BRTB Bylaws
Bylaws for the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (pdf, 29 kb) [Download a copy]
Preface
Article I - Name
Article II - Mission
Article III - Membership
Article IV - Internal Organization
Article V - Meetings
Article VI - Miscellaneous
Preface
These Bylaws describe the form, function and rules of procedure for the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board (BRTB), that has been designated the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Baltimore region.
The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board is authorized as the MPO for the Baltimore region by "Agreement on Redesignation of the Baltimore Metropolitan Planning Organization," a memorandum of understanding signed by the chief elected officials of the Baltimore jurisdictions of the City of Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, and Howard County; and the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is the role and purpose of the BRTB to provide transportation policy and oversee the federal transportation planning process for the Baltimore region.
The Baltimore Metropolitan Planning Organization shall be hereafter referred to as the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board or BRTB.
The mission and purpose of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board are to carry out the metropolitan transportation planning process as mandated by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and its successors. These laws call for the MPO to provide a "continuing, cooperative, and comprehensive transportation planning process that results in plans and programs that consider all transportation modes and supports the metropolitan community development and social goals."1
Consistent with the direction provided by Federal transportation law, Maryland Smart Growth initiatives, and regional policy priorities, the mission of the BRTB is to develop, promote and ensure implementation of a regional transportation plan that:
(A) supports the economic vitality of the metropolitan area;
(B) increases the safety and security of the transportation system for motorized and nonmotorized users;
(C) increases the accessibility and mobility options available for people and freight;
(D) protects the environment, promotes energy conservation, and improves quality of life;
(E) enhances the integration and connectivity of the transportation system across and between modes for people and freight;
(F) promotes efficient transportation system management and operation;
(G) emphasizes the preservation of the existing transportation system; and
(H) promotes an efficient relationship between land-use and transportation that maximizes the use of existing and future public programs and infrastructure.
The activities performed by BRTB to comply with this mission include:
1. Organizing, overseeing and managing the planning process in compliance with current federal requirements. Specific responsibilities of the BRTB include, but are not limited to the following:
a) to receive and act upon planning products from the Technical Committee, as organized in Article IV, Section V, developed in compliance with current federal metropolitan planning regulations;
b) to review and comment upon the transportation element of the State Air Quality Implementation Plan (SIP);
c) to develop, approve and implement the Baltimore Regional Transportation Plan (BRTP), the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and to determine conformity of the BRTP and TIP with the SIP in accordance with the Federal Clean Air Act, as amended;
d) to develop and approve the annual Unified Planning Work Program and Budget(UPWP);
e) to ensure that locally adopted plans and the regionally adopted cooperative forecast are reflected in the work carried out through the UPWP;
f) to manage the progress of UPWP projects;
g) to assure the development of work programs that fulfill the objectives of the UPWP and to assure that the approved UPWP is consistent between the BRTB and the contractual arrangements with the Unified Planning Work Program funded staff, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the local jurisdictions or other entities contracted by the BRTB for execution of the work program;
h) to facilitate and encourage early and meaningful public involvement in the transportation planning and decision-making processes;
i) to develop and maintain a comprehensive public involvement and outreach plan as an integral part of the transportation planning process. This plan would be reviewed annually and modified as appropriate;
j) to review and, if necessary, modify or amend the regional transportation planning process for compliance with the U.S. Department of Transportation's certification of the planning process;
k) to examine long and short range transportation funding requirements and potential revenue sources and to make recommendations on a preferred approach for securing necessary funds; and
l) to examine and consider regionally significant land use issues, plans and programs as they relate to transportation planning for the region.
2. Providing direction to and receive policy related support from the Technical Committee of the BRTB.
3. Providing policy direction and oversight to meet Federal and State environmental requirements for attaining air quality standards as required by the Federal Clean Air Act as amended.
Section I - Voting Membership
The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board voting membership shall consist of:
The Mayor of the City of Annapolis
The Mayor of the City of Baltimore
County Executive, Anne Arundel County
County Executive, Baltimore County
President of the Carroll County Board of Commissioners, Carroll County
County Executive, Harford County
County Executive, Howard County
Secretary of Transportation, State of Maryland
Members of the BRTB must submit to the Chairperson of the BRTB a letter of authorization designating an individual empowered with the rights and responsibilities of BRTB membership to act in place of the BRTB member. This individual will be identified as the empowered designee of the BRTB member and shall assume any and all official responsibilities so conferred upon a jurisdiction or agency in the absence of the member without exception. This letter shall also name an alternate individual to act in place of the empowered designee when he or she is similarly unable to perform the functions of the BRTB member on occasions when the BRTB member is unable to act in his or her own behalf.
Section II - Non-voting Membership
Non-voting members of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board sit with the voting members of the BRTB during meetings and contribute to the discussion of business. Non-voting members of the BRTB include:
- Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning
-
Secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment
-
Administrator of the Maryland Transit Administration
Section III - Ex-officio Members
Ex-officio members of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board typically do not sit with the voting members. Their contributions to discussion are less frequent and are typically made in an advisory capacity. Ex-officio members of the BRTB include:
- Maryland Division Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration
- The Region III Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration
- Executive Director of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council
Section IV - Designation of Alternates for Non-voting and Ex-Officio Members
Non-voting and ex-officio members may annually submit a letter to the Chairperson of the BRTB naming an individual to attend meetings of the BRTB in his or her capacity in the event that the non-voting or ex-officio member is unable to attend a regular or special meeting of the BRTB.
