04-25-2023 (Animal Shelter) Bylaws CITY OF WYLIE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY BOARD BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
Name
Section 1. The City of Wylie Animal Shelter Advisory Board is hereby
established to act in an advisory capacity to the city council and to assist the city in
complying with the requirements of Chapter 823 of the Texas Health and Safety
Code.
Section 2. As authorized by the City Charter, City of Wylie and City Ordinance
No. 2003-11, this body shall be known as the Animal Shelter Advisory Board.
ARTICLE II
Members
Section 1. Number of Members/Qualified Appointment/Terms. The Board
shall consist of seven (7) members. The Board shall consist of one licensed
veterinarian, one member of the City Council of the City of Wylie, Texas, The Animal
Services Manager of the City of Wylie, Texas (whose duties include the daily
operation of the Wylie animal shelter), one representative from an animal welfare
organization, and three (3) residents of the City of Wylie, Texas, with all Board
members appointed by the City Council for a term of two (2) years, with the
exception of the Animal Shelter Manager who shall be a permanent member of the
board. With the adoption of Ordinance 2023-10, the initial terms are amended as
follows:
(a) Licensed Veterinarian term expires 6/2024
(b) Member of City Council term expires 6/2025
(c) Animal Welfare Organization representative term expires 6/2023
(d) Resident (1) of the City term expires 6/2024
(e) Resident (2) of the City term expires 6/2025
(f) Resident (3) of the City term expires 6/2025
Animal Shelter Advisory Board Bylaws 1
Section 2. At the conclusion of the above initial terms, members shall serve a
staggered two (2) year term. Except for the animal services manager, no board
member shall serve for more than three (3) consecutive terms or six (6) consecutive
years (whichever is less); provided, however, that should a board member's
replacement not be qualified upon the expiration of any term of a board member,
then that board member shall holdover on the board until a qualified replacement
board member has been appointed.
Section 3. In addition to Board members, the City Manager may appoint a
staff designee as an ex officio member of the Board, who shall have no right to vote
on any matter before the Board. Each Board member shall serve without
compensation but may be reimbursed for actual expenses approved in advance by
the City Council.
ARTICLE III
Meetings
Section 1. The Animal Shelter Advisory Board shall meet at least three (3)
times per year and any additional meetings as may be called.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the Chair or at the call of any
two members of the Board, provided that notice thereof be given in writing to the
Chair or Vice Chair.
Section 3. Four (4) Board members shall constitute a quorum of the Board for
the purpose of conducting its business, exercising its power, and for all other
purposes. No action of the Board shall be valid or binding unless adopted by the
affirmative vote of a majority of those Board members present and voting.
Animal Shelter Advisory Board Bylaws 2
Section 4. No action of the Board shall be valid or binding unless adopted by
the affirmative vote of a majority of those Board members present and voting.
Section 5. When vacancies occur on the Board, the City Council shall appoint,
by majority vote, a replacement to serve the remainder of the term.
Section 6. Each Board member serves at the pleasure of the City Council and
may be removed at the discretion of the City Council. Board member absences shall
be controlled by Article VIII of Wylie's Charter.
Section 7. Robert's Rules of Order (current edition) shall govern the
parliamentary procedure of the Board in cases to which they are applicable and in
which they are not inconsistent with these by-laws.
ARTICLE IV
Powers and Duties
Section 1. The Board shall act in an advisory capacity to Wylie staff and the
City Council in any matter pertaining to compliance with Chapter 823, Health and
Safety Code.
Section 2. The board, through its chairperson, shall report to the city council
concerning its activities and proposals by submitting to the city council the
approved minutes of each meeting of the board and copies of all reports of
inspections conducted by the department of state health services, veterinarians or
other authorities and all statistical reports of shelter operations considered and
approved by the board.
Section 3. The Board's authority shall not extend to the direction, supervision,
employment, or termination of Wylie employees. No supervisory power of the Board
is created.
Section 4. The Board will develop for City Council approval a set of by-laws
governing rules of procedure for their meetings and operation.
Section 5. The Board shall not have the power to obligate Wylie for funds
and/or expenditures or incur any debt on behalf of Wylie.
Animal Shelter Advisory Board Bylaws 3
Section 6. All powers and duties prescribed and delegated herein are
delegated to the Board as a unit, and all action hereunder shall be of the Board
acting as a whole. No action of an individual Board member is authorized except
through the approval of the Board or City Council.
Section 7. The Board shall have any other power and/or duty as prescribed and
authorized by the City Council.
Animal Shelter Advisory Board Bylaws 4
The Animal Shelter Mission... City of Wylie, Texas {A I
..is to promote and protect the health,
safety and welfare of animals and people in Animal Shelter Advisory Board
Wylie, Texas. Rules of Procedure WYUE
1. Statement
1.1. It is hereby declared that appointment to the Animal Control Advisory Board is a distinct honor
and the trust imposed in the appointee involves the corresponding obligation of the appointee to
serve the community by regular attendance and participation in the proceedings of the body.
