§130A-45.1. Membership of the public health authority board

(a)        A public health authority board shall be the policy-making, rule-making, and adjudicatory body for a public health authority and shall be composed of no fewer than seven members and no more than nine members; except that in an authority comprising two or more counties, the board shall be composed of no more than 11 members. Boards which intend to pursue federally qualified health center (or look-alike) status may have no fewer than nine and no more than 25 members.

(b)        In a single county authority, the county board of commissioners shall appoint the members of the board; in an authority comprising two or more counties, the chair of the county board of commissioners of each county in the authority shall appoint one county commissioner, or the commissioner's express designee, to the authority board and these members shall jointly appoint the other members of the board.

(c)        The members of the board shall include:

(1)        At least one physician licensed under Chapter 90 of the General Statutes to practice medicine in this State, and at least one dentist licensed under Article 2 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes to practice dentistry in this State;

(2)        At least one county commissioner or the commissioner's express designee from each county in the authority;

(3)        At least two licensed or registered professionals from any of the following professions: optometry, veterinary science, nursing, pharmacy, engineering, or accounting;

(4)        At least one member from the administrative staff of a hospital serving the authority service area; and

(5)        At least one member from the general public.

(d)       Except as provided in this subsection, members of the board shall serve terms of three years. In order to establish a uniform staggered term structure for the Board, a member may be appointed for less than a three-year term.

(e)        Any member who is a county commissioner serves on the board in an ex officio capacity.

(f)        Whenever a county shall join or withdraw from an existing public health authority, the board shall be dissolved and a new board shall be appointed as provided in subsection (b) of this section.

(g)        Vacancies shall be filled within 120 days for any unexpired portion of a term.

(h)        A chair shall be elected annually by a board. The authority director shall serve as secretary to the board.

(i)         A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.

(j)         A member may be removed from office by the board for any of the following:

(1)        Commission of a felony or other crime involving moral turpitude.

(2)        Violation of a State law governing conflict of interest.

(3)        Violation of a written policy adopted by the county board of commissioners of each county in the authority.

(4)        Habitual failure to attend meetings.

(5)        Conduct that tends to bring the office into disrepute.

(6)        Failure to maintain qualifications for appointment required under subsection (c) of this section.

A board member may be removed only after the member has been given written notice of the basis for removal and has had the opportunity to respond.

(k)        Board members may receive per diem in an amount established by the county commissioner members of the Public Health Authority Board. Reimbursement for subsistence and travel shall be in accordance with a policy set by the county commissioner members of the Public Health Authority Board.

(l)         The board shall meet at least quarterly. The chair or three of the members may call a special meeting.

(1997-502, s. 1; 2005-459, s. 2; 2007-229, s. 1.)