§ 8-19. District No. 4

(a) Created; boundaries. Under and by virtue of the authority conferred by R.S. 40:1491—40:1501 inclusive, a fire protection district is created in the parish and shall comprise and embrace all of the territory within the following boundaries, to wit:

Beginning at the parish line at the northwest corner of Section 30, T-8-N, R-9-W; thence east along the northern boundaries of Sections 30, 29, 28, 27 and 26 to the northeast corner of said Section 26, T-8-N, R-9-W; thence north along the western boundaries of Sections 24, 13, 12 and 1, T-8-N, R-9-W, to the northwest corner of said Section 1, said point also being the township line common to T-8-N and T-9-N; thence east along said township line to its intersection with the southwest corner of Section 32, T-9-N, R-8-W; thence north to its northwest corner; thence east to the northeast corner of irregular Section 34, T-9-N, R-8-W; thence south to the southeast corner of Section 15, T-8-N, R-8-W; thence east to the northeast corner of Section 20, T-8-N, R-7-W; thence south to the southeast corner of Section 32, T-8-N, R-7-W; said point also being the township line common to T-7-N and T-8-N; thence east along said township line to the northeast corner of Section 4, T-7-N, R-7-W; thence south to the southeast corner of Section 16, T-7-N, R-7-W; thence east to the northeast corner of Section 24, T-7-N, R-7-W, said point also being the range line common to R-7-W and R-6-W; thence south along said range line to the southern boundary of the Natchitoches Parish line; thence west, north, west and north along said parish line to the point of beginning.

(b) Name; corporate powers. Said district is designated as "Fire Protection District No. 4 of the Parish of Natchitoches, State of Louisiana," shall constitute a public corporation and shall have the powers and privileges granted by the Constitution and statutes of this state to such corporations, including the authority to incur debt and levy taxes. Said district shall also be known as the Provencal Fire Protection District.

(c) Governing body. In accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:1495 and 40:1496, the governing body of the district shall consist of a board of commissioners of the district, which shall consist of five (5) members. Two (2) members shall be appointed by the police jury, two (2) by the town council of the Village of Provencal, Louisiana and the chairman of the board shall be selected by the other four (4) members. Each member of the board shall be a resident property taxpayer of the district.

Two (2) of the first members of the board shall hold office until one year from the January first immediately succeeding their appointment and three (3) members shall hold office until two (2) years from the January first immediately succeeding their appointments, the respective terms to be designated by lot. Thereafter, each member appointed shall serve for a term of two (2) years. Members shall be eligible for reappointment. If a vacancy occurs, it shall be filled for the unexpired term by the body originally making the appointment so vacated.

(d) Organization. The police jury shall fix the time and place for the first meeting of the board. At this meeting the board shall organize and shall elect a secretary and a treasurer or a combined secretary-treasurer. The persons filling these offices may, but need not, be members of the board.

(e) General powers and duties. The board shall adopt its rules and procedure and fix the time and place of its regular meetings. Generally, it has such powers and shall perform such duties as are customary for the governing bodies of taxing districts and political subdivisions, including the right to levy taxes and to operate and control the property acquired by the district. It may do all things necessary to carry out the purposes for which the district was created.

(Ord. of 4-20-77, §§ 1—5; Ord. No. 4-82, §§ I, II, 10-20-82)