A.  The Tensas Parish Port Commission, hereinafter referred to as “the commission,” is hereby created and established as the governing authority of the district.  The commission shall be composed or seven commissioners, who shall be appointed and shall serve for terms as follows:

(1)  Three of the commissioners shall be appointed by the governing authority of the Parish of Tensas;

(2)  Three of the commissioners shall be appointed, one each, by the governing authority of each of the incorporated municipalities in the Parish of Tensas on the effective date of this Chapter;

(3)  One commissioner shall be elected by the above mentioned members of the commission.  

The commissioner initially appointed by the members of the commission and one of the three commissioners initially appointed by the governing authority of the Parish of Tensas, and one of the commissioners initially appointed by the governing authorities of the incorporated municipalities within the parish, shall be appointed to serve for a term of two years.  One of the three commissioners initially appointed by the governing authority of the parish of Tensas, and one of the three commissioners initially appointed by the governing authorities of the incorporated municipalities within the parish shall serve for four years.  The remaining commissioners shall be initially appointed to serve for a term of six years.  The initial terms of the three members appointed by the governing authorities of the incorporated municipalities in the parish, as stated in this Paragraph, shall be determined by lot.  Thereafter, the successors to each of the seven commissioners shall be appointed to serve for terms of six years.  

B.  Each commissioner shall be a citizen of the United States, a qualified voter and taxpayer of the State of Louisiana and a resident of the Parish of Tensas.  

C.  In the event any commissioner ceases to be a commissioner for any reason, his successor shall be appointed in the same manner as the original appointment and shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term of the outgoing commissioner.  

D.  The commissioners shall serve without compensation, but the commission may authorize a reasonable travel allowance for the commissioners in the performance of their official duties.  

E.  The commission shall elect from among its membership a chairman and a vice-chairman.  It may also select from among its membership or otherwise a secretary and a treasurer, whose respective duties shall be prescribed by the commission.  At the option of the commission, the offices of secretary and treasurer may be held by the same person.  

F.  The commission shall meet in regular session, once each month, and shall also meet in special session at the call of the chairman of the commission, or on the written request of three commissioners.  The commission shall prescribe rules to govern its meetings and shall fix the place at which meetings shall be held.  A majority of the commissioners shall constitute a quorum, and all action or resolutions of the commission, to be valid, must be approved by the affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the entire membership of the commission.  

Added by Acts 1964, Ex.Sess., No. 11, §1.