Senate Bill 3222

AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 823, LOCAL AND PRIVATE LAWS OF 1988, TO REVISE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE HARRISON COUNTY BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Chapter 823, Local and Private Laws of 1988, is amended as follows:

Section 1. (1) The Board of Supervisors of Harrison County, Mississippi, is hereby authorized and empowered, in its discretion, to establish a county beautification commission.

(2) Until the effective date of Senate Bill No. 3222, 2007 Regular Session, the county beautification commission shall be

composed of fifteen (15) members who shall be appointed in the following manner: five (5) members shall be appointed by a majority vote of the board of supervisors, with one (1) member being appointed from each supervisor district in the county; six (6) members to be appointed by the six (6) chambers of commerce in the county, with one (1) of such members being appointed by each of such chambers of commerce; and four (4) members to be appointed by the mayors of the four (4) municipalities in the county, with one (1) of such members being appointed by each of such mayors. Each commissioner so appointed shall serve for a term to run concurrent with the term of a member of the board of supervisors; however, the term of the members serving on the effective date of Senate Bill No. 3222, 2007 Regular Session, shall be terminated upon the effective date of such act. Any vacancy in the office of a commissioner shall be filled by the board of supervisors, the chamber of commerce in such county, or mayor of the municipality, as the case may be, in the same manner as the original appointment, and the appointee shall serve only until expiration of the term of his immediate predecessor.

(3) From and after the effective date of Senate Bill No. 3222, 2007 Regular Session, the county beautification commission shall be composed of seven (7) members who shall be appointed in the following manner: one (1) member shall be appointed by each member of the board of supervisors from the appointing supervisors district and two (2) members shall be appointed from the county at large by a majority vote of the board of supervisors. Each commissioner so appointed shall serve for a term to run concurrent with the term of a member of the board of supervisors. Any vacancy in the office of a commissioner shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, and the appointee shall serve only until expiration of the term of his immediate predecessor.

Section 2. (1) If the Board of Supervisors of Harrison County, Mississippi, establishes a county beautification commission as authorized under Section 1 of this act, then the board of supervisors shall be:

(a) Authorized to expend monies not to exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00) annually, out of any available funds of the county for the operation of the beautification commission, including the hiring of necessary personnel, and such expenses related to education, advertising and any other expenses incidental to the purposes and intent of the commission. However, employees of the commission shall be under the direct control and supervision of the county beautification commission. No expenditures shall be made by the commission except in accordance with a budget approved by the board of supervisors.

(b) Authorized, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, to appropriate funds not to exceed the amount authorized in this section, to the county beautification commission from the road and bridge fund of the county when necessary for an expenditure by the commission for any project related to county roads.

(c) Authorized to accept grants, gifts and donations not to exceed the amount authorized in this section, from public and private sources for the use of the county beautification commission, upon appropriation by the board, in its purposes as set forth in this act.

(2) If the Board of Supervisors of Harrison County establishes a county beautification commission as authorized under Section 1 of this act, then the board of supervisors may adopt such rules, regulations and ordinances as, in its discretion, it deems necessary to the effective and efficient operation of the county beautification commission.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.