(a) The authority shall be composed of the commissioner of natural resources or his or her designee and eight residents of this state, two of whom shall be from Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn, or Camden counties, to be appointed by the Governor. The eight members appointed by the Governor shall be selected from the state at large but shall be representative of the geographical areas of the state. Except as provided in this Code section, the members appointed by the Governor shall serve for a term of four years and until the appointment and qualification of their successors. The first four appointments made by the Governor shall be as follows: one member shall be appointed for a term of one year beginning July 1, 1978; one member shall be appointed for a term of two years beginning July 1, 1978; one member shall be appointed for a term of three years beginning July 1, 1978; and one member shall be appointed for a term of four years beginning July 1, 1978. The fifth member appointed by the Governor shall serve for a term of four years beginning July 1, 1984. The sixth member appointed by the Governor shall serve for an initial term beginning upon appointment and ending on June 30, 1997. The seventh member appointed by the Governor shall serve for an initial term beginning upon appointment and ending on June 30, 1998. The eighth member appointed by the Governor shall serve for an initial term beginning upon appointment and ending on June 30, 1999. Subsequent terms for those members appointed as the sixth, seventh, and eighth members, or their successors, shall be for four years. An appointment by the Governor to fill a vacancy shall be made for the unexpired term.

(b) The Governor shall appoint the chairperson of the authority for a term of one year. A member may serve no more than two consecutive terms as chairperson nor more than two terms as chairperson in any one four-year term as a member of the authority. The authority shall elect one of its members as vice chairperson and shall elect a secretary and treasurer who may not necessarily be a member of the authority. The chairperson shall be selected from among the members appointed by the Governor.

(c) Five members of the authority shall constitute a quorum. No vacancy in the authority shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the authority.

(d) The members of the authority shall not be entitled to compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.

(e) The members of the authority shall constitute the policy-making body of the authority. The authority shall employ a full-time executive director to execute the policy decisions of the authority and to provide continuing professional management of the day-to-day activities of the authority.