1. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if an irrigation district operates a federal reclamation project pursuant to a contract with the United States and the project is authorized for purposes in addition to irrigation, the district may expand the number of directors on the board of directors of the district in the manner provided in this section.

2. The number of directors may be increased pursuant to this section by a number not to exceed one less than the number of elected directors on the board. The addition of directors pursuant to this section may be proposed by resolution adopted by the board of directors or upon the petition of not less than 51 percent of the qualified electors of the district.

3. The resolution or petition proposing to increase the number of directors must designate the number of additional directors proposed, the interest to be represented by each additional director and the method by which each additional director will be appointed. The interest to be represented by each additional director must be an interest which owns a water right for an authorized purpose of the federal reclamation project.

4. The board of directors shall submit the question of expanding the board of directors in accordance with the resolution or petition to the qualified electors of the district at the next district election or primary or general state election. Notice of the election must be given in the manner provided in NRS 539.125.

5. If the result of the election is in favor of the expansion, the board of directors must be expanded in accordance with the resolution or petition. The new directors must be appointed at the time of the next biennial election of directors, and must determine their respective tenures of office in the manner provided in NRS 539.065. After the initial terms, directors appointed pursuant to this section hold office for a term of 4 years. The successor to a director appointed pursuant to this section must be appointed not later than the biennial election which coincides with the expiration of the director’s term.

6. By resolution of the elected directors or by petition of not less than 51 percent of the qualified electors of the district, the directors added pursuant to this section may be eliminated, or the interests they represent or their appointing authorities may be changed, in the same manner that directors are added pursuant to this section.

(Added to NRS by 1991, 1081; A 1993, 1081)