§ 14-62. Election to board; term; vacancies; qualification of members; removal of members.

(a)

The county mayor, the county sheriff, the county trustee, the register, the county clerk, the assessor of property, the chairman of the board of county commissioners, the chancery court clerk and master, the criminal court clerk, the circuit court clerk, the general sessions court clerk, the probate court clerk, the juvenile court judge, and the juvenile court clerk shall be entitled to vote in the election of the members and alternate of the civil service merit board. The chairman of the board of county commissioners shall give each such official at least ten business days' notice in writing of the designated time and place of this meeting. Such notice shall state that the purpose of this meeting is to be the election of the members and alternate to the civil service merit board.

(b)

Nominations for the positions of member and alternate of the board may be made by any official entitled to vote in such election, and such nominations must be submitted in writing to the chairman of the board of county commissioners not less than five business days prior to the election meeting. The chairman of the board of county commissioners shall, not less than two business days prior to the election meeting, give each of those officials entitled to vote in the election a list of all nominations for the positions of board members and alternate.

(c)

The elected officials of the county entitled to vote shall, by a majority vote of those present, elect five board members and one alternate, who shall take office upon the effective date of the system and who shall serve for the following terms: Two members for a term of one year; two members for a term of two years; and one member for a term of three years and one alternate for a term of one year. Subsequent to the initial terms of board members, as provided in this section, each member thereafter appointed to the board shall serve for a term of three years. Vacancies on the board caused by the expiration of the terms of its members or alternate shall be filled by election in the same manner as set out in this section for the initial appointment of members. Any vacancy occurring on the board other than those due to the expiration shall be filled for the unexpired term by a majority vote of the remaining board members. Each board member or alternate shall serve until his successor is appointed and qualified. No person shall be eligible to serve as a member or alternate of the board:

(1)

Who is under the age of 18 years.

(2)

Who resides outside the county.

(3)

Who holds any elected or appointive office of the county.

(4)

Who is an employee of the county.

(5)

Who is an officer of any organized political party.

(d)

Any member or alternate of the board may be removed for just cause during his term of office by a two-thirds vote of the body which elected the board member or alternate, but only after such board member shall have been served with a statement in writing of the reasons alleged to justify his removal, and only after such member or alternate is allowed an opportunity to be represented and publicly heard in his defense before the board which elected the board member or alternate. Failure to attend three consecutive meetings of the board for reason other than death in the family or personal illness may, by a majority vote of the remaining board members, constitute just cause for removal and shall serve as constructive resignation from the board. The vacancy shall then be filled as prescribed in this section.

(Code 1992, § 12-62; Priv. Acts 1971, ch. 110, § 4; Priv. Acts 1979, ch. 96, § 1; Priv. Acts 1984, ch. 192, § 1; Ord. No. 45, 5-22-1989; Ord. No. 373, exh. A, 6-1-2009)