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ON MOTION OF GEORGE WAGNER RESOLUTION NO. 437-16 Adoption of Policy - Advisory Committees and Advisory Boards Appointed by the County Legislature WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Cortland County Legislature to have Administrative Policies and Procedures that govern the functioning of the County organization, and to ensure that these policies and procedures are up to date, and WHEREAS, it is desirable to create a policy regarding Advisory Committees and Advisory Boards Appointed by the County Legislature to reflect best practice policy, AND WHEREAS, the proposed policy has been reviewed for content by the County Attorney, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the policy entitled Advisory Committees and Advisory Boards Appointed by the County Legislature is hereby adopted, AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the policy shall become effective January 1, 2017. STATE OF NEW YORK ) SS: COUNTY OF CORTLAND ) This is to certify that I, the undersigned, Clerk of the Cortland County Legislature, have compared the foregoing copy with the original now on file in this office, and that the above actions were passed by the Cortland County Legislature on the 17th day of November, 2016 and that the same is a correct and true transcript of such actions taken. IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and the official seal of the CORTLAND COUNTY LEGISLATURE, this 17th day of November, 2016. ---PAGE BREAK--- ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY BOARDS APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE Objective: Reference: (All Applicable Federal, State and Local Laws) To provide procedures for recruitment and appointment to advisory boards and advisory committees of the Cortland County Legislature, and to boards and committees for which there is designated representation from the Cortland County Legislature, whether such appointments are made by the full Legislature or by the Chair. Rules of the Cortland County Legislature; Code of Ethics; Public Officers Law, Official Oaths; Compliance; Public Officers Law, Section 30 Policy/Procedure Number: Effective Date: Legislative Policy Statement: General Information: The Legislature shall appoint individuals to County- created advisory boards and advisory committees, and to boards and committees for which there is designated representation from the Cortland County Legislature. Advisory boards may be created as permanent (by County Charter or resolution), as standing advisory boards or committees, or as temporary committees. Cortland County government is committed to a diverse and fully inclusive work environment and promotes the benefits of diversity in all business activities, including the composition of advisory boards and committees. Volunteer advisory boards ensure engagement, provide judicious guidance, and aid the process of effective, responsible, and transparent government. Advisory boards bring together unique expertise and views that might not otherwise be represented. Activities assigned to these groups include, but are not limited to, the following: • Provide assistance to the legislature when formulating public policy; • Provide assistance with background work on technical or politically sensitive issues; • Help to build public consensus on controversial issues; or • Provide a more thorough review of complex and significant or unique technical expertise to better inform an issue. It is important to periodically review whether an advisory board is effective and is still needed. Responsible Department: Modified Date Resolution No.: Next Scheduled Review: Office of the Clerk of the Legislature ---PAGE BREAK--- I. Definitions: II. Policy: Advisory Board—Any board, committee, commission, task force, expert panel, or other similar group, or any subcommittee or other subgroup that is established and appointed by the Legislature or its Chair to research, investigate, offer expert advice, take action on, report on, or forward well-developed, thoughtful recommendations on some matter. Exclusion Screening—An inspection process for minimizing risk in hiring individuals, contracting with business entities, or appointing advisory board members that have been involved in adverse governmental actions related to fraud, patient abuse, licensing board sanctions, license revocation/suspension/surrender, or who have been excluded from federal healthcare programs. A. Appointments The Office of the Clerk of the Legislature shall process all appointments and maintain a record of appointments of individuals by the County Legislature to advisory boards or to boards for which there is designated representation from Cortland County. B. Vacancies and Resignations When any member of a board, commission, committee, agency, or authority, holding office by appointment of the County Legislature or the Chair of the County Legislature fails to attend three consecutive regular meetings of such board, commission, committee, agency, or authority, unless such absence is for good cause and is excused by the chairman or other presiding officer thereof, or in the case of such chairman or other presiding officer, by the Chair of the Legislature, the office may be deemed vacant by action of the appointing authority for the purposes of the nomination and appointment of a successor. A copy of all resignation letters shall be forwarded to the Office of the