BYLAWS OF THE PIKES PEAK COMMISSION ON AGING
OF THE PIKES PEAK AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS
Amended:
XX, XX, 2024
October 13, 2021
Adopted January 1, 2021
ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this commission shall be the Pikes Peak Area Commission on Aging of the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments.
ARTICLE II: ORGANIZATION
Section 1. AUTHORITY
The Commission shall be governed by the policies and guidelines set forth by the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments or as amended.
Section 2. AREA
The area to be served by the Commission consists of El Paso, Park and Teller counties.
Section 3. NONDISCRIMINATION
No person in any protected class included in federal, state of Colorado, or local non-discrimination laws and ordinances will be excluded from participating in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination from the Commission.
ARTICLE III: PURPOSE
Section 1. PURPOSE
The purpose of the Commission is to advise and recommend to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors and Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments staff action on matters regarding the development of an area-wide system of advocacy and policy recommendations for older persons to enable them to maintain as much independence as possible.
In order to carry out its purposes, the Commission will assist the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments and the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging by the following:
- Provide ongoing and embedded advocacy for older adults in the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments and to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors;
- Advise and make recommendations to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments staff and Board of Directors on special issues and opportunities relating to the region’s aging population;
- Review policies and legislation that affect older adults and make recommendations to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments staff and Board of Directors relating to the region’s aging population.
ARTICLE IV: MEETINGS, VOTING & QUORUM
Section 1. PUBLIC MEETING
All meetings of the Commission and its subcommittees are open to the public. Commission members are encouraged to attend in person but may participate remotely to encourage regular participation by all members. Citizens are welcome at meetings and may express their opinions at such times as designated by the agenda or when recognized by the chairperson.
Section 2. REGULAR MEETINGS
There shall be a regular monthly meeting of the Commission on the third Wednesday of each month or as needed. The members of the Commission may, through the executive committee and staff liaison, invite non-voting members of the public who have subject matter expertise or who represent industries or businesses related to the Commission’s purpose to attend and participate in meetings of the Commission.
Section 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS
Special meetings of the Commission may be called at the discretion of the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments staff in consultation with the chairperson or by written petition by any three (3) commission members mailed or delivered personally to the chairperson with a copy to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments staff liaison. The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments shall fix the time, date and location for holding any special meeting.
Section 4. PLACE OF MEETING
The Commission may designate any place as the place for any annual, regular or special meeting called by the Commission. Unless so designated, the Commission shall meet at the offices of the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments.
Section 5. NOTICE OF MEETING
Written or printed notice stating the place, day and hour of the meeting, the purpose for which the meeting is called, shall be delivered not less than 24 hours before the date of the meeting, either personally, by electronic notification or by mail, to each member of the Commission entitled to vote at such a meeting. Notice shall be posted in accordance with the procedure outlines during the most recent Board of Directors’ Annual Meeting, or as amended by the Board of Directors between Annual Meetings.
Section 6. VOTING
Voting members of the Commission shall be entitled to one (1) vote on all matters brought before a meeting of the Commission, provided a quorum is present. No proxy vote shall be allowed. All issues shall be settled by a majority vote.
Section 7. QUORUM
Thirty percent of the current voting Commission membership (rounded up to the nearest whole number) shall constitute a quorum. A quorum shall be necessary for the transaction of any official business at any meeting of the Commission.
Section 8. CONDUCT OF MEETINGS
Robert’s Rules of Order, as revised, shall govern the conduct of business at all meetings of the Commission and its subcommittees, except when such rules are in conflict with these bylaws or have been adopted by the Board of Directors in the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Meeting Procedures.
Section 9. SECRETARIAL DUTIES
The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments will meet the secretarial needs of the Commission and shall keep the bylaws as amended, minutes of all meetings of the Commission, a current membership list containing the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all commission members, and all other official documents of the Commission.
ARTICLE V: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. COMPOSITION AND REPRESENTATION
Membership composition of the Commission shall include:
- At least 50 per cent of the members shall be 60 years of age or older.
- Appointments to the Commission shall mirror, as much as possible, the demographics of the aging population in the three-county region. These include ethnicity, gender, race, age and geographic location.
