§ 18-37. Membership.

(a)

Appointment. In order to carry out the purposes contained in section 18-36, there is hereby established a regional planning commission which shall consist of forty-one (41) members, five (5) each being legal residents of Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish, Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. John the Baptist Parish, St. Tammany Parish and Tangipahoa Parish and the director of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.

(b)

Compensation. The members of such commission shall serve without compensation.

(c)

Composition. The membership of such 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 Plaquemines, the Parish of St. Bernard, the Parish of St. Charles, the Parish of St. John the Baptist, the Parish of St. Tammany, and the Parish of Tangipahoa.

(1)

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

a.

The mayor;

b.

The two (2) councilmen elected from the parish at large;

c.

The remaining two (2) members must not otherwise hold elected or appointed office, and shall be appointed by the Mayor, with approval by the council.

(3)

The five (5) members from the Parish of Plaquemines shall include the following;

a.

The parish president;

b.

The chairman of the parish council;

c.

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.

d.

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 following;

a.

The parish president;

b.

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;

c.

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. Charles 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 of St. Charles to be appointed by the parish council and approved by the parish president.

(6)

The five (5) members from the Parish of St. John the Baptist shall include the following;

a.

The parish president;

b.

Two (2) council members in the Parish of St. John the Baptist, provided same is not otherwise prohibited by law, to be appointed by the parish council.

c.

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

(7)

The five members from the Parish of St. Tammany shall include the following;

a.

The parish president;

b.

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.

c.

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.

(8)

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

a.

The parish president;

b.

The chairman of the parish council;

c.

The mayors of the Cities of Hammond and Ponchatoula shall serve on an annual rotating basis;

d.

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, Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. John the Baptist Parish, St. Tammany Parish and Tangipahoa Parish 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 Orleans Parish may remove any of the members of the Commission appointed by him, after public hearing, for inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasants in office.

(e)

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

(f)

Terms. Members of the regional planning commission who may hold other public offices, appointed or elected, including the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development shall serve terms co-existent with their terms of their other public office.

(g)

Terms of successors. 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.

(h)

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

(Ord. No. 17-42, § II, 3-23-17)