(a) A legislative body of five members known as the board of directors shall govern each district. The board of directors shall establish policies for the operation of the district. The board of directors shall provide for the implementation of those policies which is the responsibility of the district’s general manager.

(b) No person shall be a candidate for the board of directors unless he or she is a voter of the district or the proposed district. No person shall be a candidate for the board of directors that is elected by divisions or from divisions unless he or she is a voter of that division or proposed division.

(c) All members of the board of directors shall exercise their independent judgment on behalf of the interests of the entire district, including the residents, property owners, and the public as a whole in furthering the purposes and intent of this division. Where the members of the board of directors have been elected by divisions or from divisions, they shall represent the interests of the entire district and not solely the interests of the residents and property owners in their divisions.

(d) Service on a municipal advisory council established pursuant to Section 31010 or service on an area planning commission established pursuant to Section 65101 shall not be considered an incompatible office with service as a member of a board of directors.

(e) A member of the board of directors shall not be the general manager, the district treasurer, or any other compensated employee of the district, except for volunteer firefighters as provided by Section 53227.

(f) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2035.

(Repealed (in Sec. 1) and added by Stats. 2014, Ch. 505, Sec. 2. (AB 2455) Effective January 1, 2015. Section operative January 1, 2035, by its own provisions.)