CITIZEN’S COMMITTEE
FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IN JOSEPHINE COUNTY
INTERIM BYLAWS
Article I – NAME
Section 1 – Name: The name of this organization shall be the Citizen’s Committee for Public Safety in
Josephine County (hereinafter: Committee).
Article II – PURPOSE
Section 1 – Purpose: The purpose of the Committee shall be to provide a forum for Josephine County
citizens to foster accountability, promote transparency and facilitate establishing community trust in the
operation and management of the Josephine County Sheriff’s Department (including the Jail) and the
Juvenile Justice Center.
Article III – COMMITTEE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Section 1 — Role and Responsibilities: The Committee will perform the following:
A.
Review and make recommendations concerning the expenditure of funds generated from
the local option tax measure approved by the Josephine County voters at the May 2015
election;
B.
Compile and deliver to the Josephine County Board of Commissioners a semi-annual
report of its findings on or before May 31 and November 30;
C.
Provide a community forum that promotes community trust, institutional accountability
and transparency in the financial management in the Josephine County Public Safety
system;
D.
Facilitate public meetings and informational forums where the public might comment on
and be informed concerning matters of management and fiscal operations of the Public
Safety system;
E.
Upon request of the County Sheriff, assist in identifying and clarifying short and long term
goals and objectives of the Josephine County Public Safety system, and advise on matters
put forward by the Sheriff for the Committee’s consideration;
F.
Share observations and suggestions with the Josephine County Sheriff formulated by the
Committee as a result of its undertakings.
Section 2 — Scope: The Committee shall function in a manner to provide information to the citizens of
Josephine County and the Public Safety System leaders and promote information exchange between and
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among those constituencies. The Committee shall have no responsibility or authority over the operations
of Josephine County or any public employee of Josephine County.
Article IV – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 —Committee Composition: The Committee shall consist of not less than 13 or more than 15
members. In addition, ex-officio members may participate in Committee meetings and may include
representatives of the Josephine County Board of Commissioners, County Sheriff’s Office, District
Attorney’s Office, Juvenile Justice Department’s Office, and the Grants Pass Department of Public
Safety.
Section 2 — Composition of Membership: Membership shall consist of the following:
A.
One (1) member representing and appointed by the Grants Pass City Council;
B.
Three (3) members, representing and appointed by the following three (3) public rural fire
protection organizations located in whole or in part within Josephine County: Illinois
Valley, Williams, and Wolf Creek;
C.
One (1) member representing the private rural emergency response organizations serving
Josephine County, appointed by Rural/Metro Fire of Josephine County or American
Medical Response (AMR) of Josephine County;
D.
One (1) member representing and appointed by Three Rivers School District;
E.
One (1) member representing and appointed by Grants Pass School District;
F.
One (1) member representing post-secondary educational community appointed by the
governing board of Rogue Community College;
G.
One (1) member representing the faith-based community appointed by the Church of the
Valley Strategically Aligned Leadership Team (SALT);
H.
One (1) member representing community organizations assisting victims of domestic
violence in Josephine County appointed by the Women’s Crisis Support Team (WCST);
I.
Two (2) members representing the Josephine County community-at-large, appointed by
majority vote of current members of the Committee from among candidates who have
applied to fill these at-large positions and who meet the qualifications outlined in Section 3
below;
J.
Two (2) members representing and appointed by the Grants Pass and Josephine County
Chamber of Commerce.
Section 3 —Membership Qualifications: All Committee members shall be prepared to serve for a term
of two years; shall be law-abiding; willing to serve as advocates on behalf of effective, efficient,
accountable, and transparent management of the Public Safety System; and demonstrate an ability to
understand, evaluate and communicate financial information and concepts. Members shall also have had
demonstrable successful experience in accounting, public safety, financial management, business or
public administration, providing constructive citizen input and feedback to public agencies in Josephine
County or similar communities elsewhere, or similar fields of occupational endeavor or enterprise.
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Section 4 —Appointment of Members: Committee members shall be appointed in the manner
described in Section 2. The appointments shall become effective on receipt of Notice from the appointing
authority by the initial Steering Group described in Section IX.
Section 5 — Term of Membership: Terms of office shall be for two years and shall be staggered. The
initial term of members shall be for a one (1) year term or two (2) year term as assigned by the initial
Steering Group described in Section IX. No more than 7 members shall be assigned a term of one (1)
year; thereafter all terms shall be by appointment for a two (2) year period.
