Lower Columbia Community Development Team Society Terms of Reference

Purpose:
To advance the economic strength of the Lower Columbia by overseeing the development and cooperative implementation of developmental initiatives important to the area.

To endorse and support the activities of committees working under the auspices of the Congress.

Group Composition:
The Congress shall be composed of elected representatives of the five communities of the Lower Columbia (Fruitvale, Montrose, Trail, Warfield and Rossland); elected representatives of Areas A and B of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary; members of the Lower Columbia Development Team; and, such other committee representatives as agreed by the Congress. The Chair shall maintain a roster of the members.

Responsibilities of Members and Parties Participating in the Congress:
Congress members, reflecting a commitment to improve the economic vitality of the Lower Columbia, agree to participate in the following way:

• to respect the viewpoints and concerns of all participants;
• to respect the terms of reference and principles by which the Congress has agreed to function;
• to foster cooperation in the interest of advancing the region;
• to participate proactively;
• to acquire, in a timely manner, any endorsements and/or approvals required from the parties they represent; and,
• not to independently undertake initiatives or projects duplicating those of the Congress without the endorsement of the Congress

Chair Position:
The Congress will be chaired by a non-political member or other community volunteer acceptable to the Congress.

Secretarial and Administrative Support:
Secretarial and administrative support shall be provided by the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary.

Decision Making Process:
The Congress will endeavor to operate by consensus, but canadopt decisions by vote of two-thirds majority of its members present at any given meeting if required.

Regional Economic Improvement Process:
The economic strength and community vitality of the Lower Columbia area will be achieved through the identification and timely execution of projects, endorsed by the Congress, and undertaken by volunteer committees appointed by the Congress.

Project Characteristics:
Projects shall be characterized by defined scopes, objectives and timelines for implementation, measurable results including identifiable milestones by which to track progress. Projects do not include special interest advocacy activities that cannot be characterized by defined scopes, objectives, measurable results and timelines for implementation.

Characteristics of Project Implementation Committees:
Project Implementation Committees:

• shall be endorsed by the Congress;
• shall be composed of volunteers from the private, public and community sectors
• work will be volunteer driven, but some of the volunteers may have work-related interests;
• elected officials may volunteer to serve as committee members;
• shall have a mandate to achieve the agreed objectives of the project, which must be supported by definable outcomes;
• shall be granted by the Congress the authority to act on behalf of the participating parties, including the local governments, whose authority is granted following the protocols specified for those governments;
• shall be accountable to the Congress for the achievement of the agreed results in the agreed timeframes; and,
• shall be chaired by persons appointed by the Chair of the Congress

Public Affairs:
The Chair of the Congress or a designate of the chair shall be the spokesperson for the Congress. Participating parties and members of Congress shall restrict their media comments to an endorsement of the projects of the Congress and referral of media to the designated spokesperson for details.

Funding:
Funding shall be reviewed and recommended to the Congress by the relevant committee on a project-by-project basis.