§ 2-1312. [Program board.]

A.

Creation of Dial-A-Life Program Board. A Dial-A-Life Program Advisory and Oversight Board (the "Board") will be formed to oversee the collection and distribution of donated cellular and/or mobile telephones, and to report to the Board of County Commissioners the status and progress of the Dial-A-Life Program.

B.

Purpose. The Board shall have the following rights and responsibilities:

1.

To oversee the collection and disbursement of the donated mobile and/or cellular telephones;

2.

To establish guidelines and application procedures for Eligible Recipients consistent with the requirements of this article.

3.

To evaluate applications of potential Eligible Recipients;

4.

To solicit assistance from the telecommunications industry for the repair and refurbishing of inoperable donated telephones;

5.

To report to the Board of County Commissioners no less than two (2) times per year the status and progress of the Dial-A-Life Program, including the number of cellular and/or mobile telephones collected by the Program, the number of applications received by potential Eligible Recipients, the number of cellular and/or mobile telephones actually distributed to Eligible Recipients, and the cost of administering the Program.

6.

To promulgate rules consistent with this article for the conduct of its meetings and the discharge of its responsibilities;

7.

To perform other functions as are set forth for the Board in this article.

C.

Ratification by the Board of County Commissioners. Any rules, guidelines, applications, or other material established by the Board in accordance with Section 2-1312(B) shall be submitted to the Board of County Commission for ratification.

D.

Board Membership.

1.

Members. The Board shall be composed of the following members: a County Commissioner to be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, or his or her appointee; one (1) member who shall be selected and appointed by the County Manager; one (1) member of the Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue Department who shall be appointed by the Director; one (1) representative of the telecommunications industry who shall be selected and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners; one (1) representative from a domestic violence awareness, services, and/or prevention organization who shall be selected and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners; one (1) representative from an elderly awareness, services and/or advocacy organization who shall be selected and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners; one member of the Miami-Dade County Domestic Violence Oversight Board who shall be selected and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners; one (1) representative from a community based organization dedicated to supporting families with at-risk or disabled children who shall be selected and appointed by the Board of County Commissioners; and one (1) representative from a disability awareness, services, and/or advocacy organization who shall be selected and appointed by the County Manager; and one (1) member of the Miami-Dade Enterprise Technology Services Department, or its successor, who shall be selected and appointed by the Director of that Department.

2.

Qualification. All of the Board members shall be at least twenty-one (21) years of age and be citizens of the United States. In addition to any other qualification the Board may establish from time to time, the Board members shall be of high moral character and have demonstrated business experience and acumen.

3.

Election and Term. Board members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners shall serve two (2) years terms and may be reappointed as approved by the Board of County Commissioners. All other Board members shall serve until the earlier of:

(i)

The expiration of a two-year term from their appointment;

(ii)

Their removal by a majority vote of the Board; or

(iii)

Their resignation from the Board.

The foregoing shall not prohibit any Board member from serving multiple or consecutive terms, if reappointed to such position. Any Board vacancies arising due to a Board member's term expiring, removal from office, resignation, or otherwise shall be filled by the entity or person responsible for the initial appointment. By example, if a Board vacancy occurs in a position appointed by the County Manager, such vacancy shall be filled by a person selected and appointed by the County Manager of Miami-Dade County.

4.

Removal. Any Board members may be removed with or without cause at any time by the vote of seven (7) of the eight (8) Board members entitled to vote at a special meeting of the Board members called for that purpose. New Board members to fill the vacancies thus created shall be elected and designated in accordance with Section 2-1312(E)(1).

5.

Compensation. Members of the Board shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties.

E.

Organization of the Board.

1.

Meetings. The Board shall hold regular meetings, no less than four (4) times per year for calendar year 2003, and three (3) times per year for every year thereafter, and such other meetings, as it deems necessary. Three of the duly appointed and sitting members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Minutes shall be kept of all meetings of the Board and all meetings shall be duly noticed to the public.

2.

Applicability of County rules and procedures. The Board shall at all times operate under the Florida Open Government laws, including the "Sunshine Law," public meeting laws and public records laws and shall be governed by all State and County conflict of interest laws, as applicable, including the Miami-Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance, Section 2-11.1 of the Code of Miami-Dade County.

3.

Attendance requirement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code, any Board member shall be automatically removed if, in a given fiscal year:

(i)

He or she is absent from three consecutive meetings without an acceptable excuse;

(ii)

If he or she is absent from three (3) of the Board's meetings without an acceptable excuse; or

(iii)

Whether excused or not, he or she misses two-thirds ( 2/3 ) of the Board's meetings in a given fiscal year.

A member shall be deemed absent from a meeting when he or she is not present at the meeting at least seventy-five (75) percent of the time. An "acceptable excuse" is defined as an absence for medical reasons, business reasons, personal reasons, or any other reason which the Board, by a two-thirds ( 2/3 ) vote of the membership, deems appropriate. By a two-thirds ( 2/3 ) vote of the members of the full Board, the provisions of this section may be waived.

4.

Staff and Facility Support. The County Manager and the County Attorney shall provide such staff support to the Board as may be necessary to accomplish its purpose. The County Manager will provide such facilities as the Board may deem necessary to accomplish its purposes.

(Ord. No. 01-115, § 2, 7-10-01; Ord. No. 04-18, § 1, 1-20-04; Ord. No. 04-96, § 1, 5-11-04; Ord. No. 07-43, § 1, 3-6-07; Ord. No. 07-180, § 2, 12-18-07; Ord. No. 11-18, § 1, 4-4-11)