2015 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 60. Property
§60-178. Trustees - Appointment of succession, powers, duties, term, removal and compensation - Applicability to public trusts created and existing prior to July 1, 1988.

A. The instrument or will creating such trust may provide for the appointment, succession, powers, duties, term, manner of removal and compensation of the trustee or trustees subject to the provisions of subsections C and E of this section, and in all such respects the terms of said instrument or will shall be controlling. Trustees, who are public officers, shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as trustees. If the said instrument or will makes no provisions in regard to any of the foregoing, then the general laws of the state shall control as to such omission or omissions. Every person hereafter becoming a trustee of a public trust first shall take the oath of office required of an elected public officer and every officer and employee who handles funds of a public trust shall furnish a good and sufficient fidelity bond in an amount and with surety as may be specified and approved by the persons constituting a majority of each of the governing bodies of the beneficiaries of the trust, such bond to be in a surety company authorized to transact surety business in the State of Oklahoma but in no event shall any bond be required of a trustee. The cost of said bond shall be paid from funds of the trust authority. The oaths of office shall be administered by any person authorized to administer oaths in the State of Oklahoma, and shall be filed with the Secretary of State in trusts wherein the State of Oklahoma is the beneficiary; in the office of the county clerk in a trust wherein any county is beneficiary; and in the office of the clerk of the municipality in a trust wherein any municipality is the beneficiary.

B. Unless otherwise specified in another state law authorizing the creation of a state-beneficiary public trust, any public trust that hereafter names the State of Oklahoma as the beneficiary shall have five (5) trustees appointed by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma with the advice and consent of the Senate. The terms of the trustees shall be as follows: of the trustees first appointed, one member shall be appointed for a term of one (1) year; one member shall be appointed for a term of two (2) years; one member shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years; one member shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years; and one member shall be appointed for a term of five (5) years. At the expiration of the term of each member and of each succeeding member, the Governor shall appoint a successor who shall serve for a term of five (5) years. Whenever a vacancy on such trust shall occur by death, resignation or otherwise, the Governor shall fill the same by appointment and the appointee shall hold office during the unexpired term. Each member shall hold office until his successor has been appointed and qualified.

C. Any instrument or will creating a trust which is not within the scope of subsection B of this section shall provide for the appointment of a minimum of three trustees, their succession, powers, duties, term, manner of removal and compensation subject to the provisions of subsection E of this section, and in all such respects the terms of said instrument or will shall be controlling. If the instrument or will makes no provision in regard to any of the foregoing, then the general laws of the state shall control as to the omissions.

D. Meetings of trustees of all public trusts shall be open to the public to the same extent as is required by law for other public boards and commissions. Such meetings shall also be open to the press and any such equipment deemed necessary by the press to record or report the activities of the meetings. In such trusts wherein the State of Oklahoma is the beneficiary, a written notice of trustees' meetings shall be filed with the office of the Secretary of State at least three (3) days prior to the meeting date. Records of the trust and minutes of the trust meetings of any public trust shall be written and kept in a place, the location of which shall be recorded in the office of the county clerk of each county, wherein the trust instrument shall be recorded. Such records and minutes shall be available for inspection by any person during regular business hours. Every trust created under Sections 176 et seq. of this title shall file a monthly report of all expenditures of bond proceeds with the governing body of each beneficiary and with the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate in the case of a public trust having the State of Oklahoma as beneficiary.

E. Trustees of any public trust may be removed from office for cause, including incompetency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office, by a district court having jurisdiction. In the case of persons appointed by the Governor, such persons shall be appointed for terms not in excess of five (5) years, and shall be subject to removal for cause. In the event of removal of a trustee under this subsection, a successor trustee shall be appointed as provided in the trust instrument. Provided, however, in the event a trustee is so removed who is also a member of the governing board of a municipal beneficiary, the successor trustee shall be appointed by the judge of the court wherein the removal occurred; said successor trustee shall serve only until the removed trustee ceases to serve as a member of the governing board of the municipal beneficiary and his successor on said board has qualified.

F. The provisions of this section shall be inapplicable to any public trust created and existing prior to July 1, 1988, if the instrument or will creating such public trust shall have been held to be a valid and binding agreement in an opinion of the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma; and nothing in this section shall impair or be deemed to impair the trust indenture or existing or future obligations of such public trust.

Added by Laws 1951, p. 167, § 3. Amended by Laws 1970, c. 319, § 3; Laws 1976, c. 222, § 3, eff. Dec. 1, 1976; Laws 1981, c. 272, § 12, eff. July 1, 1981; Laws 1988, c. 319, § 6, eff. Nov. 1, 1988; Laws 1998, c. 173, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 1998; Laws 2010, c. 388, § 3, emerg. eff. June 7, 2010.