GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 657

Short Title:  Chatham Omnibus.	(Local)

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Sponsors: Representatives Culp, Barnes, and Hackney.

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Referred to:  Local and Regional Government I.

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March 30, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT MAKING SUNDRY AMENDMENTS CONCERNING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN CHATHAM COUNTY.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
FOX TRAPPING SEASON
Section 1. (a)	Notwithstanding any other provision of law relating to trapping of foxes there will be open season for taking foxes with traps of the leghold type no larger than one and one-half, with coil spring and with trap chain and at least three swivels set on dry land with solid anchor.  No trap larger than number one and one-half coil spring may be used.  This season shall be from December 1 to February 15 of each year.
(b)	No person shall place traps on the land of another without first obtaining written permission from the landowner or lessee.
(c)	There shall be no bag limit for foxes taken during the trapping season established in this section.
(d)	The Wildlife Resources Commission shall provide for the sale of foxes taken lawfully pursuant to this Section.

(e)  This section applies only to Chatham County
.	(f)  This section becomes effective October 1, 1995.
CHATHAM COMMISSIONERS ELECTION
Sec. 2. (a)	The Chatham County Board of Commissioners shall consist of five members elected by all the voters of the county in partisan elections.
(b)	For purposes of nominating and electing commissioners the county is divided into the following four residency districts:
District 1 – West Williams, East Williams, New Hope, and Cape Fear precincts.
District 2 – East Mann's Chapel, Bynum, East Pittsboro, Haw River, and Oakland precincts.
District 3 – West Mann's Chapel, West Pittsboro, Hadley, and Albright precincts.
District 4 – North Siler City, South Siler City, Bennett, Bonlee, Harpers Crossroads, Hickory Mountain, and Goldston precincts.
(c)	The districts described in subsection (b) of this section  are based on precinct boundaries as they existed at the time of the 1990 census.  The Chatham County Board of Elections shall consult with the Board of Commissioners before changing the boundaries of any precinct.  If the Board of Elections changes a precinct boundary, the Board of Commissioners by resolution may alter the district boundaries as described above to coincide with the new precinct boundaries.  If the Board of Commissioners fails to adopt such a resolution, the district boundaries shall remain the same as they were before the change in precinct boundaries.
(d)	In 1996 one commissioner each shall be elected from Districts 1 and 2.
(e)  In 1998 one commissioner shall be elected from District 3 and two commissioners from District 4.  Candidates for the two District 4 seats shall be listed together on the ballot in the party primaries and general election.  The candidate for District 4 receiving the most votes in the general election shall be elected for a four-year term and the candidate receiving the next highest number of votes shall be elected for a term of two years.
(f)  If a vacancy occurs in District 4 sufficiently before the 1996 election to require an election in 1996 to fill the vacancy, the election for the vacancy shall be for a term of four years rather than just the remaining two years of the unexpired term.  In that event, only one commissioner shall be elected from District 4 in 1998, and that commissioner shall be elected for a four-year term.
(g)  One commissioner each shall be elected from Districts 1, 2, and 4 in 2000 and every four years thereafter.  One commissioner each shall be elected from Districts 3 and 4 in 2002 and every four years thereafter.
(h)  To be eligible to be a candidate or to be elected or to serve as a commissioner for a particular district a citizen must reside in that district.  All eligible voters of each party shall vote for all contested seats on the Board of Commissioners in their party's primaries, and all eligible voters of the county shall vote for all five seats in the general election.
(i)  Within 90 days of publication of each federal census the Chatham County Board of Commissioners shall review the population of the four residency districts and determine whether the lines need to be redrawn to maintain relative equality of population among the districts.  If the Board determines that adjustments in the lines are necessary, the Board may make such changes by adoption of a resolution describing the new boundaries.  To the extent practicable, the boundaries shall follow precinct lines.  The new district boundaries shall apply to the next primary and election for the Board occurring more than 150 days after adoption of the resolution by the Board, but the changes in the boundaries shall not affect the right of any incumbent to serve the remainder of the term for which elected.
(j)  The commissioners holding office on the effective date of this section shall be entitled to serve the remainder of the terms for which elected and shall be considered representatives of the districts in which they currently reside.  If, after the effective date of this section, any commissioner should die, resign, or otherwise vacate his or her office, the person appointed to fill that vacancy must reside in the district described in subsection (b) of this section in which the vacating commissioner resided.
(k)  Chapter 503 of the Session Laws of 1975 is repealed.
CHATHAM SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS
Sec. 3. (a) The Board of Education of Chatham County shall consist of five members who shall be qualified voters of the County, and who shall be elected as hereinafter provided for staggered terms of four years.
(b)	For the purpose of electing members of the Board of Education, the County is hereby divided into four resident districts as follows:
District Number One shall consist of all the territory within the boundaries of the precincts of Bynum, West Williams, East Williams, and New Hope.
District Number Two shall consist of all the territory within the boundaries of the precincts of East Pittsboro, West Pittsboro, West Mann's Chapel, and East Mann's Chapel.
District Number Three shall consist of all the territory within the boundaries of the precincts of Cape Fear, Haw River, Oakland, Goldston, and Harpers Crossroads.
District Number Four shall consist of all the territory within the boundaries of the precincts of Bennett, Bonlee, South Siler City, North Siler City, Albright, Hadley, and Hickory Mountain.
(c)	The election shall be nonpartisan, and no primary election shall be held.  The election shall be held at the same time as the regular primary for county officers, and except as provided in this section, the election shall be conducted in accordance with the applicable provisions of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes regulating general elections.
(d)	Beginning in 1996, and thereafter as the terms expire, one member shall be elected from Districts  1 and 2 for terms of four years.
In 1998, and thereafter as the terms expire, one member shall be elected from District  3, and two members from District 4 for terms of four years.
(e)  Candidates must reside in the district which they seek to represent, but shall be voted on by the voters of the entire County.  The candidates in each district receiving the highest number of votes, equal to the number of positions to be filled in the district, shall be declared elected.
(f)  The provisions of G.S. 115C-37, except for subsection (i) shall be applicable to the members of the Chatham County Board of Education.
(g)  Chapter 501 of the Session Laws of 1975 is repealed, except for Section 6.
CHATHAM SCHOOL BOARD TIME OF TAKING OFFICE
Sec. 4.  Section 6 of Chapter 501 of the Session Laws of 1975 reads as rewritten:
"Sec. 6. The provisions of G.S. 115C-37(f)	shall be applicable to the members of the Chatham County Board of Education.  The members of the Chatham County Board of Education shall hold a meeting on the first Monday in December following the election.  At that meeting, newly elected members of the Board of Education shall qualify by taking the oath of office as prescribed in Article VI, Section 7 of the Constitution."
Sec. 5.  This act is effective upon ratification.