Joint Counties Natural Resources Board | Aitkin ~ Beltrami ~ Clearwater ~ Koochiching ~ Lake of the Woods ~ Mahnomen ~ Marshall ~ Roseau

Purpose

The purpose of the Joint Counties Natural Resources Board shall be to gather information on and formulate policies for the development, utilization and protection of natural resources in northern Minnesota, and to ensure that there is an interrelated plan for the use and protection of both public and private resources.

JP Board Agreement / By Laws

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTIES OF: Lake of the Woods, Beltrami, Roseau, Marshall, Clearwater, Mahnomen, Koochiching and Aitkin.

Section I – ESTABLISHMENT

Pursuant to the authority contained in M.S.A. 471.59, it is hereby resolved that: County Boards do hereby establish a Joint County Natural Resources Board, hereinafter referred to as the “Board”.

Section II – PURPOSE

The purpose of the Joint County Natural Resources Board shall be to gather information on and formulate policies for the development, utilization, and protection of natural resources in northern Minnesota, and to ensure that there is an interrelated plan for the use and protection of both public and private resources.

Section III – ORGANIZATION

A. MEMBERSHIP – The membership of the Board shall be composed of one resident of each county appointed by the Board of County Commissioners of each respective county. Each county shall also appoint an alternate representative to attend meetings and conduct business of the Board in the absence of the named representative.
B. TERM OF OFFICE – The term of office will run for one year and shall continue until a successor is named by the respective County Boards. The chairperson of the Joint Powers Board shall serve a term of office for one year.
C. OFFICERS – The officers of the board shall consist of a chairperson, vice chairperson, and secretary. “A Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary shall be selected by a majority vote of the joint powers board.”

1. Chairperson: It shall be the duty of the chairperson to preside over all meetings of the Board. The chairperson shall have the power to call special meetings at reasonable times with reasonable notice when it is deemed such a meeting is necessary to conduct business of the Joint Powers Board.
2. Vice Chairperson: It shall be the duty of the vice chairperson to preside over the meeting of the Joint Powers Board in the absence of the Chairperson. The term of office for the vice chairperson shall run concurrently with that of the chairperson.
3. Secretary/Treasurer: It shall be the duty of the secretary/treasurer to keep, or designate a person to assist in keeping, a record of all proceedings of the Board t9.provide for the proper receipt and disbursement of funds, and to perform all other duties usually assigned to the secretary/treasurer. The term of office of the secretary / treasurer shall run concurrently with that of the chairperson. Note: A Coordinator has been hired to do the secretary duties and Marshall county processes all bills and creates an activity report that is shared with the board each meeting.

D. VOTING – Each member county of the Joint Powers Board shall have one vote.

Section IV – MEETINGS

The Joint County Natural Resources Board shall meet in regular session at least quarterly.
The location and time of the meetings of the Board shall be determined by a majority vote of the Joint Powers Board.
Special meetings may be held under the circumstances outlined in Section III C-l.
A quorum shall consist of a majority attendance of board members.
Cost of meetings shall be divided equally among the counties, and each county shall be responsible for the expenses of its board members.

Section V – DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A. The Joint County Natural Resources Board shall have the power to contract for services, in the manner prescribed by law, that are required in the information gathering and other activities pursued in furtherance of the board’s stated purpose.
B. The Joint County Natural Resources Board shall have the powers to accept and disburse funds; and to apply for state and federal funds if necessary in the information gathering, policy formulating, and other activities.
C. The Joint County Natural Resources Board shall have the authority to appoint advisory committees and conduct such public meetings and hearings as are necessary to provide full public review and participation in the policy formulation and review, and in funding of a natural resources plan.
D. The Joint County Natural Resources Board will have the responsibility to arrange for the independent audit of its expenditures and disbursements, consistent with state law.
E. Exercise of these powers and duties will require a majority vote of the voting members of such board.

Section VI – INDEMNIFICATION

The Joint Powers Board shall defend and save the County harmless from any claims, demands, actions, or causes of action arising out of any willful or negligent act or out of any neglect or omission on the part of the Joint Powers Board, its agents, servants, or employees in performance of or with relation to any of the work or services provided to be performed under the terms of this agreement.

Section VII – AMENDMENTS

A request to amend this Joint Powers Agreement shall be presented in writing at a regular meeting of the Joint County Natural Resources Board. Adoption of an amendment will require the majority vote of all voting members. The vote on a proposed amendment shall be conducted no sooner than 30 days after the request was presented to the Board. It shall require the approval of the respective county board of each member county.

Section VIII – EFFECTIVE DATE

This resolution shall take effect and be in force from and after the date of its signing by each member county.

Section IX – TERMINATION

A. In the event a County chooses to terminate their membership in the Board: it may do so with a 30 day written notice, said notice is to be given at a regular meeting of the Board. Any remaining funds contributed by the terminating county will not be refunded.
B. The termination of this agreement by the entire Board will require a majority vote of the members. Upon termination of the Board, all property or funds held by the Board shall be distributed to the respective member counties in proportion to the contribution of each.

Section X – ADDITIONAL MEMBERS

Any County wishing to join into this Joint Powers Agreement may do so by petitioning the Board so stating their desire. The petition will be voted on by the membership at the next regular meeting of the Board. After acceptance by a majority vote, the petitioning County will have all privileges and voting rights of a member county.

Section XI – AUTHORIZATION

In witness thereof, the respective counties by resolution duly adopted by its County Board, causes this agreement to be signed.