§ 2-262. Membership; appointment and terms.

(a)

The commission shall consist of nine members appointed by the village president subject to approval of the majority of the members of the village council. Three members shall be ex officio members who shall include the village president, an administrative official of the village and a member of the village council. The terms of the village president and the council member shall correspond with their official tenure as elected officials. The term of the administrative official shall correspond with the term of office of the village president who appointed the administrative official.

To be qualified to be a member and remain a member of the commission, the individual shall meet the following qualifications:

(1)

Shall be a qualified elector of the Village of Sparta, except that one member may be a non-qualified elector who lives outside the boundaries of the village;

(2)

Shall not be an employee of the Village of Sparta except as allowed by Section 102A of this division;

(b)

The membership shall be representative of the important segments of the of community, such as the economic, governmental, educational, and social development of the Village of Sparta in accordance with the major interests as they exist in the Village of Sparta as follows:

a.

Natural resources;

b.

Recreation;

c.

Education;

d.

Public health;

e.

Government;

f.

Transportation;

g.

Industry;

h.

Commerce.

(c)

The membership shall also be representative of the entire geography of the Village of Sparta to the extent practicable, and as a secondary consideration to the representation of the major interests.

(d)

Members shall be appointed for three-year terms. However, when first appointed a number of members shall be appointed to one-year, two-year, or three-year terms such that, as nearly as possible, the terms of one-third of all commission members will expire each year.

If a vacancy occurs, the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as provided for an original appointment such that, as nearly as possible, the terms of one-third of all commission members continue to expire each year. A member shall hold office until his or her successor is appointed.

(e)

Membership transition. The transition from the previous Sparta Village Planning Commission and the commission established in this division shall be gradual and shall take place over the next three years. The village council shall continue to make annual appointments, appointing approximately one-third of the membership of the commission as specified in this division, so that three years from the effective date of this division the membership, membership representation, and number of members have completed the transition to fully comply with this division and PA 33 of 2008, the Michigan Planning Enabling Act. All other aspects of this division shall have immediate effect.

(f)

An ex officio member of the planning commission shall not serve as the chairperson of the planning commission.

(g)

Removal from office. The village council may remove a member of the commission for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office upon written charges and after a public hearing. Failure to disclose a potential conflict of interest shall be considered malfeasance in office. Failure to repeatedly attend commission meetings shall be considered nonfeasance in office.

(h)

Membership compensation. All members of the planning commission, except the ex officio members, shall serve as such with compensation as established by the Sparta Village Council

(Ord. No. 11-03, § 1, 6-13-2011)