(A) Selection. Within 30 days after the adoption of this chapter establishing the Lake Ridge Fire Protection District, the Lake County Council shall appoint a Board of Fire Trustees to consist of seven members. The Trustees must be qualified by knowledge and experience in matters pertaining to fire protection and related activities in the district. Each trustee must reside within the Lake Ridge Fire Protection District. A Fire Trustee may be removed from office for neglect of duty, incompetency, inability to perform his or her duties, or any other good cause, by the Lake County Council.
(B) Terms of office.
(1) The original Trustees shall be appointed as follows:
(a) One for a term of one year;
(b) One for a term of two years;
(c) One for a term of three years; and
(d) All others for a term of four years.
(2) The terms expire on the first Monday of January of the year that their appointments expire. As the terms expire, each new appointment is for a term of four years. If a vacancy occurs on the Board, the Lake County Council shall appoint a Fire Trustee with the same qualifications for the unexpired term.
(C) Organization. Within 30 days of the appointment by the Lake County Council, the Board of Fire Trustees shall meet and elect from their number a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary. The Board may adopt the by-laws, rules, and regulations that it considers necessary to function.
(D) Selection after January 1, 2018.
(1) Upon adoption of this amendment, the Board shall be reduced from seven members to five members. The membership shall be reduced by attrition. A Trustee position that is expired shall be considered vacant. When a position becomes vacant it shall not be filled until it is one of the five remaining positions.
(2) The County Council shall appoint the members of the Board pursuant to the requirements of I.C. 36-8-11-12 as follows:
(a) The county legislative body shall appoint a Board of Fire Trustee.
(b) The Trustees must be qualified by knowledge and experience in matters pertaining to fire protection and related activities in the district. A person who:
1. Is a party to a contact with the district; or
2. Is a member, an employee, a director, or a shareholder of any corporation or association that has a contract with the district may not be appointed or serve as a Trustee.
(c) The legislative body shall appoint one trustee from each township or part of a township contained in the district and one trustee from each municipality contained in the district. If the number of Trustees selected by this method is an even number, the legislative body shall appoint one additional Trustee so that the number of Trustees is always an odd number. If the requirements of this section do not provide at least three Trustees, the legislative body shall make additional appointments so that there is a minimum of three Trustees.
(d) The terms expire on the first Monday of January of the year their appointments expire. As the terms expire, each new appointment is for a term of four years.
(3) Each current Trustee who is serving in an unexpired term shall continue to serve as provided by I.C. 36-8-11 et seq.
(Prior Code, § 98.03) (Ord. 1022, passed 6-10-1986; Ord. 1022-1, passed 1-9-2018)