Frequently Asked Questions

The Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners (hereinafter referred to as “Clerk”) will advertise for vacancies for all boards, commissions and committees in the newspaper of general circulation in Pitt County. (Attachment 1) The publication will include a brief explanation of the board, commissions or committees responsibilities and authority, and specific requirements for the position, if any. The Clerk’s Office will maintain a file containing an overview of each board including any specific requirements for positions on each board; the approximate number of meetings per year; and the approximate total time requirements per year.

All individuals interested in serving on a board or commission must submit a written application form provided by the Clerk setting forth name, address, the name of the board(s) or commission(s) to which appointment is desired and the qualifications of the applicant for the appointment. (Attachment 2) Applications may be filed for several boards if desired. If an applicant seeks consideration for appointment to the ABC Board, Industrial Development Commission or the Vidant Medical Center Board, an application addendum (Attachment 3) shall also be submitted. The application shall also include an affirmative statement that the applicant is a registered voter and resides in Pitt County. The application may be accompanied by additional written information which the applicant wishes the Board of Commissioners to consider, such as letters of recommendation in support of the appointment. Applications are mailed to the Board of Commissioners on a weekly basis, as received. The applications will be kept in the current file for two years from the date of submission and included in the computer database file in the Clerk’s office. Discretion will be used when considering County employees for membership on any of the boards or commissions.

Upon the two year anniversary date of an application, the applicant will receive a letter from the Clerk inquiring as to the applicant’s continued interest in remaining in the database of applicants. The applicant may complete a new application or may contact the Clerk’s Office with any updated information and a request to remain in the database of applicants.

Applications for appointments shall be on file at least fifteen (15) days before they are to be considered. The respective board which has the vacancy to be filled may submit to the Clerk its recommendations for consideration. Prior to the Board’s consideration of an applicant, any individual commissioner may contact an applicant to discuss their continued interest and qualifications to serve on any Board/Committee. At the Board of Commissioners’ meeting, the Chairman shall open the floor for nominations. The Commissioners shall consider individuals for appointment from the list of applicants on file. Any Commissioner making a nomination may speak on behalf of the nominee. Should a Commissioner wish to submit a person who has not completed a timely application, the Board of Commissioners may vote to delay the appointment to allow the individual’s completed application to be forwarded to all Commissioners for review prior to consideration. The Chairman will conduct the voting on the nominations and the person with the majority of votes will be selected. The last nomination will be considered first in the voting process. The process will follow from last nomination to the first nomination.

The terms of office of members of all boards shall be three (3) years. Terms on all boards and commissions shall be staggered, with the terms of approximately one-third (1/3) of the membership expiring each year, to the end that, insofar as is possible, there shall be one (1) or more members with experience on each board or commission. No person shall serve more than two (2) consecutive full terms on the same board or commission. All members shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Commissioners, regardless of the term for which the applicant was appointed. Unless otherwise specified in rule or law, the Board of Commissioners may in its discretion at any time remove any members of any boards or commissions. Any provision of this policy can be waived by a simple majority vote of the Board.

Although recognizing and appreciating that members of the various boards, commissions and committees are generally citizen volunteers, the Board of Commissioners’ deems it essential that members of all county boards, commissions and committees attend meetings regularly for the prompt and efficient transaction of county business. It is the Board of Commissioners’ policy to require attendance at 75% of all board, commissions and committee meetings.

The chair or his designee, of each board or commission shall maintain attendance records to be provided annually to the Clerk. The chair shall forward a copy of this attendance record to the Clerk after the end of each calendar year. The Clerk will then provide each county commissioner with a copy of these attendance records to assure the individual’s eligibility for reappointment. Upon time for reappointment, the Board of Commissioners will take the individual’s attendance record into consideration, when voting to allow the individual member to continue serving or voting to replace that individual with another applicant. Individuals appointed to serve on boards or commissions shall be required to complete and return a signed “Affirmation of Understanding for Board Appointees” to the Clerk’s Office prior to receiving their official appointment to serve. (Attachment 4) At any time during the year, it will be the responsibility of the chairman of each board, to notify the Clerk if a member is not attending and has not fulfilled the attendance requirement. The Clerk will then send a letter and attempt to contact the individual and report the information to the Board of Commissioners. (Attachment 5)

The Board of Commissioners intends to make appointments to fill unexpired terms, created by vacancies, as expeditiously as possible. The Board of Commissioners recognizes that the urgency of filling such vacancies may vary depending upon the circumstances of the vacancy. The Board of Commissioners shall make every effort to make appointments during the month for which they are due. In the event of an expired term, members shall continue to serve until a new member has officially been appointed.

