Sec. 10-17. - Definitions.

For the purposes of this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

"Disaster" means an emergency, as defined in Section 10-2 of Chapter 10 of the Sonoma County Code, whether caused by human or natural events, which renders unavailable a majority of the board of supervisors of the county.

"Unavailable" means that a supervisor is either killed, missing or so seriously ill or injured as to be unable to attend meetings and otherwise perform his duties. Any question as to whether a particular officer is unavailable shall be settled by the board of supervisors or any remaining available members thereof.

(Ord. 5761 § 1, 2007: Ord. No. 636 § 1.)

Sec. 10-18. - Appointment of standby officers.

(a)

To provide for the continuance of the legislative and executive departments of the county in occasions of a disaster, the board of supervisors may appoint three standby officers for each member of such board to succeed to such member's duties in the event of his unavailability as a result of a disaster.

(b)

Standby officers shall be appointed, serve and qualify in accordance with Title Two, Division One, Chapter Seven, Article Fifteen of the Government Code of the State of California, commencing with Section 8635. The board of supervisors shall have discretion as to whether or not such appointments shall be made. In the event of a disaster any vacancy occurring on the board of supervisors which cannot be filled by a standby officer by reason of the fact that standby officers have not been appointed or are unavailable, shall be filled as provided by this article.

(Ord. 5761 § 1, 2007: Ord. No. 1593 § 3.)

Sec. 10-19. - Meeting of board of supervisors after disaster. ^[77]

The board of supervisors shall meet as soon as possible after a disaster. the place of meeting need not be within the county. The meeting may be called by the chairman of the board of supervisors or by a majority of the available members of the legislative body. Should there be only one member of the legislative body available, he may call and hold such meeting and perform any acts necessary to reconstitute the board of supervisors.

At the first meeting after the disaster the board of supervisors shall:

(a)

Ascertain the damage to the county, to personnel and property.

(b)

Proceed to reconstitute itself by filling vacancies until there are three members of such board. Should only one member of the board of supervisors, or only one standby officer be available, he shall have the power to reconstitute the board of supervisors.

(c)

Proceed to reconstitute the government of the county by appointment of qualified persons to fill vacancies in the county governmental system.

(d)

Proceed to perform its functions in the preservation of law and order and in the furnishing of local services.

(Ord. 5761 § 1, 2007: Ord. No. 636 §§ 3, 4.)

Sec. 10-20. - Procedure when all members of legislative body unavailable.

Should all members of the legislative body be unavailable, temporary officers shall be appointed as follows:

(a)

By the chairman of the board of supervisors of any other county within one hundred and fifty miles of this county, beginning with the nearest and most populated county and going to the farthest and least populated, and, if he is unavailable;

(b)

By the mayor of any city within one hundred fifty (150) miles of the county seat beginning with the nearest and most populated city and going to the farthest and least populated.

(Ord. 5761 § 1, 2007: Ord. No. 5204 § 9, 1999: Ord. No. 636 § 5.)