(A) Creation and composition. There is hereby created the Pittsfield Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, which shall consist of seven voting members to be appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council.
(B) Qualifications. All voting members of the committee shall be residents of the city. One of the members shall be a member of the Main Street Design Committee. One of the members shall be a sitting City Council member. The remaining members shall be appointed on the basis of experience or interest in the areas of anthropology, art, architectural history, building construction, engineering, history, law, finance, historical and architectural preservation, neighborhood organizing or real estate.
(C) Terms. Members of the committee will be appointed for terms of three years. The initial members shall serve staggered terms as determined by lots drawn at the first regular meeting of the committee, two shall serve for one year, two shall serve for two years and three shall server for three years. As each initial term expires, appointments shall be made for the full three year term. No members shall serve more than two successive three-year terms. Alternate members shall be appointed to serve in the absence of or disqualification of the regular member. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term only with Mayor’s consent. Members shall serve without compensation.
(D) Organization officers.
(1) Offices shall consist of a chairman, vice-chairman and secretary elected by the Preservation Committee who shall serve a term of one year and shall be eligible for re-election, but no members shall serve as an officer for more than two consecutive years.
(2) The Chairman shall preside over meetings. In the absence of the Chairman, the vice-chairman shall perform the duties of the chairman. If both are absent, those present shall elect a temporary chairman. The secretary to the Preservation Committee shall have the following duties:
(a) Take minutes of each Preservation Committee meeting.
(b) Be responsible for publication and distribution of copies of the minutes, reports, meeting notices and agendas of the Preservation Committee to the members of the Committee.
(c) Give notice as a provided herein or by law for all public hearings conducted by the committee.
(d) Advise the Mayor of vacancies on the Committee and expiring terms of members.
(e) Prepare and submit to the city a complete record of the proceedings before the Committee on any matter requiring Council consideration.
(f) Keep a record of all proceedings and actions of the Committee.
(E) Manner of acting.
(1) The Committee immediately following their appointment, shall meet, organize, elect officers and adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of its business consistent with city ordinances and the laws of the State of Illinois. Meetings shall be held at regularly scheduled times to be established at the beginning of the calendar year or at any time upon the call of the Chairman. There shall be a minimum of four meetings per year.
(2) No action shall be taken by the Committee that could in any manner deprive or restrict the owner of property in its use, modification, maintenance, disposition, or demolition until such owner shall first have had the opportunity to be heard at public meeting of the Committee, as provided herein. The Chairman, and in his or her absence the Vice-Chairman or Acting Chairman, may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses. All meetings of the committee shall be open to the public. The committee shall keep minutes of its proceedings, show the vote, indicating such fact, and shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be immediately filed with the City Clerk of the City of Pittsfield and shall be a public record.
(3) A quorum shall consist of four members. The transaction of business shall be made by a majority vote of those members in attendance while a quorum is present, except that the adoption, modification or rescission of any rule or part thereof shall require the affirmative vote of four members. Members shall be automatically dismissed from the committee upon failing to attend at least two-thirds of all meetings held during a one-year period. Attendance via electronic means shall be deemed as acceptable for the attendance requirements.
(4) All Committee meetings are to be conducted utilizing Roberts Rules of Order.
(5) The Mayor, with Council approval, may remove any member for incompetence, neglect of duty or malfeasance in the office.
(6) Any member of the committee having a pecuniary or personal interest in any matter coming before the committee shall disclose such interest to the other members and such interest shall be made a matter of record. Any member having such an interest shall not present or speak on such matter nor shall vote or in any way use his/her personal influence on such matters nor shall he/she be counted in determining a quorum for consideration of such matter.
(Am. Ord. 1532, passed 2-3-15)