Commission Bylaws
The Orange County Airport Commission reestablished by the Board of Supervisors of Orange County Virginia in February 2006 and adopted the following articles in order to facilitate its powers and duties in accordance with the provisions of the State Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, Section 15.1-41 and the Ordnance of the County of Orange.
Article I – Creation
That there is hereby created a committee to be known as the Orange County Airport Commission, hereafter referred to as “The Commission”. The Orange County Board of Supervisors shall retain title to the Orange County Airport property and the jurisdiction of the Orange County Airport Commission shall be limited to that portion of the airport property designated as the “Orange County Airport” by the rules and regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Article II – Purpose of the Commission
The Commission shall serve as an advisory body to the Orange County Board of Supervisors (BOS). The Commission shall serve as a liaison between the airport users, the BOS and the citizens of the community. The Commission shall consult with and advise the BOS in matters affecting aviation policies, programs, personnel, finances and the acquisition and disposal of lands and properties related to the total community aviation program, and to its long-range, projected program for aviation.
Article III – Membership
Section 1
The Orange County Airport Commission shall consist of five (5) members appointed by the BOS with each member being appointed to represent one of the five (5) electoral districts of the County. Such members shall serve at the pleasure of the BOS. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the BOS for the unexpired term.
Section 2
The Orange County Airport Commission members shall serve for a term of four (4) years. Initial appointments shall be staggered to ensure that not all terms expire at the same time.
Section 3
The BOS may remove any member of the Commission for misconduct or negligence of duty, as well as absenteeism in accordance with the BOS attendance policy.
Section 4
Commission members shall serve without monetary compensation. Members shall be reimbursed for travel and subsistence to professional aviation meetings, conferences and workshops; with such reimbursement being made in compliance with the general policies of Orange County.
Article IV – Officers
Section 1
The officers of the Commission shall be a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and a Secretary. The officers shall be elected at the organizational meeting in January to serve for one (1) year or until a successor shall be elected. No officers shall serve more than two (2) consecutive terms. If the position of any office is vacated, the Commission at the next regular meeting will elect a replacement.
Section 2
The Commission shall adopt bylaws, rules and regulations governing its procedure and not inconsistent with the provisions of the Commonwealth and the approved ordinances as set forth by the BOS.
Article V – Meeting
Section 1
Regular meetings shall be held the third Thursday of each month during the year.
Section 2
Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson or on written request of at least two (2) members, the time and place to be designated in the notice of such call.
Section 3
The Chairperson shall designate the time and place for the meetings.
Section 4
The first regular meeting in January of each year shall be called the organizational meeting. The purpose of this meeting shall be election of officers, and other business that may need to come before such meetings.
Section 5
The majority of the members present in person at the duly constituted meeting shall have the full authority of the Commission, except the amendment of these bylaws, provided that no fewer than three (3) members constitute a meeting and no fewer than four (4) members shall constitute an organizational meeting.
Section 6
All meetings are opened to the public.
Section 7
Meetings will be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 8
The agenda will be established by the County staff and distributed to the Commission members prior to the meeting. The County staff, as appropriate, will consider the requests of commission members.
Article VI – Function
Section 1
The Commission, in all of its activities, shall be directly responsible to the BOS and shall, at a minimum of once a year, render a full and complete report to the BOS of it’s activities. The Commission shall make recommendations to the BOS for the establishment and continued growth of aviation for Orange County; for the construction and/or improvements of such lands, buildings, and structures owned by the County.
Section 2
The Commission shall advise in the acceptance by the County of any grant, gift, bequest of donation, any personal or real property offered or made available for aviation purposes and which is judged to be a present or possible use for aviation.
Section 3
The Commission may adopt airport rules and regulations for the operation of the Orange County Airport, provided that those rules and regulations are not in conflict with the rules and regulations adopted and promulgated from time to time by the County of Orange, the Virginia Aviation Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Section 4
The Commission shall negotiate and submit to the BOS for approval leases of all or any part of the orange County Airport to any person or organization who will agree to maintain and operate the airport facilities in conformance with the regulations of the Virginia Aviation Board and the Federal Aviation Administration. It may also negotiate and submit to the BOS for approval agreements or licenses to provide services at the Orange County Airport to any person or organization who will agree to provide those services in conformance with the regulations of the County, the Virginia Aviation Board, and the Federal Aviation Administration. The income from such leases or agreements is to be applied to the maintenance and upkeep of the airport and the airport facilities. The Commission shall not, at any time, allow any part of the airport to be used for activities which will, in any way, inure to the benefit of or result in the profit to, any member of the Commission. FURTHER, the Commission shall, at tall times, perform its functions in a manner to cause the airport to be operated for the use and benefit of the public; to ensure all airport facilities and services are available to the public without discrimination; and to refrain from recommending excessive, discriminatory or otherwise unreasonable charges or fees for the use of the airport or its facilities or any airport or aircraft service. The Commission will interpret the current aviation opportunities in the community and interpret the needs and desires of the community to the BOS.
Section 5
Determine and establish the general policies to be followed in carrying out the purpose for which the Commission was established.
Section 6
The Commission shall have the following planning duties and responsibilities:
Prepare a Capitol Improvement Plan in cooperation and coordination with the County staff and the Planning Commission for the acquisition and development of an adequate system of aviation facilities and aviation programs for the residents of the County of Orange and update same yearly, consistent with the Counties Capitol Improvement Plan; and
Investigate and determine the needs and interests of the community for aviation facilities and programs and recommend an aviation program to meet these needs.
Article VII – Roles And Responsibility
Section 1
The County staff shall have a continuing responsibility to explain the organization, responsibilities and working relations to the Commission, explain program objectives to them, assist them in details of organization and assist in all matters related to good organization. The County staff shall work closely with the Commission in matters of interest to the operation of the efficient program.
Section 2
The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings, sign official papers, appoint committees, call special meetings when he or she deems it advisable and performs all such duties as usually handled by the Chairperson, except when such duties are properly delegated. The Chairperson shall be elected from among the members who have served a minimum of one (1) year.
Section 3
The Vice-Chairperson of the Commission, in the absence of the Chairperson, shall perform all the duties of the Chairperson. In the absence of both the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson, the Commission shall elect a Chairperson pro tempore, who shall perform the duties of the Chairperson. The Vice-Chairperson shall be chaired with the responsibility to see that all-standing and temporary committee’s function as planned by the Commission.
Section 4
The Secretary shall perform the usual duties pertaining to the office. The Secretary shall keep or cause to be kept an Action Adgenda of all meetings of the Commission. This includes regular and special meetings plus reports of standing committee and shall be the custodian of all documents committed to his/her care. The Secretary must issue or cause to be issued an Action Adgenda of the previous meeting to the Commission members prior to the next meetings. A copy of the Airport Commission Action Agendas shall be kept on file in the Airport Office and distributed to the BOS.
Section 5
The County Administrator and/or his or her designee shall have a continuing responsibility to explain the organization, responsibilities and working relations to the Commission, explain program objectives to them, assist them in details of organization, and assist in all maters related to good organization. The County Administrator and/or his or her designee shall work closely with the Commission in maters of interest to the operation of an efficient program. He/she is an ex-officio member (by virtue of the office) and attends Commission meetings. He/she shall be responsible for preparing written requests to the BOS, under the guidance of the Chairperson.
Article VII – Amendments
These bylaws may be amended by the membership of the Commission at a meeting, which there is a quorum, as stipulated in Article 5, Section 5, held after five (5) days’ notice to the members of the Commission and upon approval of the BOS.
Orange County, Virginia Airport Commission
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