5. a. The authority shall consist of the Commissioner of Transportation who shall be an ex officio voting member, the Commissioner of Commerce, Energy and Economic Development who shall be an ex officio nonvoting member, and seven members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, six of whom are residents of South Jersey, four of whom shall be residents of that portion of South Jersey within a 30 mile radius of the civil aviation terminal at the Atlantic City International Airport or of municipalities through which the Atlantic City Expressway traverses and two of whom shall be residents of that portion of South Jersey outside of a 30 mile radius of that terminal; provided that all of the appointed members shall have expertise in transportation, finance, law, public administration, or aviation or any other related field. Not more than four of the appointed members shall be members of the same political party. Each appointed member shall have been a qualified voter of the State for at least one year preceding the appointment.

b. Each ex officio member of the authority may designate an employee of the member’s department to represent the member at meetings of the authority. The designee of the commissioner may lawfully vote and otherwise act on behalf of the member. The designation shall be made annually in writing and delivered to the authority and shall be effective until revoked or amended by written notice delivered to the authority.

c. Each appointed member of the authority shall serve for a term of five years, except that, of those first appointed, one shall serve for a term of two years, two shall serve for a term of three years, two shall serve for a term of four years and two shall serve for a term of five years, as the Governor may designate upon appointment.

d. Each member appointed by the Governor shall hold office for the term of appointment and until a successor is appointed and qualified. A member shall be eligible for reappointment. Any vacancy in the membership occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment but for the unexpired term only.

e. The Governor shall designate one of the members of the authority as chairperson who shall serve as such at the pleasure of the Governor. The authority, upon the first appointment of its members and thereafter on or after July 1 in each year, shall annually elect from among its members, including the ex officio voting member, a vice-chairperson who shall hold office until July 1 next ensuing and until a successor is elected. The authority may also appoint and employ, without regard to the provisions of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes, a secretary, a chief financial officer, an executive director, a general counsel and a chief engineer and other consulting engineers, special attorneys or counsel, accountants, construction, legal and financial experts, and other agents and employees as the authority may require, and shall determine their qualifications, terms of office, duties and compensation, except (1) the authority shall not enter into a contract of employment for the position of executive director or other policy-making positions for a term of employment ending later than the last day of the four-year gubernatorial term in effect on the date on which the contract is executed, provided the authority may continue to employ, at its pleasure, the executive director or other employee subject to the provisions of this paragraph after the termination of an employment contract until such time as a contract of employment for that position is executed and (2) those employees not subject to the “New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act,” P.L.1941, c.100 (C. 34:13A-1 et seq.) shall receive (a) sick and vacation leave only as provided for State employees in Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes and if supplemental compensation upon retirement is to be paid, it shall be calculated and limited as in N.J.S. 11A:6-19 and (b) health benefits no greater than the level of benefits provided to State employees pursuant to the “New Jersey State Health Benefits Program Act,” P.L.1961, c.49 (C. 52:14-17.25 et seq.).

f. The powers of the authority shall be vested in the voting members thereof in office from time to time; five voting members of the authority shall constitute a quorum and the affirmative vote of five members shall be necessary for any action taken by the authority unless the bylaws of the authority shall require a larger number. No vacancy in the membership of the authority shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the authority.

g. The members of the authority shall serve without compensation, but the authority may reimburse its members for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, no member of the authority shall be deemed to have forfeited nor shall forfeit the member’s office or employment or any benefits or emoluments thereof by reason of the member’s service as ex officio member of the authority.

h. Each appointed member of the authority may be removed by the Governor for cause after a public hearing and may be suspended by the Governor pending the completion of the hearing. Each member of the authority before entering upon the duties of office shall take and subscribe an oath to perform the duties of the office faithfully, impartially and justly to the best of the member’s ability. A record of these oaths shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State. Each member of the authority, the executive director and other employees as the authority may require shall file annually with the Secretary of State a financial disclosure statement in the manner required by Executive Order No. 1 of 1990.

i. The authority may be dissolved by act of the Legislature on condition that the authority has no debts or obligations outstanding or provision has been made for the payment, retirement, termination or assumption of its debts and obligations. Upon dissolution of the authority all property, funds and assets thereof shall be vested in the State.

L.1991,c.252,s.5.