§130.602. Creation of authority; territorial jurisdiction

A.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any two or more municipalities in the parish of Madison may, upon their own joint initiative, create by local services agreement and intergovernmental contract a special district for industrial, commercial, tourism, and economic development purposes which shall be designated by such name as the municipalities designate; and which shall be governed by a board of commissioners of not less than six members. The mayors of each of the contracting municipalities shall be ex officio members of the board and each municipality, by vote of the governing authority of such municipality, shall appoint one member to the board who shall be a member of the city council or the board of aldermen. The president of the police jury for the parish shall be an ex officio member of the board and the police jury for the parish shall appoint one member to the board who shall be a member of the police jury.

(2) The members' terms shall coincide with their terms of office as mayor, alderman, city council member, police jury president, or police jury member, as the case may be.

(3) In the event that an appointed member should cease to serve as a member of the commission by reason of death, resignation or otherwise, the governing authority which appointed the member shall within thirty days appoint a successor to fill the vacancy, which successor shall be a member of the governing authority appointing the successor. If a mayor or police jury president ceases to be a member by reason of death, resignation, or otherwise, the mayor pro tem or the police jury president pro tem, as the case may be, shall act in his or her place until a successor mayor or police jury president is elected or appointed who shall then fill the position.

(4) Any member of the commission may be removed by the party which has appointed him, but only for cause and on charges preferred against him in writing and after public hearing; provided that any member so removed shall have the right to appeal his removal to a court of competent jurisdiction within ten days of the decision of the appointing authority ordering his removal.

(5) The members of the commission shall serve without compensation and shall have the power to organize and reorganize executive, clerical, and other departments of the authority and to fix the duties, powers, and compensation of all officers, agents, and employees of the authority. The commission may reimburse any member for expenses actually incurred in the performance of his duties hereunder.

(6) The members shall elect from the membership a president and secretary-treasurer whose duties shall be those usual to such offices.

(7) The commission shall meet in regular session at least once a year or more often as set by vote of the commission and shall also meet in special session as often as the president of the commission convenes them or on written request of two members. Four members of the commission shall constitute a quorum; however, a member may be represented at any meeting by his designee who shall have all powers of a member at such meeting. The authority shall be domiciled in the parish of Madison and maintain suitable offices in such parish.

B. The authority is hereby declared to constitute and is declared to be a body politic and political subdivision of the state of Louisiana, as defined in Article VI, Section 44 of the Constitution of Louisiana. Pursuant to Article VI, Sections 6, 19, and 20 of the Constitution of Louisiana and Part VII of Chapter 2 of Title 33 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 (R.S. 33:1321 et seq.), the authority shall exercise all rights, privileges, and immunities granted to political subdivisions for industrial, commercial, tourism, and economic development purposes including the power of taxation and the power to incur debt and issue revenue and general obligation bonds and certificates of indebtedness, subject to the limitations provided in this Subpart.

C. The authority created pursuant hereto shall be established for the primary object and purpose of stimulating and encouraging economic development through commerce, industry, and tourism and for the utilization and development of natural and human resources of the area and to provide job opportunities.

D. The boundaries of the authority may include any property within or contiguous with or adjacent to the boundaries of the contracting municipalities.

Acts 2001, No. 996, §1; Acts 2011, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 20, §1, eff. June 12, 2011.