35-1-302. Organization of units; membership of boards; removal.

(a) Within thirty (30) days after the adoption of a resolution or resolutions to establish and maintain a county and/or city or district health department, the board or boards of county commissioners and/or city governing body, as the case may be, shall proceed to organize such a department by the appointment of a county and/or city or district board of health, hereinafter referred to as the board.

(b) Each county and/or city board of health shall consist of five (5) members, all of whom shall be qualified electors of the county in which they serve, and one (1) shall have the degree of doctor of medicine and one (1) shall have the degree of doctor of dental surgery when available in said county. One (1) member of the board to be appointed for one (1) year; one (1) for two (2) years; one (1) for three (3) years, one (1) for four (4) years; and one (1) for five (5) years. Thereafter appointments for full term shall be for five (5) years. Vacancies for unexpired terms shall be filled by appointment by the board of county commissioners and/or city governing body.

(c) The number of members on the district board shall be at least equal to the number of participating political subdivisions; each participating political subdivision shall have at least one (1) representative on the board; the board shall not have less than seven (7) members; at least one (1) member of the board shall have the degree of doctor of medicine and at least one (1) member shall have the degree of doctor of dental surgery. For the original board, one (1) member shall be appointed for a term of one (1) year, two (2) for a term of two (2) years, two (2) for three (3) years, two (2) for four (4) years. Thereafter, each appointment shall be for a term of four (4) years. The district board of health shall be appointed by a committee composed of one (1) member of each of the boards of county commissioners of the counties comprising the district.

(d) Meetings of the board shall be held quarterly at such place as is designated by the board and at such other time as may be desirable upon call by the county and/or city or district health officer. Members of the board shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to payment for travel and other necessary expense incurred while attending meetings of the board.

(e) The governing body which appointed the member of the board may remove that member of the board for cause without a public hearing unless the member requests that the action be taken during a public hearing. Vacancies on the board shall be filled by the governing body for the balance of the unexpired term created by the vacancy.