§5-17-11. Election of officers; duties of officers and directors; compensation; liability.

(a) At the first meeting and at subsequent times prescribed in the bylaws, the directors shall elect a president. The president must be either a member of the board of directors or an employee of the credit union who is not a member of the board of directors. If the credit union elects a president who is not a member of the board of directors, the board of directors shall elect from their own number a chairman and one or more vice-chairmen of the board of directors. The board of directors shall have the power, in accordance with the bylaws, to remove any officer who is not a member of the board of directors. At the first meeting and at subsequent annual meetings prescribed in the bylaws, the directors shall elect from their own number, a secretary and treasurer, who may be the same individual. To nominate a candidate by petition, the petition should conform to the requirements as specified in the bylaws. The bylaws will state the number of members required to sign a petition which can be as few as three members or more as stated in the bylaws. The maximum number cannot exceed the lesser of one percent of the membership or 500 members. Candidates shall be given a minimum of 35 days from the postmark date to present a petition.

(b) The duties of the officers shall be as determined in the bylaws. It shall be the duty of the directors to have general management of the affairs of the credit union, particularly:

(1) To act on application for membership.

(2) To determine interest rates on loans and on deposits; provided, that such loans shall be at reasonable rates of interest.

(3) To fix the amount of the surety bond which shall be required of all officers and employees handling money.

(4) To declare dividends, and to transmit to the members recommended amendments to the bylaws.

(5) To fill vacancies in the board and in the credit committee until successors are chosen and qualify.

(6) To determine the maximum individual share holdings and the maximum individual loan which can be made with and without security.

(7) To have charge of investments other than loans to members.

(8) To establish the par value of the share.

(9) In the absence of a credit committee, and upon the written request of a member, review a loan application denied by a loan officer.

(c) No member of the board or either committee shall, as such, be compensated. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for their services to the credit union, providing reasonable life, accident, and similar insurance protection shall not be considered compensation. Directors, officers, and committee members may be reimbursed for necessary expenses incidental to the performance of the official business of the credit union.

(d) Liability and indemnification of officers, directors, trustees, and members of the governing body of a credit union shall be the same as provided for a qualified entity in Title 10A, the Alabama Business and Nonprofit Entity Code.

(Acts 1927, No. 597, p. 696; Code 1940, T. 28, §290; Acts 1977, No. 210, p. 282, §1; Acts 1978, No. 469, p. 492, §8; Acts 1983, No. 83-772, p. 1407, §1; Act 2014-317, §1.)