Section 296.50  Grant Applications Review Committee

a)         The State Fire Marshal shall appoint a Grant Applications Review Committee to determine which applicants will receive grants and the amount of the grant.  If, for any reason, a successful applicant is unable to fulfill the terms of the grant or withdraws the request after it has been approved, then the next highest-ranking applicant without a grant will be offered a grant.

b)         The Committee shall consist of the following seven members:

1)         The State Fire Marshal, or the State Fire Marshal's designee, as Chair;

2)         Three current or former Fire Chiefs (one each from a volunteer fire department, a combination fire department and a career/municipal fire department);

3)         One representative from the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois;

4)         One member who is a current or former volunteer firefighter; and

5)         One member representing the Illinois Association of Fire Protection Districts.

c)         Members shall serve without salary, but may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses by the Office from appropriations for that purpose.

d)         Members shall serve a term of four years.

e)         Upon the expiration of a member's term, the State Fire Marshal may reappoint that member or appoint a successor who is a representative of the same interests with which the member's predecessor was identified.

f)         Replacement of a Member

1)         The State Fire Marshal may, at any time, remove any of the respective appointees for inefficiency or neglect of duty in office. 

2)         A member shall continue to serve only as long as the member holds the position that made that individual eligible to serve under the criteria prescribed by subsection (b).

3)         In the instances described in subsections (f)(1) and (2), or upon the death or incapacity of a member, the State Fire Marshal shall fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term by appointing a member who is a representative of the same interests with which the member's predecessor was identified.

g)         Meetings of the Committee shall occur as often as deemed necessary by the Chair, at a date, time and place to be fixed by the Committee (or by the Chair, should the Chair call for the meeting) and at such additional times as the Committee deems necessary to consider any business as may properly come before it.

h)         A quorum shall be a majority of the appointed positions that have been filled by appointment.  Unfilled positions shall not be counted.

i)          Committee members must comply with the applicable conflict of interest provisions contained in 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000. 

j)          Members of the Committee are required to participate in all mandatory annual trainings, including, but not limited to, ethics and harassment & discrimination prevention training. Upon completion of the required training programs, members of the Committee must certify that they have completed the training programs.

k)         Committee members must comply with the applicable confidentiality provisions contained in 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.  Members of the Committee are also required to execute a confidentiality statement agreeing not to disclose any information gained during the course of their service on the Committee.