Adopted at Butte County, California on

This organization will be known as the Butte Education Network Consortium, hereinafter called BEN Consortium.

The Butte Education Network Consortium (BEN Consortium) is a vehicle for public school districts in Butte County, California, working with the Butte County Office of Education, to promote effective use of technology for teaching, learning and managing through county-wide planning and coordination of common technology related activities. The activities generally fit in six categories: maintaining telecommunications infrastructure including Internet/intranet access; training, technical assistance; management information systems; and,  cooperative purchasing and pursuit of funding.

BEN Consortium is constituted by mutual agreement of public school districts in Butte County, California. The Butte County Office of Education along with the chairs (or co-chairs) of the BEN Consortium act as administrative agent for the BEN Consortium to coordinate meetings, planning, funding, purchasing and disbursements. Butte County Office of Education provides services shared by all members through agreements with BEN Consortium with approval of consortium chairperson(s).

1. BEN Consortium Council makes policy recommendations to the superintendents of member school districts and the Butte County Office of Education on how to best deploy and use information technology with the resources available.
2. The Council also serves as a conduit for information, technical expertise, training and other resources into all parts of the member districts.
3. Constituents: Member districts may appoint instructional and administrative staff.
4. Decision Making:
1. Member school districts have proportionate votes based on immediate prior year enrollment reported for CBEDS:
1. Biggs Unified School District, 1 Vote
2. Chico Unified School District, 4 Votes
3. Paradise Unified School District, 2 Votes
4. Oroville City Elementary School District, 2 Votes
5. Oroville Union High School District, 1 Vote
6. Gridley Unified School District ,1 Vote
7. Thermalito Union School District, 1 Vote
8. Palermo Union School District, 1 Vote
9. Durham Unified School District, 1 Vote
10. Bangor, Feather Falls, Pioneer, Golden Feather and Manzanita School Districts,1 Vote
2. Consensus is the preferred method of decision making, but simple majority of votes rules in lieu.
3. All BEN Consortium committees follow the same decision making process.
4. Member districts tender their votes when called during Council meetings.
5. Only employees or board members of member districts may advocate in Council meetings and deliver district votes.
5. Discussion:
1. Discussion of agenda items is reserved to member representatives, except that the Chair may invite others to speak if time permits.
2. Vendor participation is limited to presentations appearing on the agenda.
6. Organizing Meeting: The Butte County Superintendent of Schools shall call an initial organizing meeting at 3:00 p.m. on April 1, 1998 and immediately call for nomination and election of officers. This election shall be conducted without delay.
7. Regular Council Meetings: Council Chair shall call regular meetings on third Tuesday of the months November, March and May.

The Executive Committee

1. Consists of Council Chair, Chair-Elect and Past-Chair serving one year terms.
2. Duties are to
0. Furnish leadership to the Consortium and the Council,
1. Assemble and publish agendas for Council meetings,
2. Report Council actions and recommendations,
3. Nominate Executive Committee successors, and
4. Conduct elections for new Executive Committee members at terms’ end.
5. Negotiate agreements with service providers on behalf of BEN Consortium.

1. Chair shall
1. Preside over Council meetings;
2. Appoint Chairs of Council committees; and
3. Report Council actions and recommendations to superintendents of member districts;
4. Assemble and publish minutes for Council meetings.
5. Serve a one term as Past Chair
6. Sign documents on behalf of BEN Consortium.
2. Chair Elect shall
1. Succeed the Chair at end of term or in case of vacancy;
2. Perform the duties of Chair in the Chair’s absence.
3. Serve one term as Chair.
3. Past Chair shall Perform the duties of Chair Elect in the Chair Elect’s absence.

1. Committees engage in specialized activities to produce recommendations to the Council-at-large or carry out its directives. The Council may create standing or special committees and the Chair, in consultation with the Executive Committee, will appoint chairpersons to those committees. Committees deliver their reports and recommendations to the Executive Committee prior to scheduled Council meetings for inclusion in the agenda.
2. Fiscal Committee: Member district superintendents or their designees, comprise the standing Fiscal Committee. The Fiscal Committee shall propose annual budgets and how the members will fund them, examine shared funding opportunities and monitor management of Consortium funds by the administrative agent. The Fiscal Committee shall meet at least once during each of the months November, March, and May on dates set by the Fiscal Committee Chairperson.
3. Network Committee: Comprised of one representative from each member district, shall examine shared member needs for information technology and how current and emerging technologies can meet them and maintain liaison with service organizations providing network services to BEN Consortium. The Network Committee shall meet at least once during each of the months November, March, and May on dates set by the Network Committee Chairperson.
4. Bylaw Committee: The Executive Committee shall comprise the standing Bylaw Committee to receive and recommend bylaw modifications to the Council at least once each year.

1. Elections of Executive Committee members shall be held between September 1 and December 1 of each year.
2. The Chair shall publish the date of the annual election meeting at least sixty days in advance of the meeting day.
3. Elected members of the executive Committee shall take office on January 1 of the year following the election and hold office for one year.

1. The Council shall hold a minimum of three meetings each year.
2. The Executive Committee shall meet prior to each regular Council meeting to:
1. Receive committee reports;
2. Identify matters requiring action; and
3. Formulate and publish the agenda;

"Roberts Revised Rules of Order" is the authority for all procedures not specifically provided by the Bylaws.

These Bylaws can be amended on recommendation of the Bylaws Committee and approval of the Council. Members proposing amendments must submit them to the Bylaws Committee 30 days before a regularly scheduled Council meeting.