Sacramento County Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force By-Laws
Article I. Name
Section 1.01
The name of this organization shall be the Sacramento County Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force (Task Force).
Article II. Authority
Section 2.01
The Task Force was established by Board of Supervisors Resolution #2020-0856, dated December 16, 2020.
Article III. Purpose
Section 3.01
The purpose of the Task Force is to serve as an advisory committee providing input, guidance, and assistance to County staff and the Board of Supervisors in the development and implementation of a comprehensive strategy to address Climate Change.
Article IV. Sponsor/Convener
Section 4.01
The Office of the County Executive and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors will provide the support and oversight of the Task Force.
Article V. Scope of Work
Section 5.01
The Task Force will provide expert and community advice to County staff and the Board of Supervisors on the policy and implementation framework for transitioning the unincorporated County to carbon neutrality by 2030 and beyond. This includes the efficient mobilization of public and private resources necessary to implement a climate and sustainability plan that identifies and integrates current and future actions necessary to achieve an equitable, sustainable and resilient community and economy.
Section 5.02
The scope of work shall be based upon principles of equity and shall be conducted with urgency. It will include, but not be limited to the following:
- (a) Input, guidance, oversight and assistance in the development of a Climate Emergency Response Plan outlining the County’s policy and funding approach to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and how it should integrate with implementation of the County’s Climate Action Plan.
- (b) Preparation of annual progress reports to the Board of Supervisors regarding the work of the Task Force. Such reports may be an individual “receive and file” report or may be combined with other existing annual reporting that occurs at the Board of Supervisors, such as the General Plan Annual report or future annual reporting pursuant to an Adopted Climate Action plan.
- (c) Establishment and facilitation of Technical Advisory or other Task Force-approved Sub-Committees as necessary to support the scope of work.
Other areas the Task Force may explore include:
- (d) Input, guidance, and assistance in the refinement and implementation of the GHG reduction measures and adaptation strategies contained in the County’s Climate Action Plan.
- (e) Input, guidance, and assistance in the identification of resources as well as funding necessary to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and any emergency actions necessary to meet the challenge.
- (f) Input, guidance, and assistance in outreach to and coordination with Sacramento County and other regional farmers, ranchers, producers, businesses, schools, non-profits, community based organizations, sustainability and climate committees, environmental justice organizations, trade and other professional organizations, and neighborhoods to identify the support necessary in conservation and regenerative practices that will reduce emissions and improve resiliency to extreme weather events. Such actions may include but are not limited to new emissions inventories, carbon and regenerative farming support and research, regional collaborations, transportation and land use analysis, equitable building electrification, and examination of water systems and solid waste emissions.
Article VI. Membership
Section 6.01
The Task Force will be composed of 13 members.
- (a) Six members will be appointed based on technical experience, one in each of the following categories: Air Quality, Agriculture, Built Environment, Economics, Energy, and Transit/Transportation.
- (b) Six members will be appointed representing Environmental Justice Leadership with special attention to selecting members so that geographic representation is distributed throughout the unincorporated County and with focus on existing Environmental Justice communities.
- (c) One member will be appointed representing youth.
Article VII. Terms
Section 7.01
To achieve the goal of assuring the Task Force membership does not turn over at once, for the initial terms, half of the topical and half of the Environmental Justice leaders will serve two-year terms and half will serve three-year terms. After this initial period, subsequent terms will be two years, thus providing an ongoing and stable staggering of terms.
Section 7.02
The Youth membership term is one year and may be automatically extended one year upon the request of the Youth member.
Section 7.03
There is no limit to how many consecutive terms a member may serve but they must re-apply and be selected for each subsequent term.
Section 7.04
Mid-term membership vacancies will be filled per the procedure outlined below as they occur and those appointed will serve for the remainder of the original term.
Section 7.05
All members will have one vote each and each member’s vote is unique to that member and may not be cast by anyone besides that member.
Section 7.06
Continuity of the discussions is essential to the success of this effort; therefore, alternates will not be seated.
Article VIII. Process to Fill Member Seats
Section 8.01
The County Executive or designee will identify members for the Task Force.
Section 8.02
Recommended appointees will be ratified by the Board of Supervisors.
Section 8.03
Members must comply with all State and County laws, ordinances, and regulations relating to conflict of interest and financial disclosure.
Section 8.04
New members must submit to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors a Conflict of Interest Form 700 within 30-days of ratification and on an annual basis thereafter.
