The Council shall be the sole and final judge of the election and qualifications of the members of the Board of Municipal Utilities. The Council may expel or remove any member of the Board of Municipal Utilities for gross misconduct, or for malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance, in, or disqualification from holding office, or for conviction while in office of a crime involving moral turpitude, or for violation of his oath of office, or for persistent failure to abide by the rules of the Board of Municipal Utilities, or for absence from three (3) consecutive regular meetings without justifiable excuse. Such expulsion shall not take place except on concurrence of five (5) of the members elected to Council, nor until the accused member shall have been notified in writing of the charge preferred against him at least ten (10) days in advance of any hearing upon such charge, and until he or his counsel shall have been given an opportunity to appear before Council and be heard, present evidence and examine witnesses appearing in support of the charge.