37-106.

Game and Parks Commission; secretary; qualifications; terms; compensation; expenses; duties; removal.

The Game and Parks Commission shall appoint a secretary, who will act as its director and chief conservation officer and be in charge of its activities. He or she shall be a person with knowledge of and experience in the requirements of the protection, propagation, conservation, and restoration of the wildlife resources of the state. The secretary shall serve for a term of six years. The secretary shall not hold any other public office and shall devote his or her entire time to the service of the state in the discharge of his or her official duties. The secretary shall receive such compensation as the commission may determine and shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred by him or her in the discharge of his or her official duties as provided in sections 81-1174 to 81-1177. Before entering upon the duties of his or her office, the secretary shall take and subscribe to the constitutional oath of office, and shall, in addition thereto, swear or affirm that he or she holds no other public office, nor any position under any political committee or party. Such oath or affirmation shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State. Under the direction of the commission, the secretary shall have general supervision and control of all activities and functions of the commission, shall enforce all the provisions of the law of the state relating to wild animals, birds, fish, parks, and recreational areas, and shall exercise all necessary powers incident thereto not specifically conferred on the commission. The secretary may be removed by the commission for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or misconduct in office, but only by a majority vote of the commissioners after delivering to the secretary a copy of the charges and affording him or her an opportunity of being publicly heard in person or by counsel in his or her own defense. If the secretary is removed, the commission shall place in its minutes a complete statement of all charges made against the secretary and its findings thereon, together with a complete record of the proceedings and the recorded vote thereon.