Adopted: January 6, 2025

Effective: January 6, 2025

Purpose

These rules are intended as guidelines for facilitating the conduct of meetings and business of the PRCR Advisory Board. These rules of order are adopted in accordance with, and pursuant to, Policy Statement 150, General Rules of Order for Town of Cary Boards and Commissions and Other Groups Appointed by the Town Council of the Town of Cary (hereinafter Policy Statement 150). 

Officers 

The Town Council appoints a Chair. The PRCR Advisory Board designates a Vice-Chair.  The Vice-Chair is authorized to lead the PRCR Advisory Board meetings in the absence of the Chair. 

Council Liaison Role

 The Council Liaison attends PRCR Advisory Board meetings as available and serves as a conduit for communication between the PRCR Advisory Board and Council.

Staff Liaison Role

The Staff Liaison shall assist the PRCR Advisory Board with preparing drafts of agenda, work plans and annual reports for the Board’s consideration and approval.  They may arrange for speakers, gather information and otherwise support the work of the PRCR Advisory Board. The Staff Liaison serves as a resource for the PRCR Advisory Board and as a conduit for communication between the Board, staff and Council.

Staff Administrative Support Role

The Town Clerk’s office shall assign a staff member to carry out the administrative responsibilities of the PRCR Advisory Board, including, but not limited to, attending regular meetings and preparing minutes and agendas.

Teen Liaison

The PRCR Advisory Board shall have a member, or members of Cary Teen Council act as Teen Liaison. The Teen Liaison(s) shall participate in all meetings and offer a teen perspective. The Teen Liaison(s) shall not be counted for quorum purposes and shall not vote on issues.

Meetings

Regular Meetings: The Town Clerk’s office shall work with the Staff Liaison to receive the PRCR Advisory Board’s input about the preferred dates, times and locations of their regular meetings, and shall use this input to prepare a yearly PRCR Advisory Board meeting schedule. The Town Council shall adopt this meeting schedule. All meetings of the Board are open to the public.

Special Meetings and Work Sessions: All special meetings and work sessions shall comply with state law requirements. The Staff Liaison and Chair shall work together to call for special meetings and work sessions when necessary to conduct the PRCR Advisory Board’s business. The Staff Liaison shall provide details about the special meeting or work session to the members and Town Clerk’s office at least five (5) business days before the meeting. The Town Clerk’s Office shall issue appropriate notice of all special meetings and work sessions according to state law. All special meetings and work sessions are open to the public.

Work sessions are less formal business meetings that enable the PRCR Advisory Board to focus on and explore in detail a particular topic(s). Citizens are encouraged to attend and observe these meetings. These meetings do not include public hearings, and do not include other opportunities for citizen comments.

The PRCR Advisory Board may handle any issue that would otherwise be on a regular meeting agenda at a special meeting. Some examples of when it is appropriate for the Board to conduct special meetings include: a meeting outside the normal monthly meeting due to a large Board agenda; an issue for the PRCR Advisory Board’s decision that has critical timing issues that does not fit existing schedules, etc. 

Canceling Meetings:  Lack of quorum will result in the cancellation of a regular meeting.  The Staff Liaison and Chair shall work together to cancel the meeting.  When the Staff Liaison and Chair cancel a meeting, the Staff Liaison shall advise the Town Clerk’s office who will communicate with the PRCR Advisory Board members.  The Town Clerk’s office shall post a notice canceling the meeting.  As a courtesy, any members who cannot attend a regular meeting shall notify the Staff Liaison as soon as possible and preferably two weeks prior to the meeting day. 

In instances where there is no business to come before the members and a scheduled meeting will not occur, the Staff Liaison shall notify the members and the Town Clerk’s office at least 21 days prior to the regular meeting.

Electronic Participation in PRCR Advisory Board Meetings

Electronic participation in PRCR Advisory Board meetings is allowed for members and/or the public. Electronic participation in PRCR Advisory Board regular meetings, work sessions or special meetings that are conducted in other facilities (in lieu of Town Hall meeting spaces) may be allowed at the discretion of the Staff Liaison and Town Clerk’s Office. Factors may include location, structure, and format of meeting and available technology.

As the first item of business at meetings that include individuals participating electronically, the Chair shall call for a roll call and shall announce the names of the board members physically present to determine a quorum. The Chair shall then invite members who are electronically participating to introduce themselves.  For the benefit of those electronically participating, any vote that does not receive unanimous approval shall be by roll call to ensure all participants fully understand how each member voted on any item.

Members, Council Liaison and Teen Liaison:

If the Staff Liaison and Town Clerk’s office determine a special meeting or work session is suitable to offer electronic participation to Members, then those Members electronically participating shall adhere to Policy 150. The Town Clerk’s Office shall email the virtual meeting link to all the members in advance of the regularly scheduled meeting in order to provide access – unless an in-person only meeting has been previously arranged.

General Public:

The Staff Liaison and Town Clerk’s Office will determine which meetings and work sessions are suitable to offer electronic participation to the public. The public’s electronic participation in PRCR Advisory Board meetings is limited to listening; the public participating electronically does not have an opportunity to speak at these meetings. Information on listening to the PRCR Advisory Board meetings may be found on Cary’s website both in the calendar and on the PRCR Advisory Board’s webpage.  Members of the public who wish to speak during the PRCR Advisory Board meeting may do so during the Public Comment portion of the meeting.

Agenda

The Town Clerk’s office shall provide the Staff Liaison an agenda template to use for all agenda.  This template shall include the following information for the public:

• The Staff Liaison’s name and contact information;
• An ADA statement addressing auxiliary aids and services; and
• Instructions to electronically participate, if available.

Any member may request to place an item on the agenda. The Staff Liaison and Chair will work together to prepare an agenda prior to every meeting.  The Chair and support staff of the Board should finalize the draft agenda at least 1 week in advance of the meeting, preferably at a scheduled agenda review meeting.  The current agenda and the draft minutes of the previous month will be posted online at least 5 days prior to the next meeting date by the Town Clerk’s office.   Members shall adopt the agenda at the meeting after the Chair gives members an opportunity to suggest amendments.  Adopting or amending the agenda requires a majority vote of the members.

Quorum

Unless otherwise set forth in board-specific rules of order or other governing documents, a majority of the board, including the chair but excluding vacant seats, shall constitute a quorum. A majority is more than half of the board. A member who has withdrawn from a meeting without being excused by majority vote of the remaining members at the meeting shall be counted as present for purposes of determining a quorum. If a quorum is not present by the designated meeting start time, then the Chair shall wait 15 minutes for late arrivals, at which point the Chair has the discretion to determine whether further time should be allowed.  If still not at majority, then the meeting shall be adjourned and may be rescheduled.

Public Comment at PRCR Advisory Board Meetings

The PRCR Advisory Board shall provide a time at their regular meetings to hear from members of the public. Speakers shall have up to three minutes each to make comments. The PRCR Advisory Board may establish a time limit for the public comment portion of meetings, and this time limit may vary at the Chair’s discretion based on the length of the meeting. The Chair shall ensure this time is used wisely and is fairly administered. The PRCR Advisory Board shall hear these comments and typically not respond to them. Anyone who arrives after the public comment portion of the agenda is closed shall not be permitted to speak.

Action by the Board

General discussion may satisfy an agenda item, or general discussion may precede any motion. In cases where the board wishes to make a recommendation or take any other form of action, a motion and a second must be made by board members, and a vote must occur.  Adoption of motions shall be by a majority of the members present, unless otherwise required by statute.

Board minutes shall reflect in the record all findings pertaining to every resolution acted upon by the board, and all votes of members of the board upon any resolution or upon the final determination of any question, indicating the names of members absent or failing to vote.

Committees

Standing Committees

Policy Statement 148 provides the structure and appointment process of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department’s standing advisory committees: Greenway Committee, Cultural Arts Committee and Athletic Committee. All standing committee meetings are open to the public.

Ad-Hoc Committees

The PRCR Advisory Board may vote to establish ad-hoc committees from its Membership whenever necessary to facilitate the PRCR Advisory Board business, with the understanding that committees are self-sustaining and not supported by staff, other than meeting the legal requirements (i.e., posting notice of meeting, etc.). The Chair shall designate committee chairs or delegate the decision to the committee. Committees shall abide by the general committee operating procedures provided by the Town Clerk. All ad-hoc committee meetings are open to the public.

Amendment of the Rules

These rules may be amended at any regular meeting that includes amendment of the rules as an agenda item provided the amendment is consistent with the Town charter, bylaws, Policy Statement 150, general law, and generally accepted principles of parliamentary procedure.  Amendments may be initiated by any Board member, staff member, or other elected body.  Adoption of an amendment shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of the Board membership.

Conflicts With These Rules of Order

To the extent not provided for in these rules and to the extent it does not conflict with North Carolina law or with the spirit of these rules of order, the Board shall refer to other applicable policies regarding rules for Town of Cary Boards and Commissions to answer unresolved procedural questions.

Any action taken by the Cary Town Council that supersedes these rules of order shall take precedence. Furthermore, boards and commissions bylaws (Policy Statement 150), North Carolina state laws, and federal laws take precedence whenever conflicts arise with these rules of order.