San Luis Obispo County Municipal Code Ch. 8.70 Children and Families Commission

There is in the county a children and families commission which shall be referred to as the commission in this chapter.

(Ord. 2886 § 1 (part), 1999: Ord. 2846 § 1 (part), 1998)

The commission shall consist of nine members appointed by the board of supervisors. The persons appointed by the board of supervisors shall meet the following requirements:

(a) Group 1 (Member of the Board of Supervisors) - One member of the commission shall be a member of the board of supervisors.

(b) Group 2 (County Designated Representatives) - Three members of the commission shall be appointed from the class of persons that consists of the following individuals:

(1) The county health officer;

(2) Managers of county children's services programs;

(3) Managers of county public health services;

(4) Managers of county behavioral health services;

(5) Managers of county social services;

(6) Managers of county tobacco and other substance abuse prevention and treatment services; and

(7) Representatives of local school districts.

(c) Group 3 ("At-Large" Members) - Five members of the commission shall be appointed from the class of persons that consists of the following individuals:

(1) Persons described above in subsection (b);

(2) Representatives of local childcare resource or referral agencies;

(3) Representatives of local medical, pediatric, or obstetric associations or societies;

(4) Recipients of project services included in the county strategic plan;

(5) Educators specializing in early childhood development;

(6) Representatives of local childcare coordinating groups;

(7) Representatives of local organizations for prevention of early intervention for families at risk; and

(8) Representatives of community-based organizations that have the goal of promoting nurturing and early childhood development;

Members shall serve without compensation and shall be reimbursed the actual amounts of their reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in attending meetings and in performing the duties of their offices, in accordance with the provisions of the county's travel policy.

(Ord. 2868 § 1 (part), 1999: Ord. 2846 § 1 (part), 1998)

(Ord. No. 3485, § I, 2-28-23)

(a) Each commission member shall hold office at the will and pleasure of the board of supervisors for a term of three years with the following exceptions:

(1) If no successor has been appointed at the expiration of the term, the commissioner shall serve until the appointment and qualification of the member's successor;

(2) If any commissioner has three consecutive unexcused absences from regularly scheduled meetings, the board of supervisors shall appoint a new commissioner to serve the unexpired term;

(3) Any vacancies shall be filled by the board of supervisors for the unexpired term;

(4) The commission acknowledges and understands that the member appointed from Group 1 is appointed annually in January by the county board of supervisors as part of its committee assignments.

(b) The following paragraph shall only apply to members of the commission appointed from Group 3, referenced above. (See Section 8.70.020(c)). No commissioner member in Group 3 may serve more than two consecutive terms. At the end of a commission member's second term, they shall be ineligible to hold office on the commission for a period of two years. The commission shall implement policies and procedures to determine a commission member's eligibility to serve a second term.

(c) Of the appointees from Group 3 beginning their term in July of 2023, one shall be appointed for a one-year term and shall be limited to only one term, three shall be appointed for a three-year term, and one shall be appointed for a four-year term.

(Ord. 2868 § 1 (part), 1999: Ord. 2846 § 1 (part), 1998)

(Ord. No. 3485, § II, 2-28-23)

The commission shall annually select one of its members to serve as chairperson who shall preside at meetings of the commission, and one of its members as vice-chairperson who shall preside in the absence of the chairperson.

(Ord. 2846 § 1 (part), 1998)

The commission shall meet at least six times per year.

(Ord. 2846 § 1 (part), 1998)

A quorum of the commission shall consist of a simple majority of the number of members appointed.

(Ord. 2846 § 1 (part), 1998)

The duty of the commission is to implement the provisions of the California Children and Families First Act of 1998 (Proposition 10, effective January 1, 1999) now codified as Section 7 to Article XIIIA and Section 13, Article XIIIB of the California Constitution, Division 108 of the Health and Safety Code, Article 3 of Chapter 2 of Part 13 of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. To this end the commission shall among other things:

(1) Create and adopt an adequate strategic plan for early childhood development within the county that is consistent with, and in furtherance of the purposes of the California Children and Families First Act of 1998 and any guidelines adopted by the state Children and Families First Commission that are in effect at the time the plan is adopted, said strategic plan to include at least the following:

a. A description of the goals and objectives proposed to be attained,

b. A description of the services and projects proposed to be provided,

c. A description of how measurable outcomes will be determined,

d. A description of how programs, services and projects relating to early childhood development will be integrated into a consumer oriented and easily accessible system;

(2) Review at least annually the county strategic plan and revise the plan as may be necessary or appropriate;

(3) Conduct at least one public hearing on the proposed plan before the plan is adopted;

(4) Submit the adopted strategic plan to the state commission;

(5) Submit the adopted strategic plan to the board of supervisors and report back annually to the board of supervisors; and

(6) Adopt an annual audit and report in conformity with Health and Safety Code Section 1030150 and conduct at least one public hearing prior to its adoption.

(Ord. 2886 § 1 (part), 1999: Ord. 2846 § 1 (part), 1998)

The board of supervisors shall direct appropriate county departments to cooperate with the commission and to provide staff necessary to assist the commission in the performance of its duties.

(Ord. 2846 § 1 (part), 1998)

All money received from the state commission to carry out the provisions of the California Children and Families First Act of 1998 will be placed in the children and families first trust fund, held by the county, for exclusive use by the commission. Additionally, all interest gained from the trust fund will be credited to the trust fund for use by the commission.

(Ord. 2886 § 1 (part), 1999)