Chapter 2.28
CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Sections:

2.28.010    Establishment.

2.28.020    Membership vacancy—Notice.

2.28.030    Membership vacancy—Applications.

2.28.040    Members—District residence required.

2.28.050    Members—Terms.

2.28.060    Members—Reappointment and number of terms.

2.28.070    Membership vacancy—Filling.

2.28.080    Board representative.

2.28.090    Organizational meeting—New committees.

2.28.100    Officers—Nomination and election generally.

2.28.110    Officers—Election.

2.28.120    Officers—Taking office.

2.28.130    Officers—Terms of office.

2.28.140    Chair and vice-chair—Vacancy filling.

2.28.150    Chair and vice-chair—Duties.

2.28.160    Regular meetings.

2.28.170    Special meetings.

2.28.180    Meetings—Proceedings.

2.28.190    Meetings—Quorum.

2.28.200    Meetings—Absenteeism.

2.28.210    Meetings—Agenda.

2.28.220    Public records.

2.28.230    Order of business.

2.28.240    Committee recommendations.

2.28.250    Voting—Procedure.

2.28.260    Tie votes.

2.28.270    Changing vote.

2.28.280    Conflict of interest.

2.28.010 Establishment.

The board may, from time to time, by resolution, establish citizens advisory committees. The resolution establishing a citizens advisory committee shall declare the purposes and functions of the committee, its duration, the number of members of the committee, all of whom to be appointed by a majority of the board. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.020 Membership vacancy—Notice.

The district secretary shall cause notice of the fact that a committee has been created or that a vacancy has occurred due to resignation or expiration of a term, and that applications for membership shall be received, to be published in a newspaper of general circulation, circulated in the district, at least four weeks prior to the date the board is scheduled to meet and consider making appointments. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.030 Membership vacancy—Applications.

All persons interested in serving on any committee shall submit to the district secretary a written request for appointment containing such information on their background and qualifications as they deem appropriate. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.040 Members—District residence required.

Members of all committees shall be residents of the district. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.050 Members—Terms.

Each member of a committee shall serve without compensation for a term of three years and at the pleasure of the council. Removal of any committee member shall be upon a majority vote of the board. (Ord. 135 § 1, 2016: Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.060 Members—Reappointment and number of terms.

All members of a committee shall be eligible for reappointment to one successive three-year term. Short terms and appointments to fill vacancies shall not be considered as terms for the purpose of this section.

No member may serve for more than two three-year terms in succession. This provision does not prohibit holding the office for more than two terms. For the purpose of determining the number of terms of office, only those terms of office occurring after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section shall be counted. (Ord. 129 § 1, 2011: Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.070 Membership vacancy—Filling.

All vacancies shall be filled by a majority vote of the board. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.080 Board representative.

One member of the board may be appointed as a liaison to each committee as a nonvoting member. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.090 Organizational meeting—New committees.

Within thirty days after the appointment of the members of a committee, and at the regular meeting of such committee on or after January 1st of each year thereafter, the committee members shall meet and constitute themselves by the election of a chair, vice chair, secretary and such other officers as the committee deems advisable. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.100 Officers—Nomination and election generally.

At the first meeting of the members of a committee, nominations shall be made and the election of officers accomplished as hereinafter provided. Subsequently, nominations shall be made and the election of officers made by the committee as a whole at the first regular meeting on or after January 1st of each year. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.110 Officers—Election.

Election of the officers shall be the first order of business under “new business” and shall be presided over by the board representative or by a temporary chair at the first meeting and by the current chair thereafter. Election shall be by a majority of the members voting. Nominations shall be made by members of the committee. After the close of nominations, a vote for each nomination shall be made in the order received. Once a majority vote is reached, election closes. All voting shall be made in public pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act. No vote shall be made by secret ballot. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.120 Officers—Taking office.

New officers shall assume their offices and conduct the meeting immediately upon the completion of the election. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.130 Officers—Terms of office.

Officers shall serve one year only and shall not succeed themselves. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.140 Chair and vice-chair—Vacancy filling.

In the event the vice-chair assumes the duties of chair permanently, a new vice-chair shall be appointed by a majority vote of the members of the committee. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.150 Chair and vice-chair—Duties.

