
Amendment to By-Laws Adopted February 1985 Effective April 1, 1985 Sub-paragraph 3 of paragraph C of Article 4-Financing of Bylaws is hereby amended
- Before any commitment shall be made on behalf of the District Board (a) to construct or acquire items valued at five thousand dollars
($5,000.00) or more, (b) to make other than emergency purchases of individual materials whose anticipated annual requirement is of a value of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or more, or (c) to engage contractual services of a nature commonly procured through bidding procedures and in an amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) or more, requests for sealed bids or proposals shall be published in one or more newspapers having wide circulation throughout the District and the normal local supply area for the specified goods or services. Such requests for bid or proposals shall indicate how and where detailed specifications for the required goods or services may be obtained, all requirements to be observed in submitting bids, and the date of a meeting of the Board at which bids will be opened •. After examination, the Board may accept or reject any or all bids, taking such additional measures as it deems appropriate and economical for obtaining the required goods and services.