Section 164. There is hereby established in the department of fire services within the executive office of public safety the Massachusetts fire training council, hereinafter called the council, to consist of the chief fire warden of the commonwealth, ex officio; the secretary of public safety, ex officio; the director of the Massachusetts firefighting academy and 12 members to be appointed by the governor: four of whom shall be fire chiefs selected from a list of eight names submitted by the fire chiefs association of Massachusetts; one of whom shall be a fire department training instructor holding an officer's rank, but not a fire chief, selected from a list of two names submitted by the Massachusetts Institute of Fire Department Instructors; one of whom shall be a fire prevention inspector, but is not a fire chief, selected from a list of two names submitted by the Fire Prevention Association of Massachusetts, Inc.; two of whom shall be selected from a list of four names submitted by the professional firefighters of Massachusetts, one of whom holds the rank of firefighter and the other of whom holds the rank of a fire department officer other than a fire chief; 2 of whom shall be selected from a list of 4 names submitted by the Massachusetts Call and Volunteer Firefighters Association; and two of whom shall be citizens of the commonwealth.

The four fire chiefs selected from the eight names submitted by the fire chiefs association shall represent the following types of fire departments:

(1) A fully paid fire department;

(2) A partially paid part-call fire department;

(3) A full-call fire department; and

(4) A community from within Metro Fire District 13.

The chairman of said council shall be elected by a majority vote of the members thereof and shall serve as chairman for a term of one year or until his successor is elected. Said chairman shall be elected annually at the January meeting.

Members of the council shall be appointed for terms of three years with no limit on the number of terms they may serve, except that the terms of initial appointment shall be four members for one year, three members for two years and three members for three years. Members shall hold office until a successor is appointed and no member shall serve beyond the time he ceases to hold office or employment by reason of which he was eligible for appointment to the council.

The council shall meet monthly except that the chairman, with council approval, may omit meetings in July and August and the chairman, the governor, or the secretary of public safety may call additional meetings at other times, of which all members shall be given notice in writing at least five days prior to such meeting. Special meetings may be called by the chairman and shall be called by him at the request of the governor or upon the written request of seven members of the council. If any member is absent from three regularly scheduled meetings, exclusive of July and August, in any calendar year, his office as a member shall be deemed vacant. The chairman of the council shall make an annual report to the governor and the secretary of public safety and include in it recommendations for appropriate legislation.

The members of the council shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.