NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1979 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 722

HOUSE BILL 740

 

 

AN ACT TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE RICHMOND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FROM SIX TO FIVE BY ABOLISHING THE SEPARATELY ELECTED OFFICE OF CHAIRMAN, SUBJECT TO A REFERENDUM.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1. For the purpose of nominating and electing the five members of the Board of County Commissioners for Richmond County, the County shall be divided into five resident districts as follows:

(1)       District #1 shall be composed of the entire county (this District to be effective beginning with the 1982 election);

(2)       District #2 shall be composed of Beaverdam, Steels, Mineral Springs and Black Jack Townships;

(3)       District #3 shall be composed of Rockingham Township;

(4)       District #4 shall be composed of Wolf Pitt Township; and

(5)       District #5 shall be composed of Marks Creek Township.

Sec. 2. Candidates must be residents of the district for which they seek election. All candidates shall be nominated and elected by the voters of the entire county. In the general election, the candidate for each district receiving the highest number of votes cast for candidates from that district shall be elected.

Sec. 3. In the 1980 primary and general election and quadrennially thereafter, one member shall be elected from District #3 for a four-year term, and one member shall be elected from District #5 for a four-year term.

Sec. 4. In the 1982 primary and general election and quadrennially thereafter, one member shall be elected from District #1 for a four-year term, one member shall be elected from District #2 for a four-year term, and one member shall be elected from District #4 for a four-year term.

Sec. 5. The Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and the members elected from Districts #2 and #4 in 1978 shall serve until the first Monday in December of 1982, if otherwise qualified. The member from District #1 elected in 1978, for a two-year term shall continue to serve until the first Monday in December of 1980, if otherwise qualified, when the term will expire. No member from District #1 shall be elected in 1980, and the incumbent shall not hold over.

Sec. 6. Effective on the first Monday in December of 1982, the Board of County Commissioners shall elect their own chairman from among themselves for a one-year term. Such chairman may vote on all issues. Until that time, the chairman shall not have a vote on matters before the board, but shall have a vote only to break a tie.

Sec. 7. Effective on the first Monday in December of 1980, the Board of Commissioners consists of the chairman and four members. Effective on the first Monday in December of 1982, the Board of Commissioners consists of five members.

Sec. 8. Chapter 536, Session Laws of 1977 is repealed.

Sec. 9. The Richmond County Board of Commissioners is authorized, by adoption of a resolution on or before September 1, 1979, to call a special election on approval of Sections 1 through 8 of this act, said election to be held on November 6, 1979. Sections 1 through 8 of this act are not effective if such an election is not called, and are not effective if such an election is held unless approved by a majority of the voters of Richmond County voting on that question at that election. The Richmond County Board of Elections shall conduct such election in accordance with the rules and regulations for conducting special elections generally. The question to be submitted to the voters shall be:

 

"FOR an Act reducing the size of the Richmond County Board of Commissioners from six members to five by only electing two commissioners in 1980, and converting the separately elected office of chairman to an at-large commissioner in 1982, and letting the board choose its own chairman at that time."

"AGAINST an Act reducing the size of the Richmond County Board of Commissioners from six members to five by only electing two commissioners in 1980, and converting the separately elected office of chairman to an at-large commission in 1982, and leting the board choose its own chairman at that time."

 

Sec. 10. This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 31st day of May, 1979.