2. Creation and Membership
2.1. The Animal Shelter Advisory Board was established by City Ordinance No. 2003-11, and serves
at the will of the City Council.
2.2. The Board shall consist of seven (7) regular members who will serve for terms of two (2)years.
A Board member shall generally be limited to three two-year terms, with the exception of the
Animal Shelter Manager who shall be a permanent member of the board per Ordinance
2020-01. Initial board member terms are amended per Ordinance 2023-10. The Board shall
consist of one licensed veterinarian, one member of the City Council of the City of Wylie, Texas,
The Animal Services Manager of the City of Wylie, Texas (whose duties include the daily
operation of the Wylie Animal Shelter), one representative from an animal welfare organization,
and three (3) residents of the City of Wylie, Texas.
2.3. In accordance with State law, the Board members are required to complete Open Meetings
training and receive a Certificate of Completion within the first ninety(90)days of first year
appointment. This may be taken online via the Office of Attorney General's website
(www.oaq.state.tx.us). The Office of the Attorney General offers free video training courses to
ensure that all elected and appointed government officials have a good command of both open
records and open meetings laws.
3. Officers
3.1. The Board shall, at the first meeting after July 1st (and at such other times as these offices may
become vacant), select from among its members a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson to serve
for a period of one (1)year.
3.2. In the absence of both the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson during a meeting, the remaining
Board members shall elect an Acting Chairperson.
4. Officer's Duties
4.1. The Chairperson shall preside over all meetings and briefing sessions, and perform all duties as
required by law.
4.2. The Vice-Chairperson shall assume all duties of the Chairperson in the absence of the
Chairperson.
5. Powers and Duties of the Board
5.1. The Animal Shelter Advisory Board shall act in an advisory capacity to Wylie staff and the City
Council in any matter pertaining to compliance with Chapter 823, Health and Safety Code.
5.2. The Board shall perform all duties as prescribed by State statutes and the City's Code of
Ordinance Chapter 18. The City Council has final authority in these matters, but should seek
recommendations from the Animal Shelter Advisory Board prior to making final decisions.
5.3. The Board shall work with the Animal Services Manager(or designee)on various policy
concerns and issues regarding Wylie Animal Services.
5.4. The Board shall make recommendations for changes to Chapter 18 of the City Code of
Ordinances and/or policies as it relates to compliance with Chapter 823, Health and Safety
Code when deemed appropriate.
5.5. The Board shall maintain contact with the stakeholder groups from which its members are
appointed in working with the Animal Services Manager and staff.
5.6. The Board shall work with the Animal Services Manager and designated staff collaboratively to
ensure best-in-class quality animal services with the city of Wylie..
5.7. The Board shall perform all other duties as the City Council may direct.
6. Orientation Training
6.1. Upon his or her appointment to the Board, all new members shall attend an orientation
presented by City Staff to familiarize the board members with the operation of Municipal
Government, the department organization and policies, and the operating procedures of the
Animal Shelter Advisory Board.
7. Rules of Order
7.1. The Chairperson shall rule on all points of order.
7.2. The Board members may overrule the Chairperson on points of order by a two-thirds (2/3)vote
of members present.
7.3. Any provisions of these rules not governed by City Ordinance may be temporarily suspended by
a favorable two-thirds (2/3)vote of all members of the Board, whose vote shall be entered upon
the minutes.
8. Quorum
8.1. A quorum shall consist of four(4) members.
8.2. No matters may be handled without the presence of a quorum.
8.3. No action of the Board shall be valid or binding unless adopted by the affirmative vote of a
majority of those Board members present and voting.
9. Agendas
9.1. An agenda shall be prepared by the Animal Services Manager or his/her designee for each
meeting of the Animal Services Advisory Board. A copy of the agenda shall be posted in the
Municipal Complex as required by law, as well as on the website.
9.2. There shall be attached to each agenda item, a report of matters pending further action by the
Commission.
9.3. All regular and special meetings shall follow, as closely as possible, the printed agenda. The
agenda should include, but is not limited to the following;
a. Ratification of Minutes;
b. Citizens' participation on items not on the agenda;
c. Executive Session, as needed;
d. Consent agenda;
e. Items for individual consideration;
f. Breaks at the discretion of the Chairperson;
g. Commissioners or Staff comments on general business;
h. Adjournment.
9.4. Agendas may be amended by the Chairperson as to order of items, but not as to content,
unless overruled by a majority of the members present.
10. Minutes of Meetings
10.1. Minutes of all regular and special meetings shall be kept by the Secretary, designated by the
Animal Services Manager, and are subject to amendment and ratification by the Board at the
next regular meeting.