A.    The chair shall have the following duties:

1.    To preside at all regular and special meetings of the committee;

2.    To appoint such subcommittees as he or she determines necessary;

3.    To appoint members of such subcommittees and to designate the chair of each such subcommittee;

4.    To perform all such other duties as established by this chapter, as may be designated by the majority of the committee and as are normally incident to such office; and

5.    In the event that the chair and the vice-chair are to be absent from a regular or special meeting, the chair may designate a chair pro tem for such meeting.

B.    The vice-chair shall have the following duties:

1.    To preside over all meetings during the absence or disability of the chair; and

2.    To have such other duties as may be delegated to him or her by the chair. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.160 Regular meetings.

Each committee shall, by resolution, establish a time and place for its regular meetings. The staff liaison shall cause notice of the regular meetings and the agenda for each to be given to local newspapers. The district secretary shall post agendas of all regular meetings on the bulletin board outside the fire department. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.170 Special meetings.

Notice of any special meetings and the agenda therefor shall be posted by the district secretary on the bulletin board outside the fire department. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.180 Meetings—Proceedings.

All meetings of a committee or subcommittee thereof shall be held, adjourned and special meetings called as provided by the Ralph M. Brown Act, as the same shall be from time to time amended, and shall be open to the public who shall be allowed to participate in all deliberations but shall not make motions or participate in voting. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.190 Meetings—Quorum.

A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum, which shall be necessary for the conduct of any business. For the purposes of this section, the number of members of a committee shall be set forth in the resolution establishing the committee or the number of members currently appointed and serving. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.200 Meetings—Absenteeism.

Absence from any three consecutive meetings without formal notification to the committee chair or staff liaison shall be deemed to constitute resignation from the committee. The staff liaison shall cause notice of such resignation to be given to the district secretary for appropriate action. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.210 Meetings –Agenda.

All reports, communications, ordinances, resolutions, contract documents or other matters to be submitted to the committee for review shall be submitted to the staff liaison who shall deliver the same to the members of the committee not later than seventy-two hours preceding any regular meeting pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act. The staff liaison shall prepare the agenda and deliver the same to the district secretary for posting and filing. At least seventy-two hours prior to the meeting, the staff liaison shall cause the agenda and all supporting documents to be personally delivered, sent electronically, or mailed to each of the members of the committee and shall forward a copy of the agenda to the district secretary for posting pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act.

Pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act, no action or discussion of items can take place on items not on the posted agenda unless an “emergency situation” exists as defined in the Ralph M. Brown Act. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.220 Public records.

All correspondence addressed to the committee which is received by the staff liaison or any member of the committee shall become a public record upon its receipt and being filed by the staff liaison. A complete, original set of all documents, correspondence, agendas and minutes of the committee shall be kept in the office of the staff liaison available to the public for inspection. All agendas and minutes of the committees shall be kept in the office of the district secretary available to the public for inspection. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.230 Order of business.

A.    The business of the committee shall be taken up for consideration and disposition in the following order:

1.    Call to order;

2.    Roll call;

3.    Introductions;

4.    Public forum;

5.    Approval of minutes;

6.    Reports;

7.    Old business;

8.    New business;

9.    Communications;

10.    Adjournment.

B.    The order of business shall not be changed except by a majority vote of the committee. Except as provided by this chapter, other rules adopted by the committee or applicable provisions of law, the procedures shall be governed by the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.240 Committee recommendations.

All committee recommendations for board action shall be reviewed by the district manager before presentation to the board. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.250 Voting –Procedure.

Any vote of the committee, including a roll call vote, may be registered by a member by answering “yes” for an affirmative vote, “no” for a negative vote or “abstain,” upon his or her name being called by the secretary. The chair may call for a unanimous consent and, if there is no objection, the vote shall be recorded as unanimous. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.260 Tie votes.

Tie votes shall be deemed lost motions and the matter may be reconsidered. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.270 Changing vote.

A committee member may change his or her vote or withdraw his or her vote only if he or she makes a request to do so immediately following the announcement of the vote by the secretary and prior to the time that the next item in the order of business is taken up. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)

2.28.280 Conflict of interest.

Committee members shall not participate in any vote which is upon an item in which they have an interest unless such interest is deemed to be remote and specific steps are taken to insure disclosure as provided by statute. (Ord. 124 § 1 (part), 2006)