Section 50-8-84. Composition of membership of commission; redistricting of areas removed from jurisdiction of existing commission

   (a) The members of a commission for an area shall consist of:

   (1) The chairman of the board of commissioners of each county within the area;

   (2) The mayor of the most populous municipality within the area;

   (3) From each county within the area, except the most populous county within the area, the mayor of a municipality within such county, to be designated by majority vote of the mayors (except the mayor of the most populous municipality within the area) of all municipalities lying within such county, provided that if the mayors of the municipalities eligible to vote on such matter fail to designate one of their number within 45 days after a vacancy exists, one of their number shall be selected by a majority vote of the county commission of the applicable county;

   (4) From the most populous county within the area, the mayor of a municipality located within the northern half of such county elected by majority vote of the mayors of all municipalities located within the northern half of such county and the mayor of a municipality located within the southern half of such county elected by a majority vote of the mayors of all municipalities located within the southern half of such county, provided that if the mayors of the municipalities eligible to vote on such matter fail to designate one of their number within 45 days after a vacancy exists, one of their number shall be selected by a majority vote of the county commission of the most populous county in the area;

   (5) A member of the legislative body of the most populous municipality lying within the area chosen by majority vote of the members of that legislative body; and

   (6) Fifteen at-large members not holding elective or appointed public office and not employed by any of the political subdivisions of the area, who shall be elected as follows:

      (A) Within ten days after a commission has been activated pursuant to Code Section 50-8-82 and within 90 days after the publication of a subsequent United States decennial census, the members of the General Assembly whose representative or senatorial districts lie wholly or partially within an area shall meet upon call by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate and shall divide the area into 15 districts. Each district shall contain approximately the same population; shall consist of combinations of contiguous census tracts from the latest available United States decennial census; but may cross the boundary lines of political subdivisions; and

      (B) Within ten days after the area has been so divided into districts, the public members of a commission shall meet upon call of the chairman of the county commission of the most populous county within its area and elect one resident of each district as a member of the commission.

(b) Any other provision of this article to the contrary notwithstanding, the General Assembly shall be authorized by local Act to remove any county within an area from the provisions of this article upon the recommendation of a majority of the full membership of the board of commissioners of any such county.

(c) Within 90 days after any area, county, or municipality is added to or removed from the jurisdiction of an existing commission under the provisions of paragraph (1) of Code Section 50-8-80 or subsection (b) of this Code section, the resulting area shall be redistricted and the 15 members at large shall be elected in accordance with paragraph (6) of subsection (a) of this Code section relative to redistricting after a United States decennial census.

Code 1981, § 50-8-84, enacted by Ga. L. 1982, p. 2107, § 51; Ga. L. 1984, p. 653, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 1834, §§ 2, 3; Ga. L. 1997, p. 442, §§ 2, 3.