Section 9-8-59 Board of Directors - Composition; Qualifications, Election and Terms of Office of Members; Vacancies; Officers; Quorum; Prior Elections, Etc., Ratified, Etc.

(a) Within 30 days after a watershed conservancy district is created under the provisions of this article, the board of supervisors shall cause an election, after due notice has been given, to be held therein for the election of a board of directors of such watershed conservancy district. All owners of lands lying within the district shall be eligible to vote in such election, and only such landowners shall be eligible to vote. The board of directors shall be composed of five members, whose terms of office shall be four years. A director shall hold office until his successor has been elected and has qualified. Such board of directors shall, under the supervision of the board of supervisors, be the governing body of the watershed conservancy district. Successors to the first elected directors shall likewise be elected for terms of four years at an election conducted, after due notice has been given, by the supervisors at least one month prior to the expiration of the term of office of the incumbent directors. Vacancies occurring before the expiration of a term shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by appointment by the remaining members of the board of directors, with the approval of the board of supervisors. (b) If the territory embraced within a watershed conservancy district lies within more than one soil and water conservation district, each of said additional districts with a minority of the land involved in the watershed district shall be entitled to elect three additional directors. (c) The board of directors shall annually elect from its membership a chairman, secretary and treasurer. The treasurer shall execute an official bond for the faithful performance of the duties of his office to be approved by the board of directors, except that no bond shall be required until such time as the district possesses funds. Such bond shall be executed with at least three solvent personal sureties whose solvency must exceed the amount of the bond or by a surety company authorized to do business in this state and shall be in an amount determined by the board of directors. If the treasurer is required to execute a surety company bond, the premium on the bond shall be paid by the board of directors. A majority of the board of directors shall constitute a quorum, and the concurrence of a majority in any matter within their authority shall be required for its determination. (d) Each person desiring to be a director of a watershed conservancy district shall file not later than five days prior to the date set for an election a nominating petition with the board of supervisors, signed by 25 or more landowners within the watershed conservancy district of the county involved or, if less than 50 landowners are involved, a majority of such landowners. If the candidates nominated do not exceed the positions available, they shall be declared elected by the board of supervisors, and the board of supervisors shall publish the results of such election. No person shall be eligible to be a director of a watershed conservancy district unless he is a landowner in the district in which he seeks election. (e) All elections or appointments of directors of watershed conservancy district heretofore made are hereby ratified, affirmed and validated, and the actions taken by any directors as members of their respective boards and within the scope of their authority are hereby ratified, affirmed and validated.