ARTICLE I: This organization shall be known as:

The Hiram Comprehensive Planning Group (HCPG). The mailing address will be Post Office Box 65,  Hiram, Ohio 44234-0065.

ARTICLE II: The organizational structure shall be:

An organization recognized by local governing agencies (including but not limited to the Hiram Village Council, Hiram Village Planning Commission, Hiram Township Trustees, Hiram Township Zoning, Hiram College, Portage County Regional Planning Commission). The Group consists of a voluntary, non-compensated membership established under the laws of the State of Ohio and under the federal 501 (c)(3) regulations governing not-for-profit organizations. These bylaws define how the HCPG fulfills its responsibilities in keeping with its purposes, powers, and duties.

ARTICLE III: The purpose of this organization is to:

Serve the residents, land owners, and people employed within Hiram Township, Portage County, Ohio including Hiram Village and Hiram College (thus establishing jurisdiction and boundaries) in future land use planning, economic development, and community growth. HCPG is a research, educational, advisory organization designed to provide information to the governing officials of Portage County, Hiram Township, Hiram Village, and Hiram College.  HCPG has no legislative or judicial authority.

ARTICLE IV: The HCPG will meet monthly at a designated time and place being:

At 7:00 pm on the fourth Wednesday of each month in the Hiram Christian Church basement until amended. Members will be notified of special meetings – held at other than standard place, date, and time - by telephone, e-mail, or letter with at least 48 hours of the special meeting. A special meeting of the membership can be called by the Chairman with consensus of at least one other officer. When any such “special” meeting is called, all members must be notified in the most efficient and effective method.

An annual meeting of the HCPG will be held, where election of the Secretary if needed, a review of  these bylaws, the year’s accomplishments, setting future goals, and other relevant activities are carried out. This annual be the January meeting if possible. See Section V. 1. b. iii of these bylaws.

ARTICLE V: Operating Policies and Procedures

1.      Issues and Concerns

a.       Issues for voting

                                                                           i.      Issues for voting brought before the Group will be decided by a majority vote from all delegates.  There will be four (4) delegates from each entity (three (3) regular delegates and one (1) alternate delegate). Only the regular delegates may vote unless one is absent from a meeting, and then the entity’s alternate delegate may vote and serve as a regular delegate during that meeting. The Chairman may vote to break a tie. 

b.      Amendments

                                                                           i.      These bylaws and operating procedures may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all delegates voting at a meeting provided the proposed amendment has been submitted to all delegates at least 60 days before the meeting.  These bylaws may also be amended by a two-thirds vote in a mail referendum.

                                                                         ii.      After passage of any bylaw change, it will become effective immediately, but may be subject to a final review and approval at a meeting three (3) months after its original passage. This will serve as a review of the bylaw change to see if it is accomplishing its intended purpose after being in effect and use for three (3) months. Unless a two-thirds vote overturns the bylaw change(s) at this meeting, the bylaw change will remain in effect.

                                                                        iii.      All bylaws will be reviewed annually at an anniversary meeting each January or, should a quorum not be available, within two months before or after each January.  Failure to review bylaws annually as described in this section will result in the current bylaws remaining effective until the next anniversary meeting.

2.      Limitations

a.       Quorums for meetings – A minimum of 6 delegates need to attend each meeting in order to have a voting quorum.  If not, any issue requiring a vote may not take place, but the meeting may continue. The Secretary is responsible for ensuring that the quorum is in place.

3.      Membership Criteria

a.       Eligibility

                                                                           i.      Members must either be employed within and/or have their primary residence located within the boundaries of Hiram Township including Hiram Village. A primary residence is one where one lives more than six (6) months out of each year.

                                                                         ii.      Members must be at least 18 years of age.

                                                                        iii.      Those qualifying under i. and ii. above, may become an official member of HCPG by registering with the HCPG Secretary.

                                                                       iv.      Membership will be maintained by attending at least four (4) meetings per year.

