(a) Composition and appointment. —
The Advisory Council consists of 13 members. Membership is comprised as follows:
(1) One veterinary practitioner who is a former recipient of educational assistance through the Delaware Institute of Veterinary Medicine Education, the Advisory Council, the Southern Regional Education Board Regional Contract Program for Veterinary Medicine, or a similar entity or program, appointed by the Governor.
(2) One member of the faculty of the University of Delaware, appointed by the University of Delaware Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences.
(3) One faculty member of Delaware State University, appointed by the Delaware State University Head of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
(4) One member of the Delaware Veterinary Medical Association, appointed by the Governor. The Governor may consider potential nominees from a list that the Delaware Veterinary Medical Association provides.
(5) The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, or the Secretary’s designee.
(6) The Secretary of the Department of Education, or the Secretary’s designee.
(7) The State Veterinarian, or the Veterinarian’s designee.
(8) The President of the Delaware Farm Bureau, or the President’s designee.
(9) The Director of the Office of Animal Welfare, or the Director’s designee.
(10) The President of the Delaware Technical Community College, or the President’s designee.
(11) Two members representing different animal shelters in this State, appointed by the Governor.
(12) One representative of the State Board of Veterinary Medicine, appointed by the Governor. The Governor may consider potential nominees from a list that the State Board of Veterinary Medicine provides.
(b) Designees. —
A member who may select a designee must select the designee from the organization that the member represents to serve in their stead and at their pleasure. A member must provide the designation to the chair in writing. A designee has the same duties and rights as the member the designee represents.
(c) Terms and vacancies. —
A member, other than a member who serves by virtue of position, is appointed for a period of 3 years and may serve additional terms until replaced. Each term expires on the date specified in the appointment, but a member remains eligible to participate in Advisory Council proceedings until the appropriate appointing authority replaces that member.
(d) Quorum. —
A majority of the members must be present at an Advisory Council meeting in order to have quorum and conduct official business. A majority of the members present at a meeting at which quorum is present is sufficient to approve an action of the Advisory Council. A vacancy on the Advisory Council is not counted for quorum.
(e) Conduct of business. —
The Advisory Council may adopt rules necessary for its operation. If the Advisory Council does not adopt rules or the adopted rules do not govern a given situation, Robert’s Rules of Order governs.
(f) Chair. —
The Advisory Council shall annually elect 1 chair and 1 vice-chair from among its members.
(g) Compensation. —
A member receives no compensation but may be reimbursed for the member’s actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of the member’s official duties.
(h) Removal. —
A member may be removed by the member’s appointing authority for gross inefficiency, misfeasance, nonfeasance, malfeasance, or neglect of duty in office.
(1) A member is deemed in neglect of duty if the member is absent from 3 consecutive Advisory Council meetings without good cause or fails to attend at least 50% of all regular Advisory Council meetings in a calendar year.
(2) A member who is deemed in neglect of duty is considered to have resigned, and the member’s appointing authority may consider the member to have resigned and may accept the member’s resignation.
(i) Staffing. —
The Department of Agriculture, through the Secretary, shall provide reasonable staff support to assist the Advisory Council in performing its duties.
