WAC 16-550-020   Blueberry commodity board.  (1) Administration. The provisions of this order and the applicable provisions of the act shall be administered and enforced by the board as the designee of the director.

     (2) Board membership.

     (a) The board shall consist of seven members. Six members shall be affected producers appointed or elected as provided in this section. The director shall appoint one member of the board who is neither an affected producer nor a handler to represent the director. The position representing the director shall be a voting member.

     (i) Director-appointed affected producer positions on the board shall be designated as positions two, four and six.

     (ii) Elected affected producer positions on the board shall be designated as positions one, three and five.

     (iii) The position representing the director who is neither an affected producer nor a handler shall be designated as position seven.

     (b) For the purpose of nomination, appointment, and election of producer members of the board, the affected area shall be the entire state of Washington.

     (3) Board membership qualifications. The producer members of the board must be practical producers of blueberries and each must be a citizen and resident of this state, over the age of eighteen years. Each producer board member must be and have been actually engaged in producing blueberries within the state of Washington for a period of five years and has, during that time, derived a substantial portion of his/her income therefrom and is not engaged in business, directly or indirectly, as a handler or other dealer.

     (4) Term of office.

     (a) The term of office for members of the board shall be three years and one-third of the membership as nearly as possible shall be elected each year.

     (b) Membership positions on the board shall be designated numerically; affected producers shall have positions one through six and the member representing the director position seven.

     (c) The term of office for the initial board members shall be as follows:

     Positions one and two - until June 30, 1970

     Positions three and four - until June 30, 1971

     Positions five, six and seven - until June 30, 1972

     (d) To accomplish the transition to a commodity board structure where the director appoints a majority of the board members, the names of the currently elected board members in positions two, four and six shall be forwarded to the director for appointment within thirty days of the effective date of this amended marketing order.

     (5) Nomination of elected or director-appointed board members.

     (a) Each year the director shall call a nomination meeting for elected and/or director-appointed producer board members. The meeting(s) shall be held at least thirty days in advance of the date set by the director for the election or advisory vote of board members.

     (b) Notice of a nomination meeting shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the major production area not less than ten days in advance of the date of the meeting and, in addition, written notice of every meeting shall be given to all affected producers according to the list maintained by the board pursuant to RCW 15.65.295.

     (c) Nonreceipt of notice by any interested person shall not invalidate the proceedings at the nomination meeting.

     (d) Any qualified affected producer may be nominated orally for membership on the board at the nomination meeting(s). Nominations may also be made within five days after the nomination meeting by written petition filed with the director, signed by not less than five affected producers.

     (e) When only one nominee is nominated by the affected producers for any position, RCW 15.65.250 shall apply.

     (6) Election or advisory vote of board members.

     (a) An election or advisory vote shall be conducted by secret ballot under the supervision of the director within the month of May. Each affected producer shall be entitled to one vote. Elected members of the board shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast by the affected producers.

     (b) If a nominee does not receive a majority of the votes on the first ballot, a run-off election shall be held by mail in a similar manner between the two candidates for such position receiving the largest number of votes.

     (c) An advisory vote shall be conducted for producer board members appointed by the director under the provisions of RCW 15.65.243. The names of the two candidates receiving the most votes in the advisory vote shall be forwarded to the director for potential appointment to the board. In the event there are only two candidates nominated for a board position, an advisory vote may not be held and the candidates' names shall be forwarded to the director for potential appointment.

     (d) Notice of every election or advisory vote for board membership shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the major production area not less than ten days in advance of the date of the election or advisory vote. Not less than ten days prior to every election or advisory vote for board membership, the director shall mail a ballot of the candidates to each affected producer entitled to vote whose name appears upon the list of such affected producers maintained by the board pursuant to RCW 15.65.295. Any other affected producer entitled to vote may obtain a ballot by application to the director upon establishing his/her qualifications.

     (e) Nonreceipt of a ballot by any affected producer shall not invalidate the election or advisory vote of any board member.

     (7) Vacancies.

     (a) In the event of a vacancy on the board in an elected position, the remaining members shall select a qualified person to fill the unexpired term. The appointment shall be made at the board's first or second meeting after the position became vacant.

     (b) In the event of a vacancy in a director-appointed position, the position shall be filled as specified in RCW 15.65.270.

     (8) Quorum. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business and the carrying out of all duties of the board.

     (9) Board compensation. No member of the board shall receive any salary except that each member may be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.230 and shall be reimbursed for subsistence, lodging, and mileage in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060, as provided for in RCW 15.65.270. The board may adopt, by resolution, provisions for reimbursement of actual travel expenses incurred by members and employees of the board in carrying out the provisions of this marketing order pursuant to RCW 15.65.270.

     (10) Powers and duties of the board. The board shall have the following powers and duties:

     (a) To administer, enforce and control the provisions of this order as the designee of the director.

     (b) To elect a chairman and such other officers as the board deems advisable.

     (c) To employ and discharge at its discretion such personnel, including attorneys engaged in the private practice of law subject to the approval and supervision of the attorney general, as the board determines are necessary and proper to carry out the purpose of the order and effectuate the declared policies of the act.

     (d) To pay only from moneys collected as assessments or advances thereon the costs arising in connection with the formulation, issuance, administration and enforcement of the order. Such expenses and costs may be paid by check, draft or voucher in such form and in such manner and upon the signature of the person as the board may prescribe.

     (e) To reimburse any applicant who has deposited with the director in order to defray the costs of formulating the order.