                                                                         v.      Up to three non-voting members residing outside of Hiram Township/Hiram Village, serving as advisory positions may be selected from affiliated organizations e.g., government bodies, state, county or local officials, school board members, etc.

b.      Dues

                                                                           i.      There are currently no dues associated with membership.

                                                                         ii.      Printing, mailing, postage, research, and other expenses will be encountered and a way of financing same must be determined e.g. dues, grants, entity contributions, sponsorships, etc.

4.      Group Duties and Responsibilities

a.       Group committees should include but are not limited to –

                                                                           i.      Finance/Budget Committee

                                                                         ii.      Membership Committee

                                                                        iii.      Website Committee

                                                                       iv.      Research Committee

1.      Transfer of Development Right legislation

2.      Public opinion about land development from the three entities

                                                                         v.      Marketing and Public Relations Committee

                                                                       vi.      Area Economic Development Committee

                                                                      vii.      Fund Raising Committee

b.      Committee members may serve on more than one (1) committee

5.      Group Officers

a.       Officers will serve on a voluntary basis without compensation.

b.      Ranking

                                                                           i.      Officers of HCPG are as follows:

1.      Chairman

2.      Vice Chairman/Treasurer

3.      Secretary

c.       Officer’s Duties and Responsibilities

                                                                           i.      Chairman

1.      Conduct orderly and structured monthly meetings.

2.      Obtain approval of or amendments to prior meeting minutes.

3.      Establish an agenda for each meeting.

4.      Introduce issues, concerns, or projects to come before the HCPG.

5.      Appoint committee chairs

6.      At the point of ‘any other business’ – the last agenda item, the Chairman opens the meeting to the floor.

7.      Setting the next meeting time and date etc.

                                                                         ii.      Vice Chairman/Treasurer

1.      The Deputy Chair will take the place of the Chair if he/she is absent from meetings and when he/she retires – there is an automatic replacement in place.

                                                                        iii.      Secretary

1.      Take the tally votes from delegates on important issues

2.      Distribute the minutes to the Committee.

3.      Take, organize, and print the meeting minutes.

6.      Elections

a.       Officer Candidates

                                                                           i.      No more than three candidates may run for election (be on the ballot) for any one officer’s position.

b.      Officers of HCPG will be elected by secret ballot.

c.       Elected officers will serve HCPG for a period of two (2) years.

d.      At the completion of each officer’s two-year term, he/she will rotate positions e.g., Chairman will retire, Vice Chairman/Treasurer moves to Chairman, Secretary moves to Vice Chairman/Treasure.

e.       In order to help insure equal representation for the people, no more than one officer will be elected from each entity’s three delegates.

f.        Every two (2) years the Secretary has to be elected from the remaining unrepresented entity.                                       

7.      Delegates

a.       The delegates of HCPG shall compose of nine (9) members.  There will be three (3) delegates and one (1) alternate delegate chosen to serve on the HCPG by each of the following entities:

                                                                           i.      Hiram Township

                                                                         ii.      Hiram Village

                                                                        iii.      Hiram College

b.      Each entity may select its own criteria and procedures for electing or appointing delegates to the HCPG.

c.       Delegates will be appointed by their respective entities to serve for a period of six (6) years.

d.      Delegates may be reappointed by their entities to serve additional terms at the entity’s discretion.

e.       Entities may appoint their delegates and their alternate delegates at their discretion.

f.        The three (3) HCPG Officers will be selected from the nine (9) delegates.

g.       For the first term of office of the HCPG, the Chairman will be nominated by and from the nine (9) delegates. Thereafter, the Vice Chairman/Treasurer will be nominated by the nine (9) delegates from a different entity than the Chairman represents.  Then the Secretary will be nominated by the nine (9) delegates from the three remaining delegates from the non-participating entity.

