Civil Service Board Membership

1. Civil Service Board Membership Answers to the most asked questions concerning civil service board membership 1

2. Who is eligible to serve on the board? • All board members: • must be a citizen of the United States of America • must be a resident of the municipality in which he/she is to serve for at least five years immediately preceding his/her appointment • must, at the time of the appointment, be a qualified voter of the area.

3. must not have been, during a period of six months immediately preceding the appointment, a member of any local, state, or national committee of a political party, • must not have been, during a six months immediately preceding the appointment, an officer or member of a committee in any factional political club or organization.

4. Please remember that a board member must not be a candidate for nomination or election to any public office or hold any other public office or position of public employment, except that of notary public, a military or naval official office, or that of a municipal, parish or fire protection district, fire or police department employee.

5. Fire and Police Department board members-additional requirements: • must be a regular and permanent employee in the department • must hold a position lower than district chief in fire department and lower than major in police department • must be a resident of the parish in which the municipality they are to serve is located for at least five years immediately preceding his/her appointment upon adoption of resolution by the local governing authority

6. How are the Civil Service Board Members Appointed? • Fire Protection Districts • Consists of three members: • One governing authority board member • One college list board member • One fire department board member

7. Municipalities with both fire and police departments (small or large) • Consists of five members: • One governing authority board member • Two college list board members • One fire department board member • One police department board member

8. Municipalities with a fire department only or a police department only • Consists of three members: • One governing authority board member • One college list board members • One department (fire or police) board member

9. How is the employee-nominee elected from the fire and police departments? • The chief of the department will post a notice to accept nominations (see page 21) • The chief will post a notice for an election (see page 22) • The chief compiles a voting register consisting of the employees who are eligible to cast a vote

10. The chief appoints an election committee • Absentee voting is allowed if the chief makes the arrangements • The election committee will count all votes immediately after the close of the election • The employee who receives the majority of the votes wins the election

11. Some guidelines for the election procedures • An election must be held even if there is only one employee nominated • Employees are not required to vote • Each employee can only vote one time • All employees must cast their own vote • The chief of the department can vote only in the case of a tie.

12. What about the oaths of office? • Each member appointed must take an oath of office (be sworn in) • Any member who is reappointed must be sworn again and a new oath of office is executed. (see page 23) • Any notary, prior to attending a board meeting, may swear in a member (reappointed or newly appointed)

13. What about the oaths of office? • Six copies are completed, signed, and notarized. All copies must have original signatures of the board member and notary • Governing body • Civil service board’s file • State examiner’s office • Secretary of state’s office • Parish clerk of court’s office • Board representative

14. What are the terms of office of the board members? When your municipality or fire protection district comes under the system for the FIRST time: • Fire and Police department representatives have one-year terms • Governing authority board member has a two-year term • College list board member(s) have three-year terms After these terms expire, all terms of office will be for 3 years

15. What do I do after the term expires? • At the expiration, a board member can serve until his/her successor has been appointed • The governing body appoints a successor in the same manner as the outgoing member was appointed • If a board member resigns before his/her term expires, the successor fills the unexpired term (even if it is a short period of time)

16. Who serves as Chairman and Vice Chairman? • Civil service board elects chairman and vice-chairman • Terms of office run concurrently with their terms of office as civil service board members

17. Who serves as Secretary to the board? • The board may elect one of its own members • The board may appoint the city clerk or secretary-treasurer of the municipality ex-officio • The board may employ and pay any other person on a part-time basis (within salary guidelines)

18. **Special note for Secretaries** • The secretary to the civil service board plays an important role in keeping the oaths of office for the board members current. The State Examiner’s office appreciates your help in keeping your files and ours up to date.