(For Effective Date, See note.) Community Service Boards - Executive Director, Staff, Budget, Facilities; Powers and Duties; Exemption From State and Local Taxation

  1. Law
  2. Georgia Code
  3. Mental Health
  4. Administration of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, Addictive Diseases, and Other Disability Services
  5. General Provisions
  6. (For Effective Date, See note.) Community Service Boards - Executive Director, Staff, Budget, Facilities; Powers and Duties; Exemption From State and Local Taxation

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    1. The governing board of each community service board shall employ an executive director to serve as its chief executive officer and shall prescribe the duties thereof. The selection of the executive director and all terms of compensation shall be set by the governing board of each community service board and shall be subject to review and approval by the commissioner prior to any offer of employment or at any point thereafter where the terms of compensation are proposed to be substantially altered. Such contracts shall be reviewed by the commissioner every five years. Further, the commissioner shall be required to review and approve the selection of the executive director of each community service board for adherence to minimum qualifications for the position as prescribed by the department. The executive director shall direct the day-to-day operations of the community service board. Such executive director shall be appointed and removed by the community service board pursuant to this subsection and shall appoint other necessary staff pursuant to an annual budget adopted by the board, which budget shall provide for securing appropriate facilities, sites, and professionals necessary for the provision of disability and health services. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the governing board of the community service board may delegate any power, authority, duty, or function to its executive director or other staff. The executive director or other staff is authorized to exercise any power, authority, duty, or function on behalf of the governing board of the community service board.
    2. The executive director or any full-time or part-time employee of a community service board shall have a responsibility to avoid any conflict of interest in a manner that is consistent with the declarations found in Code Section 45-10-21. Such employees shall not transact any business with that community service board as prohibited in Code Section 45-10-23 unless any such transaction falls under the exceptions granted in Code Section 45-10-25. Transactions that fall under such exceptions shall be disclosed to the governing board of the community service board in the manner as such governing board shall determine and yearly to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission as prescribed in Code Section 45-10-26. The governing board of the community service board shall promulgate policies and procedures governing executive director and employee conflicts of interest and establish a code of ethics for the executive director and employees of the community service board.
  2. The governing board of each community service board or each community service board, under the jurisdiction of its governing board, shall perform duties, responsibilities, and functions and may exercise power and authority described in this subsection as follows:
    1. The governing board of each community service board shall adopt bylaws for the conduct of its affairs and the affairs of their respective community service boards; provided, however, that the governing board of a community service board shall meet at least quarterly, and that all such meetings and any bylaws shall be open to the public, as otherwise required under Georgia law;
    2. The governing board of each community service board shall be required to review and approve the annual budget of the community service board and shall be required to establish the general policies related to such budget to be followed by the community service board;
    3. Each community service board shall provide an adequate range of disability services as prescribed by the department;
    4. Each community service board may make and enter into all contracts necessary and incidental to the performance of its duties and functions;
    5. Each community service board may acquire by purchase, gift, lease, or otherwise and may own, hold, improve, use, and sell, convey, exchange, transfer, lease, sublease, and dispose of real and personal property of every kind and character, or any interest therein, for its corporate purposes;
    6. Each community service board may contract to utilize the services of the Department of Administrative Services, the state auditor, or any other agency of state, local, or federal government;
    7. Each community service board may provide, either independently or through contract with appropriate state or local governmental entities, the following benefits to its employees, their dependents, and survivors, in addition to any compensation or other benefits provided to such persons:
      1. Retirement, pension, disability, medical, and hospitalization benefits, through the purchase of insurance or otherwise, but medical and hospitalization benefits may only be provided through the Department of Community Health under the same conditions as provided for such benefits to state employees, and the Department of Community Health shall so provide if requested;
      2. Life insurance coverage and coverage under federal old age and survivors' insurance programs;
      3. Sick leave, annual leave, and holiday leave; and
      4. Any other similar benefits including, but not limited to, death benefits;
    8. Each community service board may cooperate with all units of local government in the counties where the community service board provides services as well as neighboring regions and with the programs of other departments, agencies, and regional commissions and regional planning boards;
    9. Each community service board shall establish and maintain a personnel program for its employees and fix the compensation and terms of compensation of its employees; provided, however, that each community service board shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 20 of Title 45, for so long as and to the extent that each employee of such board remains subject to the rules and regulations of the State Personnel Board or as otherwise provided by law;
    10. Each community service board may receive and administer grants, gifts, contracts, moneys, and donations for purposes pertaining to the delivery of disability services or of health services;
    11. Each community service board may establish fees for the provision of disability services or health services according to the terms of contracts entered into with the department, Department of Human Services, Department of Public Health, or Department of Community Health, as appropriate; provided, however, that all fees collected shall be used solely in accordance with the statutory nonprofit and public purposes of community service boards as prescribed in this article;
    12. Each community service board may accept appropriations, loans of funds, facilities, equipment, and supplies from local governmental entities in the counties where the community service board provides services;
    13. Each member of the governing board of a community service board may, upon approval of the executive director, receive reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in carrying out the duties of such office; provided, however, that such reimbursement shall not exceed the rates and allowances set for state employees by the Office of Planning and Budget or the mileage allowance for use of a personal car as that received by all other state officials and employees or a travel allowance of actual transportation cost if traveling by public carrier;
    14. The governing board of each community service board shall elect a chairperson and vice chairperson from among its membership. The governing board members shall also elect a secretary and treasurer from among its membership or may designate the executive director of the community service board to serve in one or both offices. Such officers shall serve for such terms as shall be prescribed in the bylaws of the community service board or until their respective successors are elected and qualified. No governing board member shall hold more than one office of the governing board of a community service board; except that the same person may serve as secretary and treasurer. The bylaws of the governing board of a community service board shall provide for any other officers of such board and the means of their selection, the terms of office of the officers, and an annual meeting to elect officers;
    15. Each community service board may have a seal and alter it;
    16. Each community service board may establish fees, rates, rents, and charges for the use of facilities of the community service board for the provision of disability services or of health services, in accordance with the terms of contracts entered into with the department, Department of Human Services, Department of Public Health, or Department of Community Health, as appropriate;
