(a) In Etowah County, there is hereby created the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame Committee. The Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame Committee shall have full authority to direct, supervise, manage, and control all matters and affairs pertaining to the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame which is hereby established.

(b) The Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame shall be operated as a nonprofit organization. The board may take means necessary for raising money to defray the expenses of the organization, and may disburse these monies as it sees fit. Full records of all money involved and expended by the committee shall be kept by the treasurer and a full audit shall be made by an annual report.

(c) The hall of fame committee shall meet quarterly and additional meetings may be called by the chair as deemed necessary or at the written request of a majority of the board. At the April meeting of every even year, a chair, vice chair, and secretary-treasurer shall be elected to serve a term of two years. At least two board members shall be women. An executive secretary may be employed by the board, and such employment may be terminated by 30 days’ written notice. Committees as needed shall be appointed at the April meeting by the chair-elect to hold office for one year.

(d)(1) The purpose of the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame shall be to honor, preserve, and perpetuate the names and outstanding accomplishments of athletes or other sports personalities and bring lasting fame to Etowah County through their accomplishments. Permanent archives shall be established and maintained for the collection and display of memorabilia related to the lives and careers of these individuals who are chosen for placement in the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame. The first induction banquet shall be held in January 1989, and annual induction banquets shall be held on the night of the second Tuesday of January of each year.

(2) The Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame shall be located in the Gadsden Convention Center.

(e)(1) A committee for the purpose of selecting those to be inducted into the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame shall be designated the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame Selection Board and shall be selected as follows: Each of the 10 members of the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame Board shall name one person from his or her area to serve on the selection board; six members shall be selected by the board as a whole from lists submitted by the board members; and six members shall be elected by the selection board at its first meeting. All members shall serve for four years and may be reelected.

(2) The secretary shall act as chair of the selection board and shall call meetings when necessary and shall preside at these meetings. He or she shall conduct all selections of honorees and shall report these selections to the sports hall of fame board.

(f) A selection criteria committee, appointed by the Chair of the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame Committee, shall establish the criteria to be used in selecting members of the Etowah County Sports Hall of Fame. This committee shall establish the eligibility of candidates and how these candidates shall be elected to the hall of fame. The executive secretary shall prepare a list of those eligible in accordance with the dictates of the committee, and such list shall be furnished to the selection board with instructions as to how the board shall proceed.