(a) There is hereby established in and for the City a Fair Housing Board consisting of three members who shall be qualified electors of the City. Such members shall not hold any elected public office at the Municipal, County, State or Federal level at any time while a member of the Board and shall not be employed by the City, but may be employed by the County, State or Federal Governments. Any duly appointed Board member who is a candidate for any public office shall be automatically disqualified from further membership on the Board. The day the Board member files petitions with the County Board of Elections shall be the date of the disqualification. No Board member shall be appointed who is employed by any real estate or lending institution. Nothing shall prohibit the Board from consulting and meeting with real estate agents or representatives of lending institutions, however, in matters regarding educational or other programs to further the purpose of this chapter.
(b) The Board members shall be appointed by Council. Of the members first appointed, one shall hold office for a term of one year, one for a term of two years and the other for a term of three years. Successors shall be appointed for terms of three years. Council shall fill all vacancies by appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term. A Board member whose term has expired shall be eligible for re-appointment to the Board.
(c) After the Board has been duly constituted, a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman shall be elected from the membership by majority vote of the Board. The Secretary to the Board shall not be a member of the Board. The Secretary shall be appointed by Council and may be an employee of the City.
(d) The Mayor, any other member of Council or the City Manager may recommend to Council the removal of any member of the Board for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. Council may remove a member of the Board from office by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of Council only after having first given to such member a written copy of the charges against him and an opportunity to be publicly heard in person or by counsel in his own defense. Any such removal shall be final.
(e) Two members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting the business thereof. A vacancy on the Board shall not impair the right of the other members to exercise all the powers of the Board.
(f) Each member of the Board shall serve without salary, but shall be paid all necessary and actual expenses incurred in performing the business of the Board.
(g) The Board is charged with the following duties to implement the stated policy of this chapter:
(1) Investigate all complaints of unlawful housing practices which are filed with it;
(2) Initiate complaints of unlawful housing practices on the basis of auditing or testing carried out by its staff or volunteers authorized by the Board;
(3) Endeavor by conciliation to resolve such complaints;
(4) Hold hearings, subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, administer oaths and take the testimony of any person under oath and in connection therewith require the production for examination of any books or papers relating to any matter under investigation or in question before the Board;
(5) Render to Council at least once a year a full written report of all its activities and recommendations;
(6) Recommend to Council, when it deems necessary, educational and other programs designed to promote the purposes stated in this chapter;
(7) Adopt rules and procedures for the conduct of its business; and
(8) Do such other acts as are necessary and proper in order to perform those duties with which it is charged under this chapter.
(Ord. 79-15. Passed 6-12-79.)