1. The council shall consist of seven members: the commissioner of environmental conservation and the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation, and the following officials or their designees: the governor, the majority leader of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the assembly. The governor shall appoint the chair. Persons serving as a member of the council pursuant to designation shall serve at the pleasure of the designating authority, without compensation, but shall be entitled to receive reimbursement of reasonable expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to the provisions of this title.

2. The provisions of section seventy-four of the public officers law shall be applicable to the members of the council in connection with their duties under this article. At any time that a member of the council has or may have a direct or indirect financial interest in or resulting from the proposed acquisition or decision not to acquire land or an interest in land, such member shall not participate in any discussion or deliberation of the council concerning such land or interest.

3. The advisory council shall:

a. advise and make recommendations to the commissioners regarding acquisition goals and priorities to ensure a balance of statewide and regional interests in acquisition;

b. have an opportunity to review and make recommendations regarding specific parcels proposed by the commissioners for acquisition prior to the approval by the department or the office of any parcel for acquisition; and

c. review the annual reporting of the regional advisory committees, any community preservation project plans developed pursuant to section six-s of the general municipal law, the department and the office, and the state land acquisition plan.

4. Notwithstanding the provisions of article six of the public officers law, no records of the advisory council shall be available for public inspection. Notwithstanding the provisions of article seven of the public officers law, no meeting or proceeding of the advisory council shall be open to the public. All proceedings of the advisory council shall be confidential. Members of the advisory council may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone or similar communications equipment and may exchange information by mail.

5. In carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to this article, the council shall take into account the regional and state land acquisition priorities and policies.