162A-67. District board; composition, appointment, terms, oaths and removal of members; organization; meetings; quorum; compensation and expenses of members.
(a) Appointment of Board for District Lying Wholly or Partly outside City or Town Limits. - The district board of a metropolitan sewerage district lying in whole or in part outside the corporate limits of a city or town shall be appointed immediately after the creation of the district in the following manner:
(1) If the district lies entirely within one county with a population of 25,000 or more, the board of commissioners of that county shall appoint to the district board three members who are qualified voters residing within the district. The initial members so appointed shall have terms expiring one year, two years and three years, respectively, from the date of adoption of the resolution of the Environmental Management Commission creating the district, and the board of commissioners shall designate the length of the term of each initial member. Successor members shall be appointed for a term of three years.
(1a) If the district lies entirely within one county with a population of less than 25,000, the board of commissioners of that county shall appoint to the district board five members who are qualified voters residing within the district. Of the initial members so appointed, one shall have a term expiring at the end of one year, two shall have terms expiring at the end of two years, and two shall have terms expiring at the end of three years from the date of adoption of the resolution of the Environmental Management Commission creating the district. In making initial appointments, the board of commissioners shall specify whether a member is to serve a term of one, two, or three years. Successor members shall be appointed for a term of three years.
(2) If the district lies in two counties, the board of commissioners of the county in which the largest portion of the district lies shall appoint to the district board two qualified voters residing in the county and district to serve for terms of one year and three years, respectively. The board of commissioners of the county in which the lesser portion of the district lies shall appoint to the district board one qualified voter residing in the county and district to serve for a term of two years. All successor members shall be appointed for a term of three years.
(3) If the district lies in three or more counties, the board of commissioners of each such county shall appoint one member of the district board. Each member so appointed shall be a qualified voter residing in the district and of the county from which he is appointed and shall serve for a term of three years. Successor members shall be appointed for a term of three years.
(4) The governing body of each political subdivision, other than counties, lying in whole or in part within the district, shall appoint one member of the district board. Except as provided in G.S. 162A-68, no appointment of a member of the district board shall be made by or in behalf of any political subdivision of which the board or boards of commissioners shall be the governing body. If any city or town within the district shall have a population, as determined from the latest decennial census, more than one-half the combined population of all other political subdivisions (other than counties) and unincorporated areas within the district, the governing body of any such city or town shall appoint three members.
(b) Appointment of Board for District Lying Wholly within City or Town Limits. - Any district lying entirely within the corporate limits of two or more cities or towns shall be governed by a district board consisting solely of members appointed by the governing bodies of such cities or towns and, in addition, one member elected by the appointed members of the district board. The governing body of each constituent city or town of the district shall appoint to the district board two qualified voters residing in the district and the city or town. The members so appointed shall elect, by majority vote, one additional member who shall be a qualified voter residing in the district and one of the constituent cities or towns.
One of the two members initially appointed by the governing body of each constituent city or town shall serve for a term which shall expire 30 days following the next regular election held for election of the governing body by which the member was appointed; and the other member shall serve for a term which shall expire two years thereafter. Successor members shall serve for a term of four years.
The member elected by the district board and his successors in office shall serve for a term of four years.
(c) Reappointment; Vacancies; Removal; Term. - Members of a district board may be reappointed. If a vacancy shall occur on a district board, the governing body which appointed the member who previously filled the vacancy shall appoint a new member who shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. Any member of a district board may be removed for cause by the governing board that appointed him. All members shall serve until their successors have been duly appointed and qualified.
(d) District Board Procedures. - Each member of the district board, before entering upon his duties, shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State and to discharge faithfully the duties of his office; and a record of each such oath shall be filed with the clerk or clerks of the board or boards of commissioners.
The district board shall elect one of its members as chairman and another as vice-chairman and shall appoint a secretary and a treasurer who may, but need not, be members of the district board. The officers [offices] of secretary and treasurer may be combined. The district board may also appoint an assistant secretary and an assistant treasurer or, if the office is combined, an assistant secretary-treasurer who may, but need not, be members of the district board. The terms of office of the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer, assistant secretary, and assistant treasurer shall be as provided in the bylaws of the district board.
The district board shall meet regularly at such places and dates as are determined by the board. Special meetings may be called by the chairman on his own initiative and shall be called by him upon request of two or more members of the board. All members shall be notified in writing at least 24 hours in advance of such meeting. A majority of the members of the district board shall constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the district board present at any meeting thereof shall be necessary for any action taken by the district board. No vacancy in the membership of the district board shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the district board. Each member, including the chairman, shall be entitled to vote on any question. The members of the district board may receive compensation in an amount to be determined by the board, but not to exceed that compensation paid to members of Occupational Licensing Boards as provided in G.S. 93B-5(a) for each meeting of the board attended and for attendance at each regularly scheduled committee meeting of the board. The members of the district board may also be reimbursed the amount of actual expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties.