POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
of the
SOUTH EAST REGIONAL COORDINATING COUNCIL
MISSION STATEMENT:
The SOUTH EAST REGIONAL COORDINATING COUNCIL (SERCC) is to work towards increasing transportation opportunities and to meet the need of quality transportation for both our consumers and our communities. We will work to empower individuals and their families through the delivery of quality consumer driven resources, services and supports that increase lifestyle options, independence, and improve their quality of life. To accomplish this, the council will identify, prioritize and communicate unmet needs, increase awareness and access to existing services for transportation throughout the region. The SERCC seeks to provide quality of life by raising awareness of the important role of community transportation services for seniors, people with disabilities and all the customers it serves.
ARTICLE I. Name and Purpose.
Name. The name of the council shall be the SOUTH EAST REGIONAL COORDINATING COUNCIL.
Purposes. The purposes of the Council are:
1) SERCC is to strive to create a quality intra-regional and inter-regional network of effective, coordinated transportation services.
2) SERCC, through an open and inclusive process that values the diversity of our community, strives to enhance existing transportation services.
3) SERCC strives to establish goals and actions that address the identified issues. Performance measures will be used to ascertain the impacts of services on clients and the community and to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs.
The SERCC Policies and Procedures have been developed to set standards for the decision-making process, allocation of funding and other resources, and to effect fair and impartial implementation of theses policies and procedures. It also establishes the responsibilities of SERCC and its members to accomplish the focus of the mission.
ARTICLE II. Membership.
Process. SERCC is open to individuals with an interest in improving community mobility, developing collaborative solutions to existing gaps and barriers and implementing EO530 recommendations within South East Massachusetts. The South East Region is primarily defined by Greater Attleboro & Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) service areas.
Representation. SERCC strives to include a variety of regional representatives, including representatives from transit and transportation providers, local planning agencies, state and local human service agencies, Independent Living Centers, Councils on Aging, workforce development organizations, employers, veterans’ groups, mobility managers or transportation coordination teams, advocates and consumers.
Council Officers. The RCC council members will vote the Chair, Co-chairs and Secretary.
The Chair/Co-Chairs of SERCC shall be responsible to:
· Preside over all council meetings;
· Work with the convening agencies;
· Coordinate in all matters of the Network;
· Represent SERCC at any community or public event where such representation is requested;
· Represent the views of the consensus of the SERCC in public and in the media;
· Designate a member of SERCC to preside over a meeting in the case of the absence of the Chair and the Co-Chairs.
ARTICLE III. Policy and Governance.
Voting and Decision Making. Decisions of the SERCC shall be made by simple majority of the members present.
Meetings. Council meetings may be held monthly but at least quarterly. Council members shall be provided written notice of meetings at least two weeks in advance. Special meetings may be called by the Co-Chairs, the Regional Coordinator, the Convening Agency or upon written request of 10 members of the Council. The purpose of the special meeting shall be stated in the call and at least five days written notice shall be given.
Action Item Support. The SERCC will first accept volunteers for action items developed from each meeting. If no council members volunteer, the Officers will request individual members to support the council action items.
Compensation. The SERCC receives no compensation.
ARTICLE IV. Convening Agency; Fiscal Management.
Convening Agency. The SERCC convening agencies are the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (Mass DOT), Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and Statewide Coordinating Council on Community Transportation (SCCCT).
Duties of Convening Agency. The Convening agencies will support the mission of the SERCC via regularly attending RCC meetings, promptly responding to the RCC’s technical assistance needs, and advancing policy matters to the attention of the Secretaries of Transportation, Health and Human Services and the SCCCT.”
Fiscal Management. There are no specific fiscal funds for the RCC. Funding for transportation comes from federal, state, local sources and possibly grants to regional transit authorities. Therefore, there is no operating budget. At the discretion of the GATRA council members who are employees of GATRA, funds may be available for certain aspects of the council’s mission. However, there is no operating budget and the RCC is encouraged to build on already existing solutions of coordination.
ARTICLE V. Amendments.
Amendment of Policies and Procedures. These Policies and Procedures may be amended when necessary by a simple majority of members present at a regular meeting of the RCC. Proposed amendments must be included in regular RCC membership communications.
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