Citizen Advisory Committee

CHARTER
SPOKANE TRANSIT AUTHORITY
CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Updated July 2024

ARTICLE I – NAME OF GROUP

The name of this group shall be Spokane Transit Authority (STA) Citizen Advisory Committee.

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE

The mission of the STA Citizen Advisory Committee (“CAC”) is to:

• Represent a wide range of stakeholders from the STA Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA).
• Increase public participation in the functions of STA and act as a focused, educated forum for public input and feedback to the organization.
• Ensure accountability of the organization’s actions.
• Act as an educational arm of the organization to reach out to the public.

The CAC is advisory to the STA Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee and not to the agency itself.

The CAC will represent the interests of the community and assist staff and STA in furthering STA’s stated mission, vision, and goals, in accordance with the regular input received from the public and stakeholders.

ARTICLE III- SCOPE OF WORK

The CAC will:

• Review and assess STA’s performance measurements.
• Review and assess STA’s progress in achieving its measurable goals and objectives.
• Explore and advise STA of emerging public transportation issues.
• Make recommendations, at its discretion, and present them to the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee, for review and potential recommendation to the STA Board of Directors.

When requested and for new members, Staff will provide an information packet and orientation to CAC members in specific areas including, but not limited to, defined responsibilities and legal requirements, nomenclature, history, mission, vision, services, policies, budget, comprehensive and strategic plans, communications plan, Transit Development Plan, partnerships, and community outreach practices.

ARTICLE IV – COMPOSITION

The CAC shall be composed of no more than 15 members appointed by the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee. Membership shall reflect the PTBA service area and strive for regional and demographic representation and diversity of opinion. Not all positions of the CAC are required to be filled.

ARTICLE V – MEMBERSHIP QUALIFICATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Members of the CAC must reside within the PTBA service area. The residency requirement may be waived if the applicant or member demonstrates in their application that they are a consistent user of STA’s fixed route buses, paratransit, or rideshare service.  STA strives to have varied geographic and socioeconomic representation, and also seeks applicants with demonstrated lived experience.

CAC members are expected to introduce and discuss STA in as many venues as are open to the member. The following list represents groups from which participation may be sought:

• Business Owners
• Chambers of Commerce
• College Students
• Community Based Organizations such as Rotary, Kiwanis, AHANA, and Martin Luther King Jr. Family Outreach Center
• Faith Community
• Higher Education/Administration/Faculty
• Medical Community/ Public Health
• Neighborhood Associations/Councils
• Persons with Disabilities
• Public Agencies/Law Enforcement
• Rural Community
• Senior Citizens
• Service Users (Fixed Route, Paratransit, Rideshare)
• Social Service Agencies
• Youth

Membership applications may be sent to all who have requested an application, to people recommended by current or former CAC members, other citizens, and/or to groups representing the above participation list. By applying to be a member or accepting a membership position, all members certify they do not have an actual or perceived conflict of interest. If a member becomes aware of an actual or perceived conflict of interest, the Member must notify the Chair, and may be required to recuse themselves from any vote that presents an actual or perceived conflict of interest.

ARTICLE VI – MEMBERSHIP SELECTION PROCESS

Selection of the members of the CAC shall be through an application process:

• The CAC will review applicants and select potential candidates.
• Staff and at least one CAC representative will meet with potential candidates and may recommend them to the CAC for further consideration. 
• The CAC may vote to recommend candidates to the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee to be CAC committee members.
• The Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee will vote to appoint members of the CAC.

ARTICLE VII – MEMBERSHIP ROTATION PROCESS & TERM

A. Chair. Annually, in December, the CAC members will select a new Chair of the CAC.  The new chair shall be seated at the following February meeting.  The CAC is encouraged to select a new Chair each calendar year.

B. Recruitment & Term. Annual membership recruitment may occur as needed from time to time at the discretion of the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee or by recommendation of the CAC. 

Membership on the CAC is for a three-year term. At the end of a member’s first three-year term, a member is eligible to reapply to serve a second three-year term for a total of two consecutive, three-year terms. Following the expiration of a member’s second consecutive three-year term, a member must wait one full year before reapplying for a new three-year term.

ARTICLE VIII – VACANCIES & REMOVAL

If any member cannot complete their term, a new candidate may be selected to serve the remainder of the incomplete term, which shall constitute that member’s first term. The CAC is not required to select a candidate to fill an incomplete term.

The CAC Chair will poll the members annually as to their desire to remain on the CAC.  Any member who has three consecutive unexcused absences will be called by the CAC Chair or staff representative to determine their interest in remaining on the committee.

The CAC may recommend to the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee the removal of any member for any reason, by majority vote. Any removed CAC member is ineligible to serve on the CAC for one full year.

Should a CAC member be excluded from STA Transit Vehicles, Facilities, or Properties due to a Rules of Conduct violation, that member will also be suspended from serving on the CAC during the time period of the exclusion.

ARTICLE IX – OPERATING GUIDELINES

The CAC conducts its business in accordance with Washington State’s Open Public Meetings Act, RCW 42.30 and Public Disclosure Laws RCW 42.56. The CAC has adopted the following operating guidelines:

• The CAC shall meet every month, except January and August.
• Special meetings may be called if necessary.
• The Chair, or the Chair’s designee, will be responsible from time to time for representing CAC at Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee meetings, when requested by the Committee or STA’s Chief Executive Officer.
• As designated by the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee, the CAC Chair, or a delegated CAC member, may provide the STA Board of Directors with the CAC’s input and advice. 
• The CAC shall provide meeting minutes to the Clerk of the Authority to be forwarded to the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee.
• A charter review will be conducted at least once every three years, or as necessary from time to time at the discretion of the CAC or Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee or as recommended by staff.
• The members of the CAC serve in a voluntary role and without salary. With pre-approval, travel is reimbursed according to STA policies and procedures.

ARTICLE X– STAFFING

The CEO shall appoint staff members to serve as the CAC Staff Liaisons. Staff shall acquire meeting facilities and equipment, record, transcribe, and distribute minutes, and distribute other materials, including the agenda. Other duties include preparation of agenda forms and attachments to communicate CAC issues and recommendations to the Performance Monitoring and External Relations Committee and/or the STA Board of Directors.