<div class="chunk-title">Sec. 4-4. - Agricultural advisory board.</div>
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            <p class="incr0">
               (a)
               
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               <span class="ital">Creation.</span> The board of commissioners shall establish an agricultural advisory board to implement
               the provisions of this program.
               
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               (b)
               
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               <span class="ital">Membership.</span> The advisory board shall consist of seven members appointed by the board of commissioners.
               
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               (c)
               
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               <span class="ital">Membership requirements.</span>
               
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               (1)
               
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               Each advisory board member shall be a county resident and landowner.
               
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               (2)
               
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               At least five of the members shall be actively engaged in farming.
               
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               (3)
               
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               At least one of the advisory board members actively engaged in farming shall be nominated
               by the county soil and water conservation district board of supervisors.
               
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               (4)
               
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               The members actively engaged in farming, as well as other members, shall be selected
               for appointment by the board of commissioners from the names of individuals submitted
               to the board of commissioners by the soil and water conservation district board of
               supervisors, the county office of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service,
               the U.S. Farm Service Agency County Committee, nonprofit agricultural organizations,
               conservation organizations, agribusiness, and the public at large.
               
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               (d)
               
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               <span class="ital">Tenure.</span> The initial board is to consist of four appointees for a two-year term and three
               appointees for a four-year term. Thereafter, all appointments are to be for terms
               of four years, with reappointment permitted.
               
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               (e)
               
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               <span class="ital">Vacancies.</span> Any vacancy on the advisory board is to be filled by the board of commissioners for
               the remainder of the unexpired term.
               
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               (f)
               
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               <span class="ital">Removal.</span> Any member of the advisory board may be removed by the board of commissioners upon
               a majority vote of the commissioners. No cause for removal shall be required.
               
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               (g)
               
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               <span class="ital">Funding.</span> The per diem compensation, if any, of the members of the advisory board may be fixed
               by the board of commissioners and funds may be appropriated to the advisory board
               to perform its duties.
               
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               (h)
               
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               <span class="ital">Advisory board procedure.</span>
               
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               (1)
               
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               <span class="ital">Chairperson.</span> The advisory board shall elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson each year at its
               first meeting of the fiscal year. The chairperson shall preside over all regular or
               special meetings of the advisory board. In the absence or disability of the chairperson,
               the vice-chairperson shall preside and shall exercise all the powers of the chairperson.
               Additional officers may be elected as needed.
               
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               (2)
               
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               <span class="ital">Jurisdiction.</span> The advisory board may adopt rules of procedure not inconsistent with this chapter
               or with other provisions of state law.
               
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               (3)
               
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               <span class="ital">Advisory board year.</span> The advisory board shall use the county fiscal year as its meeting year.
               
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               (4)
               
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               <span class="ital">Meetings.</span> Meetings of the advisory board shall be held at the call of the chairperson and at
               such other times as the advisory board may specify in its rules of procedure or upon
               the request of at least a majority of the advisory board membership. A meeting shall
               be held at least annually and notice of any meetings to the members shall be in writing,
               unless otherwise agreed to by all advisory board members. Meeting dates and times
               shall be posted as far in advance as possible in a designated location and by advertisement
               in local newspapers or by other means of public dissemination of the meeting dates
               as may be agreed upon by at least a majority of the advisory board membership. All
               meetings shall be open to the public. All business shall be conducted consistent with
               Robert's Rules of Order.
               
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               (5)
               
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               <span class="ital">Majority vote.</span> All issues shall be decided by a majority vote of a quorum of the advisory board,
               except as otherwise stated herein.
               
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               (6)
               
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               <span class="ital">Records.</span> The advisory board shall keep minutes of the proceedings showing the vote of each
               member upon each question, or, if absent or failing to vote, indicating such fact,
               and shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which
               shall be filed in the office of the advisory board and shall be a public record.
               
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               (7)
               
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               <span class="ital">Administrative.</span> The advisory board shall contract with the soil and water conservation district office
               to serve the board for recordkeeping, correspondence, application procedures under
               this chapter, and whatever services the board needs to complete its duties.
               
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               (i)
               
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               <span class="ital">Duties.</span> The advisory board shall:
               
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               (1)
               
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               Review and approve applications for qualified farmland and voluntary agricultural
               districts and make recommendations concerning the establishment and modification of
               agricultural districts;
               
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               (2)
               
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               Conduct public meetings;
               
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               (3)
               
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               Advise the board of commissioners on projects, programs, or issues affecting the agricultural
               economy or activities within the county that will affect agricultural districts;
               
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               (4)
               
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               Review and make recommendations concerning proposed amendments to this chapter;
               
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               (5)
               
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               Develop a countywide farmland protection plan as defined in G.S. 106-744(e)(1) for
               presentation to the board of commissioners;
               
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               (6)
               
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               Study additional methods of farmland preservation and make recommendations to the
               board of commissioners; and
               
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               (7)
               
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               Perform other agricultural related tasks or duties assigned by the board of commissioners.
               
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            <p class="historynote0">
               (Code 1993, Â§ 14-174; Ord. of 8-6-2002, art. V)
               
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