§ 2-1069. Membership, qualifications, terms, vacancies.

(a)

Composition and appointment. The Ethics Commission shall be composed of five (5) members. The members of the Ethics Commission shall be appointed as follows:

(1)

The Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit shall be requested to appoint one (1) former federal judge, or former United States magistrate or former State court judge;

(2)

The Chief Judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit shall be requested to appoint one (1) former U.S. Attorney or Assistant U.S. Attorney, former State Attorney or Assistant State Attorney, former County Attorney or Assistant County Attorney or former City Attorney or Assistant City Attorney;

(3)

The Dean of the University of Miami School of Law or St. Thomas School of Law shall on a rotating basis be requested to appoint one (1) faculty member from his or her law school who has taught a course in professional legal ethics or has published or performed services in the field of professional legal ethics. The Dean of the University of Miami shall be requested to appoint the first faculty member to sit on the Ethics Commission. Upon the expiration of said member's term, the Dean of St. Thomas School of Law shall be requested to appoint a faculty member to sit on the Ethics Commission. Thereafter, each Dean shall on a rotating basis select a faculty member from his or her law school;

(4)

The Director of Florida International University's Center for Labor Research and Studies shall be requested to appoint one (1) member; and

(5)

The Miami-Dade County League of Cities, Inc. shall be requested to appoint one (1) member who has held elective office at the local level prior to appointment.

(b)

Additional qualifications. Each member of the Ethics Commission shall be a United States citizen, resident of Miami-Dade County and shall be of outstanding reputation for integrity, responsibility and commitment to serving the community. The members of the Ethics Commission should be representative community-at-large and should reflect the racial, gender and ethnic make-up of the community. Prior to final selection of each member of the Ethics Commission, those persons empowered herein to appoint members shall meet and evaluate the qualifications of each person(s) under consideration to ensure (a) that said person(s) is qualified to serve on the Ethics Commission and (b) that the membership of the Ethics Commission will be representative of the community-at-large and reflect the racial, gender and ethnic make-up of the community. Before entering upon the duties of office, each appointee on the Ethics Commission shall take the prescribed oath of office. Members of the Ethics Commission shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to reimbursement for necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties.

(c)

Term. The members of the Ethics Commission shall serve staggered terms of four (4) years each, provided that of the original members, two (2) members shall be appointed for a term of two (2) years and three (3) shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years.

(d)

Vacancies. A vacancy occurring during or at the expiration of a member's term on the Ethics Commission shall be filled as provided in subsections (a) and (b).

(e)

Additional requirements. No individual, while a member of the Ethics Commission, shall:

(1)

Hold or campaign for any elective political office;

(2)

Hold office in any political party or political committee;

(3)

Actively participate in or contribute to any political campaign or political action committee;

(4)

Be employed by Miami-Dade County or any municipality within Miami-Dade County; or

(5)

Allow his or her name to be used by a campaign in support of or against any candidate for political office or any referendum or other ballot question. Nothing herein shall preclude a member of the Ethics Commission from signing a petition in support of or against any referendum or other ballot question.

(Ord. No. 97-105, § 1(4), 7-8-97)