10.2. The minutes of the Board's proceeding shall show the overall vote, or if absent or failing to vote,
shall reflect that fact.
11. Regular meetings
11.1. The Animal Shelter Advisory Board shall meet at least three (3)times per year and any
additional meetings as may be called.
11.2. Any Board member missing three (3)consecutive regularly scheduled meetings without prior
notification to Staff and/or a valid reason,which may include family emergency, illness, or other
reasonable cause, may be subject to dismissal from the Board by the City Council.
11.3. All meetings shall be held in full compliance with the provision of state law, ordinances of the
City, and these rules of procedure.
12. Special Meetings
12.1. Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson, or at the request of two (2)or more
members, or may be scheduled by a majority of the Board at any previous meeting. The time
and place of the special meeting shall be determined by the convening authority.
12.2. All members must be notified of any special meeting by giving written notice to all members by
an email address of record at least seventy-two(72) hours before the meeting, and the notice
must specify the purpose of the meeting.
12.3. Special meetings must be posted in accordance with the open meetings act.
13. Addressing the Board
13.1. Persons desiring to address the Board shall complete a "Request to Speak" card and submit the
card to the Secretary.
13.2. The Secretary will sort the speaker cards by agenda item and deliver them to the Chairperson.
13.3. The Chairperson will refer to the speaker cards for comments on items not on the printed
agenda, and individual agenda item comments.
13.4. Persons who note on a speaker card their desire to address the Board will be called to the
podium by the Chairperson at the appropriate time and will follow the guidelines of Ordinance
2019-29 as outlined below when addressing the Board;
a. Approach the podium, state their name and address and whether or not they are representing a
person, group, or organization;
b. Speak so that all present in the room may hear clearly;
c. Address all statements and questions to the Chairperson;
d. Be courteous in language and deportment;
e. Be concise and focused in their Comments;
f. Group comments should not exceed 6 minutes, individual comments should not exceed 3
minutes unless an interpreter is needed, in which case 6 minutes is allowed.
13.5. The Chairperson may interrupt an individual to redirect or terminate remarks when they are not
relevant to the matter before the Board, or when the Chairperson determines the remarks to be
out of order.
14. City Staff Responsibilities
14.1. The Animal Services Manager or designee shall be responsible for providing the Board with the
necessary professional, technical, and clerical services, including:
a. Prepare and submit the agenda with staff reports and any special items as directed by the
Chairperson;
b. Coordinate the services of all City Staff and other sources of public information for and on behalf
of the Board;
c. Maintain a true copy of all Board proceedings;
d. Maintain all Board records;
15. Written Request Required
15.1. Every proposal submitted for Board action shall be made in accordance with approved
application procedures from the appropriate Ordinance or Regulations.
15.2. The proposal shall be complete in all respects before being accepted for filing and Board
consideration.
16. Conflict of Interest Rules
16.1. Conflict of Interest. Should any member of the Board feel he/she has a conflict of interest with
an agenda item before the Board, they should openly declare so at the introduction of the item.
They are thereby prohibited from discussing, participating in, or voting on the item in question.
They shall also fill out a Conflict of Interest form and file it with the Secretary.
16.2. Abstention. Should any member of the Board choose to abstain from voting on any question
before the Board where no declared conflict of interest exists, their vote shall be recorded as an
affirmative vote in the official minutes.
17. Motions
16.3. A motion may be made by any member. A second to the motion shall be required before an item
is put to a vote.
16.4. All votes shall be by a simple majority of members present, except as otherwise stated in these
rules of procedure.
16.5. When fewer than all the members are present for voting and when all motions for a given
application fail to carry by a majority vote, consideration of the application shall be continued
under this rule to the next regular meeting,to the extent allowed by law. Failure of the Board to
secure a majority concurring vote at said next regular meeting shall be recorded in the minutes
as a denial of the proposal under the rule.
16.6. When a vote is required by state law or other requirement, and fewer than all members are
present, and a simple majority is not reached,the vote shall be recorded as a denial.
17. Repealing Clause
17.1. All previously adopted Rules of Procedure of the Animal Shelter Advisory Board are hereby
expressly repealed.
18. Suspension of Rules of Procedure
18.1. Any one or all of these rules of procedure may be suspended in order to allow a particular
consideration of a matter, provided that it does not violate the state law or home rule charter,
and provided that not less than two-thirds Board members vote in favor of such suspension.
Where any rule embodies a provision of state law, identically or in substance, such rule may not
be suspended.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY BOARD OF THE CITY OF WYLIE THIS
1)th day of F\c3 f,` 2023.
v l ?'k5/11
Brad Abraham, Chairman Amber Porter, Vice-Chairman
Filed in the Office of the City Secretary this 2 S day of A-en I , 2023
/bp kdAkAl gLerVAA,
Stephanie Storm, City Secretary
City of Wylie, Texas