Santa Ana Municipal Code § 2-325 Compensation for members of boards, commissions

1. Compensation for City boards and commissions shall be set by resolution of the city council.

2. The members of the appointive boards and commissions may receive reimbursement for necessary traveling and other expenses when on official duty of the city when such expenditure has been appropriated by the city council and authorized by the board or commission and subject to rules and regulations prescribed by ordinance, resolution, or order of the city council.

(Ord. No. NS-2992, § 2, 9-1-20; Ord. No. NS-3003, § 2, 3-16-21; Ord. No. NS-3029, § 2, 11-15-22; Ord. No. NS-3053, § 2, 12-5-2023)

a) Except as otherwise specified in the charter, the member of each of the appointive boards and commissions shall be appointed, and may be removed, by the city council, subject in both appointment and removal by the affirmative votes of a majority of the members. For boards and commissions having at least seven (7) members, the city council shall select seven (7) members from nominations made by the council member (or mayor in the case of the city-wide seat) whose term coincides with that board or commission seat, as determined by the city council in accordance with subsection (e) below, together with nominations from any other member of the council all other appointments shall be as determined by the charter, or by the city council from time to time. At least fifty (50) percent of those persons nominated from time to time by a council member shall be residents of the ward represented by such council member. At the request of a councilmember, this rule may be waived by a two-thirds (⅔) vote for the city council for any one (1) appointment if the requesting member is unable to find a qualified and acceptable ward resident to nominate. For purposes of this rule, residency is only required at the time of nomination.

b) Vacancies arising from whatever cause shall be filled in the same manner. Upon a vacancy occurring leaving an unexpired portion of the term, any appointment to fill such a vacancy shall be for the unexpired portion of such term. All terms shall begin on the same date as city councilmember terms as provided in section 400 of the charter.

c) If a member of a board or commission absents himself or herself from two (2) regular meetings of such board or commission, consecutively, unless by permission of such board or commission expressed in its official minutes, or fails to attend at least one-half (½) of the regular meetings of such board or commission within a calendar year, or is convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude, or ceases to be a resident of the city, the office shall become vacant and shall be so declared by the city council.

d) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the members of such boards and commissions shall serve for a term of four (4) years and until their respective successors are appointed or qualified, but in no event shall any persons be eligible for reappointment who has served three (3) consecutive terms of four (4) years each, irrespective of what seat or seats the member is appointed to by the city council. Notwithstanding the foregoing, one (1) seat shall be a city-wide seat having a two (2) year term which coincides with that of the mayor, and which shall be limited to four (4) consecutive terms. Short or partial terms (as defined for city council in Section 401 of the Charter) shall not be considered. Unless otherwise provided by ordinance of the city council for a board or commission having more or less than seven (7) members, the terms of three (3) of the members of each such board or commission shall begin on the date of the beginning of the term of office of council members elected at every second general election commencing with the April, 1983 general election, the terms of three (3) other members shall begin on the date of the beginning of the term of office of council members elected at every second general election commencing with the November, 1984 general election, and one (1), as designated by the city council, shall coincide with the term of the mayor. It is the intent of this section that the term of office on boards and commissions shall be concurrent with the term of office of council members. Thereafter, any appointment to fill an unexpired term shall be for such an unexpired period. No person shall be eligible for appointment to a board or commission who completed a term on the city council immediately preceding that board or commission term.

(e) For boards and commissions with at least seven (7) members, the city council shall designate six (6) board and commission seats by ward, and one (1) city-wide. These designations shall be solely for the purpose of nominations and calculations of terms as provided in this section 2-326. Except for purposes of the fifty (50) percent nomination rule in subsection (a) above, residency in that ward is not required.

(Ord. No. NS-2992, § 2, 9-1-20; Ord. No. NS-3003, § 2, 3-16-21)

If any member of an appointive board or commission shall become the treasurer of a campaign committee which receives contributions for any candidate for mayor or councilmember, his or her office shall become vacant and shall be so declared by the city council. No person who serves as the treasurer of a campaign committee which receives contributions for any candidate for mayor or councilmember shall be eligible for appointment to any appointive board or commission.

(Ord. No. NS-2992, § 2, 9-1-20; Ord. No. NS-3003, § 2, 3-16-21)

The election of each chairperson and vice-chairperson shall be held at the meetings of the respective boards and commissions during the month of July of each year. The board or commission, in the event of a vacancy in the office of the chairperson or vice-chair person, shall elect one (1) of its members for the unexpired term. The chairperson shall have the responsibility for informing the city council of board, commission, or committee actions or inactions and the reasons therefore.

The city manager or his or her designee shall designate a secretary for the recording of minutes for each of such boards and commissions, who shall keep a record of its proceedings and transactions. Each board and commission shall prescribe rules and regulations governing its operations which shall be consistent with the charter, this Code, and shall be filed with the city clerk for public inspection.

(Ord. No. NS-2992, § 2, 9-1-20; Ord. No. NS-3003, § 2, 3-16-21; Ord. No. NS-3078, § 1, 4-15-25)