Bylaws

Bylaws

I – IDENTIFICATION

NAME

The district is officially known as the Eastern Ohio Regional Wastewater Authority, acronym (EORWA).  It was established on June 4, 1958, and until December, 1994, it was known as Belmont County Sewer Authority No.  One.

COMPOSITION

EORWA is composed of the City of Martins Ferry, the Village of Bellaire, the Village of Brookside and the Village of Bridgeport.

ADDRESS

The  street  numbering  address  of  EORWA  is:

6000  North Guernsey  Street,  Bellaire,  Ohio 43906.

The mailing address of   EORWA   is:

P0 Box 508,

Bridgeport, Ohio 43912.

SEAL

EORWA has adopted an official seal.

TELEPHONE  AND  FAX

The telephone number of EORWA is (740) 676-5911.

The fax number of EORWA is (740) 676-5912.

II – AUTHORITY, POWERS AND PURPOSE

BOARD AUTHORITY

The authority and control of EORWA is vested in the Board of  Trustees, hereinafter sometimes   referred to   as   the “Board”,  which  shall manage and conduct the affairs of the district and  is  governed  by  Title  6119 ( captioned Regional Water and Sewer Districts) of the Revised Code of the State of Ohio. R .C. 6119.07).

BOARD POWERS

The Board has the powers, duties, and authority for the management and operation of a regional sewer district as is granted by law.   (R. C. 6119.06 )

The Board is a body politic and  corporate,  and ,  as such, capable of suing and being sued , contracting and being contracted with,  acquiring,  holding,  possessing, and disposing of  real and  personal  property,  any  grant or devise of land and any donation or bequest of money or other personal property.    ( R .C. 6119.06)

The   power   of   this   Board   extends   to   those    matters expressly granted by statute or those matters which may be necessarily implied from such powers    specifically delegated as being necessary to carry them out.

MEMBER POWERS

Board members as individuals do not separately possess the powers that reside in the Board.  Designated Board members may be delegated specific powers by the Board for specific purposes.  No  Board  member  shall  be  denied  facts  or materials  required  for  the  proper  performance  of  his / her duties  to  which   he/she  is  legally  entitled .   If such  request for  facts  and   information   is   administratively   unreasonable, the  Executive Director  may  withhold  said  facts  or  material  until a  ruling is made  by  the Board .

COMMITTEE POWERS

The Board has no powers when not in session, except for such powers as may be delegated by the Board to a committee thereof.

BOARD LIABILITIES

The Board, its members and employees shall be subject to all the provisions of law that apply to a regional sewer district.   (R .C. 6119.0G (D))

BOARD PURPOSES

The purpose of the Authority is for treating, neutralizing, disposing of, stabilizing, cooking, segregating or holding wastewater including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,  facilities  for  the  treatment  and  disposal  of sewage  or  industrial  waste  and  the   residue thereof, facilities for the temporary or permanent impoundment of wastewater , both surface and underground , and storm and sanitary sewers and other  systems whether on the surface or underground, designed to transport wastewater, together with the equipment  and  furnishings  thereof  and  their appurtenances and systems, whether on the surface or underground, including force mains and pumping  facilities therefore when necessary. (R .C. 6119 .011 (L))

III – FUNCTIONS

LEGISLATIVE

The Board shall make such rules and regulations as are necessary for the regulation of its affairs, the conduct of its business and notice of its actions. (R .C . 6119 .06(A ) )

Those bylaws and policies which are not dictated by the statutes or  rules or the permits issued or ordered by Ohio Environmental Protection  Agency or a court of  competent jurisdiction may be adopted, amended, and repealed at any meeting of the Board .

The Board may, upon a majority vote of the full Board and where compelling reasons exist, suspend at any  time  the operation of a bylaw or policy herein contained, provided the suspension does not conflict with law, and  such  suspension shall terminate at the next meeting of the Board or at such earlier  time as is specified in the motion  to  suspend.

The adoption, modification, repeal, or suspension of a Board bylaw or policy shall be recorded in the minutes of the Board.

Board  policies  consist of  these bylaws,  resolutions  and

Motions adopted by the Board and found in its minutes and provisions contained in the Employee’s Handbook.

EXECUTIVE

The Board shall exercise its executive power by the appointment of an Executive Director that will oversee the operations and administration and shall  enforce the statutes and policies with respect to the operation and administration of the Authority.

