§ 159C-4.  Creation of authorities.

(a) The governing body of any county is hereby authorized to create by resolution a political subdivision and body corporate and politic of the State known as "The __________ (the blank space to be filled in with the name of the county) County Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Financing Authority," which shall consist of a board of seven commissioners, to be appointed by the governing body of such county in the resolution creating such authority, or by subsequent resolution. At least 30 days prior to the adoption of such resolution, the governing body of such county shall file with the Department of Commerce and the Local Government Commission of the State notice of its intention to adopt a resolution creating an authority. At the time of the appointment of the first board of commissioners the governing body of the county shall appoint two commissioners for initial terms of two years each, two commissioners for initial terms of four years each and three commissioners for initial terms of six years each and thereafter the terms of all commissioners shall be six years, except appointments to fill vacancies which shall be for the unexpired terms. Each appointed commissioner before entering upon his duties shall take and subscribe to an oath before some person authorized by law to administer oaths to execute the duties of his office faithfully and impartially, and a record of each such oath shall be filed with the governing body of the county and entered in its minutes. All authority commissioners will serve at the pleasure of the governing body of the county. If at the end of any term of office of any commissioner a successor thereto shall not have been appointed, then the commissioner whose term of office shall have expired shall continue to hold office until his successor shall be so appointed and qualified.

(b) Each commissioner of an authority shall be a qualified elector and resident of the county for which the authority is created, and no commissioner shall be an elected official of the county for which the authority is created. Any commissioner of an authority may be removed, with or without cause, by the governing body of the county.

(c) The board of commissioners of the authority shall annually elect from its membership a chairman and a vice-chairman and another person or persons, who may but need not be commissioners, as treasurer, secretary and, if desired, assistant secretary. The position of secretary and treasurer or assistant secretary and treasurer may be held by the same person. The secretary of the authority shall keep a record of the proceedings of the authority and shall be the custodian of all books, documents and papers filed with the authority, the minute book or journal of the authority and its official seal. Either the secretary or the assistant secretary of the authority may cause copies to be made of all minutes and other records and documents of the authority and may give certificates under the official seal of the authority to the effect that such copies are true copies, and all persons dealing with the authority may rely upon such certificates.

(d) A majority of the commissioners of an authority then in office shall constitute a quorum. The affirmative vote of a majority of the commissioners of an authority then in office shall be necessary for any action taken by the authority. A vacancy in the board of commissioners of the authority shall not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the authority. Any action taken by the authority under the provisions of this Chapter may be authorized by resolution at any regular or special meeting, and each resolution shall take effect immediately and need not be published or posted. No bonds shall be issued under the provisions of this Chapter unless the issuance thereof shall have been approved by the governing body of the county.

(e) No commissioner of an authority shall receive any compensation for the performance of his duties under this Chapter; provided, however, that each commissioner shall be reimbursed for his necessary expenses incurred while engaged in the performance of duties but only from moneys provided by obligors.

(f) Within 30 days of the date of creation of the authority, the authority shall advise the Department of Commerce and the Local Government Commission that an authority has been formed. The authority shall also furnish such Department and such Commission with (i) a list of its commissioners and its officers and (ii) a description of any projects that are under consideration by the authority. The authority shall, from time to time, notify the Department of Commerce and the Local Government Commission of changes in commissioners and officers and of new projects under consideration by the authority. (1975, c. 800, s. 1; 1977, c. 198, s. 23; c. 719, s. 1; 1989, c. 751, s. 7(47); 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 959, s. 78.)