Article IV - Internal Organization
Section I - Officers
The officers of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and such other officers as the BRTB shall determine from time to time. Only voting members of the BRTB shall be officers. Officers shall be elected by jurisdiction or agency by the members, or his/her empowered designee, of the BRTB. Authorized empowered designees under Article III, Section I shall assume any and all official responsibilities so empowered upon a jurisdiction or agency in the absence of the member without exception.
Section II - Term of Office
The Chairperson's term of office shall be one year or until a successor is appointed for a maximum of two one-year terms. The term extends from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.
The Vice-Chairperson's term of office shall be one year, concurrent with the term of the Chairperson. The number of terms served by the Vice-Chairperson is not limited.
In the event that the Vice-Chairperson assumes the office of the Chairperson, he/she shall be considered to have served a full term as Chairperson if more than six months remain in that term. If the office is assumed within the last six months of the Chairperson's term, he/she shall not be considered to have served a full term for the purpose of standing for election as Chairperson for two consecutive terms.
Section III - Secretarial Duties
The Director of the UPWP and his or her assigned staff shall supply the secretarial duties required to support the activities and correspondence of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board. In this capacity, the Director shall record, or supervise the recording of, and distribute to members the minutes of all meetings of the BRTB.
The Director and his/her assigned staff shall also support each of the BRTB Committees as noted in Article IV in the Sections that follow.
Section IV - Executive Committee
An Executive Committee of the BRTB shall be established which shall consist of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson, and the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation. The Director of the UPWP will attend meetings and provide administrative support to the Committee.
The role of the Executive Committee is to establish an annual calendar of items requiring approval or certification, to ensure that all matters of significance are brought before the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board at the proper time, to provide guidance to the Director of the UPWP in preparing the agenda for each meeting, and to ensure that the Chairperson is properly briefed on issues relating to transportation plans and policies in the region. This Committee shall also have the power to adopt all amendments to the current Transportation Improvement Program that do not affect air quality conformity.
The Director of the UPWP or his or her assigned staff shall be responsible for the presentation of a report of issues reviewed by the Executive Committee at a given meeting to be distributed to all BRTB members prior to the next BRTB meeting. With the advice and approval of the Executive Committee, the Director, or his or her assigned staff, shall prepare the agenda for meetings; record minutes of the Executive Committee; and be the custodian of all records for the Committee. In addition, on behalf of the Executive Committee, the Director shall certify, where required, copies of records and shall perform other such duties as may be directed by the Executive Committee.
Section V - Technical Committee
The Technical Committee of the BRTB shall consist of one representative from each voting member jurisdiction or agency. A non-voting and ex-officio representative to the Committee may be provided from each agency represented as non-voting and ex-officio members of the BRTB as provided in Article Ill, Sections 2 and 3 of these Bylaws. The Director of the UPWP may designate one or more staff to assist in the preparation of meeting agendas, materials for distribution and the recording of minutes.
The Technical Committee shall be responsible for overseeing work efforts outlined in the annual Unified Planning Work Program and reviewing/coordinating UPWP efforts by Unified Planning Work Program funded staff, State agencies, and the local jurisdictions. The Technical Committee shall be operated through the direction of a Chairperson who shall be elected by the Technical Committee membership on an annual basis. The term of the Chairperson shall follow the same term as the officers of the BRTB. At no time shall the Chairperson of the Technical Committee be from the same jurisdiction or agency as the Chairperson of the BRTB and otherwise will follow the Bylaws of the BRTB. The Chairperson of the Technical Committee shall prepare and present a report of the Technical Committee's activities at each regularly scheduled BRTB meeting. Functions of the Technical Committee shall be guided by the Rules of Procedure adopted by the BRTB.
Section VI - Citizens Advisory Committee
The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board shall establish and maintain a Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) as an advisory body with the responsibility of providing advice to the BRTB on policies, plans, programs, budgets and to assist in community outreach. The CAC shall be provided with staff assistance from the Unified Planning Work Program funded staff to assist the Committee in carrying out their responsibilities. At a minimum, the CAC shall advise the BRTB on the following major activities and work products:
- The Unified Planning Work Program;
- The Baltimore Regional Transportation Plan;
- The Transportation Improvement Program;
- Amendments to the TIP that affect the region's conformity with federal air quality requirements;
- Regionally significant land use and transportation issues, plans and programs; and
- The BRTB Public Involvement Plan.
The membership of the CAC shall include a full range of interested individuals and representatives of affected non-governmental agencies and groups, such as neighborhood and civic organizations, business and environmental groups, public interest groups, providers of transportation services and traditionally underserved constituencies such as minorities, the elderly and disabled. Membership, to the extent practical, shall include representatives of the various regional jurisdictions represented on the BRTB to provide citizen representation from these areas. The BRTB shall provide a non-voting liaison to the CAC.
