The board shall appoint a committee to consist of not more than five members and it shall be the duty of the committee to establish the standards and criteria by which the eligible fairs in the state shall be judged for the awards as provided in Section 2-7-28 and to judge such fairs to select the recipients of such awards. The committee shall be known and designated as the "Special Awards Committee for Fairs." Each member of such committee, before being eligible for appointment thereon, shall be an officer or director of a fair association which is a member of the Association of Alabama Fairs, which association shall be entitled to make recommendations to the board concerning individuals who are to be appointed as members of the committee. The members shall serve on the committee for a term of four years and until their successors are appointed by the board. Vacancies on said committee shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments are made. The committee shall select one of its members to serve as its chairman. For attending meetings of the committee and for performing other duties of the committee, the members shall receive a per diem allowance of $25.00 per day, plus the travel and subsistence expense allowance at the rate authorized by law for official travel of state employees. Such per diem and travel allowances shall be paid from the administrative fund or account provided in Section 2-7-23 upon a verified claim presented to the board, provided such funds are available under authority of said Section 2-7-23.