Article 3. Powers And Duties Of Directors of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 10. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 3.

Each director, before entering upon the duties of his office, shall take the oath of office as provided for in the Constitution and laws of this State. A copy of the oath shall be filed with the secretary of the district and the Secretary of State.

The board shall choose one of its members president, and another vice president, who shall be authorized to act for the president during his absence or disability. The board shall choose a secretary, who shall not be a member of the board, and shall provide for the time and place of holding its meetings which shall be held at least once each month. The president shall be paid a salary of five thousand dollars ($5,000) per year. The vice president shall be paid a salary of three thousand dollars ($3,000) per year. Such salaries shall be in addition to any payments authorized under Section 28748.8.

The board of directors is the legislative body of the district and, consistent with the provisions of this part, shall determine all questions of district policy.

The district may do any and all things necessary to carry out the purposes of this part.

The board shall determine what transit facilities should be acquired or constructed, and may establish zones within the district to undertake the acquisition or construction of any transit facilities.

The board may determine what transit facilities should be acquired or constructed:
  (a) For the common benefit of the district as a whole; or
  (b) For the benefit of two or more zones; or
  (c) For the benefit of a single zone.

The board shall supervise and regulate every transit facility owned and operated by the district, including the fixing of rates, rentals, charges, and classifications, and the making and enforcement of rules, regulations, contracts, practices, and schedules, for or in connection with any transit facility owned or controlled by the district.

The board may adopt a personnel system for the purpose of recruiting and maintaining an effective working force with good morale. The board shall by resolution determine and create such number and character of positions as are necessary properly to carry on the functions of the district and shall establish an appropriate salary, salary range, or wage for each position so created. The board may by resolution abolish any such position. Except as otherwise provided, appointments to such positions shall be made by the general manager.

Not later than October 12, 1974, the board shall adopt an affirmative action program approved by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance of the Department of Labor.

The district is authorized to maintain a police department. The employees of the district that are appointed as members of such department by the general manager and duly sworn are peace officers; provided, that such officers shall not exercise their powers or authority except as provided in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code. The district shall adhere to the standards for recruitment and training of peace officers established by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training pursuant to Title 4 (commencing with Section 13500) of Part 4 of the Penal Code.

(a) The board may establish an office of independent police auditor, reporting directly to the board, to investigate complaints against district police personnel.
  (b) The appointed independent police auditor shall have the following powers and duties:
  (1) To investigate those complaints or allegations of on-duty misconduct and off-duty unlawful activity by district police personnel, within the independent police auditor's purview as it is set by the board.
  (2) To reach independent findings as to the validity of each complaint.
  (3) To recommend appropriate disciplinary action against district police personnel for those complaints determined to be sustained.
  (c) The board shall organize, reorganize, and manage the office of the independent police auditor. Notwithstanding the authority granted the general manager in this part, the board may, by resolution, authorize a citizen review board to participate in recommending appropriate disciplinary action.
  (d) The independent police auditor shall prepare, in accordance with the rules of the office, reports of his or her activities as permitted by law.

The board of directors may contract for or employ any professional services required by the district or for the performance of work or services for the district which, in the board of director' s opinion, cannot satisfactorily be performed by the officers or employees of the district.

The board shall have an annual audit made of all books and accounts of the district by an independent certified public accountant or public accountant.

The board shall operate an automated management information system to enable it to submit a report monthly to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the office of the Legislative Analyst on the district's expenditures as compared to the projected expenditures in its budget, and the board shall submit such report to the commission and that office.

As soon as practicable after the close of each fiscal year the board of directors shall submit to the chief administrative officer and legislative bodies of cities and counties within the district a financial report showing the result of operations during the preceding fiscal year and the financial status of the district on the final day thereof. Copies of the report shall be supplied to the general public upon request in the quantity deemed appropriate by the board.

The board may provide by resolution, under such terms and conditions as it sees fit, for the payment of demands against the district without prior specific approval thereof by the board if the demand is for a purpose for which an expenditure has been previously approved by the board and in an amount no greater than the amount so authorized, and if the demand is approved by the general manager.

To facilitate the business of the district, the board may provide for the creation and administration of such funds as the needs of the district may require. The funds shall be disbursed in accordance with rules established by the board and all payments from any fund shall be reported to the board.

The board of directors may hold public hearings, subpoena witnesses, and perform all other acts necessary to properly carry out its duties. The board may delegate such authority to other officers of the district who shall report thereon to the board. In the case of public hearings, including those pursuant to Sections 29039 to 29046, inclusive, authority may be so delegated to a referee, who need not be an officer of the district.

Each director may administer oaths and affirmations in any district investigation or proceeding.