(a)      The Council shall adopt bylaws governing the procedures and policies of the membership.

      (b)      The Council shall consist of 27 members, 23 of which shall be voting members and 4 of which shall be nonvoting members.

      (c)      The voting membership of the Council shall consist of the following 23 members:

            (1)      From Allegany, Garrett, and Washington counties:

                  (i)      9 representatives of the county governments, 3 from each county, appointed by their respective county commissioners; and

                  (ii)      3 municipal elected officials, 1 from each county, appointed by their respective municipal governments;

            (2)      From the members of the House of Delegates of Maryland, the chairman, or the chairman's designee, of the Allegany County Delegation, the Garrett County Delegation, and the Washington County Delegation, each of whom shall reside, respectively, in Allegany County, Garrett County, and Washington County;

            (3)      The 2 members of the Senate of Maryland representing the region and residing in Allegany County, Garrett County, or Washington County; and

            (4)      6 private citizens, 2 each from Allegany County, Garrett County, and Washington County, respectively, that are:

                  (i)      Appointed by their respective county governments;

                  (ii)      Not listed under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this subsection; and

                  (iii)      Not elected officials of a general purpose unit of local government nor employees of a unit of local government who have been appointed to represent that government.

      (d)      The nonvoting members of the Council are the members of the General Assembly who reside in Allegany County, Garrett County, or Washington County and who are not voting members of the Council.