Publisher's Note: This Section has been AMENDED by new legislation (Ord. 24-04, adopted 2-5-2024). The text of the amendment will be incorporated below when the ordinance is codified. (A) The following rules, regulations, and procedures shall be applicable to all of the village’s boards, committees, and commissions created pursuant to this code except the Village Board (collectively referred to in this section, as a “commission” or “commissions”), unless expressly and specifically provided otherwise in the specific regulations of this code governing each individual commission.
(B) Appointment of members.
(1) The Village President shall appoint, with the confirmation of a majority of the Village Board, all members of all commissions.
(2) All appointments of members shall be made at the first regular meeting of the Village Board following the date of expiration of a member’s term; provided, however, that vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired terms as soon as practicable after the vacancy occurs. In the event that a vacancy in any office of a member of a commission occurs for any reason, the Village President shall appoint, with the confirmation of a majority of the Village Board, a successor to fill the unexpired term of office created by the vacancy.
(3) The term of a member of a commission shall not terminate or expire until that member's successor has been duly appointed, confirmed, and qualified.
(4) All voting members of all commissions shall, at the time of appointment and throughout the members' term of service, be a resident of the village. The provisions of this division (A)(4) shall not apply to ex-officio members appointed to commissions pursuant to this code.
(C) Officers.
(1) The Village President shall, with the confirmation of a majority of the Village Board, appoint from among the voting members of each commission a chairman and a vice-chairman of each commission, at the first regular meeting of the Village Board. The individuals appointed as chairman and vice-chairman may be so appointed at the same time that the individuals are first appointed to be members of the commission.
(2) The members of each commission shall elect from among its members such other officers, as the commission deems necessary and appropriate.
(3) In the absence of the chairman, the vice-chairman shall act as chairman and shall have all of the powers of the chairman.
(4) The term of office for each officer shall be two years, or until that officer's successor has been duly appointed or elected, confirmed, and qualified. No member may serve in the same office for consecutive terms.
(D) Compensation. All members of all commissions shall serve without compensation; provided that authorized expenses may be reimbursed in accordance with applicable village regulations.
(E) Removal of member.
(1) Removal by the Village President. The Village President shall have the power to remove any member of a commission with or without cause. The removal shall be effective upon delivery of written notice from the Village President to the member. A member removed by the Village President may appeal the removal to the Village Board by delivery to the Village Clerk of a written notice of appeal within 30 days after the date of delivery of the Village President’s notice of removal. If the Village Board, by a majority vote of those present and voting, grants the removed member's appeal, the removed member shall be reinstated to his position on the Commission. The decision of the Village Board shall be final and binding.
(2) Automatic removal based on absences. Any member of a commission who, for no valid reason, is absent from, or fails to attend, either (i) three consecutive meetings of the applicable commission, or (ii) at least 51% of the total of all meetings of the applicable commission commenced during any one year period, shall, effective as of the date set forth in division (E)(2)(c) below, be deemed to have resigned from the commission and that member's office shall, automatically and without further action, be deemed to be vacant as of such date.
(a) For purposes of this section:
1. A VALID REASON shall be only as determined by the Village Board or the Village Board's Committee of the Whole in accordance with division (E)(2)(d) below.
2. A ONE YEAR PERIOD means January through the following December 31.
(b) Notice. The Village Administrator or his or her designee, shall, prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting of the applicable commission, deliver a written warning notice to any member who, by failing to attend any future regular or special meeting during the remainder of the applicable year, is at risk of automatic removal pursuant to division (E)(2). The failure of a member to receive such written notice shall not constitute a valid reason for absence from a meeting.
(c) Effective date of resignation and vacancy. The member's resignation, and the vacancy of the member’s office, shall be effective on the date that is ten days after the date of the final absence that triggers the removal action set forth in division (E)(2), unless a timely request for a determination of "valid reason" has been filed pursuant to division (E)(2)(d) below, in which case the resignation and vacancy shall be effective upon final resolution of such request.
(d) Determination of "valid reason". The determination of a "valid reason" for a member to be absent from, or fail to attend, an applicable commission meeting shall be made only by either (i) the Village Board, by a majority vote of those present and voting at a regular or special meeting of the Village Board or (ii) the Village Board's Committee of the Whole, by a majority vote of those present and voting at a regular or special meeting of the Committee of the Whole. The decision of the Village Board or the Committee of the Whole, as the case may be, shall be final and binding.
1. Pre-absence determination. A member shall have the right to request either the Village Board or the Committee of the Whole to determine, in advance of an anticipated absence, whether a valid reason exists for such absence. Such request shall be made in writing and delivered to the Village Administrator at least seven days prior to the Village Board or the Committee of the Whole meeting.
2. Post-absence determination. A member shall have the right, within ten days after the occurrence of any absence, to request either the Village Board or the Committee of the Whole to determine whether a valid reason existed for that particular absence. Such request shall be made in writing and delivered to the Village Administrator at least seven days prior to the Village Board or the Committee of the Whole meeting.
(e) Ex officio members. The provisions of this division (E)(2) shall not apply to ex officio members appointed to commissions pursuant to this code.
(F) Organization and bylaws. Each commission shall adopt bylaws governing procedures to regulate its business as it deems necessary, which bylaws shall, at a minimum:
(1) Be consistent with applicable provisions of this code;
(2) Require a majority vote of all voting members of the commission for adoption and amendment;
(3) Unless specifically set forth in this chapter, specify the number of members of the commission that constitute a quorum;
(4) Be subject to review and approval by the Village Attorney, and/or Village Administrator.
(G) Meetings.
(1) All meetings of all commissions shall be held in compliance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act.
(2) Except as modified by any bylaws or other rules approved by the commission, Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the proceedings of all the meetings of each commission.
(3) Each commission, or Village Administrator or his or her designee, shall, prior to December 1 of each year, submit for publication a written schedule of the date, time, and location of its regular meetings for the following calendar year.
(H) Reports and recommendations. Except as expressly provided in this chapter, prior to December 31 of each year, each Commission may, as deemed required by the Village Board or Village Administrator, prepare and submit a written report to the Village Board that identifies the proposed goals and objectives the commission intends to address during the next year. The report shall also include a summary of the actions taken by the commission during the past year.
(I) Mandatory training session. Each voting member of each commission must, prior to attending a meeting of the commission, and once per term thereafter, attend a training session organized and conducted by the Village Administrator and/or the Village Attorney. The purpose of the training session is to provide information about the procedures, guidelines, and laws applicable to performing public service and conducting and participating in public meetings, and the specific ordinances and regulations governing the particular commission's jurisdiction.
(Ord. 23-44, passed 9-18-2023)