A. Created; Membership: There is hereby created a planning commission within and for the city to be known as the "planning commission", it may consist of eight (8) members appointed by the mayor with the consent of the city council from among the qualified electors of the city. There shall be Five (5) regular members. There can be two (2) alternate members. One (1) of the members of the city council shall be a nonvoting member of the commission and his or her term shall correspond with the tenure of office.
B. Terms:
1. Regular Members: The terms of office for the commission shall be four (4) years; provided that the term of one member shall expire on December 31 of the final year of appointment.
2. Alternate Member: The term of appointment of the alternate member shall be for a period of up to one year. The terms of the alternate member shall expire on December 31 of the year in which they are appointed. The alternate shall act as proxy for any member when there is a vacant seat at a regular meeting. All other rules, duties and responsibilities shall be consistent with those outlined for planning commission members.
C. Vacancies: Vacancies occurring otherwise than through the expiration of terms shall be filled by appointment by the mayor with the consent of the city council.
D. Removal Of Members: Members may be removed after public hearing by a majority vote of the city council.
E. Selection; Compensation: Members shall be selected without respect to political affiliations and shall serve without compensation.
F. Employees And Consultants: The planning commission may appoint employees and may contract with a city planner and other consultants, provided its expenditures, exclusive of gifts, shall be within the amounts appropriated for the purpose by the city council.
G. Chairman; Rules; Records: The planning commission shall elect from its membership a chairman, and shall adopt rules for its own organization and for the transaction of business and shall keep a public record of its proceedings.
H. Attendance: Three (3) consecutive and unexcused absences or six (6) unexcused absences in a year from regular planning board meetings shall be considered neglect of duty. The chair shall then ask for the resignation of said member. If the member fails to resign and continues to six (6) months, the commission shall follow the procedure outlined in subsection D of this section to remove said member from the board. (Ord. 2010-05, 10-12-2010; amd. Ord. 2015-01, 2-11-2015; Ord. 2023-08, 11-14-2023)