1. Except in areas from which voters and the commission have approved the provision of central dispatching for emergency services by a public agency for an area containing third or fourth class cities located in counties of the third classification with a population of at least thirty-two thousand but no greater than forty thousand that border a county of the first classification but do not border the Mississippi River, the initial board shall consist of seven members appointed without regard for political party who shall be selected from and shall represent the fire protection districts, ambulance districts, sheriff’s department, municipalities, any other emergency services and the general public. This initial board shall serve until its successor board is duly elected and installed in office. The commission shall ensure geographic representation of the county by appointing no more than four members from any one commission district of the county.

2. Beginning in 1992, three members shall be elected from each commission district and one member shall be elected at large, with such at-large member to be a voting member and chairman of the board. Of those first elected, four members from commission districts shall be elected for terms of two years and two members from commission districts and the member at large shall be elected for terms of four years. In 1994, and thereafter, all terms of office shall be for four years, except as otherwise provided in this subsection or as provided in subsection 3 of this section. Any vacancy on the board shall be filled in the same manner as the initial appointment was made. Four members shall constitute a quorum. If a board established in section 190.327 consolidates with a board established under section 190.327, 190.328, or 190.335, under the provisions of section 190.470, the term of office for the existing board members shall end on the thirtieth day following the appointment of the initial board of directors for the consolidated district.

3. Upon approval by the county commission for the election of board members to be held on general municipal election day, pursuant to subsection 2 of section 190.327, the terms of those board members then holding office shall be reduced by seven months. After a board member’s term has been reduced, all following terms for that position shall be for four years, except as otherwise provided under subsection 2 of this section.