Section 250-RICR-40-20-14.4 - Local Agriculture and Seafood Act Advisory CommitteeA. Establishment. The Director hereby establishes a Committee, of not less seven (7) nor more than eleven (11) members, to advise and assist the Department in matters related to the program and to facilitate the coordination of the program with outside resources which may be used to accomplish the purposes of the program. B. Membership. The Chief of the Division shall be an ex officio voting member; the balance of the members shall be appointed by the Director to achieve reasonable representation of entities concerned with local agriculture and seafood sectors, sustainable food systems, and the Rhode Island economy. Appointed members of the Committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Director and shall continue in office until their successors are duly appointed. 1. The Director shall appoint member(s) to the Committee from each Matching Support Organization, with no minimum or maximum number of members from this category. 2. The Director shall give consideration to appointments from: a. The RI Agricultural Partnership, the RI Farm Bureau, the RI Economic Development Corporation, Farm Fresh RI, RI Sea Grant, the Ocean State Aquaculture Association, and the RI Food Policy Council and/or from;b. Agencies, organizations and individuals having a role or interest in the planning, development, and support of viable agriculture and seafood sectors and a locally based sustainable food system. Eligible organizations or individuals may register their interest in membership, in writing, with the Director; organizations may nominate individuals for appointment. The initial appointments shall be for terms of one, two, and three years, thereafter appointments shall be for terms of three years.C. Vacancies. Upon termination for good cause, by resignation or other reasons, the Director may fill vacancies for voting members on the Committee by appointing a person to be a member of the Committee for the balance of a term. The removal of a member by the Director shall be made in writing and shall state the reason or reasons for the removal.D. Officers. There shall be officers of the Committee as follows: 1. A chairperson who shall be the Chief of the Division, or another person from the Department designated by the Director.2. A vice-chairperson who shall be appointed by the chairperson from the membership of the Committee at the first regular meeting of the Committee of the calendar year.3. A secretary who shall be appointed by the chairperson, the secretary need not be a member of the Committee. The chairperson, or in the absence of the chairperson, the vice-chairperson shall preside at meetings of the Committee. The secretary shall provide notice of the meetings of the Committee, take the minutes of meetings of the Committee, and shall maintain the records of the Committee. All persons appointed to be officers of the Committee shall continue in office until their successors are duly appointed.E. Staff support and meeting space. The Department shall provide such support and meeting space as the Committee may reasonably require.F. Meetings. The Committee shall establish a schedule for regular meetings at the beginning of each calendar year. The Committee shall hold at least three (3) regular meetings per year. The Chairperson may call special meetings or cancel regular meetings at any time by notifying members as soon as is reasonably possible and in accordance with the Rhode Island Open Meetings Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 42-46.G. Quorum and voting. A majority of the members of the Committee, not including any vacancies, shall be necessary for quorum; all actions by the Committee shall be decided by a majority vote of Committee members present at the meeting.250 R.I. Code R. 250-RICR-40-20-14.4