79-1217. Governing board; name; members; election; qualification; vacancy; expenses.

(1) All educational service units shall be governed by a board to be known as the Board of Educational Service Unit No. ..... . Until the first Thursday after the first Tuesday in January 2009, the educational service unit board, except the board of an educational service unit with only one member school district, shall be composed of one member from each county and four members at large, all of whom shall reside within the geographical boundaries of the educational service unit, but no more than two of the members at large shall be appointed or elected from the same county unless any one county within the educational service unit has a population in excess of one hundred fifty thousand inhabitants or the educational service unit consists of only one county. Beginning on the first Thursday after the first Tuesday in January 2009, the educational service unit board, except the board of an educational service unit with only one member school district, shall be composed of one member elected to represent each election district established pursuant to section 79-1217.01. Successors to the members initially appointed pursuant to section 79-1212 shall be elected pursuant to section 32-515.

(2) Vacancies in office shall occur as set forth in section 32-560, except as otherwise provided in section 79-1212 regarding the requirement to live in the district represented, or in the case of absences, unless excused by a majority of the remaining members of the board, when a member is absent from the geographical boundaries of the educational service unit for a continuous period of sixty days at one time or from more than two consecutive regular meetings of the board. Whenever any vacancy occurs on the board, the remaining members of such board shall appoint an individual residing within the election district of the educational service unit for which the vacancy exists and meeting the qualifications for the office to fill such vacancy for the balance of the unexpired term.

(3) Members of the board shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under the Educational Service Units Act as provided in sections 81-1174 to 81-1177.

(4) Any joint school district located in two or more counties shall be considered a part of the educational service unit in which the greater number of school-age children of such joint school district reside.

(5) The administrator of each educational service unit, prior to July 1 of each year in which a statewide primary election is to be held, shall certify to the election commissioner or county clerk of each county located within the unit the corporate name of each school district, as described in section 79-405, located within the county. If a school district is a joint school district located in two or more counties, the administrator shall certify to each election commissioner or county clerk the educational service unit of which the school district is considered to be a part.

(6) An educational service unit may consist of a single school district if the single school district is either a Class IV or Class V school district. An educational service unit with only one member school district shall be governed by the school board of such school district and shall participate in one or more of the statewide projects managed by the Educational Service Unit Coordinating Council.

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