Sec. 16. (a) Notwithstanding IC 14-33-5-1 and IC 14-33-5-11, if a majority of those voting favors merger of the districts, the court shall, upon receiving certification of the results, appoint an initial board. The initial board consists of seven (7) members, with one (1) member from each of the areas of the new district established as provided in section 17 of this chapter.

     (b) A director on the initial board:

(1) must be:

(A) a freeholder of the area the director represents; or

(B) an officer or a nominee of a corporate freeholder of the area the director represents; and

(2) does not have to be a petitioner to qualify for appointment.

     (c) In selecting the initial board, the court shall appoint four (4) of the initial directors as follows:

(1) Two (2) directors who have had prior experience as a director on the board of one (1) of the two (2) districts that were merged.

(2) Two (2) directors who have had prior experience as a director on the board of the other district that was merged.

     (d) The terms of the initial directors are as provided in IC 14-33-5-11.

[Pre-1995 Recodification Citation: 13-3-3-96.5(f) part.]

As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.26.