KRS 173.040: Board of trustees -- Officers and employees.

(1) As soon as practicable after the passage of the ordinance providing for a free public

library, the mayor shall appoint twelve (12) trustees. The appointments shall be

made for four (4) year terms except that the original appointees shall be so

appointed th at the terms of three (3) members shall expire each year. Each

appointee must be, at the time of his appointment, a taxpayer and qualified voter in

the city and must have resided therein for two (2) years prior to his appointment.

The mayor shall continue to appoint all twelve (12) trustees unless the county

judge/executive becomes authorized to appoint trustees under the provisions of

KRS 173.105, after which the mayor shall appoint only the trustee positions not

appointed by the county judge/executive. Th e trustees shall serve without

compensation. The twelve (12) trustees, whether appointed under this subsection or

under KRS 173.105, together with the mayor of the city, shall constitute the board

of trustees of the free public library, and shall be a corp oration with power to make

such rules and regulations to govern itself and the property entrusted to its care as it

deems proper. Absence of a trustee from four (4) regular monthly meetings of the

board during any one (1) year of the trustee's term shall c onstitute automatic

resignation from the board by the trustee.

(2) Vacancies in the office of trustee shall be reported by the board to the mayor, if the

vacancy occurs in a trustee position filled by appointment of the mayor, or to the

county judge/executive if the vacancy occurs in a trustee position which the county

judge/executive has authority to fill under KRS 173.105. The vacancy shall be filled

by the mayor if so authorized or the county judge/executive if so authorized under

subsection (1) of this section and KRS 173.105, for the remainder of an unexpired

term or for a full term if the vacancy results from the expiration of a term. The

trustees shall, before entering upon the duties of office, make an oath or affirmation

before a judicial officer that they will discharge their duties.

(3) At its first meeting and each year thereafter, the board shall select members of the

board to serve as president and vice president, and it may choose other necessary

officers and employees, fix their duties and com pensation, and remove them at

pleasure.