The CAC shall be governed by its own set of Bylaws, which shall be developed by the CAC and reviewed and approved by the BRTB. The CAC shall submit an annual report of activities to the BRTB.
Section VII - Selection of Officers
In any regular election, the Chairperson of the BRTB shall appoint a three-member Nominating Committee of representatives of the BRTB in April. The Nominating Committee shall report its recommendations for Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson at the May meeting. Nominees shall be named by jurisdiction or agency and may include the Secretary of Transportation. The chief elected officials from those jurisdictions or the appointed State officials shall be the elected officers. The vote for officers shall be taken at the June meeting.
Section VIII - Duties of the Officers
The Chairperson or his/her empowered designee, as provided for under Article III, Section I, of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board shall preside at all BRTB meetings and, as directed by the BRTB, sign communications for the BRTB and perform other duties as may be necessary to conduct the business of the BRTB. The Chairperson of the BRTB or his/her empowered designee, at any particular time, may appoint subcommittees and/or task forces consisting of members or non-members of the BRTB, as the BRTB deems advisable for the furtherance of its objectives. These subcommittees shall report all findings to the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board. The BRTB Chairperson or his/her empowered designee shall serve as an ex-officio member of all Baltimore Regional Transportation Board subcommittees and task forces.
In the absence of the Chairperson or his/her empowered designee, as provided for under Article III, Section I, the Vice-Chairperson or his/her empowered designee shall assume the duties of that office.
Section I - Regular Meetings
There shall be regular meetings of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board whenever sufficient agenda items require the attention of the BRTB members, no fewer than eleven times per year. Regular meetings shall be scheduled at a time and location mutually agreeable to the membership of the BRTB. All meetings of the BRTB shall be governed by the Maryland Open Meetings Act and the Maryland Public Information Act. All meetings of the BRTB will be accessible to persons with disabilities.
A quorum of chief elected and appointed officials, as named in Article III, Section I shall convene in their capacity as the BRTB at least once per year. These meetings shall be dedicated to the consideration of items of particular policy or funding interest to the BRTB and the region, including but not limited to:
- The Transportation Improvement Program
- The Baltimore Regional Transportation Plan
- The Unified Planning Work Program
- The Public Involvement Plan (PIP) and PIP revisions
- The BRTB Vision
All meetings of the BRTB shall allow for public comment regarding all aspects of the transportation planning process.
Section II - Special Meetings
Special meetings requiring a formal action or vote by the BRTB may be called at any time with a ten-to-fourteen (10-14) calendar day notice by the Chairperson or his/her empowered designee of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board. Special meetings may also be called by the Chairperson or his/her empowered designee upon the request of no less than one-third of the voting members of the BRTB.
Section III - Open Meetings
All regular and special meetings of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board shall be open to the public, subject to the Maryland Open Meetings Law. The minutes and all materials presented to the BRTB at such meetings shall be public record and shall be available for review at a place determined by the BRTB.
Section IV - Meetings of Committees, Sub-committees and Task Forces
Unless specified otherwise, meetings of committees, sub-committees and task forces of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board shall operate using the same rules as the BRTB.
Section V - Notice of BRTB Meetings
The Director of the UPWP or his or her assigned staff shall mail a notification of BRTB meetings to each of the members of the BRTB, the Chair of the CAC, and members of the public who request a notification of BRTB meetings not less than fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the date of any BRTB meeting. This notice shall state the time and place of such meeting and the general business to be transacted. The Director of the UPWP shall also continuously inform the membership of the BRTB as to the issues that need to be discussed at the next several meetings of the BRTB and the time when decisions need to be made.
Persons interested in receiving meeting notifications shall contact the Director of the UPWP to be added to the BRTB mailing list. Every attempt shall be made to adhere to the fourteen (14) calendar day public notice to all other meetings of the BRTB, including meetings of BRTB committees, sub-committees and task forces, with the exception of the Executive Committee.
Section VI - Quorum
Not less than five (5) of the voting BRTB members or the empowered designees of the BRTB members shall constitute a quorum.
Section VII - Voting
All actions of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board shall be by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present. All actions of the BRTB committees, sub-committees and task forces shall be a majority vote of all members of the specified committee present at the time of the vote.
Section I - Amendments
Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed at any meeting of the Baltimore Regional Transportation Board after they have been submitted in writing to the Chairperson or his/her empowered designee of the BRTB. The Director of the UPWP and his or her assigned staff shall mail to each member of the BRTB a copy of the proposed amendment to the Bylaws at least fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting where a vote of approval is taken. Amendments must be approved by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the voting members of the BRTB.
Section II - Parliamentary Authority
Robert's Rules of Order, current edition, shall govern in all cases wherein they do not conflict with these Bylaws.
The effective date of the above Bylaws shall be July 26, 2000; Amended April 24, 2007 and March 22, 2011.
123 CFR Part 450, Metropolitan Planning Rule, October 28, 1993
For more information:
Regina Aris, raris@baltometro.org or 410-732-9572.
Links to other web sites:
Last Updated on Tuesday, 29 March 2011 12:33