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HomeMy WebLinkAboutord2001-028WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA BILL NO. 2001 - 155 CLEARANCES Date Date Received in Council Office Agenda Date Assigned To Ong. Dept County Council 4130/2001 5/29/01 Introduction Division Head: 6/12/01 Finance Council Dept. Head: Prosecutor: Budget aecutive: SUBJECT: Ordinance amending WCC Title 2.03, Boards & Commissions, re Term length/end date ATTACHMENTS Ordinance, Exhibit A, Exhibit B SUMMARYSTATEMENT Related County Contract #: I Should the Clerk schedule a hearing? (Y/N N Requested Date: I This ordinance will amend Whatcom County Code Chapter 2.03 to allow term lengths of up to four years, which is consistent with the Whatcom County Charter. This ordinance will also make the term end dates for all existing boards and committees December 31 (except those boards and committees whose term end dates are set by statute). All newly - created boards and ommissions will be required to designate December 31 as the term end date and stagger initial to= so positions do not all expire on the same date, which has been the practice in the past. Last, added language will clarify that the first staggered term of the fast appointees to newly - created boards and commissions is considered a full term, for the purpose of term limits. RECOMMENDED MOTION (for final action): Move to adopt the ordinance. COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: 2001- i55 5129/2001: Introduced 61122001: Adopted 1 -0, Ord. #2001 -028 Related File Numbers: Ordinance or Resolution Number (this item only): )VD,*2001 -028 I I: \SHARED \0R0\2001\Amend Boards and Commissions 2 3 4 r, 6 7 8 9 10 1 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 SPONSORED BY: Consen PROPOSED BY: County Council Staff INTRODUCTION DATE: 5/29/01 ORDINANCE NO. 2001 -028 AMENDING WHATCOM COUNTY CODE 2.03, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, TO CLARIFY TERM LENGTH AND CREATE UNIFORM TERM ENDING DATES WHEREAS, Whatcom County Code (WCC) 2.03.020, Terms, specifies that appointment to a full term position on a board or commission shall be for four years; and WHEREAS, boards and commissions may be created and initial members appointed at any time during the calendar year; and WHEREAS, the County Council and County Executive staffs wish to maintain a uniform and coordinated appointment procedure, per WCC 20.03.080(A), that occurs at the end of each year; and WHEREAS, mid -year appointments to newly formed boards and commissions result in terms that either fall outside the annual appointment process timeline or are longer or shorter than four years; and WHEREAS, most board and commission member terms expire on December 31 of a specified year; and WHEREAS, there are some terms that expire on dates other than December 31; and WHEREAS, in order to create an efficient procedure for filling vacant board and commission positions; all board and commission terms should end on December 31 of a specified year, except those multi - jurisdictional boards and commissions whose term end dates are set by state statute; and WHEREAS, term lengths for those members first appointed to newly created boards and commissions should be staggered so that the terms of future members do not all expire on the same date; and WHEREAS, the term "full term" as used in WCC 2.03.030, Limited Terms, is not defined for the purpose of this chapter. as outlined in Exhibit A to this ordinance. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Whatcom County Council that WCC 2.03 is hereby amended as outlined in Exhibit A to this ordinance. Page 1 2 BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that the member terms of all County Council - 3 appointed and County Executive - appointed boards and commissions listed in Exhibit a B to this ordinance shall expire on December 31 of the specified calendar year. s 6 BE IT FINALLY ORDAINED that this ordinance will take effect on July 1, 2001. 7 8 9 ADOPTED this 12 day of June , 2001 10 11 12 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL 19 20 21 22 R 2s 26 27 APPROVED AS TO FORM: Civil D ty Prosecutor Page 2 pproved Denied ete Kremer, County Executive I EXHIBIT A 5 Chapter 2.03 6 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS 7 8 Sections: 9 2.03.010 Election. 10 2.03.020 Terms. 11 2.03.025 Removal. 12 2.03.030 Limited terms. 13 2.03.040 Executive's terms. 14 2.03.050 Effective date. 15 2.03.060 Appointment of non - council members to boards, 16 commissions and committees. 17 2.03.065 Appointment of planning commission members. 18 2.03.070 Confirmation of appointments. 19 2.03.075 Review of nominees and executive appointees. 20 2.03.080 Vacancies on citizen boards, committees and commissions. 21 2.03.090 Qualifications. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 2.03.010 Election. A. Each year at its annual meeting, the county council shall elect its representatives who shall serve until the next annual meeting to the various boards and commissions on which it must appoint its own members to serve. B. This annual election for one -year terms shall begin in January, 1981. 2.03.020 Terms A. 38 B. 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 C. The term of office for the board of equalization shall be three years pursuant to RCW 84.48.026. All other appointments to boards, committees and commissions of non - council members made by the council shall be for a term no longer than four years and„shallgezpire onj?gcembgr.31 of;the specified year; except for those appointments made to fill an incomplete term in which case it shall be for the balance of that term. Term lengths for those members first appointed to newly created boards, committees and commissions shall be staggered so that the terms of future members do not expire on the same date. Page 3 2 2.03.025 Removal. 4 In circumstances where the council has the authority to remove from 5 office a member of a board, committee, or commission prior to the 6 expiration of the board, committee or commission member's term of 7 office, the council shall make such removal only upon the proper a grounds specified in law. In the absence of such guidance in law, the 9 council shall not remove a member from office without having given 10 the member an opportunity to be heard by the council, if so requested. 11 12 2.03.030 Limited terms. 13 14 No board, commission or committee member shall serve more than 15 two consecutive full terms. The first term of all members appointed to 16 a newly: created board, commission or committee shall be considered a 17 full term for the purpose of thissection, regardless of initial staggered 18 term length. 19 20 2.03.040 Executive's terms. 21 22 Those positions to which the county council appoints the executive to 23 serve shall be for the executive's term of office 24 25 2.03.050 Effective date. 26 27 The term of office limitations shall apply to all appointments made by 28 the county council since May 11 1979. 29 30 2.03.060 Appointment of non - council members to boards, commissions 31 and committees. 