Bylaws

ARTICLE I - ESTABLISHMENT

The South-Central Oklahoma Workforce Board (SCOWB), a non-profit corporation incorporated in the State of Oklahoma, hereinafter referred to as the "Board," is organized under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 {WIOA). The Board's area includes the following political jurisdictions: Caddo, Comanche, Cotton, Grady, Jefferson, McClain, Stephens and Tillman Counties.

The Board's principal office is 1703 SW 11th, Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

WIOA states that the purpose of a local workforce development board, such as the SCOWB, is to set policy, oversee the workforce development system, coordinate resources, and convene partners and employers for the local portion of the statewide workforce development system. The purpose of these by-laws is to define, control and set the basic principles and manner by which the SCOWB will be operated.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP AND NOMINATIONS

  1. The Chief Local Elected Official of South Central Oklahoma shall appoint the SCOWB members after nominations are received in accordance with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and pursuant to a Consortium Agreement of the Local Elected Officials of the area. Those appointments shall ensure compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations concerning the composition of local workforce boards.
  2. Business Sector: The majority of members (at least 51%) will be from the business sector. The remainder of the membership shall be composed of public sector workforce system partners required under section 107 of WIOA.
  3. In accordance with the WIOA, the Governor may require additional members.
  4. The CLEO may appoint other individuals as desired.

ARTICLE IV - APPOINTMENTS

  1. Individuals selected for appointment to the SCOWB shall serve fixed and staggered terms and may serve as many terms as they choose, subject to the restrictions in section 3 below
    a. Initial terms shall vary from one (1) to three (3) years.
    b. Subsequent terms shall be three (3) years.
  2. Members may be removed from the SCOWB for failure to attend. Attendance for the 12-month period will be monitored to ensure active participation:
    a. After the second absence, the member will receive a courtesy call to determine any issues attending the meetings and continued interest in the board.
    b. The third absence, without expressed desire to continue, will terminate the board member.
  3. Members may be removed for just cause by two thirds of the vote from the SCOWB members present at a regularly scheduled meeting or a special meeting, after notice and opportunity for comment has been given to the member in question.
    Just cause is defined as a member that no longer represents the business, organization, agency, entity or workforce investment area for which the member was appointed, or the member no longer has
    optimum policy making or hiring authority.
  4. Upon resignation or removal of a member, the CLEO will be notified of the vacancy and shall appoint a replacement based on the criteria set forth in WIOA.
  5. CLEO may appoint members as deemed appropriate if the membership remains in compliance with the criteria for membership set forth in WIOA
  6. Since SCOWB is incorporated, new members will be appointed by the CLEO. Current members may recommend a replacement from their organization if they are no longer able to serve.

ARTICLE V - MEETINGS

  1. All meetings of the SCOWB shall comply with Oklahoma's Open Meeting Act.
  2. SCOWB will conduct business in an open manner as required by WIOA sec. 107{e), by making available to the public, on a regular basis through electronic means and open meetings, information about the activities of
    the SCOWB including:
    a. Information about the Local Plan, or modification to the Local Plan, before submission of the plan;
    b. List and affiliation of SCOWB members;
    c. Selection of one-stop operators;
    d. Award of grants or contracts to eligible training providers of workforce activities including providers of youth workforce activities;
    e. Minutes of formal meetings of the SCOWB; and
    f. Local WDB by-laws, consistent with § 679.310{g).
  3. The SCOWB shall schedule four regular meetings a year at a location determined by the Chair. Meetings may be cancelled for lack of business actions items or for lack of a quorum. All meetings will be filed with the county clerk in the primary office location and posted to the secretary of state website.
  4. Written notice and agenda for all meetings of the Board shall be sent to the members at least five days prior to each meeting.
  5. All agendas will be posted 24 hours prior to the meeting at the primary office location
  6. Minutes will be recorded, distributed to each member, approved at a subsequent meeting, and maintained in a permanent file. Minutes will be made available to the public upon written request. Minutes are posted on www.scowb.info after approved by the board.
  7. Fifty percent (50%) of the current members is required for a quorum. If a quorum of the full Board is not
    present, the business at hand will be managed by the Executive Committee (provided there is a quorum of the Executive Committee present) on an interim basis and approved by full Board at their next meeting.
  8. Executive Committee meetings shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
    • Alternative designee must work for the same company as the board member, and must serve the entire length of board members term.
    • If the alternative designee is a business representative, he or she must have optimum decision-making hiring authority.
    • The alternative designees must have demonstrated experience and expertise and optimum policy-making authority.
      1. Proxy voting is not allowed as per the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act. According to Oklahoma Office of Workforce Development the SCOWB must have a process for “Alternative Designee”.  According to WIOA “Each appointed member of the Board has the opportunity to elect an alternative designee per WIOA requirements at  679.110(d)(4), or opt out of the election.”

      Alternative Designee’s must meet the following requirements:

    The SCOWB process for alternative designee’s is if a SCOWB Member wishes to have an alternative designee, the member will notify the Board Chair/Board staff with the alternative designee’s information.  The board member needs to understand in the event they are unable to attend a board meeting, their alternative designee can attend, cast votes on their behalf and will be counted toward the quorum requirement.  In the event the board member and the alternative designee both attend the meeting, only the board member may cast votes and count towards the quorum requirement.

