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Article 3. Boards Of Trustees And Officers of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 3. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 3.

A legislative body of at least five members known as the board of trustees shall govern every district. The board of trustees shall establish policies for the operation of the district. The board of trustees shall provide for the faithful implementation of those policies which is the responsibility of the employees of the district.
Within 30 days after the effective date of the formation of a district, a board of trustees shall be appointed as follows:
  (a) In the case of a district that contains only unincorporated territory in a single county, the board of supervisors shall appoint five persons to the board of trustees.
  (b) In the case of a district that is located entirely within a single county and contains both incorporated territory and unincorporated territory, the board of supervisors may appoint one person to the board of trustees, and the city council of each city that is located in whole or in part within the district may appoint one person to the board of trustees. If those appointments result in a board of trustees with less than five trustees, the board of supervisors shall appoint enough additional persons to make a board of trustees of five members.
  (c) In the case of a district that contains only unincorporated territory in more than one county, the board of supervisors of each county may appoint one person to the board of trustees. If those appointments result in a board of trustees with less than five persons, the board of supervisors of the principal county shall appoint enough additional persons to make a board of trustees of five members.
  (d) In the case of a district that is located in two or more counties and contains both incorporated territory and unincorporated territory, the board of supervisors of each county may appoint one person to the board of trustees, and the city council of each city that is located in whole or part within the district may appoint one person to the board of trustees. If those appointments result in less than five persons, the board of supervisors of the principal county shall appoint enough additional persons to make a board of trustees of five members.
(a) Each person appointed by a board of supervisors to be a member of a board of trustees shall be a voter in that county and a resident of that portion of the county that is within the district.
  (b) Each person appointed by a city council to be a member of a board of trustees shall be a voter in that city and a resident of that portion of the city that is within the district.
  (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law including the common law doctrine that precludes the simultaneous holding of incompatible offices, a member of a city council may be appointed and may serve as a member of a board of trustees if that person also meets the other applicable qualifications of this chapter.
  (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that persons appointed to boards of trustees have experience, training, and education in fields that will assist in the governance of the districts.
  (e) All trustees shall exercise their independent judgment on behalf of the interests of the residents, property owners, and the public as a whole in furthering the purposes and intent of this chapter. The trustees shall represent the interests of the public as a whole and not solely the interests of the board of supervisors or the city council that appointed them.
(a) The initial board of trustees of a district formed on or after January 1, 2003, shall be determined pursuant to this section.
  (b) The persons appointed to the initial board of trustees shall meet on the first Monday after 45 days after the effective date of the formation of the district.
  (c) At the first meeting of the initial board of trustees, the trustees shall classify themselves by lot into two classes, as nearly equal as possible. The term of office of the class having the greater number shall expire at noon on the first Monday in January that is closest to the second year from the appointments made pursuant to Section 2021. The term of office of the class having the lesser number shall expire at noon on the first Monday in January that is closest to the first year from the appointments made pursuant to Section 2021.
(a) Except as provided in Section 2023, the term of office for a member of the board of trustees shall be for a term of two or four years, at the discretion of the appointing authority. Terms of office commence at noon on the first Monday in January.
  (b) Any vacancy in the office of a member appointed to a board of trustees shall be filled pursuant to Section 1779 of the Government Code. Any person appointed to fill a vacant office shall fill the balance of the unexpired term.
(a) Under no circumstances shall a board of trustees consist of less than five members. Except as provided in Section 2026, the number of members who represent the unincorporated territory of a county may not exceed five members.
  (b) A board of trustees may adopt a resolution requesting the board of supervisors of any county that contains territory within the district to increase or decrease the number of members of the board of trustees who represent the unincorporated territory of that county within the district. The resolution shall specify the number of members and the areas of the unincorporated territory for which the board of trustees requests the increase or decrease.
  (c) Within 60 days of receiving a resolution adopted pursuant to subdivision (b), the board of supervisors shall order the increase or decrease in the number of members of the board of trustees, consistent with the board of trustees' resolution.
  (d) If the board of supervisors orders an increase in the number of members of the board of trustees, the board of supervisors shall appoint a person or persons to the board of trustees and specify their term of office, consistent with the requirements of this chapter. If the board of supervisors orders a decrease in the number of members of the board of trustees, the board of supervisors shall designate the trustee or trustees whose office shall be eliminated at the termination of the trustee's current term of office. Any trustee whose office is designated to be eliminated shall continue to serve until his or her term of office expires.
(a) A local agency formation commission, in approving either a consolidation of districts or the reorganization of two more districts into a single district, may, pursuant to subdivisions (k) and (n) of Section 56886 of the Government Code, change the number of members on the board of trustees of the consolidated or reorganized district, provided that the resulting number of trustees shall be an odd number but not less than five.
  (b) Upon the expiration of the terms of the members of the board of trustees of the consolidated or reorganized district whose terms first expire following the effective date of the consolidation or reorganization, the total number of members on the board of trustees shall be reduced until the number equals the number of members determined by the local agency formation commission.
  (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 2024, in the event of a vacancy on the board of trustees of the consolidated or reorganized district at a time when the number of members of the board of trustees is greater than the number determined by the local agency formation commission, the vacancy shall not be filled and the membership of the board of trustees shall be reduced by one member.
(a) At the first meeting of the initial board of trustees of a newly formed district, and in the case of an existing district at the first meeting in January every year or every other year, the board of trustees shall elect its officers.
  (b) The officers of a board of trustees are a president and a secretary. The president shall be a trustee. The secretary may be either a trustee or a district employee. A board of trustees may create additional officers and elect members to those positions. No trustee shall hold more than one office.
  (c) Except as provided in Section 2077, the county treasurer of the principal county shall act as the district treasurer. The county treasurer shall receive no compensation for the receipt and disbursement of money of the district.
A board of trustees shall meet at least once every three months. Meetings of the board of trustees are subject to the provisions of the Ralph M. Brown Act, Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code.
(a) A majority of the board of trustees shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
  (b) Except as otherwise specifically provided to the contrary in this chapter, a recorded vote of a majority of those trustees present and voting is required on each action.
  (c) The board of trustees shall act only by ordinance, resolution, or motion.
  (d) The board of trustees shall keep a record of all of its acts, including financial transactions.
  (e) The board of trustees shall adopt rules for its proceedings.
(a) The members of the board of trustees shall serve without compensation.
  (b) The members of the board of trustees may receive their actual and necessary traveling and incidental expenses incurred while on official business. In lieu of paying for actual expenses, the board of trustees may by resolution provide for the allowance and payment to each trustee a sum not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) per month for expenses incurred while on official business. A trustee may waive the payments permitted by this subdivision.
  (c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the secretary of the board of trustees may receive compensation in an amount determined by the board of trustees.
  (d) Reimbursement for these expenses is subject to Sections 53232.2 and 53232.3 of the Government Code.