§ 158-35. Commission membership, officers, compensation.
§ 158‑35. Commission membership, officers,compensation.
(a) Commission Membership. The governing body of the Region isthe Commission. The members of the Commission must be residents of the Regionand shall be appointed as follows:
(1) The board of commissioners of each county participating inthe Region shall, in consultation with the county's local business community,appoint one member.
(2), (3) Repealed by Session Laws 2005‑364, s. 1,effective October 1, 2005.
(4) The General Assembly shall appoint two members to theCommission on the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representativesand two members on the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of theSenate in accordance with G.S. 120‑121. The Governor shall appoint twomembers to the Commission. No two members appointed under this subdivision maybe residents of the same county. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate,Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Governor shall consult toassist in geographic diversity in those six appointments. In order to beeligible for appointment under this subdivision, a person must be a resident ofthe region. No person appointed under this subdivision is eligible to bechairperson or vice‑chairperson.
(b) Terms. Members of the Commission shall serve for staggeredfour‑year terms. Three of the members initially appointed by the boardsof county commissioners pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) of this section shallserve an initial term of two years. The three members to serve initial terms oftwo years shall be determined by lot at the organizational meeting of theCommission. Each of the initial appointees by the General Assembly and Governorpursuant to subdivision (a)(4) of this section shall serve an initial term oftwo years.
(c) Removal; Vacancies. A member of the Commission may beremoved with or without cause by the appointing body. In addition, a majorityof the Commission members may, by majority vote, remove a member of theCommission if that member does not attend at least three‑quarters of theregularly scheduled meetings of the Commission during any consecutive 12‑monthperiod of service of that member on the Commission, except that absencesexcused by the Commission due to serious medical or family circumstances shallnot be considered. If the Commission votes to remove a member under thissubsection, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the originalappointment. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be made for the remainder ofthe unexpired term by the respective appointing authority. All members shallserve until their successors are appointed and qualified, unless removed fromoffice.
(d) Dual Office Holding. Service on the Commission may be inaddition to any other office a person is entitled to hold.
(e) Officers. The Commission shall annually elect from itsmembership a chairperson and a vice‑chairperson, and shall annually electa secretary and a treasurer. After the Commission has been duly organized andits officers elected as provided in this section, the secretary of theCommission shall certify to the Secretary of State the names and addresses ofthe officers as well as the address of the principal office of the Commission.
(f) Compensation. The members of the Commission shall receiveno compensation other than travel, subsistence, and reasonable per diemexpenses determined by the Commission for attendance at Commission meetings andother official Region functions. (1993, c. 544, s.1; 1998‑217, s. 48; 2001‑424, ss. 20.13(a), (b); 2001‑496, s.3.5; 2003‑94, s. 1; 2005‑364, s. 1.)