After the formation of the district, the board of supervisors, on the application of a landowner, shall call an election in compliance with the provisions of Part 4 (commencing with Section 50700) of this division at which election there shall be elected three eligible persons, who shall constitute, when elected and qualified the first board of trustees of the district.
Board of TrusteesSelection, Tenure and Compensation
Section § 50600
Once a district is formed, the local board of supervisors must organize an election if a landowner requests it. This election will follow certain rules and will result in the selection of three qualified individuals to serve as the district's initial board of trustees.
district formation board of supervisors landowner application
Section § 50601
This law allows a district's by-laws to specify whether its board should have either five or seven members. If the by-laws are created or changed to state this, five or seven eligible trustees must be elected at every election, starting with the next one after the by-laws are established or amended.
The by-laws of a district may provide, or be amended to provide, for a board of five or seven members, and, if the original by-laws so provide, five or seven eligible persons respectively shall be elected as trustees at each election, or, if the by-laws are amended, then five or seven eligible persons shall be elected at the next district election held subsequent to the date of amendment, and at each election held thereafter.
district by-laws board members trustees election
Section § 50602
Board members are elected for four-year terms and remain in office until new members are both elected and ready to take over. The terms are arranged so not all members are elected at the same time.
Members of the board shall be elected for a term of four years and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified. The terms of the members shall be staggered.
board members election four-year terms
Section § 50602.5
If a district board hasn't set up staggered terms yet, they need to split themselves into two groups as evenly as possible. This is to decide when each group's term ends. Unless the rules say otherwise, the smaller group will have their terms end at the 1969 general district election, and the other group's terms will end at the 1971 election.
Members of the board of a district whose terms have not been staggered as of the date when this section becomes effective shall meet and classify themselves by lot into two classes as nearly equal in number as possible in order to determine when their respective terms shall expire. Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, the term of office of the class having the lesser number of members shall be deemed to expire on the date for the general district election in 1969. The terms of the other members shall be deemed to expire on the date for the general district election in 1971.
district board staggered terms term expiration
Section § 50603
Once the district has its first board election, it becomes officially set up and can take legal action or be taken to court.
After the first election of the board, the district is organized and has power to sue and be sued.
district organization first board election legal action
Section § 50604
If there's an empty spot on the board, it has to be filled according to rules found in another part of the law, specifically Section 1780 of the Government Code.
Vacancies in the board shall be filled pursuant to Section 1780 of the Government Code.
board vacancies filling vacancies Section 1780
Section § 50605
The law states that each board member should receive fair and reasonable compensation for the work they do and be reimbursed for necessary expenses related to their duties as a trustee.
The specifics of what activities are eligible for compensation are governed by other specific sections of the Government Code, and reimbursement for expenses must comply with certain sections of the Government Code too.
(a)CA Water Code § 50605(a) Each member of the board shall receive such compensation for services actually and necessarily performed as the board determines to be just and reasonable, and shall be reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of his duties as trustee.
(b)CA Water Code § 50605(b) For purposes of this section, the determination of whether a director’s activities on any specific day are compensable shall be made pursuant to Article 2.3 (commencing with Section 53232) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code. Reimbursement for these expenses is subject to Sections 53232.2 and 53232.3 of the Government Code.
board member compensation trustee duties expense reimbursement
Section § 50606
If a trustee makes a claim for services they've done or expenses they've paid, they need to present it to the board for approval. If the board agrees, the payment should be made just like any other district debt.
All claims by or in behalf of a trustee for services rendered or expenses incurred shall be presented to the board, and, if allowed, shall be paid in the same manner as other indebtedness of the district.
trustee claims services rendered expenses incurred
Section § 50609
This law section states that a board meeting is considered a regular meeting where any business can be discussed if either all members are present or all members have been given written notice at least one day in advance, unless the by-laws say otherwise.
Except as otherwise provided in the by-laws, any meeting of the board at which all members are present, or of which all members have received written notice at least one day prior thereto, is a regular meeting at which any business may be transacted.
board meeting regular meeting written notice
Section § 50610
This law states that if you are a member of the board of trustees appointed according to a certain government code, you won't be held personally responsible for any of the district's debts that were incurred before you joined the board.
Members of the board of trustees appointed pursuant to Section 58762.1 of the Government Code shall be immune from liability to creditors of the district for debts incurred prior to their appointment.
board of trustees immunity creditor liability debts before appointment
