Knoxville-Knox County Food Policy
Council Bylaws

ARTICLE I

NAME

The name of the organization shall be the Knoxville-Knox County
Food Policy Council. Hereinafter referred to as the FPC.

ARTICLE II

Section 2. Strengthen the economic vitality of the private food industry.

Section 3. Improve the quality of food available to all citizens.

Section 4. Encourage citizens to accept and consume nutritious food.

Section 5. Avoid wasteful use of scarce resources needed for future food production which may occur through food-related waste disposal.

ARTICLE III

PURPOSES

Section 1. Monitor and evaluate the performance of Knoxville’s food system, in terms of food costs, availability, accessibility, and implications for public health and economic efficiency.

Section 2. Identify food related problems needing attention and disseminate public reports describing those problems, along with suggested remedies where possible.

Section 3. Promulgate goals and objectives for the food system.

Section 4. Communicate findings and recommendations about food issues to the Mayor, City Council, County Executive, County Commission and other relevant public officials.

Section 5. Act as a forum for discussion and coordination of community-wide efforts to improve the overall food supply and distribution network of the Knoxville community.

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ARTICLE IV

MEMBERS

Section 1. Members shall be appointed by the Mayor and County Executive for a term of three years. If the Mayor or County Executive have not appointed a member at the time of the annual meeting, then the member whose term has expired shall serve until a successor has been appointed.

Section 2. Terms of service will begin at the adjournment of the annual meeting.

Section 3. In the event of a member’s inability to serve or resignation, and depending on who made the appointment, the Mayor or County Executive shall appoint another person to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term so created.

Section 4. Members shall be appointed in a “staggered” manner. The initial appointees shall serve for the following terms: (a) one (1) appointee of the Mayor and two (2) appointees of the County Executive shall serve for a period of one (1) year, to be succeeded by appointees serving full three (3) year terms; (b) two (2) of the initial appointees by the Mayor and two (2) of the initial appointees of County Executive shall serve for a term of two (2) years, to be succeeded by appointees serving full three (3) year terms; and (c) two (2) of the initial appointees of the Mayor and two (2) of the initial appointees of the County Executive shall serve for a full term of three (3) years, to be succeeded by appointees serving full three (3) year terms.

Section 5. No person shall serve more than two consecutive terms as a member. However, vacant, unexpired terms may be filled by appointment of standing council members otherwise ineligible for reappointment. Exceptions may also be made upon full vote of the FPC and approval of the Mayor and County Executive.

Section 6. There shall be eleven members on the FPC; five of whom shall be appointed by the Mayor and six of whom shall be appointed by the County Executive.

Section 7. Council member attendance is expected at every meeting of the FPC. For appointments beginning in 1996, in the event of three consecutive, unexcused absences, a Council member will be asked to resign from the Council.

Section 8. Associate members shall be appointed annually by the FPC as deemed necessary to provide technical assistance, advice and consultation. This shall be a non-voting membership but regular participation shall be expected and encouraged.

ARTICLE V

OFFICERS

Section 1. FPC officers shall be a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and a Secretary.

Section 2. The Chairperson shall preside at meetings and perform other duties as prescribed by these bylaws. The Chairperson shall be the principal spokesperson for the FPC and shall sign official communications from the Council. The Chairperson, from time to time, may appoint committees to perform specific duties related to the Council’s purpose.

Section 3. The Vice-Chairperson shall preside in the absence of the Chairperson and may perform other duties of the Chairperson when empowered by the Chairperson to do so.

Section 4. The Secretary shall be responsible for ensuring that the minutes are accurate prior to distribution to the membership.

Section 5. The officers together shall constitute the Executive Committee, which is empowered to act for the FPC in emergencies or when timely action is required between regular meetings. All executive committee actions in the name of the FPC must be ratified at the next regular meeting of the FPC and recorded in the minutes.

Section 6. Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting in July. Nominations may be made from the floor at that time. In the event of contest for an office, voting shall be by secret ballot.

Section 7. Terms of office shall begin immediately upon adjournment of the annual meeting and shall continue for one year and until a successor assumes office.

Section 8. No person may serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.

Section 9. In the event an officer is unable to serve or resigns from his or her office, the Nominating Committee shall place name(s) in nomination for the election of a replacement at the next regular meeting of the FPC. If the Nominating Committee has not yet been appointed, it shall be appointed as needed for purposes of this section and remain in existence through the annual meeting.

Section 10. An officer may be recalled from office by a majority vote of the membership at a regular meeting of the FPC.

ARTICLE VI

MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular meetings shall be held bimonthly, except that with concurrence of a majority of the membership, meetings may be cancelled from time to time. Such cancellations shall not exceed two per calendar year.

Section 2. The date, time and place of the regular meetings shall be fixed by the Executive Committee and announced to members at least one week prior to the meeting date.

Section 3. The July meeting shall be the annual meeting, at which the election of officers shall take place, and new appointments to the FPC will be announced.

Section 4. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for conduct of business except as specified elsewhere in these bylaws.

Section 5. Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson for a specific purpose, with three days notice. In order to conduct business, special meetings must be attended by the Executive Committee plus one voting member.

Section 6. The Executive Committee shall meet at least bimonthly in alternate months from the regular meetings and may also meet as necessary in addition to its regular meetings.

ARTICLE VII

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by affirmative vote of a majority of the total membership at a regular meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose. Written notice of the proposed changes shall be in the hands of members at least two weeks prior to the meeting at which the vote to approve is scheduled.

ARTICLE VIII

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the current edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised” shall govern the Council in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the Council may adopt.

Adopted October 20, 1983. Revised February 29, 1996, April 16, 1996 and August 1, 2002.