§ 64-5-103 — Membership of board - Proxy voting - Executive committee - Board meetings open to public

(a) (1) Effective July 1, 2012, the membership of the board shall be as follows: (A) (1) The county mayor of each county in the region shall be an ex officio voting member of the board. The term of office on the board of the county mayor shall be coextensive with the term of office as county mayor; or (2) In lieu of serving as a member of the board, the county mayor is authorized to appoint a person to serve in the mayor's stead. The term of office of such appointed person shall be coextensive with the term of office of the county mayor making the appointment; (B) One (1) person who resides within the region shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, to be appointed for a term of two (2) years; and (C) One (1) person who resides within the region shall be appointed by the speaker of the senate, to be appointed for a term of two (2) years. (2) The board in existence on May 21, 2012, shall terminate at twelve o'clock (12:00) midnight June 30, 2012. (b) Any member of the board may authorize someone to represent that member and vote by proxy upon written notification of the same to the chair of the board prior to commencement of the board meeting in which the member is to be absent. (c) The board may establish an advisory committee consisting of twenty-five (25) members, with five (5) members from each of the five (5) counties in the region selected in such manner as the board determines to provide a wide range of viewpoints. The board shall endeavor to have the advisory committee reflect a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds in its membership. The terms of the members of the advisory committee shall be set by a resolution of the board in such manner as to create a staggered-term system to provide continuity on the advisory committee. (d) At least annually, the board shall hold a meeting at which members of the general public are allowed to address the board. Further, prior to the adoption of any resolution authorizing a bond issue pursuant to this chapter, the board shall hold a public hearing to examine the opinions of members of the general public on the issue. (e) All meetings of the board and advisory committee shall be public and shall comply with the state law on open meetings, compiled in title 8, chapter 44.

Legislative History

Acts 1986, ch. 789, § 3; 2001, ch. 150, §§ 1, 2; 2003, ch. 90, § 2; 2006, ch. 614, §§ 1, 2; 2010, ch. 619, § 1; 2012, ch. 1033, § 2.