The Executive Director shall be delegated the authority to take necessary action in circumstances not provided for in Board policy, provided such action shall be reported to the Board at the meeting following such action.

The Board shall exercise its operational power under the direction of the Executive Director by appointment of an Operations Manager. The Operations Manager shall enforce the statutes of Ohio, rules of the Ohio EPA, the conditions of the permits issued by the EPA, and the policies of this Board with respect to the operation of the plant.

The Board shall exercise its administrative power under the direction of the Executive Director by appointment of a Business Manager who shall enforce the statutes of Ohio, rules of the State Auditor’s Office, rules of the Ohio EPA, and policies of this Board with respect to the administration of the Authority.

JUDICIAL

The Board may assume jurisdiction over any dispute or controversy arising within this Authority and concerning any matter in which authority has been vested in the Board by statute, rule, or policy of this Board.

IV – MEMBERSHIP

NUMBER

The Board of Trustees shall consist of four (4) Board members, one representing each of the four participating municipalities. (See paragraph 1.2 above)

OATH

Each  member  of  the  Board  shall,  before  entering  his/ her duties of office,  take  an  oath  to  support  the  Constitution  of the United States and  the  Constitution  of  the  State  of  Ohio and  to  perform  faithfully  the  duties  of  his/her  office.

Each new Board member shall be invited to meet the Board President, Executive Director, Operations Manager and the Business Manager to discuss  Board  functions,  policies,  and  procedures.

APPOINTMENT

The initial selection of a  member  and  his/ her  selection  after the  initial  term  are  both  done  in  the  same  way.  The mayor of the appropriate municipality nominates his candidate. Thereafter the nominee is approved by the Commission of Mayors consisting of the Mayors of the participating communities and finally is confirmed by the judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Belmont County, Ohio.

Appointments must reside within the municipality and may not be an employee of any municipality.

TERM

The term of each Board member shall be three (3) years commencing April 1 of  the  first  year  of  appointment  and ending March  31 of  the  third  year.

VACANCIES

Vacancies,  created  by  death   or  resignation,   or   created  for any other reason,  on  the  Board  shall  be  filled  at  a  regular or special meeting of  the  Commission  for  the  completion  of the term of the  member  who  has  died  or  resigned  or otherwise has left as a Board member when more  than 1 year remains in  the  member’s  term.  If less than  1 year  remains  in the member’s  term,  his/ her  successor  shall  be  appointed  by the remaining members of  the  Board  of  Trustees  for  the balance of his/ her  term.  (Item F of Amended Petition Case No. 17920 Court of Common Pleas of Belmont County, Ohio.)

COMPENSATION

The Board shall fix the compensation of its members which must be reflected in its minutes.

In the event that a member of the Board of Trustees is absent two or more consecutive times from regularly scheduled monthly meetings, he shall receive no compensation after the first meeting. In the  event that a member of the Board of Trustees is disabled by sickness or injury, he shall receive no compensation beginning with the  seventh consecutive regularly scheduled  monthly  meeting that he   has   missed . (Adopted minutes of November 13, 1990.)

Public official’s liability insurance is carried on behalf of the trustees and employees of the Authority. (Minutes of October 6, 1986; Section 2744 .08 O.R .C.)

V – ORGANIZATION

OFFICERS

At the first meeting in  January,  the  Board  shall proceed  to the election of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. Officers shall serve for one (1) year or until their respective successors   are   elected.

MOTIONS

The Board shall at the first yearly meeting :

designate a newspaper of general circulation in the county as the official newspaper;

designate a  day, place,  and  time  for  regular meetings which shall be held at  least  once  every two (2) months;

In July of each  year  the  Board  shall  designate depositories  for  the  funds  of  the  Authority.

COMMITTEES

Committees of Board members shall, when specifically charged to do so by the Board, conduct studies, make recommendations to the Board and act in an advisory capacity, but shall not take action on behalf of the Board.

2)Committees shall consist of no more than two (2) members.

Committee members shall be appointed by the  President who   shall   serve  as an ex-officio member on   all committees.

A member may request (or refuse) appointment to a committee. Refusal to serve on any one committee shall not be grounds for  failure  to  appoint  a  member  to another committee.

