(a)      An advisory council is created with the function to consult with the members of the Authority from time to time. The council has no vote upon the Authority but may be consulted regularly or from time to time by the Authority, and, upon the invitation of the Authority, shall attend meetings of the Authority, either as a group or individually. The Authority shall submit to the council all proposals on matters which directly relate to the operating procedures of the produce market facility in the market, and shall give sufficient notice to the council of these proposals to allow the council to submit to the Authority comments and recommendations concerning such proposals. These comments and recommendations must be considered by the Authority before action on the proposals, but they shall not be in any way binding upon the Authority. The council must submit its comments and recommendations to the Authority within 30 days after receipt by it of these proposals from the Authority, unless the Authority deems the matter involved to be of such urgency as to require prompt action, in which case the council shall submit its comments and recommendations within 5 days.

      (b)      The advisory council is composed of 11 members. If an executive director of the Authority has been appointed by the Authority, the executive director shall be an ex officio member of the council, and his tenure of office shall coincide with the term for which he shall hold the position of