In each county department of health there shall be a board of health.

In a single-county department of health, except in counties of the second class, the appointment, qualifications and terms of office of members of the board shall be as follows: The county commissioners shall appoint five resident citizens, two of whom shall be physicians licensed to practice in Pennsylvania. The term of office of each member so appointed shall be four years measured from the second Monday in January of the year in which he takes office or until his successor has been appointed, except that in the initial appointment, two of the members shall be appointed for a term of two years. Each of the original members of the board shall take office the day of his appointment, but his term of office shall be measured from the second Monday in January next following his appointment. In case any vacancy occurs, for whatever reason, the county commissioners shall appoint a resident citizen of the county to serve for the unexpired term.

In a single-county department of health in counties of the second class, the appointment, qualifications and terms of office of members of the board shall be as follows: The county commissioners shall appoint nine resident citizens, two of whom shall be physicians licensed to practice in Pennsylvania. The term of office of each member so appointed shall be four years measured from the second Monday in January of the year in which he takes office or until his successor has been appointed, except that in the initial appointment four of the members shall be appointed for a term of two years. Each of the original members of the board shall take office the day of his appointment, but his term of office shall be measured from the second Monday in January next following his appointment. In case any vacancy occurs, for whatever reason, the county commissioners shall appoint a resident citizen of the county to serve for the unexpired term.

In a joint-county department of health, the appointment, qualifications and terms of office of members of the board shall be as follows: The joint-county health commission shall appoint the members in number one more than twice the number of counties participating in the joint-county department of health. Of the members so appointed, a number equal to the number of participating counties shall be physicians licensed to practice in Pennsylvania. All the members so appointed shall be resident citizens of the participating counties, and at all times there shall be at least one resident of each county on the board. The term of office of each member shall be four years measured from the second Monday in January of the year in which he takes office or until his successor has been appointed, except that in the initial appointment, a number of members equal to the number of participating counties shall be appointed for a term of two years. Each of the original members of the board shall take office the day of his appointment, but his term of office shall be measured from the second Monday in January next following his appointment. In case any vacancy occurs, for whatever reason, the joint-county health commission shall appoint a resident citizen of one of the participating counties to serve for the unexpired term.

Immediately after appointment of all the members, the board of health shall meet for the purpose of organizing. A chairman shall be elected at the organizational meeting for a term of one year measured from the second Monday in January next following his election, and thereafter a chairman shall be elected annually. The health director shall be the secretary of the board but he shall not be a member thereof.

The board shall hold regular meetings at least once every three months and special meetings on request of the health director, the chairman of the board, or on a written request signed by a majority of the members of the board and filed with the secretary. A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

The members of the board shall serve without compensation, except that each member shall be allowed his actual necessary traveling and incidental expenses incurred in attending meetings.