Advisory Committee Operations Policy

Purpose

The Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) advisory committees were established to serve as a forum for members to network, share information, and provide an opportunity to influence the work considered by the AWE Board of Directors. The operation of all AWE advisory committees will follow the below principles of operation, in conjunction with the AWE Volunteer Service Policy as applicable.

Membership

Any AWE organizational member in good standing may join one or more advisory committees; however, no more than two representatives per organizational member may sit on any one advisory committee. An Individual member of AWE is not permitted to serve on any advisory committee, as their membership is information-only.

Staffing

Each advisory committee will be staffed by an AWE staff person or consultant. Brief meeting notes of discussion topics and action items will be taken for a permanent record of the committee business. Staff will coordinate the meeting schedule and agenda preparation with the committee chair and co-chair or vice-chair.

Meetings

Most of an advisory committee’s work will be conducted virtually via video-conferencing and by email, with occasional in-person meetings as needed. Annual meeting frequency will be determined by committee leadership and AWE staff, but is typically once every other month.

Governance

The advisory committees shall be managed by a chair and co-chair or vice-chair elected from the committee membership by the committee membership. The election will occur by the committee’s last meeting of the calendar year by a majority vote of the committee members in attendance. The results will subsequently be ratified by the full AWE Board of Directors.

Terms of the chair, co-chair, and vice-chair will be one year. 

The chair shall run the committee meetings and make sure that Roberts Rules of Order are followed for discussion of sensitive items. The chair and co-chair or vice-chair shall review the staff-prepared meeting notes to ensure accuracy.

Ad Hoc Workgroup

An ad hoc workgroup of a particular advisory committee will be comprised of that advisory committee’s members whom volunteered to work on a time-sensitive or single-issue project, and then disband. Ad hoc workgroups always function under the auspices of the parent advisory committee.

Decisions

Decisions on recommendations or other business items of the advisory committees will be by majority vote of those committee members in attendance at the time the vote is taken. One vote per AWE member organization.

Independence

Much of an advisory committee's time conducting its business and activities will be independent; however, in all instances, final policy decisions of AWE remain with the Board of Directors. For purposes of liaison with the Board, each advisory committee shall have at least one Board director assigned to participate in committee activities.

Last Revised: September 2021