4.2a EMRUSR 01-14-20259 „
Elk M
paMunicil Utilities
COMMISSION POLICY
Section:
Governance
Category:
Governance Policies
Policy Reference:
Policy Title:
G.2g
Commission Committees
PURPOSE:
With this policy, the Commission establishes and communicates its purposes and the means by
which it creates and empowers committees to assist the Commission in its work. This policy
applies to any group formed by Commission action, whether or not it is called a committee and
whether or not the group includes Commission members. It does not apply to committees formed
under the authority of the General Manager.
POLICY:
Commission committees, when created, will be used to reinforce the wholeness of the
Commission and never to interfere with the delegation of authority from the Commission to the
General Manager or to any officer of the Commission. Commission committees will not have
direct involvement with current management and staff employee functions.
Consistent with this general statement:
The Commission will use committees sparingly and only for as long as required to
accomplish its purposes. Committees may be appropriate in circumstances where the
Commission recognizes the need for more in-depth review of information and issues, and
where a committee is the best way to make effective and efficient use of available
Commission member expertise and time. Committees may also be appropriate where it is
necessary or desirable for the Commission to visibly demonstrate regulatory compliance or
accountability to its stakeholders (e.g. Financial Reserves and Investments Committee).
2. Committees ordinarily will assist the Commission in the following specific ways by:
a. Monitoring organization performance metrics and related information;
b. Preparing policy alternatives and their implications for Commission deliberation and
action;
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ERMU Commission Policy — G.2g Commission Committees
c. Determining the level of compliance with existing Commission policies and evaluating
the results of policy compliance or non-compliance.
3. When the Commission creates a committee, it will develop and approve by resolution a
written committee charter that sets forth the purposes, duration, expected outcomes,
leadership, membership, delegated authority, available resources, and other information
needed for the committee to function successfully. The General Manager will designate
management/staff committee members if so requested. The Commission, by majority vote,
will appoint Commission members to committees and remove or replace them, as
appropriate. The Commission, by majority vote, will also appoint, remove, and replace a
Committee Chair, Vice -Chair and any other positions of leadership that the Commission
determines appropriate.
4. The Commission recognizes that appointments to a Committee provide opportunities for
learning and Governance development. Accordingly, the Commission endeavors to appoint
Commission members to committee leadership positions who do not already hold a
Commission office.
5. The Commission will review the committee charter and performance of any standing
committee at least annually to determine if changes are required or if the committee is still
required.
6. Commission committees may not convene a meeting that includes a quorum of the
Commission.
7. Commission committees may not speak or act for the Commission except when formally
given such authority for specific and time -limited purposes. Expectations and authorities will
be carefully stated in order not to conflict with authority delegated to the General Manager or
Commission Chair.
8. Commission committees may not exercise authority over management and staff employees.
The General Manager is accountable to the whole Commission and is not required to obtain
approval of any Commission committee before taking an executive action.
9. Commission committees will avoid relating to or identifying with discrete parts of the
organization rather than the whole. A Commission committee that has helped the
Commission create policy on a particular subject will not be used to monitor organizational
performance on that same subject, except with specific Commission approval.
POLICY HISTORY:
Adopted May 9, 2017
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