     (f) To establish a "blueberry board marketing revolving fund" and the fund to be deposited in a bank or banks or financial institution or institutions, approved for the deposit of state funds, in which all money received by the board except as the amount of petty cash for each day's needs, not to exceed one hundred dollars, shall be deposited each day or as often during the day as advisable.

     (g) To keep or cause to be kept in accordance with accepted standards of good accounting practice, accurate records of all assessments, paid outs, moneys and other financial transactions made and done pursuant to this order. Records, books and accounts shall be audited at least every five years subject to procedures and methods lawfully prescribed by the state auditor. Books and accounts shall be closed as of the last day of each fiscal year of the state of Washington. A copy of such audit shall be delivered within thirty days after the completion thereof to the governor, the director, the state auditor and the board.

     (h) To require a bond of all board members and employees of the board in a position of trust in the amount the board shall deem necessary. The premium for a bond or bonds shall be paid by the board from assessments collected. A bond shall not be necessary if any board member or employee is covered by any blanket bond covering officials or employees of the state of Washington.

     (i) To prepare a budget or budgets covering anticipated income and expenses to be incurred in carrying out the provisions of the order during each fiscal year. At least thirty days prior to the beginning of its fiscal year, the board shall prepare and submit to the director for approval its research plan, its commodity-related education and training plan, and its budget.

     (j) To establish by resolution, a headquarters which shall continue as such unless and until so changed by the board. All records, books and minutes of board meetings shall be kept at such headquarters.

     (k) To adopt rules of a technical or administrative nature for the operation of the board, subject to the provisions of chapter 34.04 RCW (Administrative Procedure Act).

     (l) To carry out the provisions of RCW 15.65.510 covering the obtaining of information necessary to effectuate the provisions of the order and the act, along with the necessary authority and procedure for obtaining such information.

     (m) To bring actions or proceedings upon joining the director as a party for specific performance, restraint, injunction or mandatory injunction against any person who violates or refuses to perform the obligations or duties imposed upon him by the act or order.

     (n) To confer with and cooperate with the legally constituted authorities of other states and of the United States for the purpose of obtaining uniformity in the administration of federal and state marketing regulations, licenses, agreements or orders.

     (o) To work cooperatively with other local, state, and federal agencies; universities; and national organizations for the purposes provided in this order.

     (p) To enter into contracts or interagency agreements with any private or public agency, whether federal, state, or local. Personal service contracts must comply with chapter 39.29 RCW.

     (q) To accept and expend or retain any gifts, bequests, contributions, or grants from private persons or private and public agencies.

     (r) To enter into contracts or agreements for research in the production, irrigation, processing, transportation, marketing, use, or distribution of blueberries.

     (s) To retain in emergent situations the services of private legal counsel to conduct legal actions on behalf of the commission. The retention of a private attorney is subject to review by the office of the attorney general.

     (t) To engage in appropriate fund-raising activities for the purpose of supporting activities authorized by this order.

     (u) To participate in international, federal, state, and local hearings, meetings, and other proceedings relating to the production, irrigation, manufacture, regulation, transportation, distribution, sale, or use of blueberries including activities authorized under RCW 42.17.190, including the reporting of those activities to the public disclosure commission.

     (v) To maintain a list of the names and addresses of affected producers that may be compiled from information used to collect assessments under the provisions of this marketing order and data on the value of each affected producer's production for a minimum three-year period pursuant to RCW 15.65.280.

     (w) To maintain a list of the names and addresses of persons who handle blueberries within the affected area and data on the amount and value of the blueberries handled for a minimum three-year period by each person pursuant to RCW 15.65.280.

     (x) To maintain a list of names and addresses of all affected persons who produce blueberries and the amount, by unit, of blueberries produced during the past three years pursuant to RCW 15.65.295.

     (y) To maintain a list of all persons who handle blueberries and the amount of blueberries handled by each person during the past three years pursuant to RCW 15.65.295.

     (z) To establish a foundation using commission funds as grant money for the purposes established in this marketing order.

     (aa) To carry out any other grant of authority or duty provided designees and not specifically set forth in this section.

     (11) Procedures for board.

     (a) The board shall hold regular meetings, at least quarterly, with the time and date thereof to be fixed by resolution of the board and the meetings shall be held in accordance with chapter 42.30 RCW (Open Public Meetings Act). Notice of the time and place of regular meetings shall be published on or before January of each year in the Washington State Register. Notice of any change to the meeting schedule shall be published in the state register at least twenty days prior to the rescheduled meeting date.

     (b) The board shall hold an annual meeting, at which time an annual report will be presented. The proposed budget shall be presented for discussion at the meeting. Notice of the annual meeting shall be given by the board at least ten days prior to the meeting by written notice to each producer and by regular wire news services and radio-television press.

     (c) The board shall establish by resolution, the time, place and manner of calling special meetings of the board with reasonable notice to the members: Provided, That the notice to a member of any special meeting may be waived by a waiver thereof from that member of the board. Notice for special meetings shall be in compliance with chapter 42.30 RCW.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 15.65.047 and chapter 34.05 RCW. 06-17-078, § 16-550-020, filed 8/14/06, effective 9/14/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 15.65.050. 00-10-022, § 16-550-020, filed 4/24/00, effective 5/25/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 15.65.380. 89-12-054 (Order 002), § 16-550-020, filed 6/6/89; Order 1116, § 16-550-020, filed 5/14/69, effective 6/15/69.]