    17. Each community service board may borrow money for any business purpose and may incur debt, liabilities, and obligations for any business purpose. A debt, liability, or obligation incurred by a community service board shall not be considered a debt, liability, or obligation of the state or any county or any municipality or any political subdivision of the state. A community service board may not borrow money as permitted by this Code section if the highest aggregate annual debt service requirements of the then current fiscal year or any subsequent year for outstanding borrowings of the community service board, including the proposed borrowing, exceed 15 percent of the total revenues of the community service board in its fiscal year immediately preceding the fiscal year in which such debt is to be incurred. Interest paid upon such borrowings shall be exempt from taxation by the state or its political subdivisions. A state contract with a community service board shall not be used or accepted as security or collateral for a debt, liability, or obligation of a community service board without the prior written approval of the commissioner;
    18. Each community service board, to the extent authorized by law and the contract for the funds involved, may carry forward without lapse fund balances and establish operating, capital, and debt reserve accounts from revenues and grants derived from state, county, and all other sources; and
    19. Each community service board may operate, establish, or operate and establish facilities deemed by the community service board as necessary and convenient for the administration, operation, or provision of disability services or of health services by the community service board and may construct, reconstruct, improve, alter, repair, and equip such facilities to the extent authorized by state and federal law.
  3. Nothing shall prohibit a community service board from contracting with any county governing authority, private or other public provider, or hospital for the provision of disability services or of health services.
  4. Each community service board exists for nonprofit and public purposes, and it is found and declared that the carrying out of the purposes of each community service board is exclusively for public benefit and its property is public property. Thus, no community service board shall be required to pay any state or local ad valorem, sales, use, or income taxes.
  5. A community service board shall not have the power to tax, the power to issue general obligation bonds or revenue bonds or revenue certificates, or the power to financially obligate the state or any county or any municipal corporation.
  6. A community service board shall not operate any facility for profit. A community service board may fix fees, rents, rates, and charges that are reasonably expected to produce revenues, which, together with all other funds of the community service board, will be sufficient to administer, operate, and provide the following:
    1. Disability services or health services;
    2. The cost of acquiring, constructing, equipping, maintaining, repairing, and operating its facilities; and
    3. The creation and maintenance of reserves sufficient to meet principal and interest payments due on any obligation of the community service board.
  7. Each community service board may provide reasonable reserves for the improvement, replacement, or expansion of its facilities and services. Reserves under this subsection shall be subject to the limitations in paragraph (17) of subsection (b) of this Code section.
  8. Each county and municipal corporation of this state is authorized to convey or lease property of such county or municipal corporation to a community service board for its public purposes. Any property conveyed or leased to a community services board by a county or municipal corporation shall be operated by such community service board in accordance with this chapter and the terms of the community service board's agreements with the county or municipal corporation providing such conveyance or lease.
  9. Each community service board and any entity created or formed by such community service board pursuant to subsection (j) of this Code section shall keep books of account reflecting all funds received, expended, and administered by the community service board in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The community service board and an entity created or formed by such community service board, if any, pursuant to subsection (j) of this Code section shall assure the inclusion in its annual audit any information or procedures required by the department. The community service board and an entity created or formed by such community service board, if any, pursuant to subsection (j) of this Code section shall rotate audit firms at least once every five years. Copies of the annual audit and all findings shall be submitted to the department and the governing board of the community service board, or in the case of an entity created or formed by the community service board, if any, to the governing board of the community service board, the governing board of such entity, and the department within 60 days of completion of the audit.
  10. Subject to the approval of the commissioner and the governing board of the community service board, a community service board may create, form, or become a member of a nonprofit corporation, limited liability company, or other nonprofit entity, the voting membership of which shall be limited to community service boards, governmental entities, nonprofit corporations, or a combination thereof, if such entity is created for purposes that are within the powers of the community service board, for the cooperative functioning of its members, or a combination thereof; provided, however, that no funds provided pursuant to a contract between the department and the community service board may be used in the formation or operation of the nonprofit corporation, limited liability company, or other nonprofit entity. No community service board, whether or not it exercises the power authorized by this subsection, shall be relieved of compliance with Chapter 14 of Title 50, relating to open and public meetings, and Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50, relating to inspection of public records, unless otherwise provided by law. The provisions of this subsection relating to the approval of the commissioner to the contrary notwithstanding, nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a community service board from creating, forming, or becoming a member of a national, regional, or state trade association or business league as defined for tax exempt purposes by the United States Internal Revenue Service for the benefit of member community service boards and similar organizations.
  11. (For effective date, see note.) No community service board shall employ or retain in employment, either directly or indirectly through contract, any person who is receiving a retirement benefit from the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia except in accordance with the provisions of Code Section 47-2-112; provided, however, that any such person who is employed as of July 1, 2004, may continue to be employed.
  12. A community service board may join or form and operate, either directly or indirectly, one or more networks of community service boards, disability or health service professionals, and other providers of disability services or health services to arrange for the provision of disability services or health services through such networks; to contract either directly or through such networks with the Department of Community Health to provide services to Medicaid beneficiaries; to provide disability services or health services in an efficient and cost-effective manner on a prepaid, capitation, or other reimbursement basis; and to undertake other disability or health services related managed care activities. For purposes of this subsection only and notwithstanding Code Section 33-3-3 or any other provision of law, a community service board shall be permitted to and shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 20A of Title 33 to the extent that such requirements apply to the activities undertaken by the community service board or by a community service board under this subsection or subsection (j) of this Code section. No community service board, whether or not it exercises the powers authorized by this subsection, shall be relieved of compliance with Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50, relating to inspection of public records, unless otherwise provided by law. Any licensed health care provider shall be eligible to apply to become a participating provider under such a plan or network that provides coverage for health care, disability services, or health services which are within the lawful scope of the provider's license, but nothing in this Code section shall be construed to require any such plan or network to provide coverage for any specific health care, disability service, or health service.

