(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, annually at the organizational meeting required by section 5126.029 of the Revised Code, the chairperson of the county board of developmental disabilities shall appoint three members of the board to an ethics council to review all direct services contracts. The board's chairperson may be one of those appointed. The superintendent of the board shall be a nonvoting member of the council. The chairperson shall not appoint a person to the council if the person, or any member of the person's immediate family, will have any interest in any direct services contract under review by the council while the person serves on the council or during the twelve-month period after completing service on the council. If a council member or a member of the council member's immediate family has or will have such an interest, the chairperson shall replace the member by appointing another board member to the council.

The council shall meet regularly as directed by the board to perform its duties. Minutes shall be kept of the actions of the council. The minutes shall be part of the public record of the county board.

Any action taken by the council on direct services contracts under its review shall be in public. The council shall afford an affected party the opportunity to meet with the council on matters related to a direct services contract or any action taken by the council.

(B) If a county board establishes a policy specifying that the board is not willing to enter into direct services contracts with any person who is a board member or former board member or a member of the immediate family of a board member or former board member, the board may assume the responsibilities and perform the duties of an ethics council specified in section 5126.032 of the Revised Code. The policy shall be established by resolution adopted by a majority of the members of the board in attendance at a meeting at which there is a quorum and shall be in effect for one year after its adoption, at which time the board shall, by resolution adopted in the same manner as the initial resolution, either renew the policy or establish a new one.

Amended by 128th General Assemblych.127, SB 79, §1, eff. 10/6/2009.

Effective Date: 03-13-1997; 2005 SB10 09-05-2005; 2006 HB699 03-29-2007.