Rules of Procedure

RULES OF PROCEDURE
OF THE
KENT COUNTY EMPLOYEE COUNCIL
Adopted by the Kent County Employee Council on: 3/17/86
Approved by the Kent County Levy Court on: 3/11/86
Revised and Approved by Kent County Levy Court on: 7/5/88
Revised and Approved by Kent County Levy Court on: 3/14/2000
Revised and Approved by Kent County Levy Court on: 9/30/2003

RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE KENT COUNTY EMPLOYEE COUNCIL

ARTICLE I. Authority
Section I. The Kent County Employee Council was authorized by the Kent County Levy Court at its February 7, 1984 meeting.

ARTICLE II. Name of Organization
Section I. The name of this organization shall be the Kent County Employee Council, hereinafter referred to as the Council.

ARTICLE III. Members
Section I. The Council shall consist of seven (7) members elected by the classified employees of Kent County and who shall serve for a term of two (2) years. Four (4) members shall be elected one (1) year, three (3) members the following year.
Section II. The Council shall conduct an election during the first two weeks of February, at which time representatives from the various departments and offices will meet and tally votes for the members of the Council to be elected that year.
Section III. The term of newly elected Council members shall become effective the first meeting in March following their election.

ARTICLE IV. Eligibility
Section I. Members shall be employees in the classified service as defined in the Kent County Personnel Ordinance. No more than two members may work in the same department/office.
Section II. Council members shall receive no additional compensation for attending meetings or participating in sponsored/hosted activities. Likewise, Council members shall not have his/her pay reduced for participating in meetings and events, provided permission was previously secured from the member's department head.

ARTICLE V. Officers
Section I . At its first business meeting in March, the Council shall elect from it's membership a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer who shall serve a term of one (1) year.
Section II. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Council and shall perform such duties or delegate duties as required under the Rules of Procedure of the Council.
Section III. The Vice President shall act for the President in his/her absence.
Section IV. The Secretary shall take and prepare the Council minutes, distribute the minutes to the Council members, and post the minutes for the information of all the employees.
Section V. The Treasurer shall receive and properly account for monies expended and shall insure that an in-house audit is performed in February, and verified by the Council members.

ARTICLE VI. Vacancies
Section I. Vacancies on the Council caused by death, resignation or termination may be filled for the unexpired term by the employee who received the next highest number of votes in the previous election. Council, at its discretion, may also hold a special election to fill the unexpired term if necessary.
Section II. Any Council member who fails to attend 75% of the regular and special meetings in any twelve (12) month period or fails to attend three (3) or more consecutive regular meetings, without an excuse acceptable to the President, shall be deemed to have resigned and the vacancy shall be filled as herein provided.

ARTICLE VII. Meetings
Section I. The President shall insure that a notice of meeting is posted, that an agenda is prepared and that the Council=s correspondence is attended to in a timely fashion. The Secretary shall insure that the minutes and records of the Council are kept for as long as their term and then presented to the newly elected secretary.
Section II. Business meetings of the Council will be held once each month, usually the third Wednesday, at a publicly-designated place specified by the Council, unless there is no pending business before the Council.
Section III. A majority of the membership of the Council (4 members) shall constitute a quorum and the presence of a quorum shall be necessary to conduct a meeting or transact business.
Section IV. Every effort will be made to provide notice of the time and place of the monthly business meetings conducted by the Council.

ARTICLE VIII. Purpose and Duties
Section I. The Council shall discuss issues with and assist the Personnel Director and/or County Administrator with matters relating to personnel rules and employee relations.
Section II. The President of the Employee Council will receive for distribution to members of the Council copies of all ordinances and resolutions, minutes of Levy Court meetings and minutes of Levy Court Committee meetings, wherein personnel rules and other issues relating to the County's employees are discussed. Excluded from this distribution will be minutes of any executive sessions permitted by the State Freedom of Information Act.
Section III. The Council shall select an employee each month to be recognized as the Employee of the Month from the nominations submitted. Nominations submitted shall be valid for a period of three (3) months.

ARTICLE IX. Amendments
Section I. Amendments to the Council's Rules of Procedure may be proposed by the Council from time to time for consideration by Levy Court.

ATTEST PRESIDENT, KENT COUNTY LEVY COURT DATE
ATTEST PRESIDENT KENT COUNTY EMPLOYEE COUNCIL DATE