Example:  The nine (9) delegates nominate and vote for a Chairman who happens to be one of Hiram Township’s delegates. The nine (9) delegates must now nominate and vote for a Vice Chairman/Treasure from the remaining six (6) delegates from Hiram Village and Hiram College. Once accomplished, the secretary will be chosen in a similar manner from the remaining unrepresented entity.

8.      Appointments

a.       Committee chairman

                                                                           i.      The chairmen of committees may be appointed by the committee members.

b.      Committee members will be chosen from the membership at large by members volunteering for such position.

c.       Committees should not exceed five members or have less than three.

9.      Resignations/removals

a.      An officer, delegate, or committee member may resign at any time upon written notification to the HCPG chair. Such resignation becomes effectively immediately unless the HCPG chair and the resigning delegate set a specific effective date.

b.      An officer, delegate, or member may be removed upon the two-thirds vote of the delegates. An officer, delegate, or member shall be subject to automatic removal upon the loss of eligibility for service as defined Article V, 3.

c.       If an officer’s term becomes vacant, it is expected the entity where the vacancy was created will appoint a replacement delegate.

                                                                          i.      If the vacating officer is the chairman or vice chairman/treasure and has less than six months left in the 2-year term, then the normal officer rotation process as outlined in these bylaws will immediately commence. If the vacating officer’s term has greater than six months left, then the delegates shall attempt to choose a successor for that term from the remaining two (2) delegates and one (1) alternate delegate left representing the vacated officer’s entity. That appointed successor shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term at which time a new officer will be selected according to the regular rotation process outlined in these bylaws.

                                                                        ii.      If the created vacancy was the secretary, then a new secretary will be selected by the delegates from the same entity that created the vacancy.  That successor shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term at which time a new secretary will be selected and the normal rotation process outlined in these bylaws will occur.

                                                                      iii.      Delegates appointed or selected from any of the three (3) entities should not accept their delegate position if they are unable or unwilling to serve as an officer.

                                                                      iv.      Entities may choose their own criteria and process for selecting their delegates. 

10.  Ethics, Conflict of Commitment, and Conflict of Interest

a.       The officers of HCPG shall always act in the best interest of the people they represent, being the residents and employees located throughout Hiram Township, Hiram Village, and Hiram College.

b.      A conflict of commitment occurs when a HCPG officer’s and/or delegate’s commitment to external activities interferes or appears to interfere with his or her capacity to meet his/her HCPG responsibilities.

c.       A conflict of interest may take many forms but arises when an HCPG delegate or officer might be able to use his or her HCPG position to:

                                                                           i.       influence HCPG’s business decisions in ways to give improper advantage to oneself, a family member, or associate.

                                                                         ii.      to obtain for oneself, a family member, or associate a financial benefit from HCPG’s activities.

d.      A HCPG delegate must declare any known or suspected conflict of interest or conflict of commitment to the chairman or secretary of HCPG.  In such instances, the member shall

                                                                           i.      declare the nature and extent of the interest as soon as possible and no later than the meeting at which the issue is to be considered;

                                                                         ii.      if the committee deems the conflict to be substantial, refrain from taking part in discussion or voting in relation to the matter; and…

                                                                        iii.      withdraw from the meeting when the matter is being discussed if requested to do so by a majority of the delegates present at the meeting.

e.       Where any member of HCPG is of the opinion that a conflict of interest or conflict of commitment exists with any delegate that has not been declared, HCPG may declare, by a resolution carried by two-thirds of a quorum of delegates present at the meeting, that a conflict of interest exists and a member thus found to be in conflict shall

                                                                           i.      refrain from taking part in any discussion or vote related to the matter; and

                                                                         ii.      withdraw from the meeting when the matter is being discussed if requested to do so by a majority of the members present at the meeting.
 

11.  Equity and nondiscrimination

a.       No person will be discriminated against based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age (if 18 years of age or over), handicap, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status or what ever is appropriate to at least meet, if not exceed the legal requirements.