(a) All postsecondary vocational-technical schools, including those which expand their services under § 6-51-217 or under § 6-51-906 shall be governed by a local board of directors.
(b)
(1) The Governor shall appoint a five-member local board of directors composed of residents of the local geographic service area in which the institution is located.
(A) Appointment shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate.
(B) No candidate for public office, holder of public office in the state, or his or her spouse, shall serve as a member of a local board.
(C) Members of the local board shall be qualified electors of the geographic service area in which the institution is located.
(D) Local board appointees shall have a high interest in vocational and technical education, a strong desire and commitment to serve the institution in the improvement of its offerings, and shall be representative of business, industry, labor, and agriculture, including service occupations.
(2) The term of office for local board members shall be five (5) years.
(A) The initial board appointees shall determine their terms by lot so that no more than one (1) term shall expire during any given year.
(B) A local board appointee shall serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms.
(3) When a vacancy occurs in the membership of the board, the president or director of the institution shall so notify the Governor who shall appoint a successor to the person who vacated membership, who shall serve the unexpired term of the person succeeded.