Sec. 33-228. Board of trustees.

      Sec. 33-228. Board of trustees. (a) The business of a cooperative shall be managed by a board of not less than five trustees, each of whom shall be a member of the cooperative. The bylaws shall prescribe the number of trustees, their qualifications, other than those prescribed in this chapter, and the manner of holding meetings of the board of trustees and of electing successors to trustees who resign, die or otherwise are incapable of acting. The bylaws may also provide for the removal of trustees from office and for the election of their successors. Trustees shall not receive any salaries for their services as trustees and, except in emergencies, shall not be employed by the cooperative in any capacity involving compensation without the approval of the members. The bylaws may provide that a fixed fee and expenses of attendance may be allowed to each trustee for attendance at each meeting of the board of trustees.

      (b) The trustees of a cooperative named in any articles of incorporation shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the members and until their successors are elected and have qualified. At each annual meeting or, in case of failure to hold the annual meeting as specified in the bylaws, at a special meeting called for that purpose, the members shall elect trustees to hold office until the next annual meeting of the members, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. Each trustee shall hold office for the term for which he is elected and until his successor is elected and has qualified.

      (c) Instead of electing all the trustees annually, the bylaws may provide that half of them, or a number as near thereto as possible, shall be elected to serve until the next annual meeting of the members and that the remaining trustees shall be elected to serve until the second succeeding annual meeting. Thereafter, as trustees' terms expire, the members shall elect their successors to serve until the second succeeding annual meeting after their election.

      (d) A majority of the board of trustees shall constitute a quorum.

      (e) If a husband and wife hold a joint membership in a cooperative, either one, but not both, may be elected a trustee.

      (f) The board of trustees may exercise all of the powers of a cooperative not conferred upon the members by this chapter or its articles of incorporation or bylaws.

      (1949 Rev., S. 5337.)