4. In order to provide Statewide awards and recognition of the excellence of current educational services professionals, each school district may annually establish an educational services professional recognition selection panel composed of members of the teaching staff, administrative staff, parents and other citizens for the purpose of selecting recipients for the Governor’s Annual Award for Outstanding Educational Services Professionals.

The panel shall be composed of up to nine members as follows:

a. three members to be selected by the local board of education;

b. three members to be selected by the local bargaining unit which represents the educational services professionals of the district. Should that bargaining unit choose not to appoint members to the panel, the board of education shall appoint up to three additional members; and

c. three additional members selected jointly by the members selected under subsections a. and b. of this section.

Should the members selected pursuant to subsections a. and b. of this section fail to agree on the selection of the three additional members, the additional members shall be selected by the local mayor from among the district’s parent organization.

L.2003,c.216,s.4.