- Each of the member jurisdictions within the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments shall have at least one representative on the Commission, except for El Paso County and the City of Colorado Springs. El Paso County and the City of Colorado Springs are entitled to three representatives each.
- The Commission may appoint up to 19 at-large members, which may include members of the general public and representatives of supportive services provider organizers.
Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments and Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging staff are non-voting members of this Commission and all subcommittees.
Section 2. ADDITIONAL CRITERIA
Members must meet the following additional criteria to be selected:
A. Must have a sincere interest in improving the quality of life in the El Paso, Park and Teller County area.
B. Must be able to attend Commission meetings and assist in data gathering, analysis and other activities of the Commission when requested by the Board of Directors or Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments staff to so do.
Section 3. SELECTION
The Commission will make recommendations to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors for appointment of at-large members to the Commission. The Board of Directors, thereafter, reviews the recommendations and shall, at its discretion, appoint members to the Commission.
The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors will approve all applications for membership and recommendations for representatives from jurisdictions or organizations. It reserves the right to review and approve/disapprove or withdraw that approval at any time.
Section 4. TERM OF MEMBERSHIP
A full term of membership is three (3) years, which shall start on the date of confirmation by the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors. A member may serve no more than two (2) consecutive full terms.
Term limits may be overridden in the event a qualified individual cannot be located to fill a specified vacancy, with approval from the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors. If this occurs, the member entity shall document that efforts have been made to locate another qualified individual and that such efforts have been unsuccessful. The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors may, at its discretion, allow such a person to serve more than the two allowed terms.
Section 5. ABSENTEEISM
Members missing three (3) consecutive, regularly scheduled meetings, or a total of four (4), regular meetings, during a 12‑month period shall be automatically reviewed by the Membership Subcommittee for possible termination. When a Commission member has been absent for the second consecutive time or has been absent for the third time in any 12‑month period, the chairperson shall send, or cause to be sent, in a reasonable time a letter to such member at their address as entered on the Commission’s books, informing such member that another absence shall result in his/her membership being reviewed. If attendance does not improve, other actions including removal may be taken by the Board of Directors.
Section 6. LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Any member may be granted an excused temporary leave of absence from serving on the Commission upon submitting a written request to the chairperson of the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board explaining the reason(s) for the requested absence and subject to approval of the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board.
Section 7. RESIGNATIONS
Members are encouraged to send written notice of intent to resign to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Executive Director and a copy to the Commission chairperson as soon as possible but at least one (1) month before the termination date.
ARTICLE VI: OFFICERS
Section 1. OFFICERS
Officers of the commission shall consist of a Chair, Vice-chair, Policy Subcommittee Chair and Membership Subcommittee Chair.
Section 2. SELECTION OF OFFICERS
Only voting members of the commission are eligible to be officers. Officers may be nominated by a Nominating/Membership Subcommittee, from the floor or both as appropriate. Nominees shall be presented to the membership for election at the November meeting each year. Election shall be by ballot with a majority vote electing the officers.
Section 3. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Commission, assure effective, efficient and timely conduct of the commission’s meetings, work closely and coordinate with the assigned Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments staff liaison person on developing annual objectives of the commission to be communicated to and approved by the Board of Directors, appoint all Chairpersons of subcommittees, serve as an ex‑officio non‑voting member of all subcommittees created by the Commission, be responsible to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors to assure that all subcommittees are accomplishing their objectives, perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Commission or requested by the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments staff assigned to the Commission and attend Board of Directors meetings when possible and/or if requested by the Board’s chair. In the absence of the Chairperson or in the event of his/her inability to act or if the office is vacant, the Vice‑Chair shall perform all duties of the Chairperson, and when so acting, shall have all the powers and be subject to all restrictions of the Chairperson. Similarly, in the absence of both the Chairperson and Vice-Chair, the Membership Chair shall perform the duties of and have the powers of the Chairperson.
At least one officer of the Commission shall be in attendance to conduct each meeting of the committee. In the event that an officer is not in attendance, but a quorum is otherwise present, the Commission may select an acting chair for the meeting. The meeting shall be gaveled in by the Commission member with the longest tenure on the committee and then proceed directly to election of an acting chair for the duration of the meeting.
Section 4. TERM OF OFFICE
Elected officers shall serve for a term of one (1) year in accordance beginning January 1 following election. Such officers shall hold office until they resign, are removed, are otherwise disqualified to serve, or until their successors shall be elected, whichever occurs first. Officers may be re‑elected but may not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.
Section 5. VACANCIES
A vacancy in any office shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term by the immediate subordinate officer (e.g., if the Chair is vacant, the Vice Chair will serve in that position until the next regular election). In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Vice-Chair, the Chair may temporarily appoint a new Vice Chair until such time as an individual is elected to fill the unexpired term.
When required, election for Vice-chair shall be held at a regularly scheduled meeting within 60 days after the vacancy occurs. The election shall follow the nominating/voting process established by Article VI, Section 2.
A member elected to fill an unexpired officer term of six months or longer shall be considered filling a full term of office.
Section 6. REMOVAL AND RESIGNATIONS
Any request for removal of an officer will be submitted to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, after investigation, may remove the officer and call for a special election for a new officer.
Any officer may resign their position as an officer at any time by giving written notice to the Chairperson of the Commission and the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Executive Director. Any such resignation shall take effect on the date of the receipt of such notice or at any later date specified therein, not to exceed the expiration date of the regular term of the office. The acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
ARTICLE VII: SUBCOMMITTEES
Section 1. STANDING SUBCOMMITTEES
- Policy Subcommittee – The Policy Subcommittee shall consist of a chairperson, four members and one alternate member. The purpose of the Policy Subcommittee shall be to review policies and legislation related to aging across the region, which may then make a recommendation to the Commission and in turn, the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors.
- Membership Subcommittee – The Membership Subcommittee shall consist of a chairperson, two members and one alternate member. The purpose of the Membership Subcommittee shall be to secure qualified and committed at-large members for the Commission.
Section 2. NEW SUBCOMMITTEES
When a need arises for a new subcommittee, a written request which identifies the purpose, charge, objectives, relationships, membership, officers, requirement for minutes, and term of the subcommittee will be submitted to the PPACG Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors for approval.
Section 3. AD-HOC SUBCOMMITTEES
An ad-hoc subcommittee may be formed to meet the need of the Commission, upon approval by the majority of Commission members in attendance of the meeting (at which a quorum has been established). The Commission shall notify the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors of the formation of all ad-hoc subcommittees at the next regularly scheduled Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors meeting. An ad-hoc subcommittee will remain convened for no more than six months, except as disbanded earlier by the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors.
Section 4. SUBCOMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
The Commission Chairperson shall appoint the Chair of each subcommittee. Members of all subcommittees shall be recommended by a majority vote of the full Commission to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors which, at its discretion, will approve/disapprove the recommendation.
Section 5. SUBCOMMITTEE VACANCIES
Vacancies on any subcommittee may be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in the same manner as provided in the case of original appointments.
Section 6. SUBCOMMITTEE QUORUM
A simple majority of the members of a subcommittee shall constitute a quorum of such subcommittee, and the action of a majority of the members at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the subcommittee.
Section 7. SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS
All subcommittee meetings shall be open to all Commission members and to the public.
ARTICLE VIII: CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Section 1: ANNOUNCING CONFLICT
Whenever a Commission member has cause to believe that a matter to be voted upon would involve them in a conflict of interest, they shall announce the conflict of interest in their personal or private capacity and shall request a ruling by the Commission on voting on such matters.
Section 2: ABSTENTION FROM VOTING
No member shall vote on any matter which would involve a conflict of interest.
ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Action may be initiated at any duly constituted meeting of the Commission to alter, amend or repeal these bylaws and have new bylaws adopted. A copy of the current bylaws with the proposed changes shall be distributed to all Commission members at least 10 days in advance of the meeting at which the amendment will be presented for approval. An affirmative vote by a majority of the Commission members is necessary for amendment adoption. The Commission’s recommendation to amend these bylaws is then subject to approval by the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors.
The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors may from time to time amend its bylaws, or change its policies, necessitating revisions in the bylaws of this Commission. Should such a case occur, the PPACG Chairman shall notify or cause to notify the Chairperson of the Commission to implement such changes. The Board of Directors may change the Commission’s bylaws by a simple majority of those present at a meeting, with or without the consent of the Commission.
ARTICLE X: ENACTMENT
These Bylaws shall be effective following their review and approval by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership and review and final approval by the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Board of Directors.