Citizen Advisory Committee
The Spokane Transit Citizen Advisory Committee meets the second Wednesday of each month (except August) at 5:00 p.m. in the Southside Conference Rooms, 1229 West Boone Avenue, Spokane. All meetings are open to the public.
To view the Final CAC Charter Approved by the STA Board in October 2009, click here.
To view the October 2009 signed Resolution revising the Charter, click here.
Members
Fyrne Bemiller
Susanne Croft
Will Flanigan
Victor Frazier
Charles Hansen
Resa Hayes
Ted Horobiowski
Margaret Jones
Larry Luton
Dean Lynch
Fran Papenleur
Philip Rudy
Brenda Smits*
*Chair
Citizen Advisory Committee Charter
Spokane Transit Authority
ARTICLE I – NAME OF GROUP
The name of this group shall be Spokane Transit Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC).
ARTICLE II – PURPOSE
The mission of the Spokane Transit Citizen Advisory Committee, hereinafter referred to as CAC, is to:
• Increase public participation in the functions of Spokane Transit.
• Ensure accountability of the organization’s actions.
• Act as an educational arm of the organization to reach out to the public.
• Act as a focused, educated forum for public input and feedback to the organization.
• Represent a wide range of stakeholders and transit service employees.
The CAC is advisory to the Spokane Transit Board of Directors and not to the agency itself.
The CAC will represent the interests of the community and assist staff and the Board of Directors in making the region proud of its public transportation system.
ARTICLE III- SCOPE OF WORK
The CAC will:
• Assess performance of Spokane Transit.
• Examine where Spokane Transit is heading.
• Explore emerging public transportation issues.
• Assess Spokane Transit’s progress in achieving its measurable goals and objectives.
• Make recommendations, at its discretion, and present them to the Board.
When requested and for new members, Staff will provide information and orientations to CAC members in specific areas including, but not limited to, defined responsibilities and legal requirements, nomenclature, history, mission, vision, services, policies, budget, strategic 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 Spokane Transit Board of Directors. Membership shall reflect Spokane Transit’s service area and strive for broad, inclusive, regional, and diverse representation to increase the reach and effectiveness of its purpose. This is to include proponents and opponents and/or critics of public transportation
ARTICLE V – MEMBERSHIP SELECTION PROCESS
Selection of the members of the CAC shall be through an application process, followed by an appointment from the Board Chair subject to confirmation from the Board .
Members of the CAC must be registered voters and reside within the Spokane Transit boundaries. The residency requirement is waived if the applicant or member is a consistent user of STA’s fixed route buses, paratransit, or vanpool service.
The Board of Directors expects that the CAC members will introduce and talk about the STA in as many venues as are open to the member. To this end, during the membership selection process, weighted value will be given to those who are active participants in other area organizations.
The following list represents groups from which participation will be sought:
• Business Owners
• Chambers of Commerce
• Citizens-at-Large
• College Students
• Faith Community
• Higher Education/Administration/Faculty
• Medical Community/ Public Health
• Neighborhood Associations
• Persons with Disabilities
• Public Agencies/Law Enforcement
• Rotary, Kiwanis, Ahana, Martin Luther King and/or other Fraternal and Civic Associations
• Rural Community
• Senior Citizens
• Service Users (Fixed Route, Paratransit, Vanpool)
• Social Service Agencies
• Youth
ARTICLE VI – MEMBERSHIP ROTATION PROCESS
Annually, the CAC members will select the Chair of the CAC. An annual membership recruitment will follow. Membership recruitment and filling vacancies is an ongoing process.
As per STA bylaws, membership on the CAC is for a two-year term with at least one member appointed each year. The chair of the CAC will poll the members each May as to their desire to remain on the Citizen Advisory Committee.
Membership applications will be sent to all who have requested an application, to people suggested by CAC members, other citizens, and to groups representing the previously stated participation list.
ARTICLE VII – OPERATING GUIDELINES
The CAC will conduct 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 procedures:
• The CAC shall meet monthly except for the month of August.
• The Chair, or the Chair’s designee, will be the appointed spokesperson for the CAC.
• As designated on the Board of Directors monthly Board agenda, the CAC Chair, or a delegated CAC member, may provide the Spokane Transit 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 Spokane Transit Board of Directors. All CAC records will be open to public review.
• A charter review will be conducted at least once every three years.
• The members of the CAC serve in a voluntary role and without salary. Travel is reimbursed according to STA Bylaws.
ARTICLE VIII – STAFFING
As authorized by the Board, 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 committees and the Spokane Transit Board of Directors.