The Clerk will provide the Board of Commissioners with a list of upcoming vacancies 30-60 days prior to expiration of terms. In advance of filling the vacancy, the Clerk will provide the Board of Commissioners with a list of applicants and any special requirements for filling the vacant position as provided by North Carolina General Statute, by-laws for the specific board, commission or committee or as determined by the Board of Commissioners. A master file of applications for each board will be maintained in the Clerk’s office.

In order to provide citizens with an opportunity to indicate their interest in serving on boards, commissions or committees, listings of upcoming vacancies will be publicized on the County page in the newspaper. In addition, an attempt will be made to broadcast vacancies on the government access channel.

According to North Carolina General Statute 128-1.1 no person shall serve on more than two appointed boards at one time or shall not serve in more than one appointed office and one elected office at one time.

Boards made up of persons appointed by various appointing authorities such as, but not limited to, the Pitt-Greenville Airport Authority, the Sheppard Memorial Library Board and the PCMH Board will follow an appointment policy not inconsistent with that of the Board receiving the appointees. However, it shall continue to be the policy of the Board of Commissioners that their intent is for all of their appointees to be and remain resident citizens of Pitt County during their tenure on the appointed board. Appointments for extraterritorial members and alternate member’s city boards shall be done in accordance with G.S. 160A-362 which requires a city to give representation to the residents of its extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction on its planning board and the board of adjustment.

Failure to follow this policy shall not invalidate any appointment. Should an appointee need to be removed for reason of attendance, change of incounty residency or as otherwise determined by the Board of County Commissioners, the Board shall direct the Clerk to send a letter notifying the appointee of such action. (Attachment 6)

It is the intention of the Board of Commissioners to appoint Pitt County citizens to represent Pitt County on all boards and commissions. Any individual appointed to a board, commission or committee is expected to maintain residency in Pitt County. The Board of Commissioners must approve any exception made for an individual who does not reside in Pitt County at the time of the appointment or thereafter. Should their residency change at any time a letter of notification shall immediately be sent to the Clerk by the appointed person and the Board will determine if a resignation shall be requested. Any applicant applying for appointment is required to disclose any known apparent or potential conflict of interest. The Board of Commissioners will consider eligibility to serve if any conflict of interest should be disclosed.

There are some boards or commissions which require an appointment for a longer or shorter term of office than designated in this policy. There are appointments which are made due to a specific functional need. In these cases, this policy shall be modified to comply with any of these special requirements or needs. County employees may serve on boards, especially when representing the agency where they are employed. The Board of Commissioners must approve any exception made for an individual who does not reside in Pitt County at the time of the appointment or thereafter.

Because of the need for flexibility, the Board of Commissioners may by, a simple majority vote, decide to waive, vary, or otherwise modify the requirements of this policy on a case-by-case basis. It is the intention of the Board of Commissioners to abide by all North Carolina General Statutes governing County Boards and to follow as closely as possible any specific requirements of the by laws of incorporated boards.

At the second regular meeting of the Board of County Commissioners in December, the newly elected Chairman may make “Chairman’s Appointments” (Attachment 7) for County Commissioners to serve as liaisons on various boards, commissions or committee. These appointments are annual appointments made specifically by the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners. County Commissioners may also serve a term on certain boards, where specified that a county commissioner serve as a member on a board. When filling a term longer than one year, the Commissioners shall be elected by majority vote of the Board of Commissioners, to fill those positions. These appointments must be consistent with the North Carolina General Statutes governing each board.

If the Pitt County Board of Commissioners sets the compensation for a Board/Committee, such compensation shall be per meeting and only paid if the appointee attends the meetingBoard appointment Policy Revisions as considered and adopted on February 4, 2013