§ 5-32. Animal services advisory board.
(a)
Creation; members; term.
(1)
The governing authority of DeKalb County shall create and appoint the animal services advisory board, to be composed of thirteen (13) citizens of DeKalb County.
(2)
The chief executive officer shall appoint six (6) members, and each commissioner shall appoint one (1) member. All members shall be either an active community leader with a demonstrated concern for animals or represent an animal welfare organization.
(3)
Each of the members of the animal services advisory board shall be designated as follows: Post 1 (first appointment of chief executive officer); Post 2 (second appointment of chief executive officer); Post 3 (third appointment of chief executive officer); Post 4 (fourth appointment of chief executive officer); Post 5 (fifth appointment of chief executive officer); Post 6 (sixth appointment of chief executive officer); Post 7 (appointment of commissioner district 1); Post 8 (appointment of commissioner district 2); Post 9 (appointment of commissioner of district 3); Post 10 (appointment of commissioner district 4); Post 11 (appointment of commissioner district 5); Post 12 (appointment of commissioner super district 6); Post 13 (appointment of commissioner super district 7).
(4)
Appointments under this section shall be made within thirty (30) days after vacancy occurs. Terms for initial appointments under this section shall be [as] follows: the initial term for Posts 1, 4, 6, and 9 shall expire on December 31, 2016; the initial term for Posts 2, 7, 10, and 12 shall expire on December 31, 2017; and the initial term for Posts 3, 5, 8, 11, and 13 shall expire on December 31, 2018. After initial appointments have been served, members shall be appointed for terms of three (3) years each and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Except for initial appointments, terms shall expire on December 31 of the final year of the term, and terms shall begin on January 1 of the first year of the term.
a.
Current members of the animal services task force shall be allowed to serve as members of the animal services advisory board until expiration of their term or removal as allowed by this section.
b.
Each member appointed pursuant to this section shall serve at the pleasure of the elected official making the appointment or until his/her successor is appointed, unless such term ends sooner in the manner set forth herein. If the member appointed by an individual elected official is still serving at the time the appointing elected official vacates his/her office, the member shall continue to serve until a successor is appointed by the incoming elected official. Members may be reappointed to successive terms, without limitation. Any vacancy in members shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the initial appointment. If a member moves outside the county, that action shall constitute a resignation from the animal services advisory board, effective immediately. The office of a member shall be considered automatically vacant if the member is unable to exercise the duties of membership or if the member is absent from three (3) or more consecutive meetings of the animal services advisory board.
(b)
Duties and functions. The DeKalb County Animal Advisory Board shall have the following duties and functions:
(1)
To encourage, promote, and develop the humane and healthy treatment of animals in DeKalb County;
(2)
To advise DeKalb County Animal Services and Enforcement and the governing authority on issues pertaining to the welfare and treatment of animals in DeKalb County;
(3)
To assist DeKalb County Animal Services and Enforcement with the implementation of a long-term plan that improves practices, service delivery, efficiency, and facilities pertaining to animal services in DeKalb County;
(4)
To identify additional strategies that may improve the lives of animals in DeKalb County;
(5)
To assist DeKalb County Animal Services and Enforcement in investigating and securing grants and funding for animal services in DeKalb County; and
(6)
To cooperate with and improve communications between animal advocacy groups, animal professionals, and local governments for the purpose of creating a comprehensive safety net of services, lifesaving measures, and animal population management activities.
(c)
Meetings; officers; quorum.
(1)
The animal services advisory board shall meet at least once a month and at such other times as it may deem necessary. The first meeting of the animal services advisory board shall be held within thirty (30) days of the date the last appointment to the animal services advisory board has been made.
(2)
At its first meeting, the animal services advisory board shall elect one (1) of its members as a chairman and one (1) of its members as vice-chairman. The terms of the first chairman and vice-chairman shall expire on December 31, 2016. Subsequent chairmen and vice-chairmen shall be elected for two-year terms at the last meeting of the calendar year in which the term of the then-presiding chairman and vice-chairman expire. The terms of the newly elected chairman and vice-chairman shall begin on January 1 that immediately follows and expire on December 31 of the next calendar year.
(3)
The chairman shall preside over meetings of the animal services advisory board, appoint committees as necessary, and perform other duties generally pertaining to the office of chairman. The vice-chairman shall perform the chairman's duties in the absence of the chairman. The chairman and vice-chairman take part in all deliberations and vote on all issues. The chairman and vice-chairman each may be selected to successive terms without limitation.
(4)
A quorum of the animal services advisory board shall consist of at least seven (7) members. A majority of the present and voting members of the animal services advisory board is necessary to elect the chairman and vice-chairman and to exercise the rights and perform the duties identified in this section.
(5)
The chief executive officer shall designate an employee to attend the meetings of the animal services advisory board. The director of DeKalb County Animal Services Enforcement or his or her designee and the director or designee of any third-party contractor who provides such services to DeKalb County also shall attend the meetings of the animal services advisory board.
(6)
Meetings of the animal services advisory board shall be open to the public. Notice of a meeting of the animal services advisory board shall be provided on the department website of DeKalb County Animal Services and Enforcement for at least the seven (7) days prior to the meeting.
(d)
Bylaws. The animal services advisory board may adopt bylaws consistent with the requirements set forth in this section.
( Ord. No. 16-04 , Pt. 1, 5-10-16)