§ 63C-10-102. Governor's Rural Partnership Board -- Creation -- Membership -- Vacancies -- Chairs -- Expenses. (Effective 5/13/2014)

(1) As used in this section:

(a) "Board" means the Governor's Rural Partnership Board, created in Subsection (2).

(b) "Executive committee" means the executive committee of the Governor's Rural Partnership Board, created in Subsection (5).

(2) There is created the Governor's Rural Partnership Board composed of 17 members as follows:

(a) the governor or the governor's designee;

(b) a rural member of the Utah Association of Counties' Board of Directors, appointed by the association's board;

(c) a rural member of the Utah League of Cities and Towns' Board of Directors, appointed by the league's board;

(d) the vice president of Utah State University's Extension Services or the vice president's designee;

(e) the president of Southern Utah University or the president's designee;

(f) a rural representative from the Department of Workforce Services, appointed by the Department of Workforce Services;

(g) the director of the Division of Indian Affairs or the director's designee;

(h) a representative from a rural association of governments;

(i) a rural representative of agriculture;

(j) a rural representative of the travel industry;

(k) a representative of rural utilities;

(l) a representative from the oil, gas, or mineral extraction industry; and

(m) five rural members appointed by the governor, at least one of which shall be a representative from a rural private business.

(3)

(a) Except as required by Subsection (3)(b), board members identified in Subsections (2)(b), (c), (f), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), and (m) shall be appointed for four-year terms.

(b) The governor shall, at the time of appointment or reappointment for members appointed under Subsection (2)(m), adjust the length of terms to ensure that the terms of these members are staggered so that approximately half of these five members are appointed every two years.

(c) When a vacancy occurs in the membership for any reason, the replacement shall be appointed for the unexpired term in the same manner as the vacated member was chosen.

(d) Once initial board appointments are made pursuant to Subsection (2)(m), recommendations for filling vacancies for any reason of those five board positions shall be made to the governor from a nominating committee consisting of:

(i) three individuals selected by the executive committee; and

(ii) three members of the board, selected by the board.

(e) The board may remove a member appointed under Subsection (2)(m) who does not attend at least 60% of the board's meetings in any calendar year.

(4) The governor or the governor's designee and a board member selected by majority vote of the board shall serve as cochairs of the board.

(5) The board's executive committee shall consist of four board members, as follows:

(a) the cochair selected by the board in accordance with Subsection (4);

(b) the board members described in Subsections (2)(d) and (e); and

(c) a board member selected by majority vote of the board.

(6)

(a) The director of the Office of Rural Development shall serve as staff to the board and to the executive committee.

(b) In serving as staff to the board and to the executive committee, the director of the Office of Rural Development shall:

(i) perform all necessary administrative functions, including scheduling meetings and preparing agendas;

(ii) assist the board in the development and implementation of the board's initiatives and programs; and

(iii) work with board members to coordinate efforts and focus available resources to perform the board's duties, described in Section 63C-10-103.

(7) The board shall meet at the call of the cochairs, but at least semiannually.

(8) A majority of the members of the board constitute a quorum.

(9) The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes the action of the board.

(10) A member may not receive compensation or benefits for the member's service, but may receive per diem and travel expenses in accordance with:

(a) Section 63A-3-106;

(b) Section 63A-3-107; and

(c) rules made by the Division of Finance pursuant to Sections 63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107.

Amended by Chapter 259, 2014 General Session