43:13-22.5. Pension commission; membership; vacancies; elections

There is hereby authorized to carry out the provisions of this act, and charged with the duty of administering the retirement system provided for herein, a pension commission composed of 7 members, consisting of, the mayor of said city; 1 other member of the governing body of said city, to be designated by the mayor, a financial officer of the city to be designated by the mayor; 3 city employees who are members of the retirement system created by this act; and, 1 resident of the city who is not the holder of any public office or position.

The resident of the city shall be selected by a majority vote of the other 6 members of the commission to serve for a period of 1 year ending December 31 and the first such appointee shall serve until January 1 of the year following the year of his selection unless selected after January 1, 1955, in which event his term shall expire on December 31, 1955. Members of the commission designated by the mayor shall not hold office beyond the incumbency of the mayor. In case of a vacancy as to a member designated by the mayor, he shall designate a successor.

The 3 city employee members of the commission shall, for the purposes of the first election hereunder, be elected within 60 days after the adoption of this act, in the manner following:

Each of the 3 pension funds existing in the city at the time of the adoption of this act shall elect 1 of its members to the commission for a term to commence immediately following his election and to end January 1 of the second year following the year of adoption of this act.

The said elections shall be held at a meeting called for the purpose, after 30 days' written notice of the time and place thereof has been given by the mayor (or other city officer designated by him) to all such employee members of said pension funds. Nominations shall be made by written petition only, filed with the mayor at least 15 days prior to such elections, and each petition shall contain at least 50 signatures of members of the said pension funds entitled to participate therein.

The first election after the passage of this act shall be conducted by the mayor of said city or by a committee designated by him.

All elections of the city employee members of the Pension Commission held subsequent to the first election shall be in the manner following, except as herein provided:

The elections shall be held at a meeting of the members of the retirement system on the third Tuesday of December of each year, except as hereinbefore provided as to the terms of office of the first city employee members of the commission, after 30 days written notice of the time and place thereof has been given by the mayor (or other city officer designated by him) to all members of the system. Nominations shall be by written petition only, filed with the secretary of the commission at least 15 days prior to such election, and each petition shall contain at least 50 signatures of members of the retirement system.

The member receiving the highest number of votes cast shall be elected to serve a term of 3 years, commencing January 1 of the year following the election; and the member receiving the next highest number of votes cast shall be elected to serve a term of 2 years, commencing January 1 of the year following the election; and the member receiving the third highest number of votes cast shall be elected to serve for a term of 1 year, commencing January 1 of the year following the election.

Thereafter, on the third Tuesday of December of each succeeding year, 1 member shall be elected to the commission for the term of 3 years, commencing January 1 of the year following the election.

The pension commission, or a committee designated by the commission, shall conduct all elections held pursuant to these provisions.

L.1954, c. 218, p. 810, s. 3.