PCC Management Insights

“Staying in the Know”

Guidelines for Postal Customer Council Governance
January 2009
PCC Governance Matters

Conduct an Annual Review of the PCC Bylaws
It is a good idea to review the Bylaws of your PCC each year to determine that they are up to date and that they comply with the governance guidelines set forth in Publication 286.  This article will summarize those guidelines.  
Roles of the Postal Co-Chair, Industry Co-Chair and other Executive Board Members
Generally, the local Postmaster serves as PCC Postal Co-Chair.  The Postmaster should select one or more business mailers to work with him/her. One Industry member will serve as the Industry Co-Chair. 
The Postal Co-Chair must be a postal employee and serves indefinitely or for such term as the Postal Service may establish.  Officers appointed by the Postal Co-Chair must be postal employees and serve for such term as the Postal Co-Chair may determine.  
The Postmaster and the business mailers together can establish the first PCC Executive Board and develop plans for increasing membership. Choosing dedicated co-organizers early in the process sets the stage for an effective PCC.
Each PCC shall also have officers who carry out the business of the PCC.  Required officer positions are Postal Co-Chair, Industry Co-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. Officers may be, but do not have to be, Executive Board members. Industry representatives serving as officers are appointed by the Executive Board for a two year term, and may be reelected to serve for consecutive terms. 
Please note that competitors of the Postal Service are eligible to be PCC members, but they may not serve on the PCC Executive Board, a PCC Committee or as a PCC Officer.
PCC Commitments and Contract and Check Signing 
No contract or other document that purports to bind the PCC is effective to do so without the signature of the Postal Co-Chair.  Therefore, all checks and contracts that the PCC enters into must be signed by the Postal Co-Chair, and may be signed jointly by the Postal Co-Chair and the Industry Co-Chair.  
PCC expenditures may be recommended by the local PCC Board, but they must be approved by the Postal Co-Chair.  All expenditures must be in keeping with the PCC Mission, described in Publication 286 on page 4.
Bylaws and Governance Rules
For a newly organized PCC, the Bylaws will be adopted by the first Executive Board of the PCC at its first meeting and should be reviewed annually. Established PCCs should review their Bylaws annually and make changes necessary to update them and bring them in line with the guidelines in Publication 286.  A suggested form of Bylaws may be obtained from www.usps.com/pcc. The Bylaws contain important rules regarding how the Executive Board and the PCC operate.  Set forth below are the basic requirements for the Executive Board and the governance of the PCC, which are formally addressed in the suggested form of Bylaws.

Executive Board

The Executive Board should consist of no less than three members.  It is best if the total number of Executive Board members is uneven, so as to avoid tied votes.
The Executive Board must include at least two postal members, including the Postal Co-Chair, who will be the Postmaster/Postal Executive for the area in which the PCC is organized.  The other postal members of the Executive Board will be appointed by the Postal Co-Chair. The Postal Co-Chair will serve indefinitely or until the Postal Service appoints his or her successor.  Other postal Executive Board members will serve for such terms as the Postal Co-Chair may determine. 
The rest of the Executive Board will be chosen from the PCC membership.  The industry Executive Board members will be elected by the PCC membership every two years for a two year term.  Each Executive Board member shall serve for a two year term and may be reelected to serve for consecutive terms. 
The main objective of the PCC's Executive Board is to meet the postal-related needs of the business community. To do this, they must promote networking, information, communication, and education to help businesses use mail as an effective and efficient communication and fulfillment media for their customers. As the "business arm" of a PCC, the Executive Board members provide advice and recommendations about the meetings, events, and educational sessions that foster and maintain the working relationships between business mailers and the Postal Service. Executive Board members must consider the mailing needs of all businesses in the PCC. 
Matters may be voted on by the Executive Board only at a properly called meeting where a quorum is present.  A quorum will be present only if the Postal Co-Chair (or his or her designee who must be a postal employee) is in attendance at the meeting and when a majority of the Board is present, including the Postal Co-Chair or his or her designee.  Matters voted on will be decided by a majority of those present, assuming there is a quorum, but the Postal Co-Chair shall cast the deciding vote on any contested matters on which a vote is taken, shall have the deciding vote in the event of any tied or insufficient vote, and shall have the power to act in situations where the best interest of the Postal Service is at risk, as determined by the Postal Co-Chair in his or her discretion.