§1098.5. Appointing authority

            A. The members of the board of commissioners shall be appointed in a public forum by the appointing authority from the list of nominees within thirty days of receipt of the nominations pursuant to R.S. 46:1098.3.

            B. The appointing authority shall be composed of seven members as follows:

            (1) One appointee of the Slidell city council who resides within the city limits of Slidell.

            (2) One appointee of the mayor of Slidell who resides within the city limits of Slidell.

            (3) One appointee of the St. Tammany Parish council who resides within the geographical boundaries of the district.

            (4) One appointee of the St. Tammany Parish president who resides within the geographical boundaries of the district.

            (5) One appointee of the governing authority of the town of Pearl River who resides within the corporate limits of Pearl River.

            (6) The state senator and the state representative in whose district Slidell Memorial Hospital resides, or their designees.

            C. The state senator shall be responsible for ensuring the proper appointment of all members of the appointing authority pursuant to this Section, calling and providing proper notice of all meetings of the appointing authority, and maintaining all appropriate documentation of the appointing authority. The state senator shall serve as the chairperson of the appointing authority.

            D.(1) The appointing authority members who are not elected officials shall serve terms of three years.

            (2) Elected officials serving on the appointing authority may serve for a term commensurate with their term of office.

            E. For board vacancies expected due to term limits, the appointing authority shall conduct their meetings and fulfill their duties by December fifteenth of each year in order that each appointee may have six months to observe and orient to the board prior to taking their office on July first of the following year. Orienting appointees shall be compensated at a per diem rate and for reasonable expenses for attending meetings or education sessions of the board prior to taking office.

            Acts 2020, No. 365, §1, eff. June 12, 2020; Acts 2021, No. 49, §1.