Section 11-50-342 Qualifications, Appointment, Terms of Office, Compensation, and Removal of Members of Board; Oath and Bond Thereof; Vacancies; Election of Officers; Quorum.

(a) Each board of water and sewer commissioners shall consist of three members appointed by the council. The members first appointed shall serve for terms of two, four, and six years, respectively, from the date of the judge of probate’s certificate mentioned in subsection (c) of Section 11-50-341 and until their successors shall be duly appointed and qualified; provided, however, that a council which has heretofore created or hereafter creates a board as provided in this article may, at its option, increase the board from three to five members to serve according to all the conditions and terms set forth in this article. In the event the council elects to increase the membership of the board from three to five members, one member added to the board shall be appointed to serve for a term of four years, and the remaining member of the board shall be appointed for a term of six years. The successor of any member of the board shall be appointed for a term of six years, but any person appointed to fill a vacancy shall be appointed to serve only for the unexpired term, and a member of the board shall be eligible for reappointment. (b) Any member of the board may be removed by the council for misfeasance, malfeasance, or willful neglect of duty, but only after a reasonable notice and a public hearing unless the same are in writing expressly waived. (c) Each member of the board before entering upon his duties shall take an oath to administer the duties of his office faithfully and impartially, and a record of each oath shall be filed in the office of the city clerk. (d) Any officer of the city may be appointed to the board; provided, however, that at no time may more than two members of a three member board or three members of a five member board be officers of the city. (e) The board shall elect one of its members as chairman of the board and another as vice-chairman and shall also elect a secretary-treasurer who need not be a member of the board. (f) The chairman, vice-chairman, and secretary-treasurer shall serve as such officers at the pleasure of the board. In the event the board consists of three members, two members shall constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of two members shall be necessary for any action taken by the board. In the event the board consists of five members, three members shall constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of three members shall be necessary for any action taken by the board. No vacancy in the membership of the board shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all rights and perform all duties of the board. (g) Before the issuance of any revenue bonds under the provisions of this article, each member of the board and the secretary-treasurer shall execute a surety bond in such penal sum as may be fixed by the council of the city, each such surety bond to be conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties of his office, to be executed by a surety company authorized to transact business in the state as a surety and to be approved by the city attorney and filed in the office of the city clerk. (h) The members of the board shall receive such salaries for their services as may be fixed by the council from time to time; provided, however, that no officer of the city serving as a member of the board shall receive any salary. Each member of the board shall be reimbursed for his actual expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of his duties.