RS 2866 - Board to govern; membership; tenure; vacancies; compensation
A. The district shall be governed and controlled by the board of commissioners of the Claiborne Parish Watershed District. The board shall be composed of seven commissioners, each of whom shall be a qualified elector of the state of Louisiana and reside within the boundaries of Claiborne Parish. The membership of the board shall be representative of the various geographical areas of the district, and members shall possess additional qualifications as follows:
(1) Be dedicated to district purposes of conserving the district's soil and water, including surface and groundwater, and developing its natural resources and wealth for present and future citizens of Claiborne Parish.
(2) Be very knowledgeable of and have extensive experience in the production of water and system management or in another field of work pertinent to the purposes of the district.
(3) Be dedicated to the team approach of goal setting and problem solving.
(4) Be willing to volunteer time and effort as needed to accomplish district objectives.
B.(1) The commissioners shall be appointed by the Claiborne Parish Police Jury and shall serve terms of four years and until their successors have been appointed and have qualified; except that one of the initial appointments shall be for a term of one year, two shall be for a term of two years, two shall be for a term of three years, and two shall be for a term of four years.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no person shall serve more than two consecutive terms. However, if a person has been appointed to fill less than one-half of an unexpired term, such person may serve two consecutive terms in addition to such partial term. If a person has been appointed to fill more than one-half of an unexpired term, such person shall be eligible to serve consecutively no more than one full term in addition to such partial term. At the conclusion of such service, a board member who becomes subject to these limitations shall not serve on the board for four years. Upon the expiration of four years, such member shall be eligible to serve again, subject to the same limitations.
C. Any vacancy in the office of commissioner, due to death, resignation, or any other cause, shall be filled by an appointment of the Claiborne Parish Police Jury.
D. The members of the board shall receive no compensation for their services, but may be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the performance of official duties.
E. Any member of the board may be removed for cause. Grounds for removal shall include but not be limited to conduct having a material adverse affect upon the work of the district or conviction of a felony. A written recommendation of removal, approved by a majority of the membership of the board, shall be submitted to the police jury of Claiborne Parish. The police jury shall send notice of recommendation of removal to such board member, which notice shall set forth the charges against him. Unless within ten days from receipt of such notice such board member files a written request for a hearing before the police jury, the board member shall be deemed removed from office. If a request for hearing is so filed, the police jury shall hold a hearing not sooner than ten days subsequent to the date a hearing is requested, at which the board members shall determine whether the removal shall be upheld. Removal of such member shall be by majority vote of the membership of the police jury. If removal is not upheld, the board member shall continue to hold his office.
Added by Acts 1966, No. 299, §6; Acts 2004, No. 390, §1.