The Bend Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board on June 20 unanimously adopted amended bylaws that add Central Oregon transit representation as a voting member, change the board's voting composition, and clarify how alternates are appointed.

The board voted to add CET as a voting member, reduce the number of voting seats representing the City of Bend from three to two (while preserving one vote per member), and move to a five-vote system in which a majority of three votes will carry ordinary actions. The adopted amendments also clarify the process for appointing alternates and define a supermajority to amend the bylaws as four of five voting members.

Tyler Deakey, Bend MPO manager, reviewed comments received during a 30-day agency review. Deakey said the comments were mostly minor and that the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between participating agencies still requires review and that some IGA changes will follow the bylaws process. He explained that the IGA and bylaws both permit a 30-day review process for agency comments.

Discussion at the meeting focused on the alternates appointment language in Article 3, section j. Deakey and Councilor Mike Riley said the usual practice has been that alternates are identified annually by the participating agencies (city manager, county administrator) and recorded. Riley and others said keeping the dual option'allowing either the governing body or an appointed member to designate an alternate'retains flexibility while still allowing the county commission or city council to formally name alternates. Board members agreed to retain language that allows both options, with the recommendation to create a preapproved list of alternates to avoid lapses in representation.

Members also discussed duplicative references to "future transportation providers" in two places in the bylaws; members agreed the paragraph should be deleted for consistency. The board approved minor edits to clarify that the policy board may provide input on the manager's annual evaluation and that such input may be provided in executive session.

Councilor Riley moved adoption of the amended bylaws as presented; the motion was seconded by Kent Schimpweiler and passed unanimously.

The board chair and staff said that because some changes require an IGA amendment, there will be an agency review period and that the IGA amendment process will proceed as required.

The adopted bylaws also specify quorum and voting thresholds for ordinary actions and define a supermajority (4 of 5 voting members) for bylaw amendments.

Board members said they intended to keep outreach and notice to participating agencies as the IGA review continues and to return any required follow-up items to a future meeting.

No separate formal challenges or votes to postpone adoption were recorded.