(A) Creation. The Board of Commissioners shall establish an Agricultural Advisory Board to implement the provisions of this program.
(B) Membership. The Advisory Board shall consist of no less than seven members appointed by the Board of Commissioners. Membership requirements shall include:
(1) Advisory Board members, except those serving in an ex officio capacity, shall be a Warren County resident or landowner. The Advisory Board shall also have one representative that is employed by the Warren County Soil & Water Conservation District.
(2) All of the members shall be actively engaged in agriculture as defined in G.S. § 106-581.1. This determination shall be made without reference to ex officio members.
(3) The county is being treated as one ag district, but every effort should be made to ensure geographic diversity among members in compliance with §§ 106-738 and 106-743.1.
(4) The members actively engaged in agriculture as defined in G.S. § 106-581.1, as well as other members, shall be selected for appointment by the Board of Commissioners from the names of individuals submitted to the Board of Commissioners by the Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, the County Office of North Carolina Cooperative Extension, the U.S. Farm Service Agency County Committee, nonprofit agricultural organizations, conservation organizations, agribusiness, horticultural businesses, forestry businesses, and the public at large.
(C) Tenure. The initial Board is to consist of two appointees for terms of one year; two appointees for terms of two years; and three appointees for terms of three years. Thereafter, all appointments are to be for terms of three years, with reappointment permitted subject to the requirements of Warren County’s Policy for Board and Committee Appointments and/or Reappointments and Board and Committee Activities.
(D) Vacancies. Any vacancy on the Advisory Board is to be filled by the Board of Commissioners for the remainder of the unexpired term.
(E) Removal. Any member of the Advisory Board may be removed by the Board of Commissioners upon a two-thirds vote of the Commissioners. No cause for removal shall be required.
(F) Funding. The per diem compensation, if any, of the members of the Advisory Board may be fixed by the Board of Commissioners and funds may be appropriated to the Advisory Board to perform its duties.
(G) Election of officers. The Advisory Board shall elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson each year at its first meeting of the fiscal year. The chairperson shall preside over all regular or special meetings of the Advisory Board. In the absence or disability of the chairperson, the vice-chairperson shall preside and shall exercise all the powers of the chairperson. Additional officers may be elected as needed.
(H) Advisory Board procedure. The Advisory Board may adopt rules of procedure consistent with this chapter or with other provisions of county or state law.
(I) Meetings. Meetings of the Advisory Board shall be held at the call of the chairperson and at such other times as the Advisory Board may specify in its rules of procedure or upon the request of at least a majority of the Advisory Board Membership. A meeting shall be held at least annually and notice of any meetings to the members shall be in writing, unless otherwise agreed to by all Advisory Board members. Meeting dates and times shall be posted as far in advance as possible as required by county open meeting regulations. All meetings shall be open to the public.
(J) Majority vote and quorum requirement. All issues shall be decided by a majority vote of the members of the Advisory Board present, except as otherwise stated herein. A quorum is defined as a majority of the members in attendance. No business may be conducted by the Advisory Board without a quorum present.
(K) Records. The Advisory Board shall keep minutes of the proceedings showing the vote of each member upon each question, or if absent or failing to vote, indicating such fact. The Advisory Board shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be filed in the office of the Advisory Board, or its designee, and shall be a public record. All records are public records open to the public.
(L) Advisory Board year. The Advisory Board shall use the county fiscal year as its meeting year.
(M) Administrative. The Advisory Board may contract with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Warren County Center office to serve the Board for record keeping, correspondence, application procedures under this chapter, and any other services the Board needs to complete its duties.
(N) Advisory Board duties.
(1) Review applications of landowners for enrollment of qualified farmland, horticultural land, or forestland into a district for compliance with this chapter;
(2) Make recommendations concerning the establishment and modification of districts;
(3) Conduct public hearings;
(4) Advise the Board of Commissioners on projects, programs, or issues affecting the agricultural economy and agricultural, horticultural or forestry activities within the county that will affect districts;
(5) Review and make recommendations concerning proposed amendments to this chapter;
(6) Develop and maintain a countywide farmland protection plan as defined in G.S. § 106-744(e);
(7) Study additional methods of protection for farming, horticulture, forestry, and the attendant land base, and make recommendations to the Board of Commissioners;
(8) File annual report in compliance with G.S. § 106-743; and
(9) Perform other related tasks or duties assigned by the Board of Commissioners.
(Ord. passed 4-2-2007; Ord. passed 4-6-2009; Ord. passed 6-7-2021)