89E-4. North Carolina Board for Licensing of Geologists; appointments; terms; composition.

(a) The North Carolina Board for Licensing of Geologists shall have the power and responsibility to administer the provisions of this Chapter in compliance with Chapter 150B of the General Statutes.

(b) The Board shall consist of five members appointed by the Governor in the manner hereinafter prescribed, and in addition the State geologist shall serve on the Board ex officio. The Governor may remove any member of the Board for neglect of duty or malfeasance or violation of this Chapter or conviction of a felony or other crime of moral turpitude, but for no other reason.

(c) Each member of the Board shall be a citizen of the United States and shall have been a resident of this State for at least six months immediately preceding his or her appointment.

(d) All members of the initial Board shall be appointed by the Governor and shall at the time of their appointment qualify for licensing under this Chapter except for the lay member appointee. At all times at least one member of the Board shall be an academic geologist; one member shall be a salaried company geologist; one member shall be an independent or consultant geologist; one member shall be a representative from the mining industry; one member shall be a consumer or lay member who is not a geologist; and in addition, the State geologist shall serve as a permanent ex officio member.

(e) After the establishment of the initial Board, all members, with the exception of the lay member, shall be so licensed under the provisions of this Chapter. The term of office of each member of the Board shall be three years; provided, however, that of the members first appointed, one shall be appointed for a term of one year; two for terms of two years; and two for terms of three years in the discretion of the Governor. No member shall serve more than two consecutive three-year terms without an interruption in service of at least one year.

(f) Each term of service on the Board shall expire on the 30th day of June of the year in which the term expires. As the term of a member expires, the Governor shall make the appointment for a full term, or, if a vacancy occurs for any other reason, for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(g) Members of the Board may receive compensation for their services and reimbursement for expenses incurred in the performance of duties required by this Chapter at the rates prescribed in G.S. 138-5, subject to availability of funds.

(h) The Board may employ the necessary personnel for performance of its functions, and fix their compensation within the limits of funds available to the Board.