The citrus preservation commission shall recommend to the city manager and the city council policies for the acquisition, improvement, preservation and retention of citrus properties within the city. The commission shall have regular meeting dates in compliance with the provisions of the Ralph M. Brown act and shall keep records of all of its acts and proceedings. In addition to the foregoing, the commission shall have the following specific powers and duties:
A. The commission shall supply farming expertise and management to the commercial farming companies retained by the city to farm the city's citrus groves. The commission shall periodically update the city council on the performance of the farming companies and shall make recommendation to the city council regarding the performance of such companies.
B. The commission shall have the authority and responsibility to advise city staff on the oversight and coordination of the marketing of crops produced from the city's citrus groves, for the benefit of the city; provided, however, that the commission shall have no authority to expend any funds, incur any expenses or enter into any contractual obligations on behalf of the city.
C. The commission shall have the authority and responsibility to advise city staff regarding the day to day operations associated with the management of the city's groves; provided, however, that the commission shall have no authority to expend any funds, incur any expenses or enter into any contractual obligations on behalf of the city.
D. City staff shall supply the commission with monthly invoices, packing house statements, financial reports and other data reasonably necessary for the commission to carry out its responsibilities. It is the goal of the city to sustain its citrus heritage by operating its citrus groves and marketing its crops in a manner consistent with best practices of commercial citrus growers in the area. The commission shall review, monthly, the farming and financial operations associated with the city's citrus groves and provide recommendations to the city staff and city council to achieve the goal of well operated and managed commercial groves from both financial and farming practices perspectives.
E. The commission with assistance from staff shall provide the city council with an annual report on the operational and financial aspects of the citrus groves, including unaudited financial data with comparisons to previous year and to budget along with explanations for significant variances. The report shall include a management forecast for coming months to the extent practical. The reports shall be provided to the city council no later than the council's second meeting in January. (Ord. 2775, 2012)