143-151.9. North Carolina Code Officials Qualification Board established; members; terms; vacancies.

(a) There is hereby established the North Carolina Code Officials Qualification Board in the Department of Insurance. The Board shall be composed of 20 members appointed as follows:

(1) One member who is a city or county manager;

(2) Two members, one of whom is an elected official representing a city over 5,000 population and one of whom is an elected official representing a city under 5,000 population;

(3) Two members, one of whom is an elected official representing a county over 40,000 population and one of whom is an elected official representing a county under 40,000 population;

(4) Two members serving as building officials with the responsibility for administering building, plumbing, electrical and heating codes, one of whom serves a county and one of whom serves a city;

(5) One member who is a registered architect;

(6) One member who is a registered engineer;

(7) Two members who are licensed general contractors, at least one of whom specializes in residential construction;

(8) One member who is a licensed electrical contractor;

(9) One member who is a licensed plumbing or heating contractor;

(10) One member selected from the faculty of the North Carolina State University School of Engineering and one member selected from the faculty of the School of Engineering of the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University;

(11) One member selected from the faculty of the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill;

(12) One member selected from the Community Colleges System Office;

(13) One member selected from the Division of Engineering and Building Codes in the Department of Insurance; and,

(14) One member who is a local government fire prevention inspector and one member who is a citizen of the State.

The various categories shall be appointed as follows: (1), (2), (3), and (14) by the Governor; (4), (5), and (6) by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore in accordance with G.S. 120-121; (7), (8), and (9) by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in accordance with G.S. 120-121; (10) by the deans of the respective schools of engineering of the named universities; (11) by the Dean of the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; (12) by the President of the Community Colleges System; and (13) by the Commissioner of Insurance.

(b) The members shall be appointed for staggered terms and the initial appointments shall be made prior to September 1, 1977, and the appointees shall hold office until July 1 of the year in which their respective terms expire and until their successors are appointed and qualified as provided hereafter:

For the terms of one year: the members from subdivisions (1), (6) and (10) of subsection (a), and one member from subdivision (3).

For the terms of two years: the member from subdivision (11) of subsection (a), one member from subdivision (2), one member from subdivision (4), one member from subdivision (7), and one member from subdivision (14).

For the terms of three years: the members from subdivisions (8) and (12) of subsection (a), one member from subdivision (2), one member from subdivision (4), and one member from subdivision (14).

For the terms of four years: the members from subdivision (5), (9) and (13) of subsection (a), one member from subdivision (3), and one member from subdivision (7).

Thereafter, as the term of each member expires, his successor shall be appointed for a term of four years. Notwithstanding the appointments for a term of years, each member shall serve at the will of the Governor.

Members of the Board who are public officers shall serve ex officio and shall perform their duties on the Board in addition to the duties of their office.

(c) Vacancies in the Board occurring for any reason shall be filled for the unexpired term by the person making the appointment.