SECTION 3. Economic development and industrial corporation; authority to organize; consolidations; members of board of directors; surety bonds; compensation and reimbursements

There is hereby authorized in each municipality in the commonwealth the organization of an economic development and industrial corporation, a public body politic and corporate, hereinafter referred to as the corporation. No such corporation, however, shall be organized, transact any business, employ any personnel or exercise any powers until the city council with the approval of the city manager, in a city having a Plan D or Plan E form of charter, or with the approval of the mayor in any other city, or by the board of selectmen in a town, shall by vote declare a need for such a corporation because unemployment or the threat thereof exists in the city or town or that security against future unemployment and lack of business opportunity is required and that attracting new industry into the municipality and substantially expanding existing industry through an economic development project or projects financed under this chapter and implemented by such a corporation would alleviate the unemployment and lack of business opportunity problems.

In the event that two or more municipalities wish to consolidate their economic development and industrial corporations, each such municipality desirous of such a consolidation shall so vote as a city or town in the manner hereinbefore described. Such a vote may be made at the same time as the vote to organize the corporation or may be made at a time subsequent thereto.

There shall be seven members of the board of directors of the corporation who shall be appointed by the municipality. At least one member shall be experienced in industrial development, one in financial matters, one in real estate matters, one in municipal government, at least one member representative of low income people who shall be chosen from a list of three submitted by the regional or local community action agency or, where there is no such agency, from a list of three submitted by the department of housing and community development. The appointing municipality shall designate one of the seven members as chairman and another as vice-chairman. Each of the seven members shall be sworn to the faithful performance of his official duties as a director of the corporation. A majority of the seven directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business, but the action of a majority of the entire board shall be necessary for any transaction. For the purposes of section eleven A of chapter thirty A of the General Laws, the corporation shall be deemed to be an authority established by the general court to serve a public purpose in the commonwealth. Of the members of the corporation first appointed, two shall be appointed to serve for one year from the first day of July in the current year, two for two years from said date, and three for three years from said date. Upon the expiration of the term of office of any such member, or of any subsequent member, his successor shall be appointed in like manner for a term of three years. In the event of a vacancy in the office of a member, his successor shall be appointed in like manner to serve for the unexpired term. Unless reappointed, no member of the corporation shall hold office after the expiration of his term; and the appointment of a successor to any person whose term has expired shall be for the remainder of the term which would have begun at such expiration if the successor had then been appointed.

Any member may be removed by the municipality for malfeasance, misfeasance, or wilful neglect of duty, but only after reasonable notice and a public hearing, unless the same are in writing expressly waived, and after approval by MOBD. For purposes of chapter two hundred sixty-eight A of the General Laws, the members of the corporation shall be deemed to be special municipal employees.

Before the issuance of any bonds under the provisions of this act, each member of the corporation shall execute a surety bond with a surety company authorized to transact business in this commonwealth as surety, in the penal sum of fifty thousand dollars conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties of his office, each such surety bond to be approved by the legal counsel of the municipality and filed in the office of the state secretary. The members of the corporation shall receive no compensation for the performance of their duties hereunder, but each member shall be reimbursed for expenses actually incurred in the performance of his duties. Every such reimbursement shall be open to public inspection from and after the requisition therefor.