2014 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 33 - Municipalities and Parishes
RS 33:130.252 - Board of commissioners; members; agents and employees

§130.252. Board of commissioners; members; agents and employees

A.(1)(a) The authority shall be governed by a board of commissioners consisting of eleven voting members and one nonvoting member selected as provided in this Section. Each voting member during his term of office shall be a citizen of the United States, a qualified voter residing within the limits of the authority, and either a proprietor, partner, or officer of a business within the limits of the authority.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, no member of the board of commissioners appointed pursuant to Item (2)(a)(v) or (vi) of this Subsection shall be required to be a proprietor, partner, or officer of a business within the limits of the authority.

(2)(a)(i) Two members shall be appointed by the Terrebonne Parish Council, one of whom shall be appointed at large from the parish and one of whom shall be an African-American selected by the council from a list of two names nominated by the Terrebonne Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

(ii) One member shall be appointed by the Terrebonne Parish president.

(iii) Three members shall be appointed by the Terrebonne Parish Council, at least one of whom shall be an African-American, selected by the council from a list of six names nominated by the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce.

(iv) Three members shall be appointed by the Terrebonne Parish Council, at least one of whom shall be a woman, selected by the council from a list of six names nominated by the South Central Industrial Association.

(v) One member shall be appointed by the Terrebonne Parish Council from a list of two nominees submitted by the superintendent of the Terrebonne Parish school system. Each nominee shall be approved by a majority vote of the Terrebonne Parish School Board prior to submission to the parish council.

(vi) One member shall be appointed by the Terrebonne Parish Council from a list of two names nominated by the chancellor of L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College.

(vii) The president of Nicholls State University, ex officio, who shall be a nonvoting member and shall not be counted for purposes of a quorum, or his designee.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Items (iii) and (iv) of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, for each vacancy on the board, the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce and the South Central Industrial Association shall submit two names for nomination. Nothing in this Subparagraph shall be construed to affect the qualifications of members imposed by Items (iii) and (iv) of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph.

(3) Initial appointments shall be made for staggered terms as specified in this Paragraph and at the termination of these initial terms of office, each term of office shall be for three years. Initial terms shall be as follows:

(a) Three members, consisting of one member appointed by the parish council from each of the following nominating entities: the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, the South Central Industrial Association, and the chancellor of L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College, shall be appointed for one-year terms.

(b) Four members, consisting of one member appointed by the parish council from each of the following nominating entities: the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, the South Central Industrial Association, the superintendent of the Terrebonne Parish School System, and the Terrebonne Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, shall be appointed for two-year terms.

(c) Four members, consisting of one member appointed at large by the parish council, one member appointed by the Terrebonne Parish president, and one member appointed by the parish council from each of the following nominating entities: the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce and the South Central Industrial Association, shall be appointed for three-year terms.

B.(1)(a) Any vacancy in the membership of the board of commissioners, occurring either by reason of the expiration of the term for which appointed or by reason of death, resignation, or otherwise, shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment. At the expiration of a term a commissioner shall hold office until his successor has been appointed and takes office.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, in the event that the entity responsible for the nomination of a member fails to nominate a successor within sixty days of a vacancy, the Terrebonne Parish Council shall appoint a successor to fill such vacancy from a list of two nominees submitted by the president of Terrebonne Parish. The parish president shall select the two nominees from a list of nominations submitted by business and civic organizations located within the parish.

(c) Any vacancy in the membership of the board shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(2) A commissioner may be appointed to succeed himself, but no person shall be appointed to serve on the board of commissioners for more than three consecutive terms.

C. Any member of the board of commissioners may be removed for cause upon the recommendation of a majority of the board of commissioners and a vote of two-thirds of the members of the Terrebonne Parish Council.

D. The members of the board of commissioners shall serve without compensation. The board of commissioners shall have the power to organize and reorganize executive, clerical, and other departments and to fix the duties, powers, and compensation of all officers, agents, and employees of the authority. The board of commissioners may reimburse any member for expenses actually incurred in the performance of his duties hereunder.

E. Members of the board, individually, and members of their immediate families are prohibited from bidding on or entering into any contract, subcontract, or other transaction that is under the supervision or jurisdiction of the authority.

F. Elected officials are prohibited from serving on the board of commissioners.

Acts 1989, No. 2, §1, eff. June 1, 1989; Acts 2004, No. 622, §1, eff. July 1, 2004; Acts 2005, No. 462, §1, eff. July 1, 2005; Acts 2010, No. 487, §1.