(Code 1981, §37-2-6.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1993, p. 1445, § 16; Ga. L. 1994, p. 437, § 5; Ga. L. 2002, p. 1324, §§ 1-7, 2-4, 2-5; Ga. L. 2004, p. 150, § 1; Ga. L. 2006, p. 310, § 6/HB 1223; Ga. L. 2009, p. 453, § 3-1/HB 228; Ga. L. 2009, p. 745, § 2/SB 97; Ga. L. 2010, p. 878, § 37/HB 1387; Ga. L. 2011, p. 705, § 5-23/HB 214; Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 2-58/HB 642; Ga. L. 2014, p. 309, § 5/SB 349; Ga. L. 2015, p. 5, § 37/HB 90; Ga. L. 2015, p. 385, § 7-1/HB 252; Ga. L. 2016, p. 864, § 37/HB 737; Ga. L. 2020, p. 474, § 1/SB 176.)

Editor's notes.

- Ga. L. 1993, p. 1445, § 18.1, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "Nothing in this Act shall be construed to repeal any provision of Chapter 5 of Title 37 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the 'Community Services Act for the Mentally Retarded.' "

Ga. L. 1993, p. 1445, § 19, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "This Act shall become effective on July 1, 1994; provided, however, that provisions relating to the establishment of regional and community service board boundaries and the appointments of regional boards and community service boards shall become effective on July 1, 1993, or upon whatever date is stipulated in the Act and provided, further, that the provisions authorizing a county board of health to agree to serve as the lead county board of health for only that county shall become effective upon the approval of this Act by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval." The Act was approved by the Governor on April 27, 1993.

