Bylaws

Article I: Name

The name of this Council is the Olmsted County Justice Council. It will be referred to as the OCJC in the following bylaws.

Article II: Authority

The Olmsted County Board of Commissioners, the Rochester City Council, and the Olmsted County District Court established the OCJC on December 12, 2013.

Article III: Mission

The mission of the OCJC is to study, evaluate, create and implement effective and efficient justice policies and strategies in order to address vital Olmsted County justice issues.

Article IV: Members

There are seventeen voting members of the OCJC who are members due to the position they hold. These seventeen members serve on the OCJC for as long as they occupy the position or maintain designee status:

•        Chief Judge, 3rd Judicial District (or designee);

•        District Court Judge, 3rd Judicial District,  Olmsted County;

•        Court Administrator, 3rd Judicial District, Olmsted County;

•        Olmsted County Sheriff;

•        Olmsted County Attorney;

•        Chief Public Defender, 3rd Judicial District, Minnesota;

•        Deputy Director, Health, Housing and Human Services;

•        Olmsted County Administrator;

•        Chief, Rochester Police Department;

•        Rochester City Attorney;

•        Rochester City Administrator;

•        Mayor, City of Rochester;

•        President, Rochester City Council;

•        Director, Olmsted County Community Corrections;

•        Two Commissioners, Olmsted County Board;

•        Designee, Olmsted County Bar  Association.

Article V: Meetings

Section A: Regular Meetings

The OCJC meets on the second Tuesday of every other month, commencing with the month of January, as follows:

•        January

•        March

•        May

•        July

•        September

•        November

Section B: Alternates

OCJC members may designate one chief staff person, with voting power, to represent them on a per meeting basis at OCJC meetings. Any member wishing to appoint an alternate must provide the Chair of the OCJC with reasonable notice of the alternate’s identification.

Section C: Quorum

A quorum is no less than a simple majority of the total membership. Action may be taken by a majority of those present voting and by not less than the majority of the quorum.

Section D: Open Meeting Law

The OCJC is subject to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13D, Open Meeting Law. OCJC shall rely on state law in determining what kind of notice must be provided for the particular type of meeting being called. Meeting schedules or notices shall be published and open to the public.

Section E: Coordinator

A Coordinator shall be hired to support the work of OCJC including its work groups and committees. Costs for this position shall be 

shared equally between the City of Rochester, County of Olmsted, and Olmsted County District Court.

Article VI: Officers

The following officers shall serve one-year terms.

-   Chair. The chair of the OCJC shall preside over all meetings.

-   Vice Chair. In the event the Chair is not available to preside over a meeting, the Vice Chair shall preside in his/her stead.

The Chair and Vice Chair roles shall rotate annually between the Rochester City Council President and an Olmsted County Commissioner.

Article VII: Voting

Each OCJC member shall have one vote.

Article VIII: Committees

To expedite and facilitate the business of the OCJC and the orderly and efficient consideration of matters coming before it, the OCJC may create such subcommittees as it deems necessary to review and examine specific issues or topics of concern. These subcommittees are advisory in nature and do not have any decision-making authority. The OCJC may appoint members as well as non-members from the community at large to any of the subcommittees.

 A Steering Committee shall be appointed to plan agendas, manage membership/attendance and provide continuity.  The Steering Committee shall include the Council Chairperson, Council Vice Chairperson, Olmsted County Administrator, Council Coordinator, and two additional members. Membership shall include at least one representative from City, State and County departments.

Article IX: Parliamentary Authority

Roberts’s Rules of Order, revised, governs all OCJC meetings except in the instances of conflict between the rules of order and the bylaws of the OCJC or provision of law.

Article X: Amendment of Bylaws

Proposed amendments to the bylaws shall be included on the agenda of the OCJC. The proposal shall be forwarded to the OCJC at a regularly scheduled meeting for approval. Any action in response to the proposed change in the bylaws taken by the OCJC becomes effective immediately.

Adopted September 9, 2014

Amended, January 13, 2015

Amended July 14, 2015

Amended January 9, 2018

Amended September 11, 2018

Amended March 12, 2019

Amended March 10, 2020