Sec. 2-1052. - Membership.
(a) Generally. The Overtown Community Oversight Board shall consist of five voting members (other than youth board members), all of whom shall be appointed, as hereinafter set forth. In addition, there shall be one non-voting youth member of the Overtown Community Oversight Board, to be appointed by the commissioner representing district five.
(b) Qualifications. Members of the Overtown Community Oversight Board shall be persons of knowledge, experience, mature judgment and background, having ability and desire to act in the public interest in order to make informed and equitable decisions concerning the Overtown area.
(1) Each person seeking membership on the Overtown Community Oversight Board who is not seeking appointment as a youth board member shall be deemed qualified if he/she is 18 years of age or older, and:
a. Resides in the Overtown area;
b. Owns property in the Overtown area;
c. Is an employee or board member of a community based organization or community development corporation located in or providing services to the Overtown area; or
d. Owns or is an employee of a business in the Overtown area.
(2) Each person seeking membership on the Overtown Community Oversight Board who is seeking appointment as a youth board member shall be deemed qualified if he/she is more than 14 and less than 19 years of age; and
a. Resides in the Overtown area, and
b. Attends an accredited educational institution in the Overtown area.
(c) Procedure for appointment of members.
(1) The district five city commissioner shall appoint four members to the Overtown Community Oversight Board, and the city manager shall appoint one member, all of whom shall be confirmed by the city commission. In addition, the district five city commissioner shall appoint one youth board member and preference shall be given to qualified youth board member candidates attending Booker T. Washington Senior High School.
(2) No appointment shall be made until notice has been given in a newspaper of general circulation in the city of the appointments to be made to the Overtown Community Oversight Board at least 30 days prior to the making of an appointment, which shall have solicited and encouraged the public and professional or citizen organizations within the Overtown area having interest in and knowledge of the Overtown area to submit names of persons and their qualifications for consideration as prospective appointees of the Overtown Community Oversight Board. At least ten days prior to the making of any appointment, the district five city commissioner and city manager shall cause to have available to the public, and shall publicly make announcement, that the list of names thus submitted, together with a short statement of the qualifications of each person, is prepared and available for public inspection and consideration. In reaching decision on appointments, the district five city commissioner and the city manager shall give due consideration to the names thus submitted.
(3) In addition, the district five city commissioner and the city manager shall, at least ten days prior to the making of any appointment, cause to have available to the public, and shall publicly make announcement that the names of prospective appointees submitted by the district five city commissioner and the city manager and a short statement of qualifications of such persons are available for public inspection and consideration. No person shall be appointed to membership on the Overtown Community Oversight Board whose name and qualifications have not been made publicly available in the manner set out herein.
(d) Terms of office. The members of the Overtown Community Oversight Board shall serve for two-year terms, expiring during the month of September. Notwithstanding the above, members of the board may continue to serve until the city commission's ratification of the new board members held following the expiration of a term.
(e) Vacancies. Vacancies in the membership of the Overtown Community Oversight Board shall be filled in the manner set forth in subsection (c).
(f) Removal. Members of the Overtown Community Oversight Board may be removed for cause by vote of not less than three members of the city commission upon written charges after a public hearing, unless the member charged waives such public hearing in writing. However, whenever any member has had within a calendar year, three consecutive absences or four absences within a calendar year from the regularly scheduled meetings, the chairperson of the board shall certify same to the city clerk. The city clerk shall then inform the district five city commissioner and the city manager in writing that the position has been declared vacant and a successor member must be appointed to fill the vacancy.
(h) Disqualification of members. If any member has a conflict of interest on a particular matter coming before the Overtown Community Oversight Board, he/she shall, prior to the opening of the discussion on the matter, disqualify himself/herself from all participation whatsoever in the cause; or he/she may be disqualified by a vote of not less than a majority of the voting membership of the Overtown Community Oversight Board present, not including the member about whom the question for disqualification has been raised.
(i) Assignment of tasks. The city manager shall provide for necessary staffing to assist the Overtown Community Oversight Board. Such staff shall:
(1) Provide and perform necessary administrative duties including providing assistance to the Overtown Community Oversight Board regarding the scheduling of meetings of the Overtown Community Oversight Board, preparing agendas, and ensuring that proper notice is provided for such meetings.
(2) Work with other city departments, public agencies, and private groups, as required, to provide information to the Overtown Community Oversight Board on activities, developments, or improvements in, or substantially impacting the residents of, the Overtown Area.
(3) Submit the adopted minutes of each Overtown Community Oversight Board meeting to the city clerk and the district five city commissioner.
(4) Prepare summary reports of board actions for review by the board prior to delivery of the same to the city manager or his/her designee for delivery to the city commission.
(5) Review the board's budgets.
(6) Coordinate the research, development and preparation of reports and policies for projects initiated by the Overtown Community Oversight Board.
(7) Serve as the community liaison between the city, the Overtown Community Oversight Board and the residents of the Overtown area.
(8) Channel the issues and concerns of Overtown area residents, businesses and community groups to the attention of the Overtown Community Oversight Board or the appropriate city department for resolution, or to the appropriate public or private agency for action.
(9) Reestablish and maintain the Overtown resource directory.
(10) Follow through with the implementation of all decisions and actions approved by the Overtown Community Oversight Board.
(11) Share information with community organizations and receive input regarding ongoing or proposed projects and activities in the Overtown area.
(12) Schedule the use of the Overtown Community Oversight Board facilities by community organizations.
(13) Reestablish and coordinate publication and distribution of the Overtown newsletter.
(14) Coordinate projects of the Overtown Community Oversight Board with other community organizations and governmental agencies.
(15) Coordinate with the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community redevelopment agency to relate its activities to the community and community organizations, public agencies and the private business sector.
(16) Coordinate his/her activities and the activities of the Overtown Community Oversight Board with the activities of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community redevelopment agency.
(Ord. No. 12858, § 2, 10-12-06; Ord. No. 12885, § 1, 2-8-07; Ord. No. 13273, § 1, 6-9-11; Ord. No. 13676, § 2, 4-27-17; Ord. No. 14011, § 2, 7-8-21; Ord. No. 14138, § 2, 2-9-23)