  10. The use of teleconferencing for meetings is allowable and can be used as necessary to encourage participation. Teleconferencing must follow the guidelines in the Open Meetings Act.

ARTICLE VI - RESPONSIBILITIES

The BOARD shall develop a vision for and work to continuously improve workforce related customer services in the South-Central Oklahoma Workforce Area and shall:

  1. Collect information using all regional resources available, public and private, to meet business needs for a skilled workforce
  2. Certify one or more Workforce Centers, including at least one "full service" Center in the South-Central
    Oklahoma Workforce Area which are subject to the review and approval of the Executive Director
  3. Develop a budget for SCOWB with the assistance of the Fiscal agent and board staff
  4. Procure and select one stop operator through a competitive process
  5. Procure and select program service providers through a competitive process
  6. Convene the workforce development system's stakeholders to support workforce development activities
  7. Coordinate area workforce system activities with area economic development activities
  8. Share information with businesses, local elected officials, partner agencies, community organizations and the public concerning Board Meetings and the workforce development system
  9. Provide guidance and oversight for the development of SCOWB's workforce system
  10. The BOARD shall develop and approve all policies to provide guidance to the BOARD staff
  11. Upon recommendation of the Executive Director, the BOARD shall authorize the hiring of staff as necessary
  12. The Board shall perform the functions described in Section 107(d) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014

ARTICLE VII - OFFICERS

  1. The officers shall consist of a Chair (business member), Vice-Chair (business member), Secretary and Treasurer. An officer is elected for a two-year term (which coincides with WIOA program years).  Completing the term of an unanticipated vacancy does not constitute serving a term in that office. Officers can be re-elected for subsequent terms.
  2. The chair shall appoint a nominating committee to make recommendations for the election of officers each
    program year. For purposes of the SCOWB the program year is identified as the WIOA Program Year: July 1 through June 30. Officers will be elected at the last meeting of each program year and new officers will take office at the first meeting of the new program year.
  3. Upon being advised that an officer is unable to complete a full two-year term, the Chair will appoint a
    nominating committee to make recommendations for election of the officer. Election of the officer shall be held at the next regularly scheduled meeting. Officers elected to fill unanticipated vacancies will assume the new position immediately after being elected and will serve in that position until the last regularly scheduled meeting of the program year. An unanticipated officer vacancy will not be refilled if the vacancy occurs 60 days or less before a regularly scheduled election. In this situation, the position will be filled as part of the normal election process.
  4. Duties of the Officers
    a. Chair: The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Board, direct the administration of business of the Board and carry out normal executive duties in accordance with the guidelines of the directors.
    b. Vice-Chair: In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall perform all duties of the Chair.
    c. Secretary: The Secretary shall publish all notices and keep minutes of all meetings. The Secretary may delegate the duties to Board Staff.
    d. Treasurer: The Treasurer reviews the Board's budget, presents proposed budget for approval and ensures that financial records and audits are maintained.

ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES

  1. With the exception of the Executive Committee, all committees of the SCOWB are strictly recommendatory in nature, and have no decision-making authority. Any recommendation of a committee shall be brought to the full Board at its next meeting for a decision for any action to take place on that recommendation.
  2. The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the officers, the immediate past Chair and two at-large
    members appointed by the Chair and approved by the Board. If the past Chair steps down from the Executive
    Committee, the Committee shall appoint a member at large to fill the position as past Chair. When possible, the individual appointed will have previously held the position of Chair for the Board. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to act on behalf of the Board with all actions reported to the full board for approval at the next regularly scheduled board meeting. A quorum of the Executive Committee shall be a majority of the members.
  3. The Chair of the SCOWB may establish committees as needed. Committee members shall be selected through a volunteer or appointment process. Members cannot be appointed or volunteer if they have a conflict of interest issue. The Chair and/or Vice-Chair may elect to become a voting member of any committee.

ARTICLE IX - CODE OF CONDUCT

A member of SCOWB may not -

  1. Vote on a matter under consideration by the board
    (A) regarding the provision of services by such member (or by an entity that such member represents); or
    (B) that would provide direct financial benefit to such member or the immediate family of such member; or
  2. engage in any other activity determined by the Governor to constitute a conflict of interest as specified in the State plan.

This Code of Conduct sets forth standards governing the performance of directors of the BOARD, and officers, employees, and agents of the BOARD, who are engaged in the award and administration of contracts and purchases.

For the purpose of this policy, "immediate family members" includes the spouse, son, son-in-law, daughter, daughter-in-law, mother, mother-in-law, father, father-in-law, brother, brother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, stepparent, stepchild, grandparent, and grandchild.

ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS

  1. These bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by the board of directors.

ARTICLE XI - DISSOLUTION

  1. In the event of dissolution, after paying or making a provision for the payment of all liabilities of the Board, the Chair shall, as directed by the Board, instruct the Fiscal Agent to distribute all remaining assets to a tax-exempt organization.

View a signed copy of the bylaws