(A) At the first meeting of each year the Planning Board shall elect 1 of its members as Chairperson and 1 as Vice-Chairperson.
(B) The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Board. The Chairperson shall also represent the Board in matters and areas of concern to the Board when so directed by a majority of its members and/or City Council; shall advise and keep the Board members informed of Board related matters; and shall perform such other duties commonly prescribed to such office and those duties that are deemed appropriate and necessary by the other members of the Board and/or City Council.
(C) The Vice-Chairperson shall perform the same duties as the Chairperson in his or her absence; shall be responsible with the aid of the City Manager, or his or her designee, and the Law Director for the orientation of and the dissemination of all pertinent Board materials to all newly appointed members.
(D) In the event that the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson are both absent from a meeting, the remaining members shall select a Chairperson Pro Tem who shall perform the same duties as the Chairperson for the balance of the meeting.
(E) A record shall be made of the proceedings of all business meetings, hearings, and public meetings by the Board Secretary and shall be placed in the minutes of each business meeting indicating the vote of each member by name relative to each agenda item. Said minutes shall be placed in the public record and shall be maintained on file in the office of the City Manager.
(F) The Law Director serves as the legal counselor to the Board, and shall be responsible for advice, interpretation and recommendation to all matters relating to Board business. At such times when the Law Director's services and legal counsel are required, he or she shall be given 48 hours notice in advance of such meetings. When the Board has determined that the Law Director's services and legal counsel are required, the Board is encouraged, after a thorough discussion among themselves and with the Law Director, to follow the advice given by the Law Director concerning the issue upon which his or her advice was requested.
(G) The City Manager, or his or her designee, shall report on agenda items; shall be responsible for the compiling and maintaining of all documents and communications received by the Board; shall notify in writing petitioners and/or affected parties and the news media of meetings, hearings, and the like; shall request and assemble all pertinent documents and information relative to agenda items; shall keep the public record of Board matters on file in his or her office in the municipal building and make same available for public inspection; and shall make available to petitioners, affected parties, and/or the public, the rules and regulations relative to Board procedures.
(H) (1) A member of the Board may be removed by City Council for any of the following reasons:
(a) Unexcused absence from more than 2 regularly scheduled Board meetings per year. Board members will notify the Chairperson, Board Secretary or the City Manager in the event they are unable to attend a regularly scheduled meeting and request to be excused.
(b) Participation by a Board member in the discussion or voting concerning an agenda item in which they have an interest. City Council shall be the body that determines whether said member has an interest in the agenda item.
(c) The failure to meet the qualifications for the office prescribed in the City Charter anytime during the term of office.
(d) Intentional violation of any expressed prohibition of the City Charter.
(e) Personal gross misconduct or conviction of a felony resulting in the loss of public confidence.
(f) For any other reason that City Council shall determine.
(2) Removal shall be effectuated upon a motion made by Council. Upon the affirmative vote of 4 members of Council, Council shall declare the office of the Board member forfeited and his or her place vacant.
(1974 Code, § 36.47) (Ord. 48-88, passed 9-19-1988; Am. Ord. 44-94, passed 12-19-1994)