Opinion ID: 1632626
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Vacancies County Board of Education

Text: The county legislative body, acting pursuant to Section 49-213, T.C.A., filled two vacancies on the county school board to unexpired terms extending beyond the 1980 elections. The Chancellor held that the unexpired term of a member on the county board of education should be filled at the next regular meeting of the county legislative body and that the member so elected should serve until the next August election. Further, he declared Section 49-213, T.C.A., to be unconstitutional as being in conflict with Article VII, Section 5 of the Constitution. Section 49-213, T.C.A., provides, in part, that vacancies shall be filled at the next regular meeting of the quarterly county court or at a special meeting of the court. [4] The power to fill vacancies now resides in the county legislative body, vice the non-existent quarterly county court. [5] We disagree with the Chancellor's conclusion, in this regard, and uphold the statute. We affirm so much of the Chancellor's decision as provides that the county legislative body fill the vacancy pending the August election. This is the clear mandate of Article VII, Section 2. We hold Section 49-213, T.C.A., to be constitutional to the extent of the temporary appointment to the vacancy. Thereafter, a successor is named at the August election.