Ga. L. 1993, p. 1445, which enacts this Code section, provides, in § 19.1, not codified by the General Assembly, that this Code section is repealed on June 30, 1999; however, Ga. L. 1998, p. 870, § 1, struck § 19.1 of Ga. L. 1993, p. 1445, which would have repealed this Code section.

Ga. L. 2006, p. 310, § 10/HB 1223, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect or abate any right accrued or vested prior to July 1, 2006, or any action or proceeding commenced prior to July 1, 2006, under any law amended or repealed by this Act."

Ga. L. 2006, p. 310, § 11/HB 1223, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that those provisions of that Act which authorize community service boards to amend their bylaws and authorize county governing authorities to appoint no sooner than May 1, 2006, any community service board members to take office on July 1, 2006, shall become effective April 21, 2006.

Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 3-1/HB 642, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "Personnel, equipment, and facilities that were assigned to the State Personnel Administration as of June 30, 2012, shall be transferred to the Department of Administrative Services on the effective date of this Act." This Act became effective July 1, 2012.

Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 3-2/HB 642, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "Appropriations for functions which are transferred by this Act may be transferred as provided in Code Section 45-12-90."

Ga. L. 2015, p. 5, § 54(e)/HB 90, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "In the event of a conflict between a provision in Sections 1 through 53 of this Act and a provision of another Act enacted at the 2015 regular session of the General Assembly, the provision of such other Act shall control over the conflicting provision in Sections 1 through 53 of this Act to the extent of the conflict." Accordingly, the amendment to this Code section by Ga. L. 2015, p. 5, § 37/HB 90, was not given effect.

Ga. L. 2015, p. 385, § 1-1/HB 252, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "This Act shall be known and may be cited as the 'J. Calvin Hill, Jr., Act."'

Law reviews.

- For article on the 2011 amendment of this Code section, see 28 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 147 (2011).

JUDICIAL DECISIONS

Board employee not department employee.

- Legislature did not intend for community service boards to be part of the Department of Human Resources (DHR) (now known as the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities for these purposes) or its employees to be department employees under ordinary circumstances; thus, a suit claiming that DHR was liable for the alleged negligence of a board employee should have been dismissed. Dep't of Human Res. v. Crews, 278 Ga. App. 56, 628 S.E.2d 191 (2006).

Benefits of community service board's executive director fell with provisions of enabling legislation.

- When the community service board filed a declaratory judgment action against the board's former executive director, contending that the director's contract violated public policy and that the director was not entitled to payment and benefits for various reasons, and the director counterclaimed against the board, the trial court did not err in ruling in favor of the director because the board's broad powers encompassed all of the benefits paid to the director, and it did not show that any of the director's benefits fell outside of the provisions of the enabling legislation; the director was entitled to payment for any compensation related to performance already rendered; and the director's post-retirement benefits were not gratuities. Gateway Cmty. Serv. Bd. v. Bonati, 346 Ga. App. 653, 816 S.E.2d 743 (2018).

Community service boards constitute state agencies.

- Summary judgment for community service board on a former executive director's breach of employment contract claim was reversed because the trial court erred in determining that the director was an official instead of an employee under the State of Georgia Merit Protection System; under O.C.G.A. §§ 37-2-6.1(b)(7) and37-2-6.2, the board was a state agency when the board terminated the director, and the director was a classified employee in a covered position under the State Merit Protection System, O.C.G.A. § 45-20-2(2) and (6). Ashe v. Clayton County Cmty. Serv. Bd., 262 Ga. App. 738, 586 S.E.2d 683 (2003)(Unpublished).

Fiscal autonomy.

- Because O.C.G.A. § 37-2-11.1 stated community service boards (CSB) were not agencies of the state or any specific county and that the boards had the same immunity as counties and counties were not arms of the state and did not have Eleventh Amendment immunity, the defendant, a CSB former employer, was not entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity on a plaintiff former employee's discrimination claim; it was noted that CSB were fiscally autonomous and solely liable for any losses due to suit under O.C.G.A. §§ 37-2-6(a),37-2-6.1(b)(16), and37-2-6.3(c) specifically made CSB solely liable in litigation; thus, there was no question that CSB were fiscally autonomous. Peery v. Serenity Behavioral Health Sys., F. Supp. 2d (S.D. Ga. May 4, 2009).

Cited in Johnson v. Ogeechee Behavioral Health Servs., 479 F. Supp. 2d 1357 (S.D. Ga. 2007).


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