VETERANS ADVISORY COUNCIL

CARROLL COUNTY, MARYLAND

By Laws

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of the Organization shall be: Veterans Advisory Council also known as the VAC or the Council. The Council was formed by the Board of County Commissioners and became effective on July 1, 2014. The Council shall operate in conjunction with the Department of Citizen’s Services.

ARTICLE II - MISSION

Mission Statement: To evaluate, develop and promote new and existing programs and services for Veterans and their families within Carroll County. ARTICLE III - VISION

Vision Statement: Carroll County offers our Veterans quality services and programs to ensure the enrichment and enhancement of life for our men and women and their families.

ARTICLE IV - PURPOSE

  1. The purpose of this Council is:
    1. To strengthen the common Veteran’s cause and ensure that the community is aware of Veterans’ rights and needs. To preserve the honor due to all
    2. To help Veterans and their families rapidly transition to civilian life in Carroll County. To establish contact with active duty service members who intend to reside in the County to help them avoid transition problems such as unemployment and homelessness as well as physical and mental health
    3. To work cooperatively with other County boards and Councils, and County staff with regard to policies, programs, and concerns relating to Veterans’ interests, and to establish and maintain a working relationship with all other agencies serving veterans within the
    4. To recognize and honor citizens in the County who distinguish themselves for community service, particularly in the area of Veterans‘ needs and concerns.
    5. To assist with promoting the services of the Carroll County Veteran Services
  2. The Council for Veterans, as an entity, shall not attempt to influence

legislation unless it pertains to Veterans’ concerns. VAC shall not participate in or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office, including the publishing or distributing of statements. Nothing in this Section shall prohibit individual members of the Council from participating in political activities including, but not limited to, seeking or holding public office.

 

ARTICLE V - MEMBERSHIP

  1. The Council shall consist of nine (9) voting members appointed by the Board of County
  2. At least two (2) of the members shall be a member of the general
  3. One (1) representative from the Maryland Department of Veterans
  4. One (1) representative from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Veterans Employment
  5. One (1) representative from each of the following organizations for a total of three (3) members:
    1. Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW);
    2. The American Legion; and
    3. Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
  6. At least one (1), representative submitted from any of the following organizations:
    1. The AMVETS;
    2. Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH);
    3. Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA);
    4. Marine Corps League (MCL); and
    5. The Women’s Army Corps (WAC).

The representative from each organization listed in Article V Sections 5 and 6 above shall be a resident of the County and a Veteran whose final separation from active service with a uniformed service of the United States was under honorable conditions.

 

  1. One (1) representative from Carroll Transit System, Operated by Ride with Us or its successor, shall serve as an Ex-Officio
  2. One (1) County Commissioner shall serve as an Ex-Officio
  3. The terms of office for the members of the Council shall be terms of three (3) years
  4. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired terms in the manner the appointments are initially made. The members shall continue in office until their successors are appointed and have qualified. Members shall be eligible for reappointment, but shall not serve more than 2 consecutive terms unless granted an exception by the County
  5. The name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of each VAC member shall be provided to the Staff Liaison annually prior to the 1st of January, or as required by changes in such
  6. Council members will complete any training as required by the Board of Carroll County
  7. Council members may not serve as a board member of the Veterans Independence Project (VIP).

 

ARTICLE VI - Voting

Each Council member shall have one vote on all matters that shall come before the Council. Council members must be present to vote.

ARTICLE VII - Staff Support

 

  1. The Staff Liaison of the VAC shall be a designee from the Department of Citizen
  2. The County shall provide the staff necessary to perform the administrative duties of the Council. Duties include:
    1. Timely notice of meetings, and
    2. Recording, transcribing and maintaining a permanent file of the minutes of the Council and,
    3. Receipt, preparation and transmittal of any correspondence of the Council as well as maintenance of a permanent file of such correspondence, and
    4. Other duties as may be requested by the

 

ARTICLE VIII - Termination

 

  1. All members serve at the pleasure of the Board of County Commissioners. The Board of County Commissioners may remove a Council member on its own motion or upon the recommendation of the Council. The Board of County Commissioners may remove a member when it determines that it is in the best interest of the Council or the County to do
  2. If the Council determines by a majority vote that a member should be removed, the chairperson of the Council shall report that recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners for its
  3. Resignations by members shall be submitted in writing to the Board of County
  4. If a Council member misses four meetings within a fiscal year, the Council may make a recommendation to the Board of Carroll County Commissioners to remove the

 

ARTICLE IX - MEETINGS

 

  1. All regular meetings of the Council will be scheduled on the Third Tuesday of each month unless otherwise directed by the
  2. A majority of the members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A majority of those present at any meeting shall be sufficient for any official action taken by the
  3. The Chair may call a special meeting of the VAC. These special meetings may be called with reasonable notice to the membership, giving the specific reason for such a meeting. The special meeting shall be limited to the special topic for which the meeting was
  4. Robert’s Rules of Order Revised, will be used to supplement these Administrative Procedures, when

 

ARTICLE X - OFFICERS, BOARDS AND APPOINTEES

At the regular meeting in June of each year, the members of the council shall elect a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson who shall serve for a period of one year beginning in July. The Council may elect other officers from its membership as it deems necessary.

ARTICLE XI - DUTIES OF OFFICERS

  1. CHAIR shall preside at all meetings; enforce the observance of the By-Laws, strive for achievement of the purpose and objective of the Council, and represent the VAC at accepted functions. The CHAIR may appoint standing committee chairpersons and other committee chairpersons as deemed necessary. If the Chair is unable to perform his/her regular duties he/she shall delegate the responsibilities of that office to the Vice
  2. VICE CHAIR shall assist the Chair in all functions and lead all meetings in the absence of the

 

ARTICLE XII – REPORTS

 The Council shall submit an annual report to the Director of Citizens Services for forwarding to the County Commissioners concerning its activities and recommendations.

ARTICLE XIII – AUTHORITY AND AMENDMENTS

 These Bylaws shall take effect and be in force when executed by an affirmative vote of the majority of voting Council members and by an affirmative vote of the County Commissioners.

These Bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Council by an affirmative vote of a quorum of the voting Council members provided the amendment has been submitted in writing and distributed to all voting members of the Council. Such amendments shall then be submitted for approval to the County Commissioners. Approval by the County Commissioners is necessary before any amendments may take effect.

 

ARTICLE XIV - POLICY

  1. The Veterans Advisory Council shall not adopt policies in conflict with the Constitution of the United States of America, the State of Maryland and/or the Code of Public Laws and Ordinances of Carroll
  2. VAC shall not be used as an influence, directly or indirectly, in any political election or activity for personal
  3. No member of the VAC shall, without proper-delegated authority, obligate or incur any liabilities in the name of the Carroll County Veterans Advisory Council.

 

Date adopted: April 26, 2018