TITLE
ORDINANCE CREATING THE ELDER AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD; CREATING ARTICLE CLIX OF THE CODE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA; PROVIDING THE COMPOSITION AND DUTIES OF THE BOARD AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS; PROVIDING SEVERABILITY, INCLUSION IN THE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE

BODY

WHEREAS, Miami-Dade County has the largest population in Florida of individuals who are 60 years old or older; and
WHEREAS, identifying the needs of and providing funding for Senior Services at a local level is beneficial, as local governments are well-suited to tailor services and programs to meet the needs of their distinct senior population; and
WHEREAS, seniors with the most need are those from historically underserved and disadvantaged groups, according to a 2013 report entitled Assessing the Needs of Elder Floridians by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs; and
WHEREAS, this Board has a longstanding interest in and concern for the elderly population in Miami-Dade County, as demonstrated by its funding of services, programming and facilities for elderly persons; and
WHEREAS, having the advice of persons who are well aware of the needs of the elderly due to their long lives and life experiences would inform this Board�s future legislative and budgeting initiatives; and
WHEREAS, having an advisory board focused on issues related to the elderly formalizes a means for getting this much needed advice, while encouraging the elderly population to become even more active and involved in community events by assuming a leadership role,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA:
Section 1. Article CLIX of the Code of Miami-Dade County, Florida, is hereby created to read as follows:
ARTICLE CLIX. ELDER AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD.
Sec. 2-2349. Creation and Composition.

The Miami-Dade County Elder Affairs Advisory Board (board) is hereby created and shall be comprised of a total of 15 members, as follows: (1) each County Commissioner shall appoint one member; (2) the Mayor shall appoint one member; and (3) the Miami-Dade Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons shall appoint one member. The members shall be permanent residents and electors of the County in accordance with section 2-11.38, as may be amended, shall have knowledge of and interest in the County�s elderly population and shall be at least 65 years of age. Board members shall serve four-year terms, and no member may serve more than eight consecutive years in accordance with section 2-11.38.2, as may be amended.

Sec. 2-2350. Membership; officers; meetings.

The members of the board shall elect a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and such other additional officers as the board shall deem necessary. All officers shall serve one-year terms, and no member may remain in the same office for more than two consecutive years. After one year of not holding the office, a member may be elected to the same office that was previously held for up to two consecutive years. Officer elections shall take place each November, with newly elected officers installed the following January.

A majority of members duly appointed to the board shall constitute a quorum necessary to hold a meeting and take any action. Members shall serve without compensation. The chairperson or vice-chairperson may call meetings of the board. Meetings may also be called by written notice signed by eight members. The board at any duly noticed public meeting may fix and call a meeting on a future date.



All meetings shall be held in accordance with Government in the Sunshine laws and access to public records shall be afforded as required by the Public Records Act. Additionally, the public shall be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard pursuant to section 286.0114, Florida Statutes, and related applicable provisions of the Code.

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Code, a board member shall be automatically removed if, in a given County fiscal year the member is absent from two consecutive meetings without an acceptable excuse or the member is absent from three of the board�s meetings without an acceptable excuse. 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 vote of its membership, deems appropriate. If a member is absent with an acceptable excuse from three or more meetings, the board may vote to remove the member from the board.

A member shall be considered absent from a meeting if the member is not physically present for at least 75 percent of the meeting�s duration. A member shall also be considered absent from a meeting if the member refrains from voting on any matter for which voting is conducted at the meeting, unless the member is prevented from voting by a conflict of interest.

The provisions of the Miami-Dade County Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance, as may be amended, are applicable to this board, as well as other laws applicable to public advisory board membership, including but not limited to section 2-11.38 of the Code.


Sec. 2-2351. Duties; powers; responsibilities.

The board shall have the following duties, powers and responsibilities:


(1) The board shall advise the Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners on issues related to the County�s programming, public services, and facilities for elderly persons, including but not limited to, transportation/mobility services, health care services, parks programming, including silver services programming, and affordable housing.