(1) A director's office shall be deemed to be vacant upon the occurrence of any one of the following events prior to the expiration of the term of office:
If for any reason a properly qualified person is not elected to a director's office by theelectors as required at a regular election;
If a person who was duly elected or appointed fails, neglects, or refuses to subscribeto an oath of office or to furnish the bond in accordance with the provisions of section 32-1-901;
If a person who was duly elected or appointed submits a written resignation to theboard;
If the person who was duly elected or appointed ceases to be qualified for the officeto which he was elected;
If a person who was duly elected or appointed is convicted of a felony;
If a court of competent jurisdiction voids the election or appointment or removes theperson duly elected or appointed for any cause whatsoever, but only after his right to appeal has been waived or otherwise exhausted;
If the person who was duly elected or appointed fails to attend three consecutiveregular meetings of the board without the board having entered upon its minutes an approval for an additional absence or absences; except that such additional absence or absences shall be excused for temporary mental or physical disability or illness;
If the person who was duly elected or appointed dies during his term of office.
(2) (a) Any vacancy on the board shall be filled by appointment by the remaining director or directors, the appointee to serve until the next regular election, at which time, the vacancy shall be filled by election for any remaining unexpired portion of the term. If, within sixty days of the occurrence of any vacancy, the board fails, neglects, or refuses to appoint a director from the pool of any duly qualified, willing candidates, the board of county commissioners of the county which approved the organizational petition may appoint a director to fill such vacancy. The remaining director or directors shall not lose their authority to make an appointment to fill any vacancy unless and until the board of county commissioners which approved the organizational petition has actually made an appointment to fill that vacancy.
(b) No board of county commissioners shall make an appointment pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2) unless it provides thirty days' notice of its intention to make such appointment to the remaining members of the board and the vacancy remains open at the time the board of county commissioners makes its appointment. If the organizational petition was approved by more than one board of county commissioners, then the appointment shall be made by the boards of the county commissioners which approved the petition, sitting jointly. Such an appointment shall be made at an open public meeting.
(2.5) If there are no duly elected directors and if the failure to appoint a new board will result in the interruption of services that are being provided by the district, then the board of county commissioners of the county or counties which approved the organizational petition may appoint all directors from the pool of duly qualified, willing candidates. The board appointed pursuant to this subsection (2.5) shall call for nominations for a special election within six months after their appointment, which special election is to be held in accordance with the provisions of section 32-1-305.5 and articles 1 to 13.5 of title 1, C.R.S.; except that the question of the organization shall not be presented at the election. In the event a district is wholly within the boundaries of a municipality, the governing body of the municipality may appoint directors.
(3) All appointments shall be evidenced by an appropriate entry in the minutes of the meeting, and the board shall cause a notice of appointment to be delivered to the person so appointed. A duplicate of each notice of appointment, together with the mailing address of the person so appointed, shall be forwarded to the division.
Source: L. 81: Entire article R&RE, p. 1587, § 1, effective July 1. L. 87: (2.5) added, p. 1237, § 2, effective May 16. L. 92: (2) and (2.5) amended, p. 970, § 12, effective June 1; (2.5) amended, p. 885, § 123, effective January 1, 1993. L. 2015: (2.5) amended, (HB 15-1092), ch. 87, p. 252, § 6, effective August 5. L. 2016: (2.5) amended, (SB 16-189), ch. 210, p. 788, § 92, effective June 6.
Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 32-1-849 as it existed prior to 1981.