§ 25-17. Membership; appointment, removal, terms, compensation.

(a)

Appointment. There is hereby established a regional planning commission which shall consist of thirty-one (31) members, five (5) each being legal residents of Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Plaquemines Parish, and Tangipahoa Parish and the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.

(b)

Compensation. The members of the regional planning commission shall serve without compensation.

(c)

Composition. The membership of the regional planning commission shall be composed of a simple majority of appointed or elected public-officials holding office in the following municipalities and/or parishes, namely the Parish of Jefferson, the Parish of Orleans, the Parish of St. Bernard, the Parish of St. Tammany, the Parish of Plaquemines, and the Parish of Tangipahoa.

(1)

The five (5) members from Jefferson Parish shall include the following:

a.

The parish president;

b.

The council chairman;

c.

A third member selected by the parish council, and approved by the parish president, from among the mayors of the municipalities located within the parish, which members shall represent the municipalities therein located;

d.

Two (2) members who must not otherwise hold elected or appointed office in the parish, to be appointed by the council and approved by the parish president.

(2)

The five (5) members from the Parish of Orleans shall include the mayor, the two (2) councilmen elected from the city at large, and the remaining two (2) members must not otherwise hold elected or appointed office, and shall be appointed by the mayor, with the approval by the council.

(3)

The five (5) members from the Parish of Plaquemines shall include the parish president of the parish government, the Chairman of the Plaquemines Parish Council, one (1) member who otherwise holds elected or appointed office in the Parish of Plaquemines, provided same is not otherwise prohibited by law, to be appointed by the parish council, and two (2) members who must not otherwise hold elected or appointed office in the Parish of Plaquemines, to be appointed by the parish council and approved by the parish president.

(4)

The five (5) members from the Parish of St. Bernard shall include the parish president, two (2) council members in the Parish of St. Bernard, provided same is not otherwise prohibited by law, to be appointed by the parish council, and two (2) members who must not otherwise hold elected or appointed office in the Parish of St. Bernard to be appointed by the parish council.

(5)

The five (5) members from the Parish of St. Tammany shall include the parish president, two (2) members who must otherwise hold elected or appointive office in the Parish of St. Tammany, provided same is not otherwise prohibited by law, to be appointed by the parish council, and two (2) members who must not otherwise hold elected or appointed office in the Parish of St. Tammany, provided same is not otherwise prohibited by law, to be appointed by the parish council and approved by the parish president.

(6)

The five (5) members from the Parish of Tangipahoa shall include the parish president, the Chairman of the Tangipahoa Parish Council, the Mayors of the Cities of Hammond and Ponchatoula shall serve on an annual rotating basis, and two (2) members who must not otherwise hold elected or appointed office in the Parish of Tangipahoa, provided same is not otherwise prohibited by law, to be appointed annually by the parish president.

(d)

Removal. The governing bodies of Jefferson Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Tammany Parish, the Parish of Plaquemines, and the Parish of Tangipahoa may remove their respectively appointed members of the commission, after public hearing, for inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. The Chief Executive of the City of New Orleans may remove any of the members, appointed by him, of the commission, after public hearing, for inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.

(e)

[Additional member.] The Secretary of Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development shall also serve as a member of the regional planning commission.

(f)

Terms. Of the members hereof first appointed, those not holding any other elected or appointed public offices shall hold office as follows: one (1) shall hold office for one (1) year, one (1) for a term of two (2) years, one (1) for a term of three (3) years, one (1) for a term of four (4) years, one (1) for a term of five (5) years and the sixth member shall hold office for a term of six (6) years. Members of the regional planning commission who hold other public offices, appointed or elected, including the director of the state department of highways shall serve terms coextensive with their terms of their other public office. The successors of the regional planning commission members first appointed who do not hold any other appointed or elected public office shall be appointed for a term of five (5) years from and after the expiration of the terms of their predecessors in office.

(g)

Vacancies. If a vacancy occurs otherwise than by expiration of term, same shall be filled by appointment of the unexpired term. Such appointment shall be made by the original appointing authority.

(Code 1961, § 14A-2; Ord. No. 24555, § 1, 8-14-13)