POLICY
MANUAL FOR THE GUIDANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE ATLANTIC
PLANNERS INSTITUTE
REVISED 1995
1.1 The purpose of this
manual is to provide continuity and uniformity between
successive Councils and to assist new members of Council
with the operating policies of API Council.
1.2 The manual is to be a
companion to the API Bylaws and read together, both
documents should assist the API Council with the business of
the Institute.
1.3 The manual is the
responsibility of the Secretary who should ensure that all
members of Council receive a copy. The Secretary should also
review the manual annually and update the manual as
required.
2.1 The first Council
Meeting of each new Council must deal with the following
business:
a) Signing Officers of the
Institute
b) Appointment of National
Council Representative
c) Appointment of National
Membership Committee Representative and Membership
Committee
d) Appointment of
Chairperson of Standing Committees
e) Appointment of
Newsletter Editor
f) Appointment of
Executive Committee of Council as per bylaws.
3.1 Agendas should be
prepared and distributed to Council at least 14 days prior
to a Council meeting.
3.2 Any business which
Council members wish to discuss should be made known to the
Secretary 21 days prior to the Council meeting in order that
the business is noted on the agenda and Council members are
given adequate notice of the upcoming business of Council.
3.3 The Council agenda
should include the following items:
a)
Call to Order
b)
Minutes of the Previous Meeting
c)
Business Arising from the Minutes
d)
Correspondence
e)
Secretary's Report
f)
Treasurer's Report
g)
Committee Reports
h)
Councillor's Reports
i)
Newsletter Editor's Report
j)
Conference Reports
k)
Other Business
l)
Council Expenses
m)
Next Meeting
n)
Adjournment
3.4 All reports to Council
should be written and whenever possible be in the hands of
the Secretary in time for distribution to the Council
accompanying the agenda.
4.1 The original set of
minutes of the Council should be signed by the President and
Secretary of the API Council after the minutes have been
adopted by Council.
4.2 A copy of the minutes
are to be distributed to all members of Council, the
Newsletter Editor, CIP President and to the National Office.
5.1 All correspondence
should be on API letterhead.
5.2 Copies of all
correspondence written by Councillors on behalf of API
should be copied to the Secretary for the information of
Council members at the next Council meeting.
6.1 The following Standing
committees should be struck at the first meeting of Council:
a) Membership - The
membership Committee shall consist of a representative
from each Branch. The Chairperson shall act as the
representative for the Branch to which he/she belongs. It
will be the responsibility of this committee to approve
membership applications, recommend actions to Council in
relation to membership issues including discipline,
provide information regarding membership, and conduct
information sessions during the Annual Conference on
membership matters (exam, National standards, membership
issues). The committee shall meet once each year with the
Council and shall provide a written report to Council
prior to each Council meeting.
The committee will also
work closely with the administrator.
b) Education - The
education Committee will be responsible for the periodic
reviews of the planning schools according to the national
standards set out in the National Membership Committee
Handbook. It shall also advise Council of any educational
issues which arise as a result of the university reviews.
In as far as any continuing education programs of the
Council involve either of the university planning schools,
the education committee will also be Council's liaison
with the schools, in assisting in the programming and
organization of such events.
c) Bylaw/Resolutions -
this committee shall be responsible for periodic reviews
of the bylaws as directed by Council as well as
coordinating resolutions to be presented at the Annual
General Meeting. (the reason for this suggestion is that
nothing ever comes up at the AGM, and resolutions that are
made are usually made in the heat of the moment without a
lot of thought and discussion).
d) Awards - The awards
committee will be responsible for administering the
student awards program as well as for developing a program
of awards for the Institute including but not limited to :
awards recognizing the service of members to the Institute
(at Branch and Council level); student paper/project
competition; an award to recognize the professional work
of a member(s); an award to a group or organization
outside the membership whose work represents a valuable
contribution to planning or an understanding of planning;
and a journalism award for an article or publication in
the media which promotes an understanding of planning
issues.
The Committee shall
develop awards categories, criteria, recommend the form of
award (prize, certificate, plaque, money etc.) and act,
where possible as jury for the awards. The committee, with
the cooperation of the Secretary will be responsible for
the publication of the winners in local news media.
e) Issues/Advocacy
committee - This committee is established to recommend to
council issues of relevance to Atlantic Canada that should
be pursued by API Council. These would generally be ones
which are not being pursued by National Council. The
committee would also recommend the form of response API
should take to address these issues - brief, letter,
presentation, meeting, letter to editor etc.