Section 8.05
Members must complete ethics training (AB 1234) and submit proof of completion to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of ratification and every two years thereafter.
Article IX. Officers
Section 9.01
The general membership will select a Chair and Vice-Chair on an annual basis.
Section 9.02
The Chairperson shall preside over meetings and maintain orderly procedures as guided by the Brown Act and Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 9.03
The Chairperson will work with County staff to set the agenda and approve items for addition. Task force members may contact the Chairperson to request items be placed on the agenda.
Section 9.04
The Vice-Chair will preside over meetings in the absence of the Chair.
Section 9.05
In the absence or inability to act of both the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson, the members present shall select one of the members present to act as temporary Chairperson.
Section 9.06
The Clerk of the Board of Supervisors will be responsible for compiling and posting meeting action summaries, attendance, and records of votes.
Article X. Meetings
Section 10.01
The Task Force must meet at least monthly during the first 12 months of operations and at least quarterly thereafter, unless good cause for cancellation exists.
Section 10.02
The Task Force may establish technical advisory subcommittees or other subcommittees as necessary and provided for by law upon a simple majority vote of a quorum of appointed members present.
Section 10.03
All meetings will be conducted in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code §54950 et seq.) and topics shall be directly related to the Scope of Work (Article V).
Section 10.04
All meetings will have an agenda posted to the County website consistent with the Brown Act.
Section 10.05
Topics not on the agenda will not be acted upon but may receive limited discussion consistent with the Brown Act and may be considered for a future agenda.
Section 10.06
Actions will be taken by majority vote of a quorum of the appointed members present.
Section 10.07
The presence in-person or by remote device (as provided by existing law at the time of the meeting) of a majority of the appointed membership shall constitute a quorum.
Section 10.08
Subject matter experts may be invited to speak and shall be placed on the meeting agenda.
Section 10.09
Public attendees may provide off-agenda comments only during the off-agenda comment portion of the meeting.
Section 10.10
Public attendees may comment prior to any action on an agenda item based on the order of the agenda. Comments after an agenda item has closed are not permitted.
Section 10.11
The Chairperson shall have discretion to impose time limits for public comment.
Article XI. Absenteeism
Section 11.01
During a rolling 12-month period, Task Force members who miss more than 25% of meetings due to unexcused absences and/or 50% of meetings due to excused absences will be automatically removed from the Task Force.
Section 11.02
To be excused, absences must be communicated in writing (email acceptable) to and approved by the Chairperson. The Chairperson shall be responsible for notifying the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors of all approved absences in advance of a regularly scheduled meeting.
Article XII. Conflict of Interest
Section 12.01
Members who have a conflict of interest as defined by the Fair Political Practices Act, AB 1797 (January 1, 2003) and any other applicable state law regarding an agendized matter, must do the following:
- (a) Announce the conflict;
- (b) Describe the nature of the conflict; and
- (c) Recuse themselves and leave the meeting room until after disposition of the item giving rise to the conflict.
Article XII. Conflict of Interest
Section 13.01
Any proposed changes to these by-laws may be initiated by a majority vote of the appointed members present
Section 13.02
A vote to approve proposed changes may occur at any public meeting following the meeting wherein the change was initiated. Approval requires a 2/3 majority vote of a quorum of the appointed members present.
Section 13.03
Subsequent to an approval vote, the County Executive or designee shall review the proposed by-law changes and ratify them if in agreement. If not in agreement, the proposed changes will be sent back to the Task Force for revision.
Article XIV. Participation Stipends
Section 14.01
Each member of the Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force is eligible to receive seventy dollars ($70.00) for each official, scheduled meeting that they attend.
Section 14.02
In no event shall a Task Force Member be compensated for more than three meetings ($210.00) in any one calendar month; however, they are permitted to attend additional meetings without compensation.
Section 14.03
Compensation will be paid for all official, scheduled meetings. These include regular and special meetings of the Task Force and meetings of sub-committees which have been previously approved by the Task Force, upon validation and verification of Member attendance by County staff.
Section 14.04
Members may opt-out of receiving compensation.
Article XV. Removal from Membership
Section 15.01
Task Force Members shall conduct business and treat each other, staff and the public with kindness, equity and professionalism.
Section 15.02
Failure to comply with Task Force by-laws, County policies, or the Task Force Core Values and Guiding Principles (Exhibit A) may be grounds for removal.
Section 15.03
The County Executive or designee shall be the final authority regarding removal of any member pursuant to this Article.