(a) The Fair Housing Board shall consist of seven (7) members, appointed by Council, who shall be qualified electors of the City. Board 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 he/she may be employed by the county, State or federal government. 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 Portage County Board of Elections shall be the date of the disqualification.
(b) The Board members shall be appointed by Council with one member also being a member of the Kent Board of Health. Of the members first appointed, one shall hold office for a term of one (1) year; one for a term of two (2) years; and the other for a term of three (3) years; and their successors shall be appointed for terms of three (3) years. All vacancies shall be filled by appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(c) The Board shall elect one of its members as chairman and one as vice chairman. The chairman shall preside over all meetings and sign the minutes of all actions taken by the Board relating to fair housing. In the absence of the chairman, the vice chairman shall act as chairman.
(d) Council may remove a member of the Board from office by an affirmative vote of at least two thirds (2/3) of the Council only after having first given to such member a written copy of the charges against him/her and an opportunity to be publicly heard in person or by counsel in his/her own defense and any such removal shall be final.
(e) Five (5) 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 power of the Board.
(f) Each member of the Board shall serve without salary.
(g) The Board is charged with the following responsibilities to implement the stated policy of this chapter:
(1) To inform all persons bringing complaints to the Board of their right to seek criminal or civil relief through the courts.
(2) May initiate or corroborate complaints of unlawful housing practices.
(3) To refer any incidence of an alleged violation of fair housing law to the City of Kent designated fair housing provider agency for consideration and review. The Board may collaborate with the designated fair housing provider agency to facilitate a voluntary meeting between the person(s) reporting the alleged fair housing violation and the person(s) identified as the alleged violator(s) in an attempt to resolve the issue.
(4) To ensure information concerning any housing discrimination complaints filed with the State of Ohio through the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and/or filed with the federal government through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are reported in the City of Kent Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report and make the report available to Council, the City Manager and the public on an annual basis.
(5) To recommend to the City Manager, when it deems necessary, educational and other programs designed to promote the purpose stated in this chapter.
(6) To adopt rules and procedures for the conduct of its business, and for the administration and enforcement of this chapter.
(7) To do such other acts that are necessary and proper in order to perform.
(Ord. 2014-47. Passed 6-18-14.)