(A) Purpose. The Board shall be known as the Ashland Urban Renewal and Community Development Agency, hereinafter referred to as AUR. Upon the appointment and taking of oath by its members, election of officers and adoption of its bylaws, its official existence shall begin. The AUR may engage in the design, administration and management of a program designed to rehabilitate housing and preserve neighborhoods in the city.
(B) Composition. The AUR shall consist of five members.
(C) Appointment. The members of the AUR shall be appointed by the Mayor and Board of Commissioners of the city.
(D) Term of membership. The members of the AUR shall each be appointed for a four-year term.
(E) Qualification of members. Each person appointed to the AUR shall be a resident of the city and of the age of 18 years or older. A member who becomes a nonresident of the city thereupon automatically vacates membership on the Board. At least two members of the Board must be from a profession allied to the rehabilitation of housing and preservation of neighborhoods, including finance, real estate, architecture, home building and construction, contracting, labor and social services.
(F) Vacancies. Vacancies on the AUR for any unexpired term shall be filled by the Board of Commissioners of the city.
(G) Rules and regulations. The AUR may adopt bylaws, rules and regulations for its own government not inconsistent with any state law or city ordinance.
(H) Meetings. Meetings of the AUR shall be held at the call of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson or Secretary-Treasurer. The bylaws adopted by the AUR shall reflect the schedule of regular meetings, the manner of notice of meetings, as well as method of calling special meetings. Three members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
(I) Officers and staff. The Board shall elect a Chairperson and any officers which it may deem necessary. The term of office shall be one year with eligibility for reappointment. The Commission may employ a staff as it may deem necessary for its work, and may contract with professional planners, engineers, consultants, attorneys, architects, contractors, a public or private service agency, including the city, lending institutions and any other persons, firms, agencies or associations whose services it may require.
(J) Powers.
(1) The AUR is hereby granted the following powers:
(a) To design, administer and manage a program to rehabilitate houses and preserve neighborhoods in the city.
(b) To seek and receive gifts, grants, loans and property of every kind, both real and personal, tangible and intangible.
(c) To acquire property for demolition or rehabilitation and provide for relocation of any occupants when it is determined to be consistent with the purposes of the Board.
(d) To adopt policies, rules and regulations for the administration and management of said rehabilitation and preservation program; to select, with the approval of the Board of Commissioners of the city, target neighborhoods for rehabilitation and preservation.
(e) To invest and reinvest any property, both real and personal, tangible and intangible or proceeds thereof it may receive from any source.
(f) To enter into deeds, leases, subleases, assignments and contracts of every kind permitted by law; and in general to use all legal means to cause and provide for the rehabilitation of housing and preservation of neighborhoods within the city.
(2) The AUR will be specifically responsible for planning, administering and managing any rehabilitation or preservation program, to include historic preservation, funded in whole or in part or as an adjunct to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Any program administered by the AUR will be available to all residents of the city without regard to race, creed, religion, color, place of national origin or sex. The AUR shall not financially obligate the city and is expressly prohibited from doing so.
(Ord. 21-1988, passed 4-19-88; Am. Ord. 40, passed 4-9-92)