(1) Officers. The officers of the board shall be chair, first vice chair, and second vice chair.

(a) Election of officers.

(i) At the last meeting of the fiscal year, the current chair shall appoint a nominating committee. At the first meeting of the next fiscal year, the nominating committee shall report its recommendations for officers, after which nominations shall be open to the floor. An election shall be held and the commissioner receiving the highest number of votes for each of the three positions shall be declared elected to the position for the coming year. The officers shall act as chair, first vice chair, and second vice chair until the next election or successors are elected.

(ii) Vacancies may be filled by the chair between annual elections of officers.

(b) Duties of officers.

(i) The chair shall preside at all meetings of the board, act as principal spokesperson for the board, represent the board between meetings, appoint standing and ad hoc board committees, appoint committee chairs, remove members of committees, act as an ex officio member of all standing committees, provide a regular report to the board regarding recent actions and activities, and perform other duties that pertain to the office. The chair shall lead board activities in close partnership with the executive director, and coordinate with the executive director in the planning and arrangements for all meetings of the board.

(ii) The first vice chair shall act as chair in the absence or incapacity of the chair.

(iii) The second vice chair shall act as chair in the absence or incapacity of both the chair and the first vice chair.

(2) Executive committee. The chair, first vice chair, second vice chair, and at least one commissioner at-large appointed by the chair shall constitute the executive committee.

The executive committee may act on behalf of the board between regular meetings when such action is necessary to authorize staff implementation of a required function in a timely manner. Any executive committee action shall be ratified at the next regular meeting of the board.

(3) Committees of the board. The chair shall appoint such committees as the board or the chair deem necessary to carry on the business of the board.

A committee may act on behalf of the board between regular meetings when such action is necessary to authorize staff implementation of a required function in a timely manner, and when such action has been specifically authorized in advance by a majority vote taken at a regular meeting of the board. Any committee action shall be ratified at the next regular meeting of the board.