(1) The regional transit authority shall be governed by a board consisting of representatives appointed by the county executive and confirmed by the council or other legislative authority of each member county. Membership shall be based on population from that portion of each county which lies within the service area. Board members shall be appointed initially on the basis of one for each one hundred forty-five thousand population within the county. Such appointments shall be made following consultation with city and town jurisdictions within the service area. In addition, the secretary of transportation or the secretary's designee shall serve as a member of the board and may have voting status with approval of a majority of the other members of the board. Only board members, not including alternates or designees, may cast votes.

Each member of the board, except the secretary of transportation or the secretary's designee, shall be:

(a) An elected official who serves on the legislative authority of a city or as mayor of a city within the boundaries of the authority;

(b) On the legislative authority of the county, if fifty percent of the population of the legislative official's district is within the authority boundaries; or

(c) A county executive from a member county within the authority boundaries.

When making appointments, each county executive shall ensure that representation on the board includes an elected city official representing the largest city in each county and assures proportional representation from other cities, and representation from unincorporated areas of each county within the service area. At least one-half of all appointees from each county shall serve on the governing authority of a public transportation system.

Members appointed from each county shall serve staggered four-year terms. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term of the position being vacated.

The governing board shall be reconstituted, with regard to the number of representatives from each county, on a population basis, using the official office of financial management population estimates, five years after its initial formation and, at minimum, in the year following each official federal census. The board membership may be reduced, maintained, or expanded to reflect population changes but under no circumstances may the board membership exceed twenty-five.

(2) Major decisions of the authority shall require a favorable vote of two-thirds of the entire membership of the voting members. "Major decisions" include at least the following: System plan adoption and amendment; system phasing decisions; annual budget adoption; authorization of annexations; modification of board composition; and executive director employment.

(3) Each member of the board is eligible to be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060 and to receive compensation as provided in RCW 43.03.250.