§3282. Creation of West Feliciana Parish Port Commission; membership

A.(1) The West Feliciana Parish Port Commission, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "commission", is hereby created as a political subdivision of the state of Louisiana, and having a port area coextensive with the entire parish of West Feliciana, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "parish", as presently or hereafter fixed by law, and is hereby declared to be and constitute a port commission pursuant to Section 43 of Article VI of the Constitution of Louisiana as amended, and as such shall have all authority granted by said Section of the Constitution as well as such authority, powers, and jurisdiction as may be hereinafter provided by this Chapter.

(2) The commission shall be composed of nine members, hereinafter referred to as "members" or "commissioners", appointed for six-year terms as follows:

(a) Four members shall be appointed by the governing authority of West Feliciana Parish on its own nomination.

(b) One member shall be appointed by the parish governing authority from a single nomination submitted by the West Feliciana Community Development Foundation or its successor.

(c) One member shall be appointed by the parish governing authority nominated by a majority vote of the president of the West Feliciana Parish School Board, the sheriff of West Feliciana Parish, and the assessor of West Feliciana Parish.

(d) Three members shall be appointed by the parish governing authority from a list of nominations submitted by the state legislative delegation representing the parish of West Feliciana. Prior to submission, such list shall be approved by a majority of the legislative delegation.

(3) The commissioners appointed pursuant to Subparagraphs (2)(b) and (c) and one of the commissioners appointed pursuant to Subparagraph (2)(a) as determined by the parish governing authority shall serve an initial term of two years. The remaining commissioners appointed pursuant to Subparagraph (2)(a) shall serve an initial term of four years. Any other commissioner appointed pursuant to Paragraph (2) shall serve an initial term of six years. Thereafter, the successors to such commissioners shall be appointed for terms of six years.

(4) Any vacancy which occurs prior to the expiration of a term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments for the unexpired term.

B. Each commissioner shall be a citizen of the United States and a qualified voter of West Feliciana Parish and the state of Louisiana, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "state". No person who holds an elective public office of any kind in the federal, state, or local governments shall be appointed or serve as a member of the commission. Any member of the commission who, during his term of office, is elected to any such public office shall be deemed to have resigned from the commission by virtue of being elected to such public office.

C. Any member of the commission may be removed therefrom by a vote of two-thirds of the membership of the parish governing authority, subject to approval of the nominating entity. The parish governing authority shall give the member and the nominating entity thirty days written notice of its intention to act upon his removal. If the nominating entity approves the removal or does not respond within thirty days of such notice, the parish governing authority may remove the member. The requirement for approval of the nominating entity shall not apply to members appointed pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(2)(a) of this Section.

D. The commissioners shall serve without compensation.

Acts 2005, No. 98, §1, eff. June 21, 2005.