23-2521. Personnel policy board; members; qualifications; appointment; term; removal; chairperson; meetings; quorum.

(1) The members of the personnel policy board shall be persons in sympathy with the application of merit principles to public employment and who are not otherwise employed by the county, except that the member employed by the county if serving on such board on May 6, 1987, shall continue to serve until the term of such member expires. No member shall hold during his or her term, or shall have held for a period of one year prior thereto, any political office or a position as officer or employee of a political organization.

(2)(a) Prior to January 1, 2018, two members of the board shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners, two members shall be appointed by the elected department heads, and two members shall be appointed by classified employees who are covered by the county personnel system.

(b) Beginning January 1, 2018, a new personnel policy board shall be appointed pursuant to this subdivision to replace the board appointed pursuant to subdivision (a) of this subsection. One member shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners, one member shall be appointed by the elected department heads, and two members shall be appointed by classified employees who are covered by the county personnel system. The four members shall select a fifth member for the personnel policy board. The initial selection of the fifth member for a term beginning on January 1, 2018, shall be made on or before March 1, 2018.

(3)(a) This subdivision applies until January 1, 2018. The first appointments made to the personnel policy board shall be for one, two, three, four, and five years. The board of county commissioners shall initially appoint members for terms of one and five years. The elected department heads shall initially appoint members for terms of two and four years. The classified employees who are covered by the county personnel system shall initially appoint a member for a term of three years. Within three months after May 6, 1987, the classified employees who are covered by the county personnel system shall initially appoint another member for a term of one year.

(b) This subdivision applies beginning January 1, 2018. The member appointed for a term beginning on January 1, 2018, by the board of county commissioners shall serve for a term of one year. The member appointed for a term beginning on January 1, 2018, by the elected department heads shall serve for a term of five years. The members appointed for a term beginning on January 1, 2018, by the classified employees who are covered by the county personnel system shall serve for terms of two years and four years as designated by the appointment process. The fifth member appointed for a term beginning on January 1, 2018, by the other four members shall serve a term of three years.

(c) Thereafter, each member shall be appointed in the same manner for a term of five years, except that any person appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of a term shall be appointed in the same manner for the remainder of the term. Each member of the board shall hold office until his or her successor is appointed and qualified.

(4) The board of county commissioners and elected department heads may remove any member of the personnel policy board for neglect of duty or misconduct in office after first giving him or her a copy of the reasons for removal and providing for the member to be heard publicly before the commissioners and elected department heads. A copy of the charges and a transcript of the record of the hearing shall be filed with the county clerk.

(5) The personnel policy board shall elect a chairperson from among its members. The board shall meet at such time and place as shall be specified by call of the chairperson or the county personnel officer. At least one meeting shall be held quarterly. For the personnel policy board appointed prior to January 1, 2018, pursuant to subdivision (2)(a) of this section, four members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. For the personnel policy board appointed on and after January 1, 2018, pursuant to subdivision (2)(b) of this section, three members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, except that no business shall be transacted unless one of the members appointed by the board of county commissioners or the elected department heads and one of the members appointed by the classified employees who are covered by the county personnel system are present at the meeting. Board members shall serve without compensation.

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