160A-635. Membership; officers; compensation.

(a) The governing body of an authority is the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall consist of:

(1) The mayor of the four cities within the service area that have the largest population, or a member of the city council designated by the city council to serve in the absence of the mayor.

(2) At least two, but not more than three, members of the Board of Transportation appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. Members appointed under this subdivision shall be (i) division members from a highway division or highway divisions located wholly or partially within the territorial jurisdiction of the Authority, (ii) at-large members who represent or have an expertise in mass transit and reside within the territorial jurisdiction of the Authority, or (iii) a combination of division members and at-large members meeting the requirements set forth in this subdivision.

(3) The chair of each Metropolitan Planning Organization or a member of the Metropolitan Planning Organization designated by the Metropolitan Planning Organization in the territorial jurisdiction.

(4) The chair of the board of commissioners of any county within the territorial jurisdiction or a member of the board of commissioners designated by the board to serve in the absence of the chair, but only if the Board of Trustees by resolution has expanded the Board of Trustees to include the chair of the board of commissioners of that county and the board of commissioners of that county has consented by resolution.

(5) The chair of the principal airport authority or airport commission of each of the two most populous counties within the territorial jurisdiction, as determined by the most recent decennial federal census. The chair of the airport authority or airport commission may appoint a designee. The designee is not required to be a member of the airport authority or airport commission.

(b) The members appointed by the Secretary of Transportation shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary.

(c) Service on the Board of Trustees may be in addition to any other office which a person is entitled to hold. Each member of the Board of Trustees may hold elective public office as defined by G.S. 128-1.1(d).

(d) Members of the Board of Trustees shall reside within the territorial jurisdiction of the Authority as defined by G.S. 160A-634.

(e) The Board of Trustees shall annually elect from its membership a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

(f) Members of the Board of Trustees shall receive the sum of fifty dollars ($50.00) as compensation for attendance at each duly conducted meeting of the Authority.