Article 4. Powers And Duties Of Directors of California Public Utilities Code >> Division 6. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 4.

The oath of office of directors shall be taken, subscribed, and filed with the secretary of the district at any time after the director has notice of his election or appointment but not later than 15 days after the commencement of his term of office. No other filing is required.

The board shall choose one of its members president, and another vice president, who shall be authorized to act for the president during his absence or disability, and shall provide for the time and place of holding its meetings, which shall be held at least once each month.

The board is the legislative body of the district and determines all questions of policy.

All matters and things necessary for the proper administration of the affairs of the district which are not provided for in this division shall be provided for by the board.

The board shall supervise and regulate every utility owned and operated by the district, including the fixing of rates, rentals, charges, and classifications, and the making and enforcement of rules, regulations, contracts, practices, and schedules, for or in connection with any service, product, or commodity owned or controlled by the district.

The board shall by resolution determine and create such number and character of positions as are necessary properly to carry on the functions of the district and shall establish an appropriate salary, salary range, or wage for each position so created. The board may by resolution abolish any such position. Except as otherwise provided, appointments to such positions shall be made by the general manager in accordance with the civil service provisions applicable thereto.

The board of a district which has owned and operated an electric distribution system for at least eight years and has a population of 250,000 or more may delegate to the general manager the authority to take any or all of the actions provided for in Section 11886.

The board of any district having 600 or more employees may appoint not to exceed 15 employees to positions requiring peculiar and exceptional qualifications, including those of a scientific, professional, or expert character or of special confidence.

The board of a district which has owned and operated an electric distribution system for at least eight years and has a population of 250,000 or more may, notwithstanding Section 11887, determine that additional positions requiring peculiar and exceptional qualifications, including, but not limited to, those of a scientific, professional, or expert character or of special confidence, or positions with significant managerial responsibility, shall be exempt from the district civil service if the total number of these exempt positions, including the exempt positions filled pursuant to Section 11887, does not exceed 5 percent of the total civil service positions of the district. However, the board may not determine any position to be exempt as long as that position is filled by an employee appointed pursuant to the district civil service.

The board of a district which has owned and operated an electric distribution system for at least eight years and has a population of 250,000 or more may, notwithstanding any other provision of this division, appoint or remove only those officers or employees who are exempt from the district civil service and who either report directly to the board or report to another officer who reports directly to the board. All other officers and employees exempt from the district civil service shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the general manager. The board may contract for the services of any officer who reports directly to the board or who reports to an officer who reports directly to the board and may authorize the general manager to contract for the services of other officers and exempt employees. The term of these contracts may not exceed five years in duration.

The board may from time to time contract for or employ any professional service required by the district or for the performance of work or services which cannot satisfactorily be performed under the civil service provisions of this division.

The board shall employ an expert who shall examine and report, at least annually, upon the system of accounts kept by the district.

The salaries or wages of all officers and employees of a district shall be paid periodically as the board may prescribe. At the expiration of the period fixed for the payment of salaries or wages a payroll shall be prepared, showing all persons employed during the preceding salary period and stating the amount of compensation to which each person is entitled. Payment of the salary or wages of each person specified in the payroll may be made after approval of the payroll by the board or the general manager in accordance with rules adopted by the board.

The board may provide by resolution, under such terms and conditions as it sees fit, for the payment of demands against the district without prior specific approval thereof by the board if the demand is for a purpose for which an expenditure has been previously approved by the board and in an amount not greater than the amount so authorized, and if the demand is approved by the general manager.

The board of any district which has owned and operated a water distribution system for at least 10 years and which maintains a system of accounting substantially in accordance with the Uniform System of Accounts for Water Utilities prescribed by the Public Utilities Commission may provide, by resolution, under the terms and conditions as it sees fit, for the payment, without prior specific approval by the board, of demands against the district which relate to obligations incurred for purposes and within the amounts specified for those purposes in a projection of the district's operations for a period of not longer than one year, if the demands are approved by the general manager. The projection shall be expressed in terms of the major groups of accounts in the uniform system of accounts and shall be incorporated in the resolution.

The board of a district which has owned and operated an electric distribution system for at least eight years and has a population of 250,000 or more which maintains a system of accounting substantially in accordance with the Uniform System of Accounts for Electrical Corporations prescribed by the Public Utilities Commission, or any other generally accepted accounting system, may provide, by resolution, under the terms and conditions as it sees fit, for the payment, without prior specific approval by the board, of demands against the district which relate to obligations incurred for purposes and within the amounts specified for those purposes in a projection of the district's operations for a period of not longer than one year, if the demands are approved by the general manager. The projection shall be expressed in terms of the major groups of accounts in the system of accounts and shall be incorporated in the resolution.

To facilitate the business of the district, the board may provide for the creation and administration of revolving funds as the needs of the district may require. The aggregate amount of the revolving funds shall not exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000). The revolving funds shall be disbursed in accordance with rules established by the board, and all payments from any revolving fund shall be reported to the board and vouchers filed therefor.

Notwithstanding Section 11892, the board of a district which has owned and operated an electric distribution system for at least eight years and has a population of 250,000 or more may, to facilitate the business of the district, provide for the creation and administration of revolving funds as the needs of the district may require. The aggregate amount of the revolving funds shall not exceed two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000). The revolving funds shall be disbursed in accordance with the rules adopted by the board, and all payments from any revolving fund shall be reported to the board and vouchers filed therefor.

If a legal holiday falls on a Saturday, the board may provide by resolution that the Friday preceding is a holiday within the district for the purpose of closing its offices and excusing its employees from work.

The board may provide by resolution, if necessary to implement a memorandum of understanding adopted pursuant to Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 3500) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code, that the Friday following the Thursday in November appointed as Thanksgiving Day is a holiday within the district for the purpose of closing its offices and excusing its employees from work.

A district may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the board, change its name. A certified copy of the resolution changing the name of the district shall be recorded in each county included in whole or in part within the district and shall be transmitted to the Treasurer.