61040-61048
GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTION 61040-61048
61040. (a) A legislative body of five members known as the board of directors shall govern each district. The board of directors shall establish policies for the operation of the district. The board of directors shall provide for the implementation of those policies which is the responsibility of the district's general manager. (b) No person shall be a candidate for the board of directors unless he or she is a voter of the district or the proposed district. No person shall be a candidate for the board of directors that is elected by divisions or from divisions unless he or she is a voter of that division or proposed division. (c) All members of the board of directors shall exercise their independent judgment on behalf of the interests of the entire district, including the residents, property owners, and the public as a whole in furthering the purposes and intent of this division. Where the members of the board of directors have been elected by divisions or from divisions, they shall represent the interests of the entire district and not solely the interests of the residents and property owners in their divisions. (d) Service on a municipal advisory council established pursuant to Section 31010 or service on an area planning commission established pursuant to Section 65101 shall not be considered an incompatible office with service as a member of a board of directors. (e) A member of the board of directors shall not be the general manager, the district treasurer, or any other compensated employee of the district, except for volunteer firefighters as provided by Section 53227. 61041. Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 65040, this section applies only to those districts that on December 31, 2005, had boards of directors that consisted of three members. Those districts shall continue to have boards of directors that consist of three members until the next general district election after January 1, 2006, after which date those districts shall have boards of directors that consist of five members. At that election, the voters shall fill the two vacancies on the board of directors. Those two members of the board of directors shall serve for the terms of office determined pursuant to Section 10506 of the Elections Code. 61042. (a) The term of office of each member of a board of directors is four years or until his or her successor qualifies and takes office. Directors shall take office at noon on the first Friday in December following their election. (b) For districts formed before January 1, 2006, where the members of the board of directors are not serving staggered terms, at the first meeting after January 1, 2006, the members shall classify themselves by lot into two classes. One class shall have three members and the other class shall have two members. For the class that has three members, the terms of the offices that begin after the next general district election shall be four years. For the class that has two members, the initial terms of the offices that begin after the next general district election shall be two years. Thereafter, the terms of all members shall be four years. (c) Any vacancy in the office of a member elected to a board of directors shall be filled pursuant to Section 1780. 61043. (a) Within 45 days after the effective date of the formation of a district, the board of directors shall meet and elect its officers. Thereafter, within 45 days after each general district or unopposed election, the board of directors shall meet and elect the officers of the board of directors. A board of directors may elect the officers of the board of directors annually. (b) The officers of a board of directors are a president and a vice president. The president shall preside over meetings of the board of directors and the vice president shall serve in the president's absence or inability to serve. (c) A board of directors may create additional offices and elect members to those offices, provided that no member of a board of directors shall hold more than one office. 61044. A board of directors shall hold a regular meeting at least once every three months. Meetings of the board of directors are subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act, Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5. 61045. (a) A majority of the total membership of the board of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. (b) The board of directors shall act only by ordinance, resolution, or motion. (c) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, a majority vote of the total membership of the board of directors is required for the board of directors to take action. (d) The minutes of the board of directors shall record the aye and no votes taken by the members of the board of directors for the passage of all ordinances, resolutions, or motions. (e) The board of directors shall keep a record of all its actions, including financial transactions. (f) The board of directors shall adopt rules or bylaws for its proceedings. (g) The board of directors shall adopt policies for the operation of the district, including, but not limited to, administrative policies, fiscal policies, personnel policies, and the purchasing policies required by this division. 61046. (a) Ordinances may be passed by the voters by initiative pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 9300) of Chapter 4 of Division 9 of the Elections Code. (b) Legislative acts may be disapproved by the voters by referendum pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 9340) of Chapter 4 of Division 9 of the Elections Code. (c) Members of the board of directors may be recalled by the voters pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 11000) of Division 11 of the Elections Code. 61047. (a) The board of directors may provide, by ordinance or resolution, that each of its members may receive compensation in an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) for each day of service. A member of the board of directors shall not receive compensation for more than six days of service in a month. (b) The board of directors, by ordinance adopted pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 20200) of Division 10 of the Water Code, may increase the amount of compensation that may be received by members of the board of directors. (c) The board of directors may provide, by ordinance or resolution, that its members may receive their actual and necessary traveling and incidental expenses incurred while on official business. Reimbursement for these expenses is subject to Sections 53232.2 and 53232.3. (d) A member of the board of directors may waive any or all of the payments permitted by this section. (e) For the purposes of this section, a "day of service" means any of the following: (1) A meeting conducted pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act, Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5. (2) Representation of the district at a public event, provided that the board of directors has previously approved the member's representation at a board of directors' meeting and that the member delivers a written report to the board of directors regarding the member's representation at the next board of directors' meeting following the public event. (3) Representation of the district at a public meeting or a public hearing conducted by another public agency, provided that the board of directors has previously approved the member's representation at a board of directors' meeting and that the member delivers a written report to the board of directors regarding the member's representation at the next board of directors' meeting following the public meeting or public hearing. (4) Representation of the district at a meeting of a public benefit nonprofit corporation on whose board the district has membership, provided that the board of directors has previously approved the member's representation at a board of directors' meeting and the member delivers a written report to the board of directors regarding the member's representation at the next board of directors' meeting following the corporation's meeting. (5) Participation in a training program on a topic that is directly related to the district, provided that the board of directors has previously approved the member's participation at a board of directors' meeting, and that the member delivers a written report to the board of directors regarding the member's participation at the next board of directors' meeting following the training program. 61048. A board of directors may appoint one or more advisory committees to advise the board of directors about the district's finances, policies, programs, or operations.