Except as otherwise provided in this Section, the Council may, by ordinance or resolution, establish and regulate any Board or Commission to advise the Council with respect to any City function or activity, to investigate any subject of interest to the City, or to perform quasi-judicial functions.
Any Advisory Board or Commission may be abolished by action of the Council, similar to that by which it was established.
A Library Commission is authorized as a permitted advisory Commission hereunder. No other Library Commission shall be allowed.
All Commission members must be qualified electors and residents of the City for at least one year.
(Amended 3-25-2003)
All Commission vacancies shall be advertised in the official newspaper of the City. The advertisement must appear a minimum of three times at no more frequent intervals than once per week; a minimum of sixty days before a vacancy occurs, when possible.
All Commission applicants must fill out an application form developed for same by the Council. A screening of applicants will be provided for by a subcommittee of Councillors; appointed by the Mayor. Said committee shall evaluate applicants for Commission appointments and submit the most qualified person’s name to the whole Council for consideration. Commissioners shall be nominated to serve by a majority vote of the Council from the names submitted by the screening committee.
Commissioners shall hold office for a term of three years and until their respective successors are appointed. Should the office of any Commissioner become vacant before the expiration of the term for which he/she is appointed, the Mayor and the Council, as hereinbefore provided, shall appoint a person to serve the balance of the un-expired term.
Commissioners shall serve without pay; they shall be eligible for reappointment, except no Commissioner shall serve more than three consecutive three-year terms. No Commissioner shall hold any other office or employment under the City during the term he/she served as Commissioner.
Appointments of Commissioners shall be made in January of each year or such other time as the Mayor and Council deem necessary, and their terms of office shall begin on February 1 following or such other time as the Mayor and Council may determine.
A vacancy shall be deemed to exist in case of the failure of any person elected or appointed thereto to qualify on or before the date his/her term begins; or by reason of his/her death, resignation, removal from the City or a continual absence from the City for more than three months; or by reason of conviction of a felony whether before or after his/her appointment; or by reason of failure of any such person without good cause to perform any of the duties of his/her office. Commission members may be removed from office at any time for cause by a majority vote of the Council.
The annual meeting of the each Commission shall be held in February; subsequent meetings shall be held at such times and places as each Commission shall decide. Each Commission shall, at its first meeting in January, elect from its membership a Chairperson and Secretary to serve for the ensuing year. The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings and the Secretary shall keep minutes. Said minutes shall be filed with the person or department so designated by the Council within five days after said minutes have been approved. Copies of minutes shall be kept on file in the office of the person or department so designated by the Council. No other publication of said minutes shall be required. Each Commission shall make monthly financial reports and other reports as the Council may require.