NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1967 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 257

HOUSE BILL 641

 

 

AN ACT AUTHORIZING AN ELECTION ON THE QUESTION OF REORGANIZING AND MERGING THE RICHMOND COUNTY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT, THE HAMLET CITY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT, AND THE ROCKINGHAM CITY SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT INTO ONE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT UNDER ONE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR ALL THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN RICHMOND COUNTY.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact:

Section 1. Immediately after ratification of this Act, the Board of County Commissioners of Richmond County shall call a county-wide election and fix the date for same, said date to be not later than June 10, 1967, on the question of reorganizing and merging the Richmond County School Administrative Unit, the Hamlet City School Administrative Unit, and the Rockingham City School Administrative Unit into one school administrative unit to be known as the "Richmond County School Administrative Unit" to be administered by one board of education to be known as the "Richmond County Board of Education" as hereinafter described and constituted. The election shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of G. S. 115-122 and related statutes governing elections and all qualified voters registered in Richmond County shall be eligible to vote. The ballot submitted to the voters shall contain substantially the following:

"FOR reorganizing and merging the Richmond County School Administrative Unit, the Hamlet City School Administrative Unit, and the Rockingham City School Administrative Unit into one school administrative unit under one board of education for all the public schools in Richmond County."

"AGAINST reorganizing and merging the Richmond County School Administrative Unit, the Hamlet City School Administrative Unit, and the Rockingham City School Administrative Unit into one school administrative unit under one board of education for all the public schools in Richmond County."

Sec. 2. If, upon certification of the results of the election, a majority of those voting in the election shall favor the question, this Act shall become operative, and the three school administrative units named in Section 1 of this Act together with their respective boards of education shall be dissolved as of July 1, 1967 and thereafter all the public schools of Richmond County shall operate as a part of the Richmond County School Administrative Unit and shall be under the jurisdiction of the Richmond County Board of Education which shall consist of nine members elected for six-year terms, except that the initial board shall consist of three persons to be named by the 1967 General Assembly whose terms shall expire on the first Monday in December, 1968; three persons to be named by the 1967 General Assembly whose terms shall expire on the first Monday in December, 1970; and three persons to be named by the 1967 General Assembly whose terms shall expire on the first Monday in December, 1972; or, until their successors are elected and qualified, in each and every case, as hereinafter provided. The members of the board of education as named in this Section shall take the oath of office on the first Monday in July, 1967, or as soon as practicable thereafter, and shall immediately organize itself by electing a chairman, vice-chairman, and such other officers as may be required and consistent with the public school laws of North Carolina as defined in Chapter 115 of the General Statutes. Officers so elected shall serve until the first Monday in December, 1968, when, after the board shall have been reconstituted as provided in Section 3 of this Act, and annually thereafter, it shall reorganize itself by electing its officers for a term of one year. The superintendent of schools shall serve as secretary to the board.

Sec. 3. At the primary and the general election to be held in Richmond County in 1968, and biennially thereafter, at the same time and in the same manner as candidates are nominated and elected for all other offices, boards, and commissions in Richmond County, the qualified voters of Richmond County shall elect three persons to fill the three vacancies on the board of education caused by expiration of terms. Effective with the election of 1968, and biennially thereafter, persons elected to membership on the board of education shall serve a term of six years or until their successors are elected and qualified. Any resident and qualified voter of Richmond County shall be eligible, by paying a filing fee of ten dollars ($10.00), to file with the board of elections for nomination and election to the board of education. Persons elected to membership on the board of education in the general election held in 1968, and biennially thereafter, shall qualify by taking the oath of office on or about the first Monday in December following their election and their term of office shall become effective with the date of their qualification.

Sec. 4. If by reason of death, disability, resignation or similar cause a vacancy should occur in the membership of the board of education, either with the board named in Section 2 of this Act or thereafter, said vacancy shall be filled by the remaining members of the board. A person selected to fill a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term of the person creating or causing the vacancy. All vacancies shall be filled within 30 days after the vacancy occurs. In the event the vacancy is not filled within 30 days, the vacancy shall be filled by the State Board of Education in accordance with Chapter 115 of the General Statutes of North Carolina.

Sec. 5. Effective July 1, 1967, the board of education named in Section 2 of this Act and their successors in office shall receive and hold all assets, liabilities, obligations, and properties heretofore held by the Richmond County, Hamlet City, and Rockingham City Boards of Education and said boards of education shall transfer to the newly created Richmond County Board of Education all documents, contracts, and agreements relating to each and all of the public schools existing within the newly reorganized Richmond County School Administrative Unit. The newly created board of education shall likewise have authority to consolidate any and all budgets which shall have been previously prepared by the three separate boards and approved by the board of county commissioners.

Sec. 6. The Richmond County Board of Education named in Section 2 of this Act shall, at its first meeting on or about the first Monday in July 1967, elect a superintendent for a two-year term expiring July 1, 1969. At the same time the board shall have authority, upon recommendation of the superintendent, to elect such assistant superintendents and other personnel as shall be required for the efficient administration and operation of the Richmond County School Administrative Unit. The term of office and the period of service for all personnel elected then and thereafter shall be subject to and in accordance with the provisions of the General Statutes of North Carolina and the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education governing school personnel, except that after the initial election set forth in this Section the superintendent shall be elected on or about the first Monday in April, 1969, and biennially thereafter, for a term of two years beginning July 1 next following his election.

Sec. 7. If a majority of the voters voting in the election required under this Act shall favor the reorganization and merger of the three school administrative units into one administrative unit the supplemental school tax currently authorized in each of the three separate units shall be continued, at the same rate, as a county-wide tax authorization and the board of county commissioners shall have authority to levy against the authorization in approving supplemental budgets submitted by the board of education for operating all the schools of the merged Richmond County School Administrative Unit.

Sec. 8. The board of education, in preparing its annual budget for review and approval of the board of county commissioners, shall have authority to request, as a part of its budget, funds with which to pay its members per diem and reimbursement for travel and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties.

Sec. 9. All laws and clauses of laws inconsistent with and in conflict with this Act are hereby repealed.

Sec. 10. This Act shall be in full force and effect from and after its ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 2nd day of May, 1967.