(a) The Central California Railroad Authority is hereby created, having a service area comprised of the Counties of Kern, Kings, Tulare, Fresno, and Merced, to provide rail freight service within those counties.
(b) The Counties of Madera, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin may elect to join the authority and, if that election is made, the service area of the authority is expanded to include those counties.
(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 234, Sec. 1. (SB 325) Effective January 1, 2012.)
(a) The authority shall be governed by a board of directors, composed as follows:
(1) One member appointed by the Kern Council of Governments.
(2) One member appointed by the Kings County Association of Governments.
(3) One member appointed by the Tulare County Association of Governments.
(4) One member appointed by the Fresno Council of Governments.
(5) One member appointed by the Merced County Association of Governments.
(b) If the Counties of Madera, Stanislaus, or San Joaquin elect to join the authority, the regional transportation planning agencies of the counties so joining shall each appoint one person to the board of directors.
(c) A board member appointed pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) shall be both an elected official of a city or county that belongs to the regional transportation planning agency or council of governments appointing him or her and a board member of that planning agency or council of governments.
(d) All members of the board of directors shall serve for terms of two years and until their successors have qualified.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law that precludes the simultaneous holding of incompatible offices, a local government
officer may be appointed and may serve as a member of the authority’s board of directors if the person also meets the other applicable qualifications of this title.
(f) (1) The board of directors may provide, by motion, ordinance, or resolution, that each of its members may receive compensation in an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) for each day of service. A member of the board of directors shall not receive compensation for more than six days of service in a month.
(2) The board of directors, by ordinance adopted pursuant to the procedures and standards specified in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 20200) of Division 10 of the Water Code, may increase the amount of compensation that may be received by members of the board of directors.
(3) The board of directors may provide, by motion, ordinance,
or resolution, that its members may receive their actual and necessary traveling and incidental expenses incurred while on official business. Reimbursement for these expenses is subject to Sections 53232.2 and 53232.3.
(4) A member of the board of directors may waive any or all of the payments permitted by this section.
(5) For the purposes of this subdivision, a “day of service” means any of the following:
(A) A meeting conducted pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5).
(B) Representation of the authority at a public event, provided that the board of directors has previously approved the member’s representation at a board of directors’ meeting and that the member delivers a
written report to the board of directors regarding the member’s representation at the next board of directors’ meeting following the public event.
(C) Representation of the authority at a public meeting or a public hearing conducted by another public agency, provided that the board of directors has previously approved the member’s representation at a board of directors’ meeting and that the member delivers a written report to the board of directors regarding the member’s representation at the next board of directors’ meeting following the public meeting or public hearing.
(D) Representation of the authority at a meeting of a public benefit nonprofit corporation on whose board the authority has membership, provided that the board of directors has previously approved the member’s representation at a board of directors’ meeting and the member delivers a written report to the board of
directors regarding the member’s representation at the next board of directors’ meeting following the corporation’s meeting.
(E) Participation in a training program on a topic that is directly related to the authority, provided that the board of directors has previously approved the member’s participation at a board of directors’ meeting, and that the member delivers a written report to the board of directors regarding the member’s participation at the next board of directors’ meeting following the training program.
(g) A majority of the members of the authority constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business, and all official acts of the authority require the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the authority.
(h) The acts of the authority shall be expressed by motion, resolution, or ordinance.
(i) All meetings of the authority shall be conducted pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5).
(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 234, Sec. 1. (SB 325) Effective January 1, 2012.)
(a) The authority shall do all of the following:
(1) Adopt an annual budget.
(2) Adopt an administrative code, by ordinance, which prescribes the powers and duties of the authority officers, the method of appointment of the authority employees, and methods, procedures, and systems of operation and management of the authority.
(3) Cause a postaudit of the financial transactions and records of the authority to be made at least annually by a certified public accountant.
(4) Do any and all things necessary to
carry out the purposes of this title.
(b) Notice of the time and place of a public hearing on the adoption of the annual budget shall be published pursuant to Section 6061 not later than 15 days prior to the hearing.
(c) The proposed annual budget shall be available for public inspection at least 15 days prior to the hearing.
(d) The authority may sue and be sued, except as provided by law, in all actions and proceedings, in all courts and tribunals of competent jurisdiction.
(e) All claims for money or damages against the authority are governed by Division 3.6 (commencing with Section 810) of Title 1, except as provided therein, or by other statute or regulation expressly applicable thereto.
(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 234, Sec. 1. (SB 325) Effective January 1, 2012.)