1.    Total membership on a regional council must be determined by the participating units of general local government, subject to the following minimum criteria of membership: a.    A majority of the full regional council membership must be composed of existing elected city officials and county commissioners. Selection of these members must be by their respective governing bodies.

b.    One member of the regional council may represent identifiable and organized minority groups existing in the region. Selection of the member may be made by the minority groups upon invitation from the regional council.

     c.    One soil conservation district supervisor from each county must be appointed to the regional council to represent the agricultural and natural resource interests of the region. The appointment of the soil conservation district supervisor must be made by the respective boards of soil conservation districts. If any county contains more than one soil conservation district, either in whole or in part, the concerned boards shall meet and jointly agree upon a single appointment to the regional council.

d.    One or more members of the regional council, selected by the local development corporations, shall represent the organized local development corporations existing in the region.

e. The chairman of the regional employment training council or the chairman’s designee must be appointed to the regional council.

f.    An alternate must be selected for each regular member of the regional council in the same manner as the regular member is selected. The alternate member is to serve on the regional council when the regular member is absent and shall enjoy the same responsibilities and privileges as a regular member enjoys.

2.    The term of office of each member of the regional council must be as determined by the regional council and specified in its agreements, rules, or procedures. However, if a person is a member of the regional council as the result of being a member of the governing body of a city or a county, that person’s term on the regional council expires at the same time that person’s term of public office expires and another person must be appointed to the regional council in the same manner as the selection was made for the member whose term expires.

3.    Special or standing committees may be appointed to assist and advise the regional council. Members of special or standing committees must be appointed by the regional council. Membership on special or standing committees is not limited to the members of the regional council.

4.    The regional council may elect an executive board from the members of the regional council. The executive board shall perform the administrative duties prescribed in the agreements, rules, or procedures of the regional council.

5.    The regional council shall determine the rate at which expenses of regional council members and members of any special or standing committees must be paid for expenses incurred in attending meetings of the regional council and the committees and in the performance of their official duties, but the amounts may not exceed the amounts provided by law for state officers.