§ 77-89.3.  Membership; terms of office; eligibility for appointment.

(a) Upon its creation, the Commission has a governing board comprised of members appointed in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) of this section.

(b) Each participating local government shall appoint two members to the Commission, each of whom shall be individuals who have demonstrated proficiency in community engagement and consensus-building across multiple stakeholder groups. For the initial appointments, each participating local government shall appoint one commissioner to serve a four-year term and a second commissioner to serve a five-year term. Except as otherwise provided for the initial appointments, each commissioner shall serve a five-year term.

(c) The commissioners appointed in accordance with subsection (b) of this section shall select one at-large commissioner for a five-year term, subject to confirmation by joint resolution of all of the participating local governments. The at-large commissioner shall be an individual who has proficient knowledge of boater safety protocols and who possesses one or more of the following qualifications:

(1) Has served in the United States Coast Guard or a similar maritime organization with a long-standing tradition of leadership in promoting the safety and security of the navigable waterways of the United States.

(2) Has knowledge of water quality and aquatic vegetation management.

(3) Has experience in law enforcement.

(4) Has experience in public recreation management.

(5) Has experience in wildlife resources management.

(d) No more than thirty-five percent (35%) of the commissioners serving at any given time may reside in the same county.

(e) No commissioner shall have any ownership interest in, or financial relationship with, any business or property that is dependent on income generated from Lake Norman, or that otherwise presents a conflict of interest with the purposes or responsibilities of the Commission.

(f) Each commissioner shall complete a written disclosure statement by January 31 of each year that identifies any conflicts of interest he or she has, including any conflicts identified in subsection (e) of this section. These annual disclosures shall be posted on a public website maintained by the Commission by January 31 each year.

(g) A commissioner appointed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall maintain his or her primary residence in the county that appointed the commissioner, and shall reside at this location for at least nine months every calendar year. The at-large commissioner appointed pursuant to subsection (c) of this section shall maintain his or her primary residence at a location within any of the four counties and shall reside at this location for at least nine months every calendar year.

(h) In the event of death of a commissioner, resignation, incapacity or inability to serve, as determined by the board appointing the commissioner, or removal of the commissioner for cause, as determined by the board appointing the commissioner, that board may appoint another commissioner to fill the unexpired term.  (1969, c. 1089, s. 3; 2025-67, s. 5.1(a)-(c).)