§1207. Appointment, qualifications, tenure of supervisors

A. The governing authority of each district shall consist of five supervisors, three elected as provided in R.S. 3:1206 and two appointed as provided in R.S. 3:1205. All such supervisors shall be landowners or farm operators and shall be qualified voters within the state. The supervisors shall annually designate a chairman, vice-chairman, and secretary-treasurer, said secretary-treasurer to give good and sufficient bond for the faithful performance of his duties, and they may from time to time change such designations.

B. The supervisors shall designate a chairman and may from time to time change such designation. The term of office of each supervisor shall be three years, except that the supervisors who are first appointed shall be designated to serve terms of one and two years, respectively, from the date of their appointment. A supervisor shall hold office until his successor has been elected or appointed and has qualified. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term. The selection of a successor to fill an unexpired term shall be by appointment by the commission; such supervisor's successor, however, shall be selected in the same manner as the supervisor whose unexpired term he was appointed by the commission to fill. The selection of a successor for a full term shall be made in the same manner in which the retiring supervisor was selected. A majority of the supervisors shall constitute a quorum, and the concurrence of a majority in any matter within their duties shall be required for its determination. A supervisor may receive compensation for his services not to exceed thirty-five dollars per day for not more than twenty days annually, and he may be paid expenses, including traveling expenses, necessarily incurred in the discharge of his duties. These costs may be paid from either appropriated funds or from local district funds.

C. The three elected supervisors of the district shall be elected annually, one each year. These elections of supervisors shall be held throughout the state regularly on the second Saturday in June, each year, in accordance with the general procedure and in the manner prescribed in R.S. 3:1206. Terms of office of all supervisors so elected shall begin on July 1st, following the date of their election. All supervisors presently in office and serving on the governing body of a conservation district, shall remain in office until their terms expire, but from and after August 1st, 1956, all vacancies shall be filled in the manner above prescribed, and whenever the term of any supervisor expires, it shall be filled by an election to be held on the second Saturday in June after the expiration of said term.

D. The supervisors may employ such employees and agents, permanent and temporary, as they may require and shall determine their qualifications, duties, and compensation. The supervisors may delegate to their chairman, to one or more supervisors, or to one or more agents, or employees such powers and duties as they may deem proper. The supervisors shall furnish to the state soil and water conservation committee, upon request, copies of such ordinances, rules, regulations, orders, contracts, forms, and other documents as they shall adopt or employ, and such other information concerning their activities as may be required in the performance of their duties under this Part.

E. The supervisors shall provide for the execution of surety bonds for all employees and officers who shall be entrusted with funds or property; shall provide for the keeping of a full and accurate record of all proceedings and of all resolutions, regulations, and orders issued or adopted; and shall provide for an annual audit of the accounts of receipts and disbursements.

F. The supervisors may invite the legislative body of any municipality or parish located near the territory comprised within the district to designate a representative to advise and consult with the supervisors of the district on all questions of program and policy which may affect the property, water supply, or other interests of such municipality or parish.

G. Any supervisor may be removed by the commission upon notice and hearing, for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other reason. A supervisor shall not qualify for reappointment or reelection unless he shall have attended at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent of the scheduled district meetings, provided, however, upon a showing of good cause, this condition may be waived by resolution duly adopted by the state soil and water conservation commission.

Amended by Acts 1956, No. 10, §5; Acts 1958, No. 231, §3; Acts 1966, No. 195, §3; Acts 1970, No. 469, §1; Acts 1978, No. 740, §1; Acts 2008, No. 920, §1, eff. July 14, 2008.