(a) There is hereby created a Fair Housing Commission of the City, which shall consist of five members who shall be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by Council, not more than three of whom shall be of the same political party. All members shall be residents of the City of Canton and/or shall be employed or have their principal place of business within the City. The terms of office of each member of the Commission shall be for five years.
(b) The Commission members shall be chosen in such a manner as to represent an appropriate cross section of the community, and there shall not be more than two members of the Commission from the following categories:
(1) Real estate sales industry.
(2) Construction industry.
(3) Lending institutions.
(4) Building and trade unions.
(5) Insurance agencies or companies.
This limitation being for the purpose of not having a preponderance of the Commission being representative of those industries and businesses primarily concerned with the creation and provision of housing accommodations.
(c) The Mayor or his designee shall be an ex-officio member of the Commission. In making appointments to the Commission, the appointing authority shall make every effort to see that minority groups are adequately represented and that qualified women, young and elderly persons are included in the composition of the Commission.
(d) After having been duly constituted as a Commission, the Commission shall hold an organizational meeting and shall choose a chairperson, vice chairperson and secretary from the membership of the Commission by a majority vote of the members. Such officers shall serve for a term of one year and new officers shall be elected annually at the first regular meeting after the anniversary date of the first organizational meeting.
(e) Any member chosen to fill a vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration of the term for which the predecessor was appointed, shall be appointed only for the remainder of the predecessor's term. For the purpose of conducting the business of the Commission, three members shall constitute a quorum, and the fact that an unfilled vacancy may exist on the Commission shall not impair the right of the remaining members to exercise all of the powers of the Commission.
(f) Each member of the Commission shall serve without compensation and any member may be removed by the Mayor for inefficiency, neglect of duty, excessive absenteeism, misconduct or malfeasance, after being given a written statement of the charges and an opportunity to be heard thereon.
(g) The Commission shall hold regular monthly meetings not less than six months per year, and in addition, shall hold special meetings upon call by the chairperson, the executive director, the Mayor, his designee, or any two members, by giving at least twenty-four hours written notice to each member served personally or left at his usual place of residence.
(Ord. 12-2020. Passed 2-3-20.)