Section 6 — Officers: The Committee shall elect from among its members Co-chairpersons for a one (1)
year term. The Co-chairpersons shall function as presiding officers for the conduct of meetings. In the
absence of one Co-Chairperson, the other Co-chairperson shall function as presiding officer. Where both
Co-chairpersons are absent from a meeting, a quorum of the Committee may appoint a presiding officer
for that meeting. The other officers of the Committee shall be a Treasurer and a Secretary. The officers
shall be elected at the first meeting of the Committee and shall take office immediately.
Section 7 — Resignation, and Termination from Membership: Resignation from the Committee must
be in writing and submitted to a Co-Chairperson of the Committee personally, by mail or delivery service
or electronically. Upon the recommendation by not less than three (3) Committee members, a committee
member may be terminated and removed from the Committee due to excessive absences from Committee
meetings upon a majority vote of the Committee membership. Where a member has repeatedly
demonstrated an unwillingness to support the goals, objectives or activities of the Committee, or has
proven to be a disruptive and unproductive influence on the functioning of the Committee, such member
may be terminated and removed from the Committee by a vote of two-thirds of the Committee
membership.
Article V — SUBCOMMITTEES
Section 1 — Subcommittee Formation: The Committee may create subcommittees as needed, for
purposes such as, but not limited to, public outreach, media relations, or data collection. The Chair of
each subcommittee shall be appointed by a majority of quorum of the Committee.
Article VI — MEETINGS
Section 1—Meeting Schedule: The Committee shall meet at least four (4) times per year at a time and
place designated and as determined by the Committee.
Section 2—Quorum: A majority of the filled positions then appointed to the Committee will constitute a
quorum for the purposes of conducting business and making decisions.
Section 3 — Conduct of Meetings: The Committee shall convene regularly scheduled meetings, and the
Co-Chairpersons shall preside and control the conduct of the meetings.
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Section 4 – Minutes and Records: The Committee shall send out meeting notices and announcements,
distribute copies of minutes and the agenda to each member, and maintain records in accordance with
Oregon Public Records Laws and state archives requirements.
Section 5 – Open Meetings: All meetings of the Committee shall be conducted in accordance with the
requirements of the Oregon Public Meetings Law. Notice of meetings shall be in accordance with Oregon
Public Meetings Law.
Section 6 — Special Meetings: Special meetings of the Committee may be called by either CoChairperson or upon petition of four (4) members of the Committee. Notices of special meetings shall be
sent to each Committee member at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.
Article VII – EFFECTIVE DATE
Section 1 – Effective Date: These Interim Bylaws shall become final and effective upon the approval by
a majority of the Committee at a regularly called meeting.
Article VIII — AMENDMENTS
Section 1 — Amendments: These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Committee at a
regularly called Committee meeting. No amendment shall be put to a vote unless such amendment has
been provided to the membership not less than 10 days prior to the meeting at which such amendment is
on the agenda.
Article IX — INITIAL STEERING GROUP AND TRANSITION
Section 1-- Committee Start-Up: An initial Steering Group was selected to facilitate the startup
operations of the Committee. Upon voter approval of the local option Public Safety Measure in the May
2015 election, the Steering Group will issue requests to the appointing authorities named in Article IV to
appoint their representatives to the Committee. As soon as at least seven (7) members of the Committee
have been appointed by their respective authorities and no later than September 30, 2015, the Steering
Group will call the first regular meeting of the Committee, after which the Steering Group will dissolve.
Section 2 – Steering Group Members: Membership on the initial Steering Group shall not disqualify a
member from being appointed to the Committee by an appointing authority identified herein. Members
of the initial Steering Group are as follows:
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David Holmes, Three Rivers School District
Jason Fields, a Murphy area businessperson
Jennifer Philippi, an Illinois Valley resident and businessperson
Jim Frick, an Illinois Valley businessperson and community volunteer
Jim Brumbach, local pastor and community volunteer
Julie Thomas, Concierge Home and Business Watch and community volunteer
Robert Stumbo, Wolf Creek area businessperson
Cliff Thomason, local business person and community volunteer
Ron Schwartz, a former Grants Pass Public Safety Director
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Helen Scott, community volunteer
Linda Bradley, community volunteer
Colene Martin, Chamber of Commerce
Jim Dittmer, local business person and community volunteer
 Ken Smith, Community United for Safety and community volunteer
All actions of the initial Steering Group shall be undertaken by majority vote of the members identified
herein. All records and minutes of the activities undertaken by the initial Steering Group shall be
delivered to the Secretary of the Committee.
Dated this ______ day of ______________, 2015
___________________________________
Initial Presiding Officer of the Steering Group
Attest:
___________________________________
Witness
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