Elected Committee of Blind Vendors Bylaws

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Bylaws of The ELECTED COMMITTEE OF BLIND VENDORS

 

Article I

Name.

The name of the organization shall be the Iowa State Elected Committee of Blind Vendors.

Article II

Purpose. The purpose of the committee shall be to:

A. Actively work with the Iowa Department for the Blind (hereinafter known as the department) in the development of policies and procedures, provide advice regarding program issues and initiatives, and give feedbacck and suggestions regarding major administrative decisions affecting the Business Enterprise Program.

B. Serve as an advocate for a vendor who has a grievance, and at the request of the vendor receive and transmit the grievance to the department.

C. work with the department in the administration of the system for the transfer or promotion of vendors.

D. work with the department in the development of training programs for vendors and trainees.

e. Sponsor, with the assistance of the department, meetings and instructional conferences for vendors and trainees of the Business Enterprises Program.

Article III

A. Election of committee and officers, duties of officers, and meetings.

  1. The committee shall consist of five members. All committee members shall be active licensed vendors. All licensed vendors shall be eligible to participate in the election of the committee. The election shall take place in even-numbered years during the statewide meeting of vendors held in the last calendar quarter of the year. Terms of the members shall be for two years. When possible, the committee shall be representative of all vendors with respect to geographic region and type of vending facility.

  2. Should a vacancy occur during a member’s term on the committee, a replacement shall be elected for the remainder of the unexpired term at the next statewide meeting of vendors.

  3. Committee members shall be in good standing with regard to payment of bills and taxes, payroll receipts, filing of reports, settlement of inventories, and all other documents required and as set by the department. A compliance review shall be held by the committee two times each year. reviews generally will be held during the meeting preceding the next scheduled statewide meeting of vendors.

B. Election and Duties of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.

  1. The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be elected at the statewide meeting of vendors.

  2. It shall be the duty of the Chairperson to preside at meetings, maintain orderly proceedings at such meetings, and insure that all views are afforded a fair opportunity for expression.

  3. It shall be the duty of the Vice Chairperson to perform the same duties in the absence of the Chairperson.

C. Meetings.

  1. The committee will hold a minimum of three meetings in each calendar year with the agenda for each meeting jointly prepared by the division administrator of the business enterprises program in consultation with the chairperson of the committee. Special meetings may be requested either by the committee or the department. Unless otherwise required as permitted by law, all meetings, regular and special, shall be public.

  2. In order to take any official action, either at a regular or special meeting, a quorum must be present. A quorum shall consist of three members of the committee.

Article IV

Review of request for transfer or promotion. When, in accordance with the procedures in Chapter 7 of the Iowa Department for the Blind’s Administrative Rules, the department has solicited and received bids from a number of licensed vendors to fill a vacancy in the vending facility’s program, the committee shall receive and review all bids that have been submitted. The committee shall, as appropriate, request detailed information from the department on the qualifications of each candidate. The committee may, at its discretion, request information from other persons or accept information that has been volunteered. Each candidate for transfer or promotion will be accorded an opportunity to meet with the committee and promote their candidacy. The committee may ask any such candidate questions that it deems appropriate to illicit the information necessary for the making of a recommendation on the best-qualified vendor for the vacancy in question. In arriving at its recommendations, the committee may take into consideration any or all of the following factors or any others that seem to be reasonably significant.

A. Priority assignment of a displaced vendor. B. Ability to meet the requirements of operating a facility. C. Trainee reports or performance evaluation scores obtained during the preceding five years. D. Work attitudes, including good customer relations, cooperation with property management, and participation in instructional conferences. E. Knowledge and application of sound business practices, including adequate and accurate accounting procedures, maintenance of reasonable productivity standards, cleanliness and sanitation, and reasonable return related to the volume of business. F.Timely filing of specified documents, reports, and fees to the department. G. The number of years that the vendor has been actively licensed in the Iowa program when the same score is received by two vendors.

The committee shall promptly inform the department of its recommendation.

When any member of the committee has submitted a request for transfer to a vacancy, said member shall be disqualified from participating in the deliberations of the committee as it reaches its recommendation. Any such member may not vote on the recommendation of the committee. Such member may, however, submit relevant material to the committee and shall be entitled to be interviewed by the committee prior to its deliberation and decision. This clause shall also apply to committee members’ relatives.

Article V

Executive Session Committee Meetings and Confidentiality. A. The committee may call an executive session to discuss items of a confidential nature. In calling such a session, the committee shall comply with all clauses of the Iowa open meetings law. B. The committee is governed by 34 CFR 361.38 (as published in 2001) regarding protection, use, and release of personal information. Committee members found to be in violation of this Regulation shall be asked to leave the committee.

Article VI

Adoption and Amendment. These bylaws may be adopted and amended at any statewide meeting of vendors.

Approved 11/93 Revised and Approved 4/20/01 at the Statewide Meeting of Blind Vendors Revised 3/18/19 for approval 4/2/19 at the Statewide Meeting of Blind Vendors