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Mercer Island Open Space Conservancy Trust adopts revised bylaws after ethics-code repeal
Summary
The Open Space Conservancy Trust voted unanimously to adopt updated bylaws that remove a now-repealed city-code cross-reference and clarify committee and reporting language following trustee edits.
The Mercer Island Open Space Conservancy Trust unanimously adopted revised trust bylaws at its Jan. 16 regular meeting, removing a city-code cross-reference that became out of date after a recent City Council repeal and approving several language clarifications requested by trustees.
The change most directly addressed Section 7.7, a cross-reference to Mercer Island City Code chapter 2.60 (the city's former code of ethics). City Clerk Andrea Larson told trustees the reference was no longer appropriate after the City Council repealed that chapter; Larson told the board, "For the record, I'm your city clerk, Andrea Larson," and proposed replacing the reference with the applicable state standard, RCW 42.23.
Trustees discussed a number of drafting clarifications before voting, including how the bylaws describe trust ad hoc committees and when the trust should appoint liaisons to other advisory bodies. Trustee Marie Bender recommended moving an "if requested" clause so the sentence clearly distinguishes committees the trust creates from liaisons to committees of other city advisory boards. Larson and staff indicated the suggested reordering would be acceptable to the city attorney's office and the trust accepted the edit.
Trustees also suggested tightening the annual-report language in Section 7.5 to a single declarative sentence that the trust will submit an annual report to the City Council in the first or second quarter of each year. Chair Geraldine Poore and staff said they would incorporate that streamlined language before the chair signs the bylaws.
The motion to adopt the revised bylaws passed on a roll-call vote with all trustees present voting aye. Staff said they will finalize the document with agreed revisions and arrange the chair's signature.
The trust's approval follows two earlier review meetings that produced the packet before trustees; staff told the board the updated bylaws will be returned to the trust for signature and then posted with the trust records.
