Board elects Bill Johns chair, assigns members to committees and adopts parliamentary procedure update
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Summary
The Underground Safety Board elected Bill Johns as chair, selected a vice chair, assigned members to standing committees, and approved an update to Policy G01 on parliamentary procedures clarifying quorum and voting rules.
The Underground Safety Board elected Bill Johns as chair and named Member Charland vice chair during its April 19, 2025, meeting. The board then reviewed and assigned members to its standing committees and approved an update to Policy G01 (Parliamentary Procedures).
In the chair election the board received nominations and held a roll-call vote; Johns was recognized as chair and presided over the remainder of the meeting. The board then nominated and elected Member Charland as vice chair.
Ms. Hastings (staff) presented committee assignment recommendations and attendees agreed to maintain or adjust memberships. Staff recited the assignments as of January 1 and noted vacancies created by recent departures and new appointments. The board confirmed membership for these committees (examples noted below):
- Unmarked and Abandoned Lines Committee: Bill Johns and Aparo Munoz (no change) - Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Committee: Member Soren added to join existing member - Educational and Outreach Committee: assignments adjusted to fill vacancies - Ticket Process Committee: Wendy Charlene and Marshall Johnson - Potholing and Planning and Design Committee: Bill Johns and Marshall Johnson (members confirmed)
The board then considered agenda item 6, a staff report and action on board policies (Resolution 205-41). Ms. Grama introduced the staff recommendation to adopt Policy G01 (Parliamentary Procedures) with revisions. Key policy changes: update of the quorum definition to require a majority of the board's full statutory membership (rather than a majority of currently seated members), and alignment to the twelfth edition of Robert's Rules of Order. The board approved Policy G01 as presented; board members said the change was intended to make decisions reflect a larger cross-section of appointed members.
Why it matters: The election determines who presides over meetings and sets the procedural tone; committee assignments shape which members handle technical policy work; the Policy G01 update alters the board's voting-quorum baseline and voting documentation practice.
What comes next: Staff will publish updated committee rosters and the amended Policy G01, and will implement the clarified quorum rules for future meetings.
