§4545.4. Board of directors as governing authority of the Authority

A. The Authority hereby created shall be governed by a board of directors of the Authority composed of members who shall be appointed as follows:

(1) The governing authority of each municipality that desires to become a member of the Authority shall adopt a resolution indicating its intention to so join.

(2) The mayor of each municipality that becomes a member shall appoint one director to the board of directors of the Authority, which appointment shall be approved by the governing authority of said municipality.

B.(1) The members of the board of directors of the Authority shall serve initial terms expiring on the following dates:

(a) July 1, 1980

(b) July 1, 1981

(c) July 1, 1982

(d) July 1, 1983

(e) July 1, 1984

(2) The initial term of each member of the board of directors of the Authority shall be determined by the drawing of lots.

(3) Upon the expiration of a director's term, a successor director shall be appointed for a period of five years in the same manner as the original appointment. If a vacancy occurs for any other reason, a successor director shall be appointed in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term. Directors shall hold office until their successors have been appointed and may succeed themselves. A director shall be a citizen of the United States and domiciled in the state of Louisiana and shall be either domiciled in or an employee of the municipality represented. Any director shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority, and he may be removed from office and his successor appointed in the same manner as the original appointment.

C. The board of directors of the Authority shall elect one of their number as chairman and another as vice chairman. The board of directors shall appoint a secretary, treasurer, and such other officers, employees and agents as are deemed necessary who need not be directors of the Authority. The offices of the secretary and treasurer may be combined. A majority of the directors of the Authority shall constitute a quorum, and a majority vote of the directors shall be necessary for any action taken by the Authority. No vacancy on the board of directors shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all of the rights and perform all of the duties of the Authority. An elected official or employee of a participating governmental unit may be a director of the Authority. Directors shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed from time to time by resolution or resolutions of the board of directors of the Authority and shall be reimbursed their actual expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.

D. The board of directors shall adopt by-laws and prescribe rules to govern its meetings and shall fix the place or places at which meetings shall be held.

E. By an ordinance unanimously adopted and approved by all members of the board of directors, provisions may be made for the appointment of additional directors to increase the membership of the board of directors to include other appointments by any municipality which, on the effective date of this Act, is engaged in the generation, transmission, or distribution of electricity. The initial term of the new director shall be set forth in said ordinance but shall not exceed five years. Any such municipality desiring representation on the board of directors shall request it by furnishing to the board of directors a resolution duly adopted by its governing authority requesting such representation and furnishing such other contracts, agreements, or information as may be reasonably required by the board of directors. The board of directors shall act upon such request within sixty days and if the request is not granted within said period of sixty days, it shall be considered as denied, and thereafter other requests may be subsequently furnished and considered.

F. By an ordinance adopted and approved by not less than two-thirds of all members of the board of directors, the number of members or directors serving on the board of directors may also be reduced by eliminating the member or director who has been appointed by a municipality that has ceased to be a participant in the Authority. The membership of the board of directors may be reduced by an ordinance adopted in the same manner provided that the governing authority of the political subdivision responsible for appointing the excluded member or director has adopted a resolution requesting such action by the board of directors. Notwithstanding the above, there shall never be fewer than three members or directors serving on the board of directors.

G. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, with respect to the Louisiana Energy and Power Authority Unit 1, the board of directors shall be subject to the limitations provided in R.S. 33:4545.6(B).

Added by Acts 1979, No. 772, §1, eff. July 20, 1979; Acts 2016, No. 242, §1; Acts 2018, No. 138, §1.