The agency shall maintain a roster of nine to 18 individuals qualified to serve in an impartial capacity for disputes involving law enforcement personnel disciplinary actions that are submitted to binding grievance arbitration under an existing collective bargaining agreement.

(1) In addition to the qualifications set forth in RCW 41.58.070(4), applicants for membership on the law enforcement arbitrator roster shall provide at least five letters of recommendation supporting their acceptability as an impartial from:

(a) At least two management representatives;

(b) At least two union representatives; and

(c) At least one impartial arbitrator, mediator, or labor relations administrative agency official.

(2) All letters of recommendation submitted under subsection (1) of this section must be signed and dated within two years of the date of the application for membership. Additionally, any letter of recommendation submitted in support of an applicant should be on official letterhead or contain recent contact information for the author of the letter.

(3) Applicants for membership on the law enforcement arbitrator roster shall submit, in the form specified by the executive director, information on their background, qualifications, professional certifications, and affiliations. All information submitted may be subject to administrative verification.

(4) Applications of persons appearing to be qualified for membership on the roster are forwarded to the commission for consideration and action. The commission shall review each application submitted together with the supporting letters of recommendation. Individuals selected by the commission for appointment to the law enforcement arbitrator roster will be provided with a letter of appointment designating the expiration date of the appointee's term. Except as provided in RCW 41.58.070(6), a person appointed to the law enforcement arbitrator roster serves a three year term.

(a) If an appointee desires to be reappointed to the roster for an additional term, the appointee must notify the executive director of this desire in writing within 60 days before the expiration date of the appointee's current term. Any notice for reappointment will be transmitted to the commission for its consideration consistent with this section.

(b) If the appointee declines to seek reappointment or fails to request reappointment, the commission may then fill the vacancy on the roster consistent with RCW 41.58.070 and this section.

(5) No member of the commission appointed under RCW 41.58.010 may be an active member of the law enforcement arbitrator roster.