There is hereby created and established a board of water, electric, gas and power commissioners, which said board wherever referred to in this chapter, shall bear the legal name of Austin Utilities, which shall have the control and management of the water works system and the electric light plant of the City of Austin. Said board shall consist of five persons, none of whom shall be an employee of the Austin Utilities, each of whom shall be a citizen, qualified voter of the city, who shall be elected at large by the people, and who shall serve without compensation. The primary and general elections for the Austin Utilities Board members will be held at the same times and in the same manner as the primary and general election for other elected city officers as more specifically provided in Chapter 2 of the Austin City Charter and the general statutes of the state relating to municipal elections. The first election of an Austin Utilities board member after January 1, 1985 whose term begins May 1, 1985 shall be held on the second Tuesday after the second Monday in April, 1985, and such member's term will expire on January 1, 1989; and thereafter elections of Austin Utilities board members shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every even-numbered year; Austin Utilities board member's term that expires in May 1986 will be extended to the first business day in January 1987; Austin Utilities board member's term that expires in May 1987 will be shortened to this first business day in January 1987; Austin Utilities board member's term that expires in May 1988 will be extended to the first business day in January 1989; Austin Utilities board member's term that expires in May 1989 will be shortened to the first business day in January 1989; Utilities board members elected after January 1, 1985 shall be elected for a term of four years except as otherwise stated above and except those members elected to fill an unexpired term and shall take office on the first business day of January next succeeding their election.
All vacancies, by resignation or otherwise shall be filled by the mayor with consent of the city council, which person so appointed shall hold office until the next succeeding election and until his or her successor is elected and qualified. An election shall then be held for the unexpired portion of the vacated member's term.
The said board of Austin Utilities shall elect annually from among their own number a president and shall elect or appoint a secretary who shall not be a member of the board, and they may make bylaws and regulations for their government not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter.
A majority of said board shall constitute a quorum; and all contracts, engagements, acts and doings of the said board within the scope of their duty and authority shall be obligatory upon and in law binding as if done by the city council of said city. Each member of said board shall, before entering upon the discharge of his or her official duties take and subscribe an oath of office and give a bond in the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) to the City of Austin, to be approved by the city council, conditioned that he or she will faithfully and honestly discharge the duties of his or her office or appointment; and the said board may require from the persons employed by them, official bonds for the faithful discharge of their duties, which bonds shall be subject to the approval of the board; provided, however, that the bond of the secretary of the board shall be in the sum of at least five thousand dollars ($5,000.00).
The salary and compensation of the secretary and employees of said board shall be such as may be set from time to time by said board.
All actions taken by the Austin Utilities board pursuant to this chapter shall be subject to Section 14.06 of the City Charter.