§ 2-82. Policy for filling vacancies on boards and commissions.

(a)

Advertisement. Vacancies on all parish boards and commissions created either by the expiration of term or by resignation shall be advertised in the official journal of the parish or in a daily newspaper in general circulation in the geographical area of the parish where the vacancy occurs at least two times within a 30-day period prior to the vacancies being filled. Said notice shall include:

(1)

The name of the board or commission and the qualifications for appointment to the vacancy;

(2)

The date and time that the parish council will meet to fill such vacancy;

(3)

The deadline for the submission of applications by qualified persons;

(4)

The name of the person, his/her official title and the address to where applications can be mailed or personally submitted.

(b)

This policy shall include vacancies on all parish boards and commissions for which the appointment authority lies with the parish council.

(c)

Any person qualified for appointment to a vacancy on a parish board or commission shall submit an application to the clerk of the council no later than noon on the Thursday preceding the date of the meeting of the parish council at which the vacancy will be filled. Any outgoing member to any board or commission who wishes to be reappointed shall inform the clerk of the council as to any changes to his or her application before the said deadline to be eligible for consideration by the council. All applications for appointment shall be reviewed by the clerk, who shall certify the eligibility of the applicant to serve on the board or commission. The clerk of the council shall submit the applications for all applicants to the St. Mary Parish Council members at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of the meeting of the St. Mary Parish Council is scheduled to fill said vacancy.

(d)

No applicant shall be denied on the basis of race, religion, gender or age.

(e)

The parish council shall make an appointment to a vacancy on a board or commission by a majority vote of the council members present at the regularly scheduled meeting of the council from those applications received.

(f)

Unless otherwise provided by the Revised Statutes of Louisiana, all members of any board or commission whose appointing authority is the parish council, and/or its predecessors or successors, shall serve staggered terms of no more than six years. At the end of each six-year period, said office shall be declared vacant. This section shall be subject to the following rules:

(1)

Any person serving on the parish board or commission who, at the time of the adoption of this section, has served a term of longer than six years without being reappointed to that position by the parish council shall have his/her office on said board or commission declared vacant effective June 1, 1992.

(2)

All persons currently serving on a board or commission, whose appointing authority is the parish council, and whose appointment was for an indefinite term and who have served for less than six years from the date of their appointment at the time of the adoption of this section shall have his/her appointment considered vacant at the end of six calendar years from the date of the last appointment to said board or commission of that person.

(3)

Those person(s) holding an appointment to a board or commission, whose appointing authority is the parish council and whose appointment was for a definite term of less than six years, shall have his/her appointment be considered vacant at the end of the term in office for which he/she was appointed.

(g)

The clerk of the council shall prepare an official application form which may be used by any person wishing to submit his/her application to fill a vacancy on any parish board or commission.

(Ord. No. 1169, §§ 1—7, 4-8-92; Ord. No. 1194, § 1, 9-9-92; Ord. No. 1824, § III, 12-10-08)