The Secretary of State or his or her designee shall schedule and host the first meeting of the newly elected learning community coordinating council during the month of January following the election and shall schedule and shall host at least one meeting each month for the immediately following February and March. The Secretary of State shall preside until the council elects officers designated by the bylaws. Those officers shall preside at the following meetings of such council. The Secretary of State shall serve as a facilitator at such meetings of the council through March 31 of such year as the council begins taking steps necessary to operate as a learning community.