Clerk of the Legislature. If a resignation is received verbally or if a seat becomes vacant through the process described above the Office of the Clerk shall be notified in writing of the vacancy. The Office of the Clerk of the Legislature shall keep a calendar of expiration dates and a list of vacancies for all advisory boards or positions appointed by the Cortland County Legislature. The Office of the Clerk of the Legislature shall also maintain a file of names of persons interested in serving on advisory boards. C. Residency Requirement All advisory board members must be United States citizens and must be residents of Cortland County, except where State or Federal law provides otherwise or where the County Legislature approves advisory board bylaws providing that one or more seats on the advisory board will be filled by the holder of a particular office or position. D. Application of County Compliance Policy and County Code of Ethics It is the policy of Cortland County to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and payor requirements. It is also the County’s policy to adhere to its formal County Compliance Program and its adopted Code of Ethics. Every County officer, employee, or appointed representative of the County shall be subject to and abide by these policies and standards. ---PAGE BREAK--- III. Procedure: A. Recruitment When recruiting for membership, the County attempts to ensure that potential candidates have the specific skills and experiences needed to meet the required responsibilities and duties of the board. Additionally, the County looks to ensure that there is a well-defined recruitment and nominating process with criteria for outreach and criteria for selection of members that reflect the demographic diversity of the community. B. Appointment Cortland County residents interested in serving on an advisory board or committee must complete an Advisory Board Application and submit it to the Cortland County Legislature Clerk by e-mail, mail, fax, or by hand. To the extent permitted by law, all application information shall initially be treated as confidential. The names of those persons approved and appointed by the relative Committee will become public information. It is recommended that consideration of appointments by Standing Committee be addressed in Executive Session as a personnel matter. Members of advisory boards are appointed by the Cortland County Legislature or the Chair of the Legislature according to the procedure outlined in the Rules of the Cortland County Legislature. Names of persons interested in serving on an advisory board should be submitted to the Legislative Standing Committee within whose area of responsibility the advisory board would fall (contact the Office of the Clerk of the Legislature for current committee responsibilities). The Office of the Clerk of the Legislature will carry the name(s) through the appointment procedure. All appointed members of County-affiliated boards must take and file an official oath in the manner prescribed in the Public Officers Law unless the member is already a public officer with a current official oath of office filed with the Cortland County Clerk. Compensation The general practice is that members of voluntary advisory boards and committees do not receive compensation, unless otherwise permitted by law. C. Bylaws Some advisory boards have the power as granted by Cortland County Legislature to draft bylaws for approval by the Cortland County Legislature, elect officers from its membership (unless otherwise provided by Legislature resolution), and establish committees. Prior to submission to the Committee of the Cortland County Legislature for approval, new or amended bylaws must be submitted to the County Attorney for review. Updated copies of bylaws must be kept on file in the Office of the Clerk of the Cortland County Legislature. D. List of Covered Entities The following is a list of advisory boards and committees that are covered by this policy. Additions to or deletions from this list of covered entities shall be by action of the Legislature and shall not constitute nor require a change to the policy itself: To be updated……………………… ---PAGE BREAK--- CORTLAND COUNTY LEGISLATURE County Office Building 60 Central Avenue, Cortland, NY 13045 www.cortland-co.org/legislature [PHONE REDACTED]/[PHONE REDACTED] (fax) Name of advisory group Seat Title (Area or constituency represented) Term length ADVISORY BOARD APPLICATION Please type or print in black ink (Revised September 2015) If you are interested in serving as a member of an advisory group please complete this form; attach additional sheets if necessary. You may be called for an interview and you may wish to attend a meeting of the advisory group if you have not yet done so. Please contact the Legislature Office at 753-5048 or by e-mail: [EMAIL REDACTED] if you have any questions. Name of application Address (residence) Street City Zip Code Telephone (work) (mobile) (fax) Email address Length of residence in Cortland County Signature of Applicant Office use only Type of appointment: new or reappointment [Replacing: (if new] Term expiration date Seat Title (area or constituency represented): Municipal Recommendation on File Nominating Committee Recommendation Received Copied to Legislative Committee recommendation Legislature appointment date Appointment letter mailed date *If not a Cortland County resident, please stop here and contact the Office ID#