(a)        Appointment. – A board of directors for a regional school shall consist of the following members. Appointed members of the board of directors shall be selected for their interest in and commitment to the importance of public education to regional economic development and to the purposes of the regional school.

(1)        Local boards of education. – Each participating unit shall appoint one member to the board of directors from among the membership of the local board of education. Members appointed by local boards of education shall serve terms of four years.

(2)        Local superintendents. – The local superintendent of the local school administrative unit identified as the finance agent for the regional school shall serve as an ex officio member of the board of directors. One additional superintendent shall be selected from among the superintendents of the participating units by those superintendents. The additional superintendent shall serve an initial term of two years. Subsequent appointees shall serve a term of four years.

(3)        Business community. – The board of directors for the chamber of commerce of the county in which the regional school is located, in consultation with the North Carolina Economic Developers Association, shall appoint at least three members as representatives of the business community. At least fifty percent (50%) of the members of the board of directors for the regional school shall be representatives of the business community appointed in accordance with this subdivision. At least one of the appointees shall be a resident of the county in which the regional school is located. The appointees shall serve an initial term of two years. Subsequent appointees shall serve a term of four years.

(4)        Parent Advisory Council. – The Parent Advisory Council established by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-238.69 shall appoint a member to the board of directors from among the Council membership. The member appointed by the Council shall serve a term of four years or until the child of the parent no longer attends the regional school.

(5)        Higher education partners. – Any institution of higher education partner may appoint a representative of the institution of higher education to serve as an ex officio member of the board of directors.

(b)        Vacancies. – Whenever an appointed member of the board of directors shall fail for any reason other than ill health or service in the interest of the State or nation to be present at three successive regular meetings of the board of directors, his or her place as a member of the board of directors shall be deemed vacant. Any member of the board of directors may be removed from office by the appointing authority for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office. All vacancies shall be filled by the appointing authority for the remainder of the term of office. ?(2011-241, s. 1; 2013-360, s. 8.20.)