Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition

This Coalition know as the Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition is a perpetual not-for-profit organization under the laws of the State of West Virginia with pending 501(c) (3) status. The Coalition’s principal purpose is to monitor, protect, and restore the Chesapeake Bay Watershed within Jefferson County, West Virginia.

The specific objective and purpose of this organization builds upon a common vision formed by members of the communities located on the Blue Ridge of West Virginia and funded by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the County Commission of Jefferson County West Virginia.

The Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition was formed from the Vision Statement of the Blue Ridge Mountain Communities Area Watershed Plan “Future of the Mountain: A Common Vision for the Jefferson County Blue Ridge Mountain Communities Area.”

The official address of the Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition is P.O. Box 538, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia 25425. The Coalition is physically located and meets at the St. Andrews Mountain Community Center, 58 Mission Road, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, 25425. Other offices may be located within the geographic area served by the organization as its business and activities may require and as the Board of Trustees may designate.

The goals of the Coalition are:

Monitoring, protecting, and restoring water quality in the Blue Ridge watershed of Jefferson County;
Reducing nutrients and sediment in the Blue Ridge watershed of Jefferson County and ultimately in the Chesapeake Bay;
Obtaining funds to achieve effective and long-term solutions;
Educating citizens about the natural environment and how they can have a positive impact on our watershed and ultimately the quality of the Chesapeake Bay;
Honoring the Common Vision and new concerns of the residents of the Blue Ridge communities of Jefferson County; and
Preventing the future necessity for public water or sewage systems by preserving and improving the current private water sources, wells, and septic systems along the Blue Ridge of Jefferson County.

Committees & Staff

President: Ronda Lehman
Vice President: Carl Drumgoole
Treasurer: Carlen Emanuel
Grant Committee: Ronda Lehman, John Maxey, Katherine Austin
MCC Project Leader: Carl Drumgoole
Shenandoah River Cleanup Project Leader: Ronda Lehman

Mission

Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition

Mission Statement

monitoring, protecting, and restoring water quality in the Blue Ridge watershed of Jefferson County;

reducing nutrients and sediment in the Blue Ridge watershed of Jefferson County and ultimately in the Chesapeake Bay;
obtaining funds to achieve effective and long-term solutions;

educating citizens about the natural environment and how they can have a positive impact on our watershed and ultimately the quality of the Chesapeake Bay;
honoring the Common Vision and new concerns of the residents of the Blue Ridge communities of Jefferson County; and

preventing future necessity for public water or sewage systems by preserving and improving the current private water sources, wells, and septic systems along the Blue Ridge of Jefferson County.

Bylaws

Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition

Bylaws

Article I: Purpose

The goals of the Coalition are:

monitoring, protecting, and restoring water quality in the Blue Ridge watershed of Jefferson County;

reducing nutrients and sediment in the Blue Ridge watershed of Jefferson County and ultimately in the Chesapeake Bay;
obtaining funds to achieve effective and long-term solutions;

educating citizens about the natural environment and how they can have a positive impact on our watershed and ultimately the quality of the Chesapeake Bay;

honoring the Common Vision and new concerns of the residents of the Blue Ridge communities of Jefferson County; and
preventing future necessity for public water or sewage systems by preserving and improving the current private water sources, wells, and septic systems along the Blue Ridge of Jefferson County.

The fiscal year of the Coalition shall begin on the first day of January of each year.

Article II: Board of Trustees

The date of Coalition meetings will be determined by the Board of Trustees. The Coalition shall meet at least six times per year. Meetings may be called by the Chair or any three Trustees upon giving written notice to all Trustees at least one week before the meeting date. All Board meetings are open to anyone except for meetings for personnel or contract issues.

A quorum of one-half of the currently serving Board of Trustees is required to conduct business. Decisions shall be made by a two-thirds majority. Votes shall be a show of hands unless, by a show of hands, the Board of Trustees votes to conduct a written ballot. Voting by proxy shall be permitted. Trustees must be in good standing prior to voting.

The Board of Trustees, committee members, and any staff or contracted consultants of the Coalition will familiarize themselves and comply with the Conflict of Interest policy adopted by the Coalition. The Chair is responsible to inform the above parties of this policy. The Executive Committee will review any reported conflict of interest concerns and report on them to the Board of Trustees.

The Coalition is empowered to terminate the service of a Trustee where that Trustee is found to be operating in a way significantly harmful to the Coalition. This includes but is not limited to fraud, theft, disclosure of sensitive confidential information, or where a Trustee maliciously interferes in the work of the Coalition, or significantly harms the reputation of the Coalition.

Article III: Executive Committee

The Coalition shall have a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer chosen from a majority vote of members at the first Board of Trustees meeting after the annual meeting. Collectively these officers shall be known as the Executive Committee. Each officer shall serve a one-year term or until the next officer-election meeting. Additional officers can be added at any time as needed.

The Chair will oversee the general operation including: meetings as directed by the Coalition; preparing Coalition meeting agenda; and overseeing the filing of all required non-financial reports for federal, state, and local governments in an appropriate and timely manner.

The Vice-Chair shall assist the Chair in the conduct of the Chair’s duties and shall act for the Chair if the Chair is unwilling or unable to serve.
The Secretary is responsible for drafting the minutes of each meeting and submitting them to the Coalition for approval. The Secretary will maintain the records of the Coalition in a manner determined by the board.

The Treasurer is responsible for the timely compilation and submission of financial reports to the Coalition and the timely filing of financial reports to the federal, state, or local governments. The Treasurer shall oversee and safeguard all required bank accounts. Only the Chair or Treasurer may sign checks of the organization. All expenditures over $100 must be approved by the Board of Trustees.

Any officer may be removed for cause by a two-thirds vote of the Board. If an officer is removed, or is unwilling or unable to serve the remainder of the term to which the officer was elected, the vacancy will be filed by a vote of the remaining members of the Board, such new Trustee will serve out the remainder of the departing officer’s term.

Article IV: Committees

The Coalition may appoint any member of the community to a committee. Each committee shall develop recommendations to be submitted to the Board on issues within its scope. All committee meetings are open except for meetings to discuss personnel or contract matters. A representative from each committee shall meet at least once per quarter with the Coalition to provide a full report of progress and problems. Committee members serve at the will of the Coalition, without term limitation, and without a vote in organization matters.

Article V: Staff

The Board of Trustees shall determine if staff personnel is needed and if such a position can be afforded. The Board can then set the amount of pay and will assign duties commiserate with the positions established.

Article VI: Amendments

Amendments to these bylaws will be made by the Board of Trustees and submitted to the Secretary of State for West Virginia.

Article VII: Dissolution

Dissolution of the Coalition can be accomplished by a two-thirds vote at any Board meeting. Any funds in the treasury at the time of dissolution not needed to pay the outstanding obligations of the organization shall be donated to any like-minded non-profit organization to be determined by a vote of the Board.

About

Blue Ridge Watershed Coalition

Committees & Staff

Mission

Bylaws