[Ord. of 2-28-78]
The human services commission is hereby established and shall
consist of seven members who shall be residents of the City. Such
members shall serve without compensation. Specifically excluded from
serving on the commission are salaried staff members of human-service-providing
agencies.
[Ord. of 2-28-78]
The Mayor shall appoint the members of the commission with the
consent of the council, one member of which shall be designated by
the Mayor as chairperson. In the first year the Mayor shall appoint
three members to one-year terms, two members to two-year terms, and
two members to three-year terms. All subsequent terms shall be three
years in length and so arranged that the terms of not more than three
members shall expire each year on the first day of February. If, for
any reason, a vacancy occurs in the membership of the commission,
the vacancy shall be filled forthwith by the Mayor with council approval
for the unexpired term.
[Ord. of 2-28-78]
Beginning in February, 1979, and every year thereafter, the
commission shall elect the chairperson from among their own number.
The chairperson shall, annually, appoint a member to serve as secretary.
If the secretary is absent from a meeting, the chairperson shall designate
another member to function as secretary for that meeting. If the chairperson
is absent from a meeting, the secretary shall assume the chair. If
both the chairperson and the secretary are absent, the member with
the most seniority on the commission shall assume the chair. A majority
of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business.
[Ord. of 2-28-78; Ord. of 10-14-80]
The human services commission shall meet at such times as may
be necessary for the proper exercise of its powers and duties. Special
meetings may be called by the chairperson, provided that forty-eight-hour
notice is given the other commissioners either in writing or by telephone
contact. The chairperson is responsible for setting the agenda for
each regular and special meeting.
An affirmative vote of four members is required for any motion
to pass. The chairperson may limit debate among members of the commission
and may limit presentations, from interested parties and guests, provided
that he/she does so prior to the beginning of the debate and/or presentation,
and provided that a minimum of 10 minutes be given each side debating
or presenting an issue. The commission may make such additional rules
and regulations for its own government and in relation to its, officers
and members as it may deem expedient and proper. On all matters of
parliamentary procedure not provided for in these rules or by law
or ordinance, Robert's Rules of Order shall govern.
[Ord. of 2-28-78; Ord. of 9-9-80; Ord. of 10-14-80]
The human services commission may exercise all the powers vested
in the human services commission under the law or prescribed to it
by law and shall perform such duties as the City Council by ordinance
may from time to time prescribe. The human services commission shall
analyze, evaluate and set priorities for all requests laid before
it for aid and/or services to the various human services agencies
in North Adams and such other human services agencies as the commission
may determine to be within its jurisdiction. It is the duty of the
human services commission to encourage the effective and efficient
operation of human services agencies within its jurisdiction.
The human services commission shall assist in coordinating the
services of the various providing agencies, assist in eliminating
the duplication of services, and act as a source of guidance, as needed,
to said provider agencies in the procurement of appropriate state
and federal grants.
The human services commission is empowered to conduct investigations,
surveys and analytical studies of human services agencies in order
to determine their efficacy and efficiency. The commission is authorized
to demand such reports and information from said agencies as the commission
may deem necessary for the proper analysis and evaluation of said
agencies' requests for aid and/or services. The names of individuals
receiving aid or services from human services agencies are not to
be among the types of information required from human services agencies
when the commission is gathering data for its analytical and evaluative
process.
Each human service agency at the time it enters its application
seeking funds from the City of North Adams, may it be for a partial
fiscal year, an entire fiscal year, or a one-time request, shall submit
no less than the following:
(a)
A balance sheet and/or financial position statement of the current
fiscal year or period including the total amount appropriated to the
agency delineated by the various funding sources, a line-item breakdown
of the agency budget, and an accrual of expenditures to the last prior
month-end at the time of the application submission.
(b)
A copy of the closed-out budget and/or balance sheet, of the immediate
prior fiscal year or period.
(c)
A pro forma budget with line-item entries of the ensuing fiscal year
or period for which funds are being sought.
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Upon completion of their review, the human services commission
shall make recommendations for any appropriations for human services
agencies to the Mayor.
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In order to facilitate timely and equitable review of funding
requests, human services agencies must submit such requests by May
1 of each fiscal year. The human services commission shall then submit
their recommendations to the Mayor by June 1 of each fiscal year and
the Mayor shall then, if he is inclined to so submit, submit appropriating
orders to the City Council by July 1 of each fiscal year.
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The human services commission may make contracts, subject to
the approval of the Mayor and City Council, with such human service
agencies as it may determine to be within its jurisdiction pursuant
to the laws of the commonwealth and the City Charter governing the
making of like contracts, except that if federal moneys are used in,
financing said agencies, the commission may act in the manner prescribed
by federal authority acting under the laws of the United States and
any rules or regulations made thereunder, notwithstanding any other
law of the commonwealth or Charter to the contrary.
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[Ord. of 2-28-78]
The human services commission shall, from time to time, conduct
public hearings in order to ascertain the human services needs of
the community. Representatives of existing human services agencies
will not be allowed to address the commission at this time as they
have standing access to the commission through the agenda process
of the commission. Interested individuals may voice their opinions
and/or present documentation to the commission at such public hearings
regarding the community's human services needs and priorities provided
that a maximum of five minutes be allotted for each individual. The
time and need of such public hearings shall be determined by the chairperson.
[Ord. of 2-28-78]
The human services commission shall keep a detailed record of
its acts and proceedings and shall make an annual report to the Mayor
in connection with such record.
