ARTICLE I: NAME
BALTIMORE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARD

ARTICLE II: AUTHORIZATION
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 (H.R. 1385) consolidates more than 60 federal training programs through three block grants to the state and transfers funding and decision-making authority to states and local communities for the design of local workforce investment programs. The Act further requires the establishment of a majority business-led Workforce Investment Board to act as the coordinator, convener and independent broker of a unified workforce development system. The law identifies a list of required partners among which the board must achieve integrated collaboration. Lastly, the Act requires performance standards and continuous improvement strategies to determine effectiveness of the system as a whole.

ARTICLE III: ROLE AND FUNCTION
The role of the Workforce Investment Board (WIB) is to convene workforce development efforts across the city and the region, catalyze the development of Baltimore's comprehensive workforce strategy, communicate the vision, mission and value of the workforce system to the community, advise local elected officials on workforce policy, and review and concur in the development and execution of the workforce development unified plan.

A. The WIB shall provide policy guidance to the Mayor/OED on matters pertaining to the provision of services under the Act.
B. The WIB shall give direction, make recommendations, and support the unified plan developed by the staff pursuant to the Act.
C. The WIB shall provide research and development assistance on issues critical to the development of a comprehensive workforce development system that is responsive to the needs of employers and job seekers. Such information may include economic trends and indicators, short and long term employment trends, potential training and placement resources, and targeted populations/occupations most in need of development.
D. The WIB shall solicit the input and participation of the local business community in the provision of services to the residents and businesses of Baltimore City.
E. The WIB shall construct its own bylaws.
F. WIB members are prohibited from soliciting and/or accepting gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from suppliers or potential suppliers of goods/services.
G. WIB members are prohibited from participating in the selection of an award where, to the individual's knowledge, any of the following has a financial or other substantive interest in any organization which may be considered for an award: the WIB member or agent; any member of his or her family; his or her partner; a person or organization which employs any of above or with whom any of the above has an arrangement concerning prospective employment. In the event of this potential conflict, it is incumbent on the WIB member to openly disclose the potential conflict and to remove himself/herself from discussion and voting on the matter in question.

WIB members are not prohibited from utilizing services and programs funded with WIA monies, but may not participate in discussions or vote on matters pertaining to the award of such when any of the conditions listed above exist.

In the event that a WIB member holds a contract with OED, and serves on the subcommittee which has purview over that contract, decision related to that contract, including its evaluation for funding among competing proposals or contracts, will be made by the WIB Executive Committee.
All stipulations pertaining to conflict of interest also apply to non-members who serve on WIB committees.

ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP
The WIB shall be composed of a minimum of thirty-five (35) appointed members, of which the majority shall be representative of businesses from the local area. The balance of the board shall include representatives from local education entities, labor organizations, economic development, community-based organizations and each of the One-Stop partners as required by the Act.

Appointment Process
Business members shall be nominated by local business organizations and trade associations and appointed by the Mayor. Non-business members that are present in the local workforce investment arena may be nominated by interested parties, and appointed by the Mayor. Business members must be business owners, chief executives, or operating officers or employers with optimum policy-making or hiring authority. Non-business members must be in leadership positions.

Terms of appointments are for three (3) years. The Mayor shall appoint the WIB Chair who will in turn appoint the Vice Chair from among business members of the Board for a three (3) year term. Approximately one (1) year before the expiration of the term, the Executive Committee shall seek nominations of business members from among the general WIB membership for nomination to succeed the incumbent Chair and Vice Chair. The Executive Committee shall by two-thirds vote select nominees to be recommended for appointment by the Mayor. The Vice Chair shall function in the Chair's role on the occasion of the absence of the Chair.

All WIB members are expected to attend full Board meetings. WIB member participation will be reviewed annually to include WIB meeting attendance and participation on committees. If a member is unable to attend 50% of the full Board meetings, the Executive Committee will review their continuing membership. The Executive Committee, by means of a majority vote of a quorum of the Committee, may remove, with cause, a member from its membership, subject to mayoral approval.

ARTICLE V: STRUCTURE
The WIB will meet quarterly on a schedule to be determined by the membership.

There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the WIB Chair, Vice Chair, Committee and Task Force Chairs. The Executive Committee shall be open to comments and input from any and all Board members. The WIB Chair appoints the Committee Chairs for up to two (2) years coinciding with the duration of their general membership term. Task Force Chairs may serve up to the lifespan of their respective Task Forces. The WIB Chair will also appoint Committee Vice Chairs to serve in the absence of the Committee Chair. The WIB Chair has the option to include immediate-past Committee and Task Force Chairs on the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee may exercise the WIB's authority except for election of officers or the adoption, repeal, or amendment of these bylaws.

The WIB Chairman shall not serve as Chairman of standing committees. The Chairman may appoint such other committees as may be necessary to carry out the purpose and functions of the WIB. The Chairman of the WIB shall appoint chairman of such committees. Non-WIB members may serve on such committees as deemed appropriate The WIB, by resolution adopted by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, at any regular meeting that has a quorum, may establish additional committees. The WIB will endeavor to establish committees with a membership composition necessary to address the goals. Each committee will strive to have a significant percentage of its membership as business representatives.

The Chairman may call special meetings of the members at any time for any purpose or purposes. Notice of a special meeting shall state the purpose or purposes of the meeting. Business transacted at all special meetings of members shall be confined to the purpose or purposes stated in the notice of the meeting.

Written notice of all meetings of the members shall be mailed to each member in advance of each meeting. Each such notice shall state the place, day and hour at which the meeting is to be held and, in the case of any special meeting, shall state briefly the purpose or purposes for the special meeting.

ARTICLE VI: VOTING
At all WIB meetings, every member entitled to vote shall have one (1) vote. A simple majority of the WIB's voting membership shall constitute a quorum, if all WIB members were duly notified. Vote by proxy will not be allowed. A simple majority vote will suffice to approve motions brought before the membership.

Potential conflict of interest must be declared and recorded in minutes. Further, members in conflict must remove themselves from discussions and voting on the matter in question.

ARTICLE VII: VACANCIES
Upon notification and recommendation by the Executive Committee, the Mayor may approve and appoint a designee of his choice to fill a vacated position. Composition of the WIB shall duly be reviewed on an annual basis. Changes must be recommended by the Executive Committee and approved by the Mayor.

ARTICLE VIII: SUNDRY PROVISIONS
A. Amendments: These bylaws may be altered or repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of a quorum of the voting membership, by a meeting called together for that purpose. All proposed amendments to the bylaws shall be circulated in writing to the entire membership at least seven (7) days in advance of vote.
B. Administrative Support Services: Administrative support services shall be provided by the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED), subject to available appropriations.