King County Mobility Coalition

The primary goal of the King County Mobility Coalition, referred to as the Coalition, is to guide the development specific to planning activities in King County. The goals are as follows: Mobility, Quality and Efficiency through Coordination.

The Coalition recognizes the need to promote efficiency, avoid duplication, maintain and protect existing services, and look at long-range solutions to sustain both existing and new projects that may be grant funded.

Vision:
A world-class transportation network that allows all people to move freely around King County and the Puget Sound region.

Values:

1. Broad based community representation and participation on the Coalition.
2. Public outreach to inform development of a plan.
3. Transparency and open communication between system providers, funders and users to enhance understanding about transportation systems, challenges and opportunities.
4. A transportation system that strives to provide enhanced mobility for the entire community.
5. Improved coordination and efficiency and service availability in the delivery of special needs transportation.

The sponsors of the King County Mobility Coalition are King County, Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC), and Sound Transit, and the King County Alliance for Human Services (KCAHS).

Role of the Sponsor:

• Endorsement of the planning activities
• Approval of Coalition’s charter
• Support through funding or resource allocation

The members of the Coalition will designate two members to be co-chairs for the Coalition. The chair position will serve a two-year office term. In order to establish a proper staggering of appointments, one of the current co-chairs will serve a term of three years, from 2008 through 2011. All other years the chair position will serve a two-year office term. Elections for one new co-chair will be held yearly with the exception of the first year of the charter. When a co-chair enters office an existing co-chair will rotate out of office. In selecting co-chairs, a combination of candidates representing non-profit, for-profit and/or government constituencies must be present in the selection. Co-chairs can not represent the same constituency in one term.

Term limitations:
A co-chair may be elected for additional terms.

Role of the Coalition Co-Chair:

• Upholds the Coalition goals and charter
• Listens and communicates well, encourages all to participate and is willing to listen to ways in which meetings can be improved
• Impartial and flexible
• Assembles ad hoc subcommittees when necessary
• Achieves the aims of the meeting
• Summarizes fairly and succinctly
• Exerts authority/positive leadership when necessary
• Gains consensus and avoids undue conflict
• Ensures follow-through on actions identified.

The Coalition is composed of 27 members. The Coalition is structured to include a broad array of interests including special needs transportation service providers, clients, and funders from both governmental, non-profit, and for-profit sectors and to ensure geographic diversity in representation on the Coalition. The composition, by affiliation, of the Coalition members is sent forth in Figure A-1. The affiliation’s composition may be changed with a vote by the Coalition.

Role of the Coalition Member:

• Upholds the Coalition goals and charter
• Agrees to represent their constituency and their chair affiliation
• Demonstrates high ethical and professional standards
• Prepares well for the meetings by reading the papers and noting points to raise
• Endeavors to attend all meetings
• When unable to attend meetings, makes arrangements to ensure an alternate will attend meetings in their absence
• Ensures that that an alternate is selected to represent their affiliation
• Fully participates in the meetings, speaking out when there is something to say
• Is prepared to question accepted views and to defend independence of thought
• Accepts and abides by agreed decisions
• Shows courtesy and respect to other members.

Role of Alternate:

• Upholds the Coalition goals and charter
• Agrees to represent their constituency and what their chair represents
• Prepared to vote on matters when the Coalition member is unable to vote
• Demonstrates high ethical and professional standards
• Prepares well for meetings they will be attending by reading the papers and noting points to raise
• Fully participates in the meetings, speaking out when there is something to say
• Is prepared to question accepted views and to defend independence of thought
• Accepts and abides by agreed decisions
• Shows courtesy and respect to others.

Role of the lead agency:

• Funding mechanism for member contributions
• Provides technical staffing for committee activities
• Possess transit expertise.

Nomination of Coalition Co-chairs:
Coalition co-chairs are nominated by Coalition members yearly. Nominations will take place on the first meeting of the first quarter. This process will proceed in the following manner. Coalition members will identify individuals qualified to serve in office, see section III for qualifications, and nominate these individuals. Each Coalition member will cast one vote for the candidate of their choice. Alternates do not vote unless they are voting on behalf of their organization’s Coalition member. A ballot count will take place and the member with the majority of votes will be the new cochair. One new co-chair is selected each year. The same co-chair may be elected for additional terms.

Nomination of Coalition Members:
Coalition members may be nominated at any time when a seat becomes vacant. To be considered as a candidate the individual must be affiliated with the constituency that is currently vacant. The Coalition member vacating the seat will bring perspective candidate name(s) along with the candidate’s qualifications to the Coalition. Coalition members will vote either accepting the candidate or denying the candidate. If a majority of Coalition members voting approves the appointment a new representative will be added. If the vacating committee member is unable to submit a candidate, nominations shall be taken from the Coalition as a whole.

Nomination of the lead agency:
The lead agency is nominated by Coalition members yearly. Nominations will take place on the first meeting of the first quarter. To be considered for the lead agency position the agency must be able to assume the role and responsibilities outlined in section IV. Each Coalition member will cast one vote. Alternates do not vote unless they are voting on behalf of their organization’s Coalition member. A ballot count will take place and the agency with the majority of votes will be the new lead agency.

A Coalition meeting will be held quarterly unless deemed not necessary by the co-chairs. If needed, Coalition co-chairs may call interim meetings. Meetings may be held electronically or by other means, as decided by the co-chairs.

Minutes will be taken by a staff person or other member of the Coalition designated by the co-chairs. Minutes will be maintained by the co-chairs and will be made available to Coalition members upon request.

Each member shall have one vote. Members must be present in the forum to vote. In the event that a member can not vote, the designated alternate for the affiliation that they represent may vote. Methods of voting are by person, email, mail, or by alternate. Co-chairs will designate the method of voting.

The majority vote, both for face-to-face meetings and for email or phone meetings will be defined as 50 percent plus one of the representatives participating in the vote. The act of the present participating majority of members will be considered the act of the Coalition.

Committee Chairs will make every effort to provide the Coalition materials to vote on at least 7 days in advance.

There are five standing subcommittees of the Coalition:

• Government Affairs
• Livable Communities
• Membership
• Targeted Outreach
• Technology.

Participation in the subcommittees is open to all Coalition members, alternates and interested parties.

The Coalition will seek grants through a member organization for funding a mobility manager. A representative of the lead agency shall be a member on the hiring panel.

Staff support may also be provided by the Coalition members or their organizations under the discretion of the co-chairs.

The Coalition reserves the right to amend or modify the charter by a 60 percent vote of membership.