Citizen Advisory Committee

CHARTER
SPOKANE TRANSIT AUTHORITY
PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE
Citizen Advisory Committee
December 2015
Updated October 2019

ARTICLE I – NAME OF GROUP

The name of this group shall be Spokane Transit Authority (STA) Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC).

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

The mission of the STA Citizen Advisory Committee, hereinafter referred to as CAC, is to:

• Represent a wide range of stakeholders from the STA Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA).
• Increase public participation in the functions of STA and act as a focused, educated forum for public input and feedback to the organization.
• Ensure accountability of the organization’s actions.
• Act as an educational arm of the organization to reach out to the public.

The CAC is advisory to the STA Board of Directors and not to the agency itself.

The CAC will represent the interests of the community and assist staff and STA in making the region proud of its public transportation system.

ARTICLE III- SCOPE OF WORK

The CAC will:

• Assess performance of STA.
• Examine where STA is heading.
• Explore emerging public transportation issues.
• Assess STA’s progress in achieving its measurable goals and objectives.
• Make recommendations, at its discretion, and present them to the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee, for recommendation to the STA Board of Directors.

When requested and for new members, Staff will provide an information packet and orientations to CAC members in specific areas including, but not limited to, defined responsibilities and legal requirements, nomenclature, history, mission, vision, services, policies, budget, strategic communications plan, Transit Development Plan, partnerships, and community outreach practices.

ARTICLE IV – COMPOSITION

• The CAC shall be composed of no more than 15 members appointed by the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee. Membership shall reflect the STA service area and strive for regional representation and diversity of opinion.

ARTICLE V – MEMBERSHIP SELECTION PROCESS

Selection of the members of the CAC shall be through an application process:

• CAC will review applicants and select potential candidates.
• Staff and a CAC representative will meet with candidates and may recommend them to the CAC for further consideration. 
• The CAC may vote to recommend candidates to the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee to be CAC committee members.
• The Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee will vote to appoint members of the CAC.

Members of the CAC must reside within the STA boundaries. The residency requirement is waived if the applicant or member is a consistent user of STA’s fixed route buses, paratransit, or vanpool service. We strive to have a good geographic representation.

The STA Board of Directors expects CAC members to introduce and talk about STA in as many venues as are open to the member. To this end, during the membership selection process, weighted value will be given to those who are active participants in other area organizations.

The following list represents groups from which participation will be sought:

• Business Owners
• Chambers of Commerce
• College Students
• Faith Community
• Groups interested in multi-modal transportation
• Higher Education/Administration/Faculty
• Medical Community/ Public Health
• Neighborhood Associations/Councils
• Persons with Disabilities
• Public Agencies/Law Enforcement
• Rotary, Kiwanis, AHANA, Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center and/or other Fraternal and Civic Associations
• Rural Community
• Senior Citizens
• Service Users (Fixed Route, Paratransit, Vanpool)
• Social Service Agencies
• Youth

ARTICLE VI – MEMBERSHIP ROTATION PROCESS

Annually, in September, the CAC members will select the Chair of the CAC.  An annual membership recruitment will follow.  Membership recruitment and filling vacancies is an ongoing process. 

Membership on the CAC is for a three-year term with at least five members appointed/reappointed each year. At the end of their term, members can serve a second term for a total of two three-year terms. If a member needs to leave the CAC prior to the end of their term, a new candidate will be selected to serve out the remainder of their term. The chair of the CAC will poll the members each May as to their desire to remain on the Citizen Advisory Committee. Annual membership terms shall begin at the September CAC meeting.

Membership applications will be sent to all who have requested an application, to people suggested by CAC members, other citizens, and to groups representing the previously stated participation list.

Attendance

Committee members missing three consecutive meetings without an excuse will be called by the CAC Chair or staff representative to determine their interest in continuing on the committee.

ARTICLE VII – OPERATING GUIDELINES

The CAC will conduct its business in accordance with Washington State’s Open Public Meetings Act, RCW 42.30 and Public Disclosure Laws RCW 42.56. The CAC has adopted the following operating procedures:

• The CAC shall meet in February, April, June, September, and November.
• Special Meetings can be called if necessary.
• The Chair, or the Chair’s designee, will be the appointed spokesperson for the CAC.
• As designated on the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee agenda, the CAC Chair, or a delegated CAC member, may provide the STA Board of Directors with the CAC’s input and advice. 
• The CAC shall provide meeting minutes to the Clerk of the Authority to be forwarded to the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee and the STA Board of Directors. All CAC records will be open to public review.
• A charter review will be conducted at least once every three years.
• The members of the CAC serve in a voluntary role and without salary. Travel is reimbursed according to STA Bylaws.

ARTICLE VIII – STAFFING

As authorized by the Board, the CEO shall appoint staff members to serve as the CAC Staff Liaisons. Staff shall acquire meeting facilities and equipment, record, transcribe, and distribute minutes, and distribute other materials, including the agenda. Other duties include preparation of agenda forms and attachments to communicate CAC issues and recommendations to the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee and/or the STA Board of Directors.