33 For appointment by the council of non - council members to those 34 boards, commissions and committees performing either an 35 administrative or a legislative function, council members shall make 36 nominations and provide information about their nominees, in writing, 37 if possible, at a regularly scheduled council meeting. Nominations for 38 appointment to any position having a residency requirement as to 39 councilmanic district shall be made only by the council members from 40 the district or the council member at large. Voting on these 41 nominations shall be at the next regularly scheduled council meeting 42 unless the council, by a two - thirds vote, requests otherwise. Such 43 appointments shall be made by majority roll call vote of the council. 44 45 46 EM 1 2 2.03.065 Appointment of planning commission members. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1a 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Council members will follow the procedure set forth in WCC 2.03.060 when making nominations and appointments to the planning commission. 2.03.070 Confirmation of appointments. A. Council confirmation of executive appointments shall be handled in the following manner: The executive shall present in writing to the council office no later than seven days before the council meeting at which action is requested, the names of his appointments, positions and terms to which they are to be appointed, information on the appointees' qualifications or background, and any other information the executive deems appropriate, except in the case of executive appointments to executive and administrative offices, in which case, this information shall include a job description and a resume. This information shall also be made available upon request to the public. B. The council shall confirm or reject appointments by the county executive within 30 days of the date the names are submitted to it; failure to act within this time period shall cause the appointees to be deemed confirmed. Confirmation or rejections shall be by majority roll call vote. 2.03.075 Review of nominees and executive appointees. Ml 36 B. 37 38 39 40 C. 41 42 43 44 45 46 Council members will individually be responsible for meeting or contacting individuals nominated to serve on a board, commission, or committee, and individuals whose appointment by the executive is scheduled for confirmation by the council, prior to the council's consideration of the nomination or request for confirmation. The council chairperson may arrange for the council interview of the nominee or the recommended executive appointee prior to the regularly schedule council meeting at which appointment or confirmation will be considered. The names of recommended appointees by the executive, and the names of nominees by council members, shall be published on the agenda for the council meeting at which action is to be taken in filling a position or confirming an appointment. Page 5 2 2.03.080 Vacancies on citizen boards, committees and commissions. 4 A. 5 6 7 9 B. 9 10 11 12 13 14 C. 15 16 17 18 D. 19 20 21 22 23 24 E. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 F. 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 The clerk of the council shall cause to be compiled and published annually a listing of vacancies and anticipated vacancies on all citizen boards, committees and commissions, within the appointive jurisdiction of both the council and the executive. The listing shall state the title and term of office of each position, residency requirements (if any), the appointing authority, and an address and telephone number for obtaining further information or for making applications. The listing shall also include a brief description of the duties of each position and information on when the regular meetings of the body in question are held. The listing shall be posted in conspicuous plates in the Courthouse, provided to all county council members, public libraries and city halls in the county, and be made available to the public and news media at no charge. Persons expressing an interest in applying for appointment to a council- appointed position on a board, commission or committee shall be given an application form which they must complete and file with the clerk, giving their name, address, telephone number, occupation and relevant qualifications. The applications shall be kept on file in the clerk's office. Persons expressing an interest in applying for appointment to an executive - appointed position on a board, commission or committee shall be given an application form which they must complete and file with the executive's office, giving their name, address, telephone number, occupation and relevant qualifications. The applications shall be kept on file in the executive's office. In fulfilling the obligations of this section, the clerk shall seek the cooperation of the executive and may accomplish his /her obligations through joint action with the executive's office. 2.03.090 Qualifications. To qualify for appointment by the council and /or executive to fill any vacancy on a board, committee or commission, a person shall be a qualified registered voter resident of the district, agency, or group he or she is appointed to represent on a specific board, committee or commission meeting all of the qualifications of Section 4.20 of the Whatcom County Charter. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 EXHIBIT B BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT EXPIRE ON DATES OTHER THAN DECEMBER 31 COUNCIL - APPOINTED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: Flood Control Zone District Advisory Committee.. Flood Control Sub -Zone Advisory Committees (3) Horticultural Pest and Disease Board .................. Property Review Committee .............................. Surface Mining Advisory Committee ................... Utilities Planning Board ...... ............................... EXECUTIVE- APPOINTED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS: Current Term Expiration Date: 1/28 ...................1 /28 ...................1 /31 ....... ............................5/6 .. ............................... 6/13 .. ............................... 9/26 Agricultural Advisory Committee ........ ............................... ...........................9 /30 Americans with Disabilities Compliance Committee ............. ...........................5 /31 Bell ingham-Whatcom County Commission Against Domestic Violence ..............3 /31 Bicycle /Pedestrian Advisory Committee ............................. ...........................5 /29 Development Standards Technical Advisory Committee ....... ...........................6 /30 Essential Public Facilities Advisory Committee ...............members not yet appointed EthicsCommission ............................................ ............................... 2/1 and 3/7 Lake Management District #1 ........... ............................... ...........................1 /28 Parks and Recreation Commission ..... ............................... ...........................6 /30 Salmon Habitat Restoration Citizen Advisory Committee ...... ...........................8 /31 Page 7