Ad hoc committees may be created and charged at any time by the President.

Members of committees shall serve until the committee is discharged.

VI – MEETINGS

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The parliamentary authority governing the Board of Trustees shall be Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, in all cases in which it is not inconsistent with statute, administrative code, or these bylaws.

QUORUM

1)Three (3) members present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum, and no business shall be conducted in the absence of a quorum.

PRESIDING OFFICER

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board. In the absence, disability, or disqualification of the President, the Vice President shall act instead.

NOTICE OF MEETINGS

1)A schedule of the time and place of all regular meetings shall be published annually in   the   official   newspaper and posted in the administrative office.   (See Article VIII)

Notice of the time, place, and purpose of each special meeting shall be given to the official  newspaper  and  to such news  media  as have  requested  such notice  24 hours in advance of the meeting, except that such 24 hour limitation may be waived when an emergency requires the immediate official action of the Board.  (R .C. 121.22)

Notice of meetings at which a specific type of public business is to be discussed shall be sent to all persons requesting such notice, provided  such  persons  supply the Board with stamped , addressed envelopes for that purpose and pay any fees required for the same.

The  business office staff  shall  notify   all  Board  members  of each regular Board meeting one day in advance  of  the  meeting.  Such notice shall include the time and place of the meeting.

REGULAR MEETINGS

Regular meetings of the Board shall be public.              (R .C. 121.22)

It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Director to prepare an agenda of the items of business to come before the Board at each regular meeting.

Communications  to  the  Board  should  be  in  the  hands  of the Executive Director ten  days  before  a  regular  meeting  of the  Board  to  permit  inclusion  in  the  agenda.

The order of business shall be as follows, unless altered by the presiding officer or a majority of those present voting:

Call to Order

Public  Participation   

Minutes  of  Previous  Meeting

Approval of Bills

Reports

Financial Report

Adjournment

SPECIAL MEETINGS

Special meetings of the Board shall be public. (R .C.  121.22)

Special meetings shall be called by the President or the Secretary or by  any  two  members  of  the  Board  by serving a written notice  of  the  time,  place,  and  purpose of such meeting upon each Board member  at  least  two days in advance  of  the  meeting.

The order of business shall be as follows unless altered by the presiding officer or a  majority  of  those  present and voting:

Call   to order

Reading of notice of meeting

Transaction of business for which meeting was called

Public Participation as provided  

Adjournment

EXECUTIVE SESSION

The Board reserves the right to meet privately in executive session solely to discuss one or more of the following issues exempted from public sessions:

Consideration of the appointment , employment , dismissal, discipline, promotion , demotion, or compensation of  a public employee or official;

Investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee or official , unless such employee or official requests a public  meeting;  except  that  consideration  of the discipline of a Board  member  for  conduct  related  to the  performance  of  his/ her  duties  or  his/ her  removal from office shall not  be held in executive  session ;

Consideration   of   the  purchase   of   property   or   sale   of property  at  competitive  bidding,   if  premature   disclosure or  information  would  give  an   unfair     competitive   or bargaining   advantage    to    a    person     whose  personal , private  interest  is  adverse   to   the     general     public interest ;

Discussion, with the Board’s legal counsel , of disputes involving the Board that are the subject of pending or imminent  court action;

Preparation for conduct or review of negotiations or bargaining sessions  with  public  employees  concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of employment ;

Matters  required  to  be  kept  confidential  by  federal  law or  rules  or  state  statutes;

Specialized details of  security  arrangements  where disclosure might reveal  information  that  could  be  used for  the  purpose  of  committing  or avoiding prosecution  of a violation of law.

No official action may be taken in executive session.

An executive session will be held only   at a regular or special meeting.  After  the  meeting  is  convened  any  member may make a  motion  for  an  executive  session,  stating  therewith the purpose of the session . Upon receiving a second to the motion, the Board will go into executive session.

VOTING

All motions shall require  for  adoption  a  majority  vote  of those  present  and  voting,  except  as  provided   by   statute, or  parliamentary   authority.   Upon  demand of any member of the  Board ,  the  vote  shall be  recorded  by roll  call .  Abstentions shall not be counted as votes, but shall be recorded and are deemed to acquiesce in the outcome of the vote.

At least a majority  of  the  quorum  voting  affirmatively  shall be  required  to pass  a resolution  or  motion.