6.2 The Education and
Student Award committees shall include a student member.
6.3 All standing committee
meeting minutes be distributed to Council and the Newsletter
Editor following each committee meeting.
7.1 All API audits will be
conducted internally with the Treasurer recommending the
auditor for appointment by Council.
8.1 It is the responsibility
of the individual Council members to make their own travel
arrangements to the API Council meetings. Wherever possible,
each Council representative will attempt to travel to
meetings by the least expensive means possible - ie. seat
sale and advance booking of airline tickets, travelling
together by vehicle where possible, sharing hotel
accommodation where possible.
8.2 Council will pay for the
transportation to a Council meeting Total meal allowance not
to exceed $30.00 per day. Where overnight accommodation is
necessary, or where overnight accommodation results in a
reduced airfare, such accommodation may be covered provided
the savings accrued do not exceed the cost of full airfare
or other transportation costs.
8.3 Council mileage rates
shall be $ 0.30 per km.
8.4 Council expenses for the
API-AGM will cover transportation costs and one evening's
accommodation.
8.5 Travel claims must be
supported by appropriate receipts and all expenses must be
approved by Council.
CIP National Conference
9.1 The CIP National
Conference, it's profits or losses are the responsibility of
CIP and API through the provincial branch which is
established to organize and operate the conference.
API Annual Conference
9.2 The Annual Conference of
the Atlantic Planners Institute is to be held between the
middle of August and the end of October.
9.3 The Annual Conference
shall be rotated among the four Atlantic provinces in a
consecutive fashion where possible.
9.4 The hosting of Annual
Conferences will be the responsibility of the Branches. The
Branch Councillor will be the liaison between API Council
and the host committee.
9.5 API Council will advance
the host Committee seed money after the holding of the
previous conference.
9.6 API Council will approve
the theme and content of the conference upon recommendation
by the host Branch.
9.7 The host committee will
budget for a profit. However, such profit should be modest
and not at the expense of the membership, resulting in
unnecessarily high registration fees.
9.8 Conference profits may
be divided equally between the Branch and API upon written
agreement outlining terms of profit/losssharing. Where
Branches do not have sufficient resources to cover losses,
or do not wish to risk branch funds, a different arrangement
could be made. Branch share of conference profit/losses
shall not exceed 50%.
9.9 API Council shall
encourage the participation of student members in conference
proceedings and attendance. (Ken Forrest)
Other Conferences
9.10 The status of
conferences will be established at the initial request for
API funds, (with some regard for legal liability for
conference activities and operations).
10.1 Student Award Fund is
to be maintained in a separate bank account. Interest from
the account will be the financial basis of the annual award
and expenses.
10.2 The following criteria
will be used in the awarding of the Student Award:
a) To be eligible, a
student must attend one of the CIP recognized planning
schools in the Atlantic Provinces; and be a student member
of the Association.
b) The top nominated
graduating student from each school will receive an award.
10.3 The award will be
presented at the banquet during the API Annual Conference.
10.4 The award will be a
monetary award from the interest from a separate interest
generating account. Subject to sufficient funds being
available, travel costs to attend the Annual Conference may
be provided.
11.1 Council members will
participate in Student Day programs for planning students at
TUNS and NSCAD. The programs will take place on the day
following the fall or early winter Council meeting.
11.2 Responsibility for the
organization of these events may be delegated to the Nova
Scotia Branch, with sufficient financial resources to
undertake this program.
12.1 The Institute will
provide the following French language services, and their
costs are to be incorporated into the budget:
a)
Newsletter: A French language editor shall be appointed,
and articles written in French actively sought for
publication.
b)
The Institute bylaws shall be translated into French and
appropriately modified to acknowledge our Francophone
membership and to define the degree of bilingulaism of
Institute operations.
c)
API Conferences should include at least one workshop in
French, and Conference organizers will invite Francophone
speakers. Simultaneous translation services should be
provided at conferences held in New Brunswick and, when
possible, in other provinces.
d)
The Membership Committee will have at least one
Francophone member who shall participate in evaluating
applications from persons with French academic training.
e)
The API will initiate and maintain contact with the
Corporation professionnelle des urbanistes du Quebec to
promote co-operation between the two organizations.
f)
The API will seek private sector support for French
language services as appropriate.
