Chapter 3. Organization And Administration of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 3. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 3.

Fifty or more persons, who are residents of a district, may form an association to be known as and designated as the ____ District Agricultural Association, for the following purposes:
  (a) Holding fairs, expositions and exhibitions for the purpose of exhibiting all of the industries and industrial enterprises, resources and products of every kind or nature of the state with a view toward improving, exploiting, encouraging, and stimulating them.
  (b) Constructing, maintaining, and operating recreational and cultural facilities of general public interest.

Copies of the articles of association shall be filed with the Governor, the Secretary of State, and the department.

Each association is a state institution.

Each association by its name has perpetual succession. It may have a seal. An association may sue and be sued, and may do any and all things necessary to carry out the powers and the objects and purposes for which the association is formed.

Claims against an association shall be presented to the California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board in accordance with Part 3 (commencing with Section 900) and Part 4 (commencing with Section 940) of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the Government Code.

The officers of the association shall consist of a board of directors of nine members. The directors shall be citizens and residents of the district.

If two or more counties constitute a district, each county shall be represented on the board by at least two persons who are citizens and residents of such county.

If, by reason of the formation of a new district, a director in one district becomes a resident of another district, his term of office as director expires 60 days after the formation of the new district.

The directors shall be appointed by the Governor.

The term of office of each director, except that of a member of the first board, is four years from the beginning of the term for which he or she is appointed. Any vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term. However, any director may be removed for cause by the Governor prior to the expiration of the director's term.

The term of office of each member of the first board shall be so fixed by the Governor that the terms of the directors of such board shall expire in three groups of two, and one group of three, on the 15th day of January of each year following the formation of the association.

The directors are state officers.

The directors shall meet at a place within the district and organize by the election of one of their number as president. The term of office of the president shall be one year and until his successor is elected.

The directors shall also select a secretary, a manager, and a treasurer from among persons who are not members of the board. One person may be the secretary, the manager, and the treasurer. The secretary, manager, and treasurer are state officers.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a board may form any advisory committee by resolution or any similar formal action.
  (b) Meetings of an advisory committee shall be open and public and notice thereof shall be delivered personally or by mail at least 24 hours before the time of the meeting to each person who has requested, in writing, notice of the meeting.
  (c) If the advisory committee elects to provide for the holding of regular meetings, it shall provide in its bylaws, or by whatever other rule is utilized by the board for the conduct of its business, for the time and place for holding regular meetings. No other notice of regular meetings is required.
  (d) "Advisory committee", as used in this section, means a committee composed solely of the members of the board which is less than a quorum of the board.

The board may, with the approval of the department:
  (a) Fix the term of office, the amount of bond and salary, and prescribe the duties of the secretary and of the treasurer.
  (b) Manage the affairs of the association.
  (c) Make all necessary bylaws, rules, and regulations for the government of the association.
  (d) Delegate, as it may deem advisable, to its officers or employees any of the powers that are vested in the board under subdivision (b). Any delegation of power may be revoked at any time.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 3965 or 4051, the board, without prior approval from the department, may arrange for and conduct, or cause to be conducted, or by contract permit to be conducted, any activity by any individual, institution, corporation, or association upon its property at a time as it may be deemed advisable, except for the following:
  (1) Revenue-generating contracts involving hazardous activities, as determined by the department, unless adequate insurance coverage is provided, as determined by the department in consultation with the Department of General Services.
  (2) The activities specified in Section 4051.2 and Section 19130 of the Government Code.
  (b) This section shall not be construed and is not intended to extend or limit the authority specified in Section 19130 of the Government Code.

The board shall annually make to the department such report as such department may direct.

Any director who misses three consecutive regular meetings of the board without the permission of the board is deemed to have resigned as a director.

Records of the board which are entries in events which are scheduled for future judging and for overnight entries in races on which there is parimutuel wagering prior to such events, judging times, or races, shall not be open to inspection by the public.