(a) Each community services agency shall be governed by a community services agency board.

(b) There is hereby created and established a statewide community services agency. The statewide board of directors shall consist of the commissioner or the commissioner's designee and twelve (12) members appointed by the governor. The members appointed by the governor shall be as follows:

(1) There shall be one (1) member appointed from each of the nine (9) regional agency areas;

(2) There shall be one (1) member appointed from each of the three (3) grand divisions; and

(3) No two (2) members shall reside in the same county at the time of appointment or reappointment.

(c) The membership of each regional board serving a multi-county community services agency shall be appointed by the governor and shall consist of a representative of each county within the agency boundary and the commissioner or the commissioner's designee.

(d) The membership of each board serving a metropolitan community services agency shall consist of twelve (12) members appointed by the governor, with at least fifty percent (50%) of the appointments made from recommendations by the county mayor. If any municipality within the county has more than sixty percent (60%) of the total population of the county, the governor shall appoint equal number from recommendations submitted by the county mayor and the mayor of the identified municipality.

(e) Appointees to a board governed by subsections (b), (c), and (d) may include, but not be limited to, representatives of the areas of law enforcement, mental health professionals, local education agencies, local courts, social workers, advocates, health care providers, consumers of services provided by the community services agency or persons having specialized knowledge or expertise in the service areas and public and private agencies that provide services to persons in need of services in Tennessee. The members of each board shall be appointed with a good faith effort to reflect a diverse mixture of race and gender.

(f) The term of a member of a board governed by subsections (b), (c), and (d) shall be four (4) years. The terms of initial appointments to the board shall be staggered as follows: one fourth (¼) shall be made for a term of one (1) year, one fourth (¼) for a term of two (2) years, one fourth (¼) for a term of three (3) years, and one fourth (¼) for a term of four (4) years. The governor shall make initial appointments to the statewide board of directors by July 1, 2012.

(g) Members of a board governed by subsections (b), (c), and (d) shall continue in office until the expiration of the terms for which they were respectively appointed and until such time as their successors are appointed.

(h) Vacancies occurring on a board governed by subsections (b), (c), and (d) because of death, resignation or lack of active participation, as determined by the governance policies of the community services agency, shall be filled in the same manner as a regular appointment for the remainder of the unexpired terms.

(i) Members of a board governed by subsections (b), (c), and (d) shall not be compensated for services rendered to the agency, but shall be reimbursed by the agency for actual expenses in accordance with the comprehensive travel regulations promulgated by the commissioner of finance and administration and approved by the attorney general and reporter.

(j) A board governed by subsections (b), (c), and (d) shall elect a chair from among its members. The board shall also elect other officers as the board finds necessary and appropriate. Such positions are for a term of one (1) year, but officers may be reelected to serve additional terms.

(k) If any matter before a board governed by subsections (b), (c), and (d) involves a project, transaction or relationship in which a member or the member's associated institution, business or board has a direct or conflicting interest, the member shall disclose to the board that interest and shall be prohibited from participating in discussions and voting on that matter.