MINUTES

The Secretary shall keep  reasonably  comprehensive  minutes of all Board meetings showing the  time  and  place,  the members and other persons  present ,  the  subjects  considered ,  the actions taken , the vote of each member, and any other information required to be  shown  in  the  minutes  by  law, which shall be available to the public. Minutes of executive sessions shall reflect the general subject   matter    of discussions.    (R.C.121.22 and 149 .43)

The Executive Director shall  provide  each  Board  member  with  a copy of the minutes of the last meeting no  later  than  two  days before  the  next  regular  meeting.

The minutes of Board meetings shall be considered at the next succeeding meeting where they shall be read (unless waived by law), corrected, and approved. The approved minutes shall be signed by the Secretary and the President and shall be filed in the Executive Director’s office in a prescribed minute book as a permanent record of official Board proceedings.

VII – PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN BOARD MEETINGS

The  presiding officer of  each  Board  meeting at which  public participation  is  permitted  shall  administer  the  rules   of the Board for its conduct . The presiding officer shall be guided by the following rules.

Public participation shall be permitted at the discretion of the presiding officer.

The Board requires that public participants be residents of this district, an employee of this district, or anyone having a legitimate interest in the actions of the Board.

All persons wishing to participate in a public  Board meeting shall  send a letter of  their  intent  to  the  Executive Director  ten  days  in advance of  the meeting and include their name, address, group affiliation if appropriate, and topic to be addressed.

Participants may be recognized by the presiding   officer and must preface their comments by signing the register showing their address and group affiliation, if appropriate, and by announcing their name and group affiliation, if appropriate, prior to speaking.

Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to five minutes duration.

No participant may speak more than once on the same topic unless all others who wish to speak on that topic have been heard.

All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer; no participant may address or question Board members individually.

The presiding officer may:

interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant’s statement when the statement is too lengthy, personally directed, abusive, obscene, or irrelevant.

request any individual to leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum

request  the  assistance   of   law   enforcement officers in  the  removal  of  a  disorderly  person when that person’s conduct interferes with  the orderly  progress  of  the  meeting

call  for  a  recess  or  an  adjournment   to  another time with Board approval when the lack of public decorum  so  interferes  with   the  orderly   conduct of  the  meeting as to  warrant  such action .

The  portion  of  the  meeting  during  which  the participation  of  the  public  is  invited  shall  be  limited to twenty minutes .

VIII – PUBLIC MEETINGS

(Cross Reference Section 121.22 O. R .C.)

REGULAR MEETINGS

The Executive Director will inform the news media in December of each year of the time and place of the regular meetings of the Board.  If  at  any  time  during the calendar year the time  or place  of  the  regular meetings , or of any regular meeting, is changed on a permanent or temporary basis, a statement  of  the  time and place of such changed regular meetings shall be provided the news media that have requested notification immediately , or at least , twenty-four hours before  the time of the first changed regular meeting.

Upon the adjournment  of  any  regular  or  special  meeting to another day , the Executive Director  shall promptly  inform the news media , who have  requested  such  notification , and give them notice of the time and  place  of  such adjourned  meeting.

SPECIAL MEETINGS

Except in the case of an emergency meeting, the Executive Director,  not  later  than  twenty-four  hours  before  the time of a special meeting of the Board, shall give the news media, that have   requested notification, a statement of the time, place and purposes  of  such special  meeting.

The statement under this section and any  notifications under an emergency shall state such specific or general purpose or purposes then known to the Executive Director to be intended to be considered at such  special meeting and may state, as an  additional general purpose, that any other business as may properly come before the Board at such meeting may be considered and  acted upon .

PROCEDURE  FOR NEWS MEDIA NOTIFICATION OF    SPECIAL MEETINGS

Any news media organization that desires to be given advance notification of special meetings of the Authority shall file with the Executive Director a written request therefor.

Except in the event of an emergency requiring immediate official action as  referred   to  in  subsection   (f)  hereof , a special meeting shall not be held unless at  least twenty-four hours advance notice of the time, place and purposes of such  special meeting is given  to  the  news media that have requested such advance notification in accordance  with  subsection  ( c)  hereof.

