The Authority shall have a total membership of 12 members that shall consist of nine nonlegislative citizen members and three ex officio members. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed as follows: six members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, two of whom shall be residents of Buchanan County, two of whom shall be residents of Dickenson County, and two of whom shall be residents of Wise County, and three members to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one of whom shall be a resident of Buchanan County, one of whom shall be a resident of Dickenson County, and one of whom shall be a resident of Wise County. The chairmen of the boards of supervisors of Buchanan, Dickenson, and Wise Counties or their designees shall serve ex officio with voting privileges. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Authority shall be citizens of the Commonwealth.

Ex officio members of the Authority shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. All members may be reappointed.

After the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term of four years.

The Authority shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The meetings of the Authority shall be held at the call of the chairman or whenever the majority of the members so request.