§ 1-73. Organization.

(a)

Composition; qualification of members. The board of county commissioners shall appoint, by resolution, a seven-member code enforcement board. The board of county commissioners may appoint up to two alternate members to serve on the enforcement board in the absence of enforcement board members. Members or alternate members of the enforcement board shall be residents of the county. Appointments shall be made in accordance with applicable laws and ordinances, on the basis of experience and interest in the fields of zoning and building control. The membership of the enforcement board shall, whenever possible, include an architect, a businessman, an engineer, a general contractor, a subcontractor, and a realtor.

(b)

Appointment of members; terms; vacancies; failure to attend meetings.

(1)

All appointments shall be made for terms of three years. Each one of the five county commissioners shall individually appoint one member of the enforcement board. The board of county commissioners shall collectively appoint the other two members of the enforcement board. Enforcement board members collectively appointed by the board of county commissioners shall not serve more than two consecutive full three-year terms. Enforcement board members individually appointed by one county commissioner may serve more than two consecutive terms. However, when a county commissioner leaves office, his successor may replace the member appointed by his predecessor with an individual of his choosing who shall complete the unexpired term of the replaced member. At the completion of the unexpired term, the county commissioner shall determine whether to reappoint the individual or replace him with another individual of his choosing. If the board of county commissioners determines that alternate members are necessary to the proper functioning of the enforcement board the board of county commissioners shall collectively appoint one or two alternate members who shall not serve more than two consecutive full three-year terms. If two alternate members are appointed, service on the enforcement board shall be alternated between the two as needed.

(2)

Appointments to fill any vacancy on the enforcement board shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term of office. If any member fails to attend two of three successive meetings without cause and without prior approval of the chairperson, the enforcement board shall declare the member's office vacant. Any member of the enforcement board may be removed for cause by the board of county commissioners at any time; provided, however, that before such removal such member shall be provided written charges and given an opportunity to appear in his defense at a public meeting. Upon removal of a member or vacancy created upon a member's resignation or declaration of the enforcement board, the board of county commissioners shall promptly fill the vacancy if the member was one of the two appointed collectively by the board of county commissioners. If the member was individually appointed by one county commissioner, that commissioner shall promptly fill the vacancy.

(c)

The members of the enforcement board shall elect a chairperson, who shall be a voting member, from among the members of the board. The presence of four or more members shall constitute a quorum of the enforcement board. Members shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for such travel, mileage, and per diem expenses as may be authorized by the board of county commissioners.

(d)

The attorney for the board of county commissioners shall present cases before the enforcement board. Private counsel shall be retained to represent the enforcement board.

(Code 1982, § 1-2-21; Ord. No. 87-19, pt. A, 6-2-1987; Ord. No. 87-71, pt. A, 10-13-1987; Ord. No. 88-79, pt. A, 10-25-1988; Ord. No. 89-63, pt. A, 9-26-1989; Ord. No. 03-11, pt. A, 8-19-2003)

State law reference

Code enforcement board membership and organization, F.S. § 162.05.