§ 2-11.43. Composition; appointment and terms of office; compensation, oath; attendance at meetings, vacancies.

(A)

The Panel shall consist of nine (9) members, each of whom is a qualified elector of Miami-Dade County and possesses a reputation for civic pride, integrity, responsibility and has demonstrated an active interest in public affairs and service.

(1)

Members:

(a)

In order to secure representative membership on the Panel, each of the following five (5) community groups or organizations shall submit a list containing the names of three (3) qualified persons [and] the Board of County Commissioners shall select one (1) panel member from each of the five (5) lists:

(i)

The Community Relations Board.

(ii)

The Community Action Agency.

(iii)

The Miami-Dade County League of Women Voters.

(iv)

The Miami-Dade County Bar Association.

(v)

The Miami-Dade Police Chiefs' Association. Each nominee by the Miami-Dade Police Chiefs' Association shall be an Association member. In the event the Panel is investigating an incident involving the jurisdiction employing this appointee, the Miami-Dade Police Chiefs' Association shall submit the names of three (3) different members for an appointment as a substitute until the conclusion of the investigation. In the event that none of the three (3) nominees meets with County Commission approval, the nominating entity shall submit another and entirely different list for Commission consideration. This process shall continue until a member has been appointed.

(b)

In addition to the five (5) Panel members selected in accordance with the preceding subparagraph (a) of paragraph (1) of this subsection, four (4) members shall be appointed by the Panel based on consensus of integrity and community representation, considering ethnocultural and gender balance.

The foregoing appointments shall constitute the membership of the Panel, and each member shall serve for a period of three (3) years. The Board of County Commissioners may extend this term if necessary to complete any pending investigation(s).

(2)

Nonpermanent members. In addition to the foregoing, former Panel members may serve as substitute Panel members given advanced notice of absence of current members or vacancy pending appointment.

(B)

Members of the Panel shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties as shall be determined and approved by the Board of County Commissioners. Before entering upon the duties of office, each member shall submit written acceptance of appointment and subscribe to the oath of office prescribed by law, which shall be filed in the Office of the Clerk of the County Commission.

(C)

Any Panel member shall be automatically removed if absent for three (3) consecutive meetings without a satisfactory excuse or if absent from more than one-half of the Panel's meetings during his or her term of office. A Panel member shall be deemed absent from a meeting when not present at the meeting at least seventy-five (75) percent of the time. The provisions of this section may be waived by a two-thirds vote of the members of the full Board of County Commissioners. Any vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. A member appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve for three (3) years from the date of appointment.

(Ord. No. 80-8, § 4, 2-19-80; Ord. No. 81-44, § 1, 4-21-81; Ord. No. 97-86, § 1, 6-5-97)