2.95.020 Operation of Joint Housing Authority.
(1) Commissioners. The Joint Housing Authority shall have five commissioners. The commissioners who are first appointed shall serve terms as designated herein, but thereafter commissioners shall be appointed for a term of office of five years, said term to commence at midnight, January 28th of the year in question, except that all vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term.
(a) The first commissioners shall be the same five persons who are now serving as commissioners for the Housing Authority of the City of Pasco. They shall serve as their term in office the same term that they would serve as commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Pasco if said authority continues to exist.
(b) The new term for the commissioners shall commence as follows: Position 1 – January 28, 1982; Position 2 – January 28, 1983; Position 3 – January 28, 1984; Position 4 – January 28, 1985; Position 5 – January 28, 1986.
(c) The commissioners for position numbers 1 and 3 shall be selected by the governing body of Franklin County and shall be subject to confirmation by a majority of a quorum of the Pasco City Council. Any person selected to serve as commissioner by the governing body of Franklin County must be a resident of Franklin County at the time of their appointment and during their full term of office.
(d) The commissioners for position numbers 2, 4, and 5 shall be selected by a majority of the Pasco City Council and shall be subject to confirmation by the governing body of Franklin County. In the event a majority of the members of the Pasco City Council cannot agree on a selection, the Mayor shall make the appointment. Any person selected to serve as commissioner by the City of Pasco must be a resident within the limits of the City of Pasco at the time of their appointment and during their full term of office.
(e) The governing bodies of the City of Pasco and Franklin County shall provide written notice to the other of their appointments and a certificate of appointment and confirmation shall be filed with the Clerk of the City of Pasco and the Franklin County Auditor.
(f) A commissioner shall hold office until a successor has been appointed and qualified to serve, unless sooner removed from office. A commissioner may be reappointed to a term of office.
(g) No commissioner may be an officer or employee of the City of Pasco or of Franklin County.
(h) A commissioner shall receive no compensation for his/her services for the authority, in any capacity, but he/she shall be entitled to the necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, incurred in the discharge of his/her duties.
(i) The powers of the Joint Housing Authority shall be vested in the commissioners thereof in office from time to time. Three commissioners shall constitute a quorum of the authority for the purpose of conducting its business and exercising its powers and for all other purposes. Action may be taken by the authority upon a vote of a majority of the commissioners present, unless a majority of the commissioners have previously passed a general rule or regulation which shall require larger number for the type of action being taken.
(j) There shall be a least one annual meeting of the commissioners of the Joint Housing Authority. All meetings of the commissioners at which action will be discussed and taken shall be held in Franklin County.
(k) The commissioners shall have full power by the adoption of rules, regulations, resolutions, and bylaws to take such action as is necessary and convenient for the operation of the Joint Housing Authority. They shall determine the time, manner, and place of their meetings and shall in all respects determine the method of operation of the Joint Housing Authority, so long as such action does not conflict with this ordinance, the laws of the State of Washington, or the laws of the United States.
(2) Officers. At the annual meeting to be set by the commissioners, they shall select one commissioner to serve as their chairman and another commissioner to serve as their vice chairman. The commissioners may employ a secretary who shall serve as executive director of the Joint Housing Authority. Until the first annual meeting of the Joint Housing Authority, the present chairman, vice chairman, and secretary of the Housing Authority of the City of Pasco shall serve in those respective offices for the Joint Housing Authority.
(3) Other Officers and Employees. The Joint Housing Authority may employ such other officers, technical experts, agents, and employees, permanent and temporary, as it may require, and shall determine their qualifications, duties, and compensation. For legal service the Joint Housing Authority shall employ its own counsel and legal staff.
(4) Delegation of Authority. The Joint Housing Authority may delegate to one or more of its agents or employees such powers or duties as it may deem proper.
(5) Removal of Commissioners. The legislative authority of Franklin County may remove from office the commissioners holding positions number 2, 4, and 5. Removal of a City-appointed commissioner shall be pursuant to PMC 2.35.010. In the event of the removal of any commissioner, the legislative authority of Franklin County or the Pasco City Council, whichever shall be the appointing authority for the position, shall give written notice to the other of such removal and shall as soon as practicable select a new commissioner.
(6) Property of Joint Housing Authority. Prior to the acquisition of any property, the Joint Housing Authority must have an agreement with the City of Pasco, with Franklin County, and, if required by the Pasco City Council or the legislative authority of Franklin County, with the State of Washington and any other political subdivision thereof for a payment in lieu of taxes and special assessments. All existing property owned by the Housing Authority of the City of Pasco shall become the property of the Housing Authority of the City of Pasco and of Franklin County Joint Housing Authority upon its creation. A payment in lieu of taxes for such property shall be governed by any and all agreements in effect at the time of the creation of the Joint Housing Authority. This subsection shall apply to both real and personal property. All utilities charges and other service charges and special assessments shall be the same upon property of the Joint Housing Authority as upon private property except where specific agreement is made otherwise after the creation of the Joint Housing Authority.
(7) Allocation of Costs. The Joint Housing Authority shall be responsible for costs incurred in its operation. The City of Pasco and Franklin County shall not be responsible for any costs except those that may be agreed to. [Ord. 4340, 2017; Ord. 2299 § 2, 1981; Code 1970 § 2.36.020.]