15-451. Appointment of governing board for joint unified school districts

A. If the election results in the formation of the joint unified school district, the governing board shall contain the same governing board members of the former school district governing boards. The members shall have authority to adopt a budget and perform such other functions necessary for the school district to become operative at the beginning of the next fiscal year and shall serve until January 1 following the next general election. At the general election held next following the formation and thereafter, members shall be elected as prescribed in section 15-448, subsection E, except that all governing board members of a newly formed unified school district shall be elected to four year terms at the first general election.

B. If any members of the governing boards of the original school districts are residents of the new joint unified school district, those members shall continue to serve on the governing boards of the original school districts until the joint unified school district becomes operative and upon the joint unified school district becoming operative shall be replaced by members who are appointed by the appropriate county school superintendent. The appointed members shall serve until January 1 following the next general election. At the general election next following the formation, new members shall be elected as prescribed in section 15-448, subsection E, except that all governing board members of a newly formed unified school district shall be elected to four year terms at the first general election.