News   media   requests   for   such  advance   notification    of special meetings  shall specify: the political subdivision  that  is  the  subject  of  such   request ;   the name of  the  medium;  the name and address of  the person to whom written notifications  to  the  medium  may  be mailed or delivered ; and the names,  addresses  and telephone  numbers ,  including   addresses   and   telephone numbers at which  notifications  may  be  given  either during or outside  of  business  hours,  of  at  least  two persons to either one of whom oral notifications to the medium may be given .

Any  such  request   shall  be  effective  for  one  year   from the date of filing with  the  Executive Director or  until   the Executive Director receives written  notice  from  such  medium cancelling or modifying such request, whichever is earlier. Each  requesting  news  medium   shall be informed of such period  of  effectiveness  at  the   time  it  files  its request. Such requests may be modified or extended only by filing a completely new request with the Executive Director.    A   request   shall  not   be deemed to be  made unless  it  is  complete  in  all   respects,   and   such   request may   be   conclusively  relied   on  by  the  Authority  and  the Executive Director .

The  Executive Director  shall  give  such  oral  notification   or written    notification,    or   both,    as   the   Executive Director determines,  to  the  news  media  that  have   requested  such advance  notification  of   the  time,   place   and  purposes  of each   special  meeting,   at   least   twenty-four  hours   prior to  the time  of  such  special  meeting.

In  the  event  of  an  emergency  requiring   immediate official action, a special meeting may  be  held  without giving  twenty-four  hours  advance  notification  thereof  to the requesting news media . The person  calling  such meeting, or any one or  more of  such  persons  or  the Executive Director  on their behalf ,  shall  immediately  give oral  notification  or  written   notification ,   or   both ,  as the  person   or   persons   giving   such   notification determine,  of  the  time,  place  and  purpose  of  such special meeting to such news media that have requested advance notification in accordance  with  subsection (c) hereof. The minutes of any such special meeting shall state the general nature of the emergency requiring immediate official action.

INDIVIDUAL NOTIFICATION; FEE

Any person, upon request and as provided herein, may obtain reasonable advance notification of all meetings at which any specific type of public business is scheduled to be discussed.

Such person may file a written request with the Executive Director specifying: the person’s name, and the address and telephone number at or through which the person may be reached during and outside of business hours; the specific type of public business the discussion of which the person is requesting advance notification; the political subdivision   that is the subject of such request; and the number of calendar months, not to exceed three, which the request covers. Such request may be cancelled by written request from such person to the Executive Director. The decision of the Executive Director as to the necessity of notification shall be final and binding.

Each  such written  request  must  be accompanied  by  cash, a  certified  check  or  money  order  payable  to   EORWA in the amount of eight dollars ($8.00) for each month covered by the request, which amount has been determined by  the  Authority  to  represent  a  reasonable fee  to  cover  costs  of  providing   such   advance notification .

Such requests may be modified or extended only by filing a completely new request with the Executive Director. A request shall not be deemed  to  be  made unless it is complete in all  respects ,  and  such  request may be conclusively relied on  by  the  Authority  that  is the  subject of  such request  and  the Executive Director.

The contents of written notification under this section may be a copy of the agenda of the meeting.

WRITTEN /ORAL  NOTIFICATION

Any notification provided  herein  to  be  given  by  the Executive Director may be given by any person acting in behalf  of  or under  the authority  of  the Executive Director.

The Executive Director shall give notification under the provisions hereof by written notification or by oral notification, or both, as the Executive Director determines. Oral notification  means  notification  given orally either in person or by telephone, directly to  the person for whom such notification is intended, or by leaving an oral  message  for  such  person  at  the  address, or  if  by  telephone  at  the  telephone  number  of  such person  as shown on  the  requests  to the Executive Director.

A reasonable attempt at notification shall constitute notification in compliance with these rules.

MINUTES OF MEETINGS

Minutes  of  all  regular  and   special   meetings   of   the Authority shall promptly be recorded in writing and, once approved by the Board as its minutes, open to the public for inspection. Minutes of executive sessions of such public bodies need only reflect the general subject matter of discussion in such executive session.

Minute books for the Authority shall be kept in the administrative office and, upon request and reasonable notice shall be available for public inspection during normal business hours in that office.

If copies of specific minutes are requested they shall be available at a cost of $1.00 per page.  The total cost for such minutes must be paid in cash, certified check or money order. (Adopted Minutes October 5, 1995.)