(A) Member responsibilities. All applications for the RCGP shall be received, reviewed and voted on the members of the CED Board. Applications that are approved will be submitted to the Office of Rural Development in collaboration with the Rural Partnership Board in accordance with SB 0095 and Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act. The Board will ensure that approved grants meet eligibility and reporting criteria for a rural county to receive grant money under SB 0095 subsection (4)(b), including relevant submission forms, reporting requirements, and deadlines. The Board will not recommend more than $800,000 of aggregate grant awards annually and will work with county leaders to prioritize applicants that:
(1) Align with existing priorities defined in the county’s economic development plan;
(2) Are consistent with local economic development priorities as defined in the county’s general plan and other relevant economic development documents;
(3) Demonstrate clear economic need;
(4) Utilize local or in-kind resources in combination with the grant;
(5) Have evidence that jobs will be created; and
(6) Have evidence that there will be a positive return on investment.
(B) Reporting responsibilities. On or before September 1 of each year, if the county has received a grant under the RCGP in the previous 12 months, the Board shall provide a written report to the Rural Partnership Board that describes:
(1) The amount of grant money the county has received;
(2) How grant money has been distributed by the county, including what companies or entities have utilized grant money, how much grant money each company or entity has received, and how each company or entity has used the money;
(3) An evaluation of the effectiveness of awarded grants in improving economic development in the county, including the number of jobs created, infrastructure that has been created, and capital improvements in the county;
(4) How much matching money has been utilized by the county and what entities have provided the matching money; and
(5) Any other reporting, auditing, or post-performance requirements established by the Office of Rural Development in collaboration with the Rural Partnership Board under Subsection (6) in SB 0095. Note, county staff may be appointed to assist with the creation of reporting documents.
(C) Tenure, requirements, and qualifications.
(1) Newly appointed representatives from the municipalities in the county shall serve an initial one-year term. All other newly appointed CED Board members who have not served before shall serve an initial two-year term. At the conclusion of the initial terms, the County Commission may decide to retain the members for additional terms or appoint new members.
(2) Each member of the Board of Directors shall attend at least 75% of the meetings of the Board per year. Failure to attend at least 75% of the meetings, either in person or via videoconferencing, may result in a forfeiture of said member’s seat on the Board.
(3) To remain in good standing, CED Board members must attend regularly scheduled meetings in compliance with the following guidelines:
(a) A CED Board member that is absent for more than 25% of the regular scheduled meetings in a year, without being excused for official county or excusable business, shall be automatically dismissed from the CED Board. Meetings that are changed or rescheduled after the official dates have been posted for the year do not apply towards attendance requirements.
(b) A CED member may attend a regularly scheduled meeting via electronic means and by notifying the Board chair at least 12 hours prior to the meeting in question, which would also allow the member the ability to garner the necessary information for the CED member to use to call in. This will be effective only if there is a quorum present at the anchor location.
(c) A CED member must be present at each meeting through at least three-quarters of the scheduled agenda to constitute a presence.
(d) Appointments for municipalities can send approved city/town representation in their place. Approved city/town representation include: City Manager, City/Town Council, City/Town employee or the respective Mayor.
(4) A dismissed CED member remains eligible to apply for a CED vacancy.
(5) Members of the CED Board shall not, as individuals, direct the appointment to or removal from the county Economic Development Office of any employee, nor interfere with the duties or performance of any county employee including the Director.
(6) Except when acting on county business in a regular CED meeting or as a member of an authorized committee, CED members have no privileges beyond those of other citizens to records, materials or produced items that belong to the county economic development.
(D) Forfeiture. Any member of the CED Board who fails to fulfill any of his or her requirements as set forth in this subchapter by shall automatically forfeit his or her seat on the Board.
(E) Vacancies. Whenever any vacancy occurs in the CED Board, it shall be filled without undue delay by the County Commission.
(Ord. 2020-7, passed 5-11-2020; Ord. 2020-10, passed 6-22-2020)