(a) There is hereby created the Municipal Ethics Commission, consisting of five members who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of Council. Within thirty days of the effective date of this section, the Mayor shall make the initial appointments to the Commission. No person may be appointed to the Commission or continue to serve as a member of the Commission who then holds an elected or appointed office under the government of, or who is otherwise employed in any other manner by, the United States, the State, the County, the City or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing, or who is a candidate for any such office.
(b) All members of the Commission shall be residents of the City. At least one member of the Commission shall have previously served as an elected or appointed official of either the County or the City, however, if there are no residents of the City who previously served as elected or appointed officials of the County or City, willing to accept such appointment to the Commission, then the Mayor, with the advice and consent of Council, may appoint in lieu thereof, one member who shall reside within the City and further who shall have previously served as an elected or appointed official of the State or any political subdivision thereof, including but not limited to any City or county in the State.
(c) Of the initial appointments made to the Commission, two shall be for a term ending one year following the date of initial appointment and three shall be for a term ending two years following the date of appointment. Thereafter, all terms of office shall be for two years, each year ending on the same day of the same month of the year as did the term which it succeeds. Each member shall hold office from the date of his or her appointment until the end of the term for which he or she was appointed or until his or her successor duly qualifies for office. In the event that any vacancy occurs as a result of the death, resignation or removal in the membership of this Commission, it shall be filled by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term in the same manner as original appointments. No member shall serve more than three consecutive full or partial terms, and no member may be reappointed to the Commission until at least two years have elapsed after the completion of a third successive term.
(d) The Commission shall meet within thirty days following the initial appointments to the Commission with the specific time and place of such first meeting to be determined by the Mayor, who shall also designate a member to preside at the first meeting until a chairman is elected by the members of the Commission. At its first meeting, the Commission shall elect a chairman and such other officers as are deemed necessary.
(e) Three members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum. Except as may be otherwise provided in this article, a majority of the total membership shall be necessary to act at all times.
(f) The members of the Commission shall serve without any payment or remuneration.
(g) Meetings of the Commission shall be upon the call of the chairman and shall be conducted by the personal attendance of the Commission members and no meeting shall be conducted by telephonic or other electronic conferencing, nor shall any member be permitted to vote by proxy.
(h) The duly elected or appointed City Clerk/Treasurer shall serve as, or otherwise offer, secretarial and clerical assistance to the Commission.
(i) The Commission may establish such additional rules and regulations as may be reasonable and necessary in regulating meetings, conducting investigations and in discharging the Commission's powers and duties as are set forth herein.
(Ord. 89-13. Passed 9-5-89.)