§ 70-4451. Board of Trustees – Park rangers – Acts prohibited on Center premises – Penalties – Seasonal employees – Programs of study.

A.  There is hereby created a board of trustees to act as the administrative agency for the Quartz Mountain Arts and Conference Center and Nature Park (“Center”).  The board shall represent a consortium of higher education institutions within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education with an interest in the administration of the Center, residents of southwest Oklahoma and a nonprofit arts organization which operates a fine arts institute and continuing education programs with an interest in the administration of the Center.  The Quartz Mountain Arts and Conference Center and Nature Park shall be an integral part of The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.

B.  Beginning July 1, 2008, the board shall consist of nine (9) members, three of whom shall be the presidents of each of the following higher education institutions or shall be individuals who meet the qualifications set forth in subsection D of this section and represent and are selected by the president of each of the following higher education institutions:

1.  Western Oklahoma State College;

2.  Cameron University; and

3.  Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

The remaining six members shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.  The members appointed by the Governor shall hold numbered positions with staggered terms to expire as provided in subsection C of this section.  Successors to the members initially appointed by the Governor shall serve seven-year terms that shall expire on June 30 of the seventh year following appointment.  Appointed members may serve successive terms.

Position one shall be the president of an arts organization recognized as a nonprofit organization pursuant to 26 U.S.C., Section 501(c)(3) that utilizes the Center facilities for the fine arts institute and continuing education programs offered by the organization.  Positions two and three shall be individuals who are members of an arts organization recognized as a nonprofit organization pursuant to 26 U.S.C., Section 501(c)(3) that utilize the Center facilities for the fine arts institute and continuing education programs offered by the organization.  Position four shall be a resident of Kiowa County.  Position five shall be a resident of Greer County.  Position six shall be a resident of Jackson County.

C.  The numbered positions and terms shall be as follows:

1.  Position No. 1:  the term of office of one member shall expire on June 30, 2014, and each seven (7) years thereafter;

2.  Position No. 2:  the term of office of one member shall expire on June 30, 2013, and each seven (7) years thereafter;

3.  Position No. 3:  the term of office of one member shall expire on June 30, 2012, and each seven (7) years thereafter;

4.  Position No. 4:  the term of office of one member shall expire on June 30, 2011, and each seven (7) years thereafter;

5.  Position No. 5:  the term of office of one member shall expire on June 30, 2010, and each seven (7) years thereafter; and

6.  Position No. 6:  the term of office of one member shall expire on June 30, 2009, and each seven (7) years thereafter.

D.  Any member selected by a president of a higher education institution to serve on the board shall be employed as an administrator at the vice-president level or higher or as a provost at the higher education institution which the member is representing.

E.  The terms of office of the members of the board of trustees serving on the effective date of this act shall expire July 1, 2008.  Any member of the board of trustees serving prior to June 30, 2008, may be appointed to the board of trustees on or after July 1, 2008, if the member is otherwise eligible to serve.

F.  The Chancellor of Higher Education shall call the first meeting of the board.  The board of trustees shall be a body corporate and shall adopt and use an official seal.  The board shall elect a chair, vice-chair, and secretary annually.  The board shall comply with the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and the Oklahoma Open Records Act.  The board shall have the authority to submit a budget annually to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, administer monies allocated by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, select and employ a chief executive officer and other employees, and to expend all monies allocated to the Center as may be necessary to perform the duties and responsibilities of the board.  The board shall have the supervision, management and control of the Center.  The board shall be authorized to adopt rules and regulations it deems necessary to govern the Center; enter into contracts for taking title to real and personal property; lease Center facilities for programs and institutes; accept private funds and gifts of real or personal property for joint development of the Center as a cultural conference center, arts park and natural area preserve; commission park rangers as provided in subsection F of this section, and fulfill other duties and responsibilities of the board.  Board members shall receive no compensation for service on the board but are to be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses.

G.  The board may commission any officer or employee who is certified pursuant to Section 3311 of this title as a park ranger as the board deems necessary to secure the Center and to maintain law and order.  Park rangers, when commissioned, shall have all the powers of peace officers except the serving or execution of civil process and shall have in all parts of the state the same powers with respect to criminal matters and enforcement of the laws relating thereto as sheriffs, highway patrol troopers, and police officers in their respective jurisdictions and shall possess all immunities and matters of defense now available or hereafter made available to sheriffs, highway patrol troopers, and police officers in any suit brought against them in consequence of acts done in the course of their employment, provided that the rangers shall comply with the provisions of Section 3311 of this title.

H.  1.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person may:

a.discharge fireworks in any posted areas of the Center,

b.possess any glass container in a designated and posted swim or beach area within the Center premises,

c.build a fire on the Center premises in areas posted as prohibited by the board of trustees,

d.solicit or demand gifts, money, goods or services on the Center premises, or

e.sell, hawk, or peddle on the Center premises any goods, wares, merchandise, liquids, edibles, or any item of value, without having a contract or lease agreement approved by the board of trustees.

2.  Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this subsection shall be punished by a fine of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) nor more than Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00), or imprisonment in the county jail for not more than thirty (30) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

3.  Fifty percent (50%) of all monies collected pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited in a fund designated by the State Regents and fifty percent (50%) shall be remitted to the county in which the violation is made.

I.  The Center is authorized to employ seasonal employees throughout the calendar year who work fewer than one thousand two

hundred (1,200) hours in any twelve-month period.  These employees shall not be entitled to paid leave, paid holidays, retirement, health, dental or life insurance, and shall be exempt from any laws, rules, or practices providing for these benefits.

J.  It is the intent of the Legislature that the State Regents shall provide staffing and travel reimbursement for staff and the board, in accordance with the State Travel Reimbursement Act.

K.  The board of trustees shall work with the three consortium higher education institutions and the State Regents to establish or provide courses or programs of study to be offered by the institutions which utilize and incorporate the facilities and resources of the Center.

Added by Laws 2001, c. 347, § 2, emerg. eff. June 1, 2001.  Amended by Laws 2002, c. 293, § 2, emerg. eff. May 22, 2002; Laws 2008, c. 101, § 2, eff. July 1, 2008.