1. Establishment; membership. The Maine Governmental Facilities Authority is created as a body corporate and politic and a public instrumentality of the State. The exercise by the authority of powers conferred by this chapter is considered to be the performance of essential governmental functions. The authority consists of 5 members, one of whom is the Treasurer of State, serving as an ex officio, voting member, one of whom is the Commissioner of Administrative and Financial Services, serving as an ex officio, voting member, and 3 other members who shall each serve for a term of 5 years and are appointed by the Governor, subject to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local government and confirmation by the Legislature. Any member of the authority may be removed by the Governor for cause. In the event of vacancy occurring in the membership, the Governor shall appoint a replacement member for the remainder of that term. Each member of the authority shall serve until that member's successor is appointed and qualified. Any member of the authority is eligible for reappointment. A. The initial appointed members of the authority are appointed in a manner to stagger the terms of the members. Of the initial 3 appointed members, one is appointed to a term of 3 years; one is appointed to a term of 4 years and one is appointed to a term of 5 years. [PL 1997, c. 523, §2 (AMD).] [PL 1997, c. 523, §2 (AMD).] 2. Oath. Each member of the authority before commencing the member's duties shall take an oath to administer the duties of that office faithfully and impartially and that oath must be filed in the office of the Secretary of State. [PL 1997, c. 523, §2 (AMD).] 3. Officers; quorum. The authority shall elect from its membership a chair and a vice-chair. In addition, the authority may have a secretary and a treasurer, who may be members or nonmembers of the authority. Three members of the authority constitute a quorum and the vote of 3 members is necessary for any action taken by the authority. A vacancy in the membership of the authority does not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the authority. The authority may meet by telephonic, video, electronic or other similar means of communication with less than a quorum assembled physically at the location of a public proceeding identified in the notice required by Title 1, section 406 only if: A. Each member can hear all other members, speak to all other members and, to the extent reasonably practicable, see all other members by videoconferencing or other similar means of communication during the public proceeding, and members of the public attending the public proceeding at the location identified in the notice required by Title 1, section 406 are able to hear and, to the extent reasonably practicable, see all members participating from other locations by videoconferencing or other similar means of communication; [PL 2015, c. 449, §1 (NEW).] B. Each member who is not physically present at the location of the public proceeding and who is participating through telephonic, video, electronic or other similar means of communication identifies all persons present at the location from which the member is participating; [PL 2015, c. 449, §1 (NEW).] C. A member who participates while not physically present at the location of the public proceeding identified in the notice required by Title 1, section 406 does so only when the member's attendance is not reasonably practical. The reason that the member's attendance is not reasonably practical must be stated in the minutes of the meeting; and [PL 2015, c. 449, §1 (NEW).] D. Each member who is not physically present at the location of the public proceeding and who is participating through telephonic, video, electronic or other similar means of communication has received prior to the public proceeding all documents and materials discussed at the public proceeding, with substantially the same content as those presented at the public proceeding. Documents or other materials made available at the public proceeding may be transmitted to the member not physically present during the public proceeding if the transmission technology is available. Failure to comply with this paragraph does not invalidate an action taken by the authority at the public proceeding. [PL 2015, c. 449, §1 (NEW).] [PL 2015, c. 449, §1 (AMD).] 4. Compensation. Each member of the authority is entitled to compensation in accordance with Title 5, chapter 379. Each member of the authority must be indemnified by the authority against expenses actually and necessarily incurred by the member in connection with the defense of any action or proceeding in which the member is made a party by reason of being or having been a member of the authority, and against any final judgment rendered against the member in that action or proceeding. [PL 1997, c. 523, §2 (AMD).]
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