(a) The Director shall establish an Evaluation Panel comprising the following eight members, appointed by the Director: one member, who shall be the chairman, representing 811 Chicago; one member representing CDOT; one member representing the City of Chicago Department of Water Management; one member representing a non-governmental pipeline owner and operator; two members representing other non-governmental underground facility owners and operators; and two members representing the Greater Chicago Damage Prevention Council. In the initial group of appointees, four shall serve three-year terms and four shall serve two-year terms. Each subsequent appointee shall be chosen by the Director with the advice of the Panel members, and shall serve a two-year term, unless dismissed by the Director for cause. The Director shall have the authority to fill any vacancy on the Panel for the unexpired portion of the vacating member's term. The City shall provide staff support and meeting space to the Evaluation Panel.
(b) The Evaluation Panel shall consider all Administrative Notices of Violation issued under this chapter and brought before it, as well as any reports, position statements, and evidence transmitted with the Administrative Notice of Violation. For each Administrative Notice of Violation, the Evaluation Panel shall issue a recommendation with stated reasons advising whether the Director should find violations of this chapter and impose penalties and sanctions on any of the relevant persons.
(c) The members of the Evaluation Panel shall be immune, individually and jointly, from civil liability for any act or omission done or made in performance of their duties while serving as members of the Panel, unless the act or omission was the result of willful and wanton misconduct.
(Added Coun. J. 11-16-16, p. 37901, Art. VI, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 9-14-21, p. 35804, § 1)