Policies

Policy for Establishing Quorum at a TJT General Meeting

1. Policy for Establishing Quorum at a TJT General Meeting
a. A Quorum Call is required at the beginning of the TJT General Membership Meeting.
b. A “Quorum Call” will be required to establish Quorum, and will be collected and counted by the
Meeting Facilitator or chosen representative, with the results being verified, announced and
recorded in the meeting minutes, prior to any voting on “formal decisions”.
i. A Quorum Call will be the act of establishing a quorum in a TJT General Membership
Meeting and shall consist of:
1. Each team providing a list of Voting Members names in that team, with a tally of
Voting Members and a tally of Voting Members present. A Voting Member shall
not be counted more than once or in more than one Team.
2. The Gross number of voting members and voting members present shall be
stated and recorded as Passing, with quorum of 33% of Voting Members present,
or Failing, without quorum which is less than 33% Voting Members present.
3. The Facilitator or chosen representative and any witness or observer, will verify
the List and Count from each team.
4. The Minutes shall record the net count of Voting Members and Voting Members
present and confirmation that the count was verified and who witnessed the
verification.
5. The Minutes shall not reflect the names of those present, other than those
regularly recorded in the minutes in relation to the agenda and program.
6. A Quorum Call can be requested at any time during a TJT General Membership
meeting, if:
a. a quorum is in question, based upon those present, if changed, from a
previous quorum call.
c. Establishing a Quorum will be required upon receipt of a “Quorum Call”

 

Policy Recommendation

Policy for General Membership Meeting Agendas
1. Policy for General Membership Meeting Agendas, shall be:
a. Agenda shall be drafted by the Hosting Team, four weeks in advance of the meeting.
b. The Draft Agenda shall then be forwarded to the Coordinating Council and Teams for review
and comment.
c. The Draft Agenda shall be open to amendment until one week in advance of the meeting.
d. The Hosting Team can limit the Draft Agenda, in consideration of time, priority, and continuity,
with the exception: any agenda item submitted, that has been approved by the CC or any Two
Teams, must be included.
e. When the General Membership Meeting begins, the hosting team will post or distribute the Draft
Agenda and call for any amendments to the draft agenda. It is the responsibility of the Hosting
Team to keep the meeting on track and on time.
f. The agenda will be approved by a simple majority vote.

 

Transition Joshua Tree Policy on Conflicts of Interest and Self-Dealing

Transition Joshua Tree (TJT) seeks in this statement of policy and procedure to provide guidance to [[CC members, working group members and voting members]] of TJT in matters that may raise conflicts of interest questions. The intent of this policy is to enable [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] to recognize situations that may raise conflicts and self-dealing questions, and to ensure that such situations are properly disclosed, reviewed and resolved.

These standards and established procedures are intended to assure that transactions that involve personal or private interests of group members are beneficial to TJT and conducive to its purposes, aims and goals. They allow transactions that benefit TJT and also personally benefit one or more TJT members to take place using proper procedures and with simplicity, clarity and ease.

The policy (1) defines conflicts of interest and self-dealing, and (2) provides standards and procedures by which [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] of TJT can assess and make decisions in matters that may raise conflicts of interest or self-dealing questions.

Conflicts of Interest

Definition of Conflict of Interest

A TJT [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] is considered to have a conflict of interest when she or he, or any immediate family member or associated entity of the member, has a financial interest in an activity that involves the member’s responsibilities as a TJT [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]].

Conflicts of Interest Policy

1. TJT may enter no contract or other transaction in which a voting member, or any family member or associated entity, has a financial interest, and may not commit resources of time, money or other thing of value to a project in which a voting member, or any family member or associated entity, has a financial interest, unless:

(a) (i) All the material facts concerning the financial interest are disclosed to the [[CC or general membership of TJT]], (ii) and all the material facts concerning the personal financial interest of the [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] are recorded in the minutes of a meeting in which the contract, other transaction or project is considered, and (iii) the [[CC or general membership of TJT]] thereafter authorize, approve, or ratify the contract, transaction or project in good faith by a [[vote or consent]] sufficient for the purpose without counting the [[vote or consent]] of the financially interested member or members; and

(b) The contract or transaction is just and reasonable for TJT; and

(c) The contract or transaction is consistent with and conducive to TJT’s purposes, aims and goals at the time it is authorized or approved by the [[CC or other decision-making members;]] and

(d) Arrangements more advantageous to TJT could not have been made with reasonable effort, and TJT’s involvement in any proposed project or transaction does not interfere with any project or transaction that is more conducive to realization of TJT’s purposes, aims and goals at the time of authorization or approval.

Self-Dealing

Self-Dealing Policy

TJT may engage in no self-dealing transactions with a [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] of TJT.

Definition of Self-Dealing Transaction

1. A self-dealing transaction means a transaction to which TJT is a party and in which a [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] has a material financial interest, unless the conditions of paragraph (2) or (3) of this definition (immediately below) are met.
2. A transaction is not a self-dealing transaction if the transaction is part of a public or charitable program that benefits a class of which [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] or their families are members, and that are approved or authorized in good faith and without favoritism; or
3. A transaction is not a self-dealing transaction if, after consideration of all the material facts concerning the financial interest and the proposed transaction or project, are recorded in the minutes of a meeting in which the transaction or project is considered:

(a) The [[CC or other decision-making members]] authorize, approve, or ratify the transaction or project in good faith by a [[vote or consent]] sufficient for the purpose without counting the [[vote or consent]] of the financially interested member or members; and

(b) TJT entered into the transaction or undertook the project of which the transaction is a part for its own benefit and/or to serve its purposes, aims and goals; and

(c) Arrangements more advantageous to TJT could not have been made with reasonable effort, and TJT’s involvement in any proposed project or transaction in which a [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] has a financial interest does not interfere with any project or transaction that is more conducive to realization of TJT’s purposes, aims and goals at the time of authorization or approval.

Disclosure and Review Procedures

1. If a [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] finds that she or he is faced with a possible conflict of interest, the member shall disclose all the material facts in writing to the CC, or shall disclose all the material facts at a meeting of the [[CC or other decision-making members]]. The written disclosure may be delivered to CC members generally or to any CC member. For purposes of disclosure and review, a possible self-dealing transaction by definition presents a conflicts of interest question.
2. The [[CC or decision-making members]] shall review all the disclosed material facts and the circumstances surrounding the possible conflict and shall make a determination as to whether an actual conflict exists. If a conflict is found to exist then, in order to avoid the conflict or potential conflict, the [[CC]] shall present the information to the member, with the suggestion that the member recuse herself or himself from any further discussions, deliberations, [[voting or consent]] on the matter, and from presence at meetings in which the matter is discussed.
3. If an interested [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] fails to disclose all the material facts concerning a possible conflict of interest or either in writing to the CC or at a CC meeting, any [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] may raise the matter in writing to the CC, or may raise the matter at a CC meeting. The written disclosure may be delivered to CC members generally or to any one CC member. Procedures as outlined above when the member makes disclosure shall subsequently be followed.
4. A person who has a conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest with respect to a contract, other transaction or project that will be [[voted on or considered for consent]] at a meeting shall not be counted in determining the presence of a quorum for purposes of the [[vote or consent]].
5. A person who has a conflict or interest or a potential conflict of interest shall not participate in any discussion of the conflict or potential conflict or the matter to which it relates, be present in the meeting during any such discussion, [[vote on or participate in giving consent to]] the contract, transaction or project, be present when the [[vote or consent]] is taken, or be permitted to hear the [[CC’s, working group’s or other decision-making members’]] discussion of the matter except to disclose material facts and to respond to questions. The interested or potentially interested person shall not attempt to exert his or her personal influence with respect to the matter, either at or outside group meetings. The person’s absence from the meeting and ineligibility to [[vote or consent]] shall be reflected in the minutes of the meeting.
6. No TJT working group may authorize, approve or ratify any contract, transaction or project that implicates a possible conflict of interest or self-dealing transaction without the prior approval of the [[CC or other decision-making members]].
7. A [[CC members, working group members and other decision-making members]] has a conflict of interest when she or he stands for election as a CC member or [[when any decision is made concerning the person’s ongoing membership in any capacity.]]