SUBCHAPTER II.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMISSION.

Article 2.

Local Government Commission.

§ 159‑3.  Local Government Commission established.

(a) The Local Government Commission consists of nine members. The State Treasurer, the State Auditor, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Revenue each serve ex officio; the remaining five members are appointed to four‑year terms as follows: three by the Governor, one by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore in accordance with G.S. 120‑121, and one by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House in accordance with G.S. 120‑121. Of the three members appointed by the Governor, one shall be or have been the mayor or a member of the governing board of a city and one shall be or have been a member of a county board of commissioners. The State Treasurer is chairman ex officio of the Local Government Commission. Membership on the Commission is an office that may be held concurrently with one other office, as permitted by G.S. 128‑1.1.

(b) The Commission shall meet at least quarterly in the City of Raleigh, and may hold special meetings at any time or place upon notice to each member given in person or by mail not later than the fifth day before the meeting. The notice need not state the purpose of the meeting.

Action of the Commission shall be taken by resolution adopted by majority vote of those present and voting. A majority of the Commission constitutes a quorum.

(c) The appointed members of the Commission are entitled to the per diem compensation and allowances prescribed by G.S. 138‑5. All members are entitled to reimbursement for necessary travel and other expenses.

(d) The Commission may call upon the Attorney General for legal advice in relation to its powers and duties.

(e) The Local Government Commission shall operate as a division of the Department of the State Treasurer.

(f) The Commission may adopt rules and regulations to carry out its powers and duties.

(g) An individual serving on the Local Government Commission shall be immune individually from civil liability for monetary damages, except to the extent covered by insurance, for any act or failure to act arising out of that service, except where any of the following apply:

(1) The individual was not acting within the scope of that individual's official duties.

(2) The individual was not acting in good faith.

(3) The individual committed gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct that resulted in the damages or injury.

(4) The individual derived an improper personal financial benefit, either directly or indirectly, from the transaction.

(5) The individual incurred the liability from the operation of a motor vehicle. (1931, c. 60, s. 7; c. 296, s. 8; 1933, c. 31, s. 1; 1957, c. 541, s. 18; 1963, c. 1130; 1969, c. 445, s. 1; 1971, c. 780, s. 1; 1973, c. 474, s. 2; c. 476, s. 193; 1995, c. 490, s. 30(a); 2018‑84, s. 6(a).)

 

§ 159‑4.  Executive committee; appeal.

(a) The State Auditor, the State Treasurer, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Revenue shall constitute the executive committee of the Local Government Commission. The executive committee is vested with all the powers of the Commission when it is not in session, except that the executive committee may not overrule, reverse, or disregard any action of the full Commission. Action of the executive committee shall be taken by resolution adopted by a majority of those present and voting. Any three members of the executive committee constitute a quorum. The chairman may call meetings of the executive committee at any time.

(b) Any member of the Commission or any person affected by an action of the executive committee may appeal to the full Commission by filing a request for review with the chairman within five days after the action is taken. Review of executive committee action by the full Commission shall be de novo. (1931, c. 60, ss. 8, 10; 1933, c. 31, s. 2; 1953, c. 675, s. 27; 1971, c. 780, s. 1; 1973, c. 476, s. 193.)

 

§ 159‑5.  Secretary and staff of the Commission.

The chairman shall appoint a secretary of the Commission, and may appoint such other deputies and assistants as may be necessary, who shall be responsible to the chairman through the secretary. The secretary and his deputies and assistants shall have and may exercise any power that the chairman himself may exercise. All actions taken by the secretary, including the signing of any documents and papers provided for in this Chapter, shall be effective as though  the chairman himself had taken such action or signed such documents or papers. (1931, c. 60, s. 7; c. 296, s. 8; 1933, c. 31, s. 1; 1957, c. 541, s. 18; 1963, c. 1130; 1969, c. 445, s. 1; 1971, c. 780, s. 1; 1983, c. 717, s. 91.)

 

§ 159‑6.  Fees of the Commission.

(a) The Commission may charge and collect fees for services rendered and for all expenses incurred by the Commission in connection with approving or denying an application for an issue of other than general obligation bonds or notes, participating in the sale, award or delivery of such issue or carrying out any other of its powers and duties with respect to such issue or the issuer thereof, pursuant to the laws of the State of North Carolina.

(b) The Commission shall establish rules and regulations concerning the setting and collection of such fees. In establishing the amount of or method of determining such fees, the Commission shall take into account, among other things, the scope of its statutory responsibilities and the nature and extent of its services for such issue or issuer or class thereof.

(c) Such fees collected by the Commission shall be incorporated into the budget of the State Treasurer and shall be expended for costs incurred by the Commission in carrying out its statutory responsibilities in the issuance of revenue bonds.

(d) Apart from the above fees, the Commission is authorized to receive reimbursement for all expenses incurred in the sale or issuance of general obligation bonds and notes by assessing and collecting fees.

(e) In addition to any other fees authorized by this section, the Commission may charge and collect fees for services rendered and expenses incurred in reviewing and processing petitions of counties or cities concerning use of local sales and use tax revenue in accordance with G.S. 105‑487(c).

(f) The Commission may charge and collect fees for expenses incurred in developing and delivering the training for finance officers and other employees who perform the duties of a finance officer under G.S. 159‑25. (1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1175; 1983, c. 908, s. 2; 2016‑84, s. 2.)