§130.402. Board of commissioners; members; officers; employees

            A.(1) The district shall be governed by a board of commissioners consisting of eleven members selected as provided for in this Section. All members shall be qualified voters and taxpayers within the limits of the district during their term of office. Members of the board of commissioners shall be nominated by the board of commissioners and submitted to the council of St. Tammany Parish for approval. Commissioners shall serve staggered three-year terms of office, with three or four members' term to expire in any year. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Paragraph, a member shall serve until the replacement is approved and sworn.

            (2)(a) The nominating committee of the board of commissioners shall consist of the board chair, vice chair, and treasurer, the district president and chief executive officer, the president of St. Tammany Parish or his designee, a member of a regional board or commission selected by the parish president, the St. Tammany Parish Council chairman or his designee, and a member of the St. Tammany Parish Council selected by the council chairman. The regional board or commission member and the selected council member shall not serve on the committee for more than two consecutive years. The nominating committee shall submit its slate of nominees to the board of commissioners for approval.

            (b) Any vacancy which occurs prior to the expiration of the term for which a member of the board of commissioners has been appointed shall be filled pursuant to the same nomination and approval process set forth in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection.

            (c) - (d) Repealed by Acts 2025, No. 457, §2.

            B. The members of the board of commissioners shall not receive per diem or be paid a salary for serving on the board. No members of the board of commissioners shall be appointed to serve for more than two successive three-year terms.

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

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

            E. The board of commissioners shall elect from among its own members a chair, a vice chair, a secretary, and a treasurer, whose duties shall be those usual to such offices. At the option of the board of commissioners, the offices of secretary and treasurer may be held by one person.

            F. The board of commissioners shall attempt to meet in regular session every month, and shall meet not less than nine times per calendar year whether in regular or special session as called by the chair or on the written request of four members. Six members of the board of commissioners shall constitute a quorum.

            G. The board of commissioners shall prescribe rules to govern its meetings. The board of commissioners may contract with or employ attorneys, clerks, engineers, deputy commissioners, a president and chief executive officer, and other agents and employees and shall fix their compensation and terms of employment.

            H. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 42:1111, 1112, 1113, and 1120.4, a member of the board of commissioners who is appointed or who serves pursuant to Paragraph (A)(1) of this Section who is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of a nonprofit corporation focused on parish or regional economic development of which the district may be a member or contributor may serve on the board of commissioners and may participate and vote on matters involving the district and the nonprofit corporation as authorized by R.S. 33:130.403(22).

            Acts 1992, No. 995, §1; Acts 2003, No. 835, §1, eff. July 1, 2003; Acts 2012, No. 336, §1; Acts 2014, No. 611, §1, eff. June 12, 2014; Acts 2017, No. 242, See Act; Acts 2025, No. 457, §§ 1, 2.

            NOTE: See Acts 2014, No. 611, §2 regarding retroactive effect of Subsection D as amended by the Act and Subsection H as enacted by the Act.