Section 3709.03 | General health district advisory council.
(A) There is hereby created in each general health district a district advisory council. A council shall consist of the president of the board of county commissioners, the chief executive of each municipal corporation not constituting a city health district, and the chairperson of the board of township trustees of each township. The board of county commissioners, the legislative body of a municipal corporation, and the board of township trustees of a township may select an alternate from among themselves to serve if the president, the chief executive, or the chairperson is unable to attend any meeting of the district advisory council. When attending a meeting on behalf of a council member, the alternate may vote on any matter on which the member is authorized to vote.
The council shall organize by selecting a chair and secretary from among its members. The council shall adopt bylaws governing its meetings, the transaction of business, and voting procedures.
The council shall meet annually in March at a place determined by the chair and the health commissioner for the purpose of electing the chair and the secretary, making necessary appointments to the board of health, receiving and considering the annual or special reports from the board of health, and making recommendations to the board of health or to the department of health in regard to matters for the betterment of health and sanitation within the district or for needed legislation. The secretary of the council shall notify the district health commissioner and the director of health of the proceedings of such meeting.
Special meetings of the council shall be held on the order of any of the following:
(1) The director of health;
(2) The board of health;
(3) The lesser of five or a majority of district advisory council members.
The district health commissioner shall attend all meetings of the council.
(B) The district advisory council shall appoint five members of the board of health, unless the board of health has established a health district licensing council under section 3709.41 of the Revised Code, in which case, the district advisory council shall appoint four members of the board of health, and the health district licensing council shall appoint one member of the board of health. At least one member of the board of health shall be a physician. Appointments shall be made with due regard to equal representation of all parts of the district.
(C) If at an annual or special meeting at which a member of the board of health is to be appointed fewer than a majority of the members of the district council are present, the council, by the majority vote of council members present, may organize an executive committee to make the appointment. An executive committee shall consist of five council members, including the president of the board of county commissioners, the council chair, the council secretary, and two additional council members selected by majority affirmative vote of the council members present at the meeting. The additional members selected shall include one representative of municipal corporations in the district that are not city health districts and one representative of townships in the district. If an individual is eligible for more than one position on the executive committee due to holding a particular office, the individual shall fill one position on the committee and the other position shall be filled by a member selected by a majority affirmative vote of the council members present at the meeting. A council member's alternate for annual meetings may serve as the member's alternate at meetings of the executive committee.
Not later than thirty days after an executive committee is organized, the committee shall meet and the council chair shall present to the committee the matter of appointing a member of the board of health. The committee shall appoint the board member by majority affirmative vote. In the case of a combined health district, the executive committee shall appoint only members of the board of health that are to be appointed by the district advisory council, unless the contract for administration of health affairs in the combined district provides otherwise. If a majority affirmative vote is not reached within thirty days after the executive committee is organized, the director of health shall appoint the member of the board of health under the authority conferred by section 3709.03 of the Revised Code.
If the council fails to meet or appoint a member of the board of health as required by this section or section 3709.02 of the Revised Code, the director of health may appoint the member.
Available Versions of this Section
- September 10, 2012 – House Bill 487 - 129th General Assembly [ View September 10, 2012 Version ]
- September 29, 2015 – House Bill 64 - 131st General Assembly [ View September 29, 2015 Version ]
- March 22, 2019 – Amended by House Bill 500 - 132nd General Assembly [ View March 22, 2019 Version ]