OCEMA Commission

The Oconee County Emergency Management Commission is made up of the following persons:

The commission's charter is as follows:

ORDINANCE NO. 80-9

AN Ordinance CREATING THE OCONEE COUNTY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMISSION

BY OCONEE COUNTY COUNCIL, in Council duly assembled, with a quorum present and voting, and upon third and final reading as indicated below

BE IT ORDAINED:

Section 1:

Name, Purpose, Effective Date

This Ordinance shall be know, in addition to its number, as "An Ordinance to Create the Oconee County Emergency Preparedness Commission", and shall become effective on the 1st day of July, 1980.

The purpose of this Ordinance is to amend Ordinance number 79-23, and to create the Oconee County Emergency Preparedness' Commission as a separate and independent Board and Commission, with the duties and authority herein provided.

Section 2:

Membership

The membership of the Oconee County Emergency Preparedness Commission shall be five (5) in number, selected and appointed by a majority vote of the membership of the Oconee County Council voting in Council duly assembled, with one member being selected from each of the five Council Districts in existence and as delineated at the time of the adoption of the Ordinance. In addition, there shall be an ex officio member of this Commission, to be selected by a majority-Vote of the Oconee County Rescue Squads (presently six (6) in number), who shall serve without the right to vote on any matters before the Commission. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, if after an appointment of a Member to represent a particular Council District of Oconee County to this Commission such District is altered, then such Member shall continue to serve thereon for the remainder of the term to which he is appointed, irrespective of his place of residence. PROVIDED FURTHER, HOWEVER, if or in the event the County be further divided into additional Districts, additional appointments of members to the Commission to represent the newly created District may be made by County Council without further action.

Should any member of this Commission move and establish residence outside the County or the District where such Member was residing at the time of the appointment to this Commission, such moving shall constitute a resignation by the Member and a replacement Member shall be appointed to fill the unexpired term of such resigned Member.

Section 3:

Term of Members

Each Member shall serve for a term of four (4) years, EXCEPT that the initial term of those Members selected to represent Districts Two(2), Five (5) and Four (4) shall serve until December 31, 1981, and for Districts One (1) and Three (3), until December 31, 1983, and thereafter all Members shall serve for a full four-year term, or until their successors in office are duly appointed.

If or in the event any Member of the Commission shall fail to attend fifty (50%) percent of the regularly scheduled meetings within a period of twelve (12) calendar months, he shall be deemed to have resigned his position and may be replaced without notice by action of Oconee County Council. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, if such absences are excused by the Chairman of the Commission, and/or the Supervisor-Chairman of Oconee County Council, then this provision may be waived.

 Section 4:

Organization, Meetings, Officers

The Oconee County Emergency Preparedness Commission shall meet at least once each month, at a time and place selected by the Membership thereof, excepting that upon vote of a majority of its Members, meetings for July and August may be suspended and waived.

At the January meeting of each even-numbered year, there shall be selected a Chairman, a Vice Chairman and a Secretary, together with such other officers as the Commission may deem necessary, and these officers shall serve for a period of two (2) years or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Vacancies in any such office by reason of death, resignation or replacement shall be filled for the unexpired term of the officer whose position becomes vacant.

In addition, the Commission may duly adopt such By-Laws as may be necessary for the orderly performance of its duties and functions. Any By-Laws which may be adopted by the Commission for the orderly performance of its duties shall comply with the provision of the general law of the State of South Carolina ant this Ordinance, and of all other Ordinances of Oconee County, including but not limited to the Freedom of Information Act.

Section 5:

Powers and Duties

The duties of this Oconee County Emergency Preparedness Commission shall be, inter alia, as follows:

a) To advise Oconee County Council on any matter affecting the protection and defense of the civilian population of the County in times of emergency created by a' natural disaster, war or military emergency, civil upheaval, a danger to a large segment of the population due to explosion, fire or other calamity or threat thereof; to formulate plans and advise, upon preparations for any such disaster or upheaval; to cooperate with state and federal civil defense agencies, and agencies of adjoining Counties of our area or region for the implementation of such plans; the operation and coordination of the activities of the various rescue squads of the County in an overall plan of defense and protection of the citizens of the County in cooperation with the law enforcement and other emergency agencies and departments of county, state or federal government.

The Commission shall submit its advice and counsel in the form of written reports to, Council monthly, summarizing the activities, findings and functions of the Commission, together with the agenda for the next meeting, all of which shall be in the hands of the Supervisor of the County or his designee within a reasonable time. In no event, however, shall this Commission enter into any contracts, contractual negotiations, employment of personnel, purchase of equipment or expenditure of funds not itemized and authorized in the budget under which it shall operate, without the prior written consent, affirmation and authorization of Oconee County Council. In any event, the power and authority to enter into any contract binding Oconee County is vested with and shall remain in the Supervisor and Oconee . County Council and is not herein delegated to this Commission. '

b) To participate in the formulation of the budget and budgetary appropriations affecting the area of concern of this Commission.

c) To prepare plans and recommendations to Oconee County Council in the area of its activity, with recommendations for the implementation of such plans;

d) To advise and recommend the employment of County employees to County Council, whose employment is within the area and scope of its activities.

e) To generally advise Oconee County Council on any matter within the scope of its activities, which would tend to improve the efficiency and beneficial operation of the County government in the field of activity with which the Commission is concerned.

Any advice or recommendations to Oconee County Council may be prepared and presented orally by the Chairman of the Commission at a regularly scheduled meeting of Council after due .notice for agenda purposes, or in writing forwarded to the Supervisor/Chairman of the Oconee County Council for dissemination to Council members.

Section 6: Salaries and Funding

Each member of the Oconee County Emergency Preparedness Commis­sion shall be paid the sum of one hundred ($100) dollars per year, plus expenses for out of County travel, as sole compensation.  Any expense item or claim for same shall first be approved the Chairman of the Commission unless the same is made by the Chairman, and submitted for approval and payment to County Council.  In no event shall any Member of the Commission be entitled to any other compensation, direct or indirect, for services on the Commission and such Member shall not provide any services, materials, products, goods or equipment to the County unless the same is sold or offered for sale in accordance with existing County and State purchasing procedures.

DONE, RATIFIED AND ADOPTED on Third and final reading this 19th day of June, 1980, by a vote of:                 3 YES            0 NO