GA HB1275

The Chatham Area Transit Authority board is set at nine members, appointed by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, the City of Savannah mayor and aldermen, and other municipal governing authorities, with staggered terms ranging from one to five years depending on the seat.

Term limits are established: members appointed to five-year term seats are ineligible for reappointment after two consecutive full terms, while members serving one-year terms are ineligible after five consecutive full terms, with a one-term cooling-off period required before reappointment.

A member's seat is automatically forfeited for losing eligibility qualifications, conviction of a felony or crime of moral turpitude, or missing four consecutive regular meetings or 50% of all meetings in a fiscal year without being excused.

Board members receive a per diem allowance (as set by O.C.G.A. § 45-7-21) for up to 36 meeting days per year, while the chairperson may receive per diem for up to 60 days of official business per year, with reimbursement for pre-authorized expenses.

The authority is required to conduct its own annual audit by a certified public accountant, and a prior provision assigning financial operations and administrative functions to Chatham County is repealed, effective July 1, 2012.