§ 11-44B-46 — Establishment of Personnel Board; Composition; Terms; Meetings; Compensation; Records

(a) Upon election by ordinance of a city to participate in the personnel system provided for in this article, there shall be established a personnel board composed of five members designated, respectively, as place number 1, place number 2, place number 3, place number 4, and place number 5. Each member shall be of recognized good character and ability and a resident and qualified elector of the city. No person shall be eligible for membership on the board who holds any civil office of profit under the city, county, or state. No board member shall be a member of any local committee of a political party, or an official of a local partisan political club, or a candidate for nomination or election to any public office, nor shall he or she take any part in the management or affairs of any local political party or in any city political campaign, except to exercise his or her right as a citizen privately to express his or her opinion and to cast his or her vote. With the exception of current board members, no person shall be or remain a board member if their spouse, a dependent, an adult child or his or her spouse, a parent, a spouse’s parents, a sibling or his or her spouse is an elected official of the city or an employee of the city. Any board member who violates any of the foregoing provisions of this section shall forfeit his or her office and position.
(b) The members of the board shall be appointed as follows:
(1) The city council shall nominate, by ordinance duly enacted, three qualified candidates for each of the five places on the board or for any place on the board that subsequently becomes vacant.
(2) Places number 1, number 2, and number 5 on the board shall be appointed by the Governor of this state from the three candidates nominated by the city council for that place for appointment on the board.
(3) Place number 3 on the board shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor from the three candidates nominated by the city council for that place for appointment on the board.
(4) Place number 4 on the board shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House from the three candidates nominated by the city council for that place for appointment on the board.
(5) If either the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, or the Speaker of the House does not appoint a member to a place on the board within 90 calendar days from the date of receipt of the nominations by the city council for that place, the city council shall make the appointment to that place on the board.
(c) The initial term of place number 1, place number 3, and place number 5 shall be for two years. The initial term of place number 2 and place number 4 shall be for four years. Thereafter, the term of each board member shall be four years with vacancies for unexpired terms to be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by the appointing authority.
(d) Any member of the board may be removed by a resolution of the city council if five members vote in favor of the resolution when his or her service to the board, including bias, conflict of interest, excessive absenteeism, or personal conduct, is considered to be detrimental to the effectiveness or reputation of the board or the city. The mayor and city council may initiate termination action or may react in response to a written request from the majority of the board members when they deem the action is warranted.
(e) The board shall meet as often as necessary or as required by the city council in city hall, or other municipal building as designated by the mayor, on a date and at an hour to be fixed by it. Three members of the board shall constitute a quorum. All meetings of the board shall be subject to all applicable provisions of the Alabama Open Meetings Law.
(f) The board shall annually elect one of its members as chair.
(g) Every person appointed to the board shall within 15 days after his or her appointment qualify by making written oath that he or she is eligible for the office and that he or she will faithfully perform the duties of the office. The oath shall be administered by a person authorized to administer oaths with a copy filed with the city clerk.
(h) Any current members of any civil service board or personnel board or similar body existing on March 15, 2006, and exercising any powers or authorities that would otherwise be exercised pursuant to this article who were appointed in accordance with applicable law or for those who were appointed by the Governor shall complete their term of office as follows: Member number 1 in place number 1; member number 2 in place number 2; and member number 3 in place number 3.
(i) Board members shall serve without compensation unless the city council elects to establish the compensation of each board member by ordinance.
(j) The board shall keep minutes of its meetings and a record of all business transacted by it. Its records, except those which applicable law requires or permits to be held confidential, shall be open for inspection by any person at all reasonable times upon reasonable request. The city shall furnish clerical assistance to the board and shall act as the custodian of the records of the board. The board shall have no employees nor supervise or direct any covered employees.

Legislative History

(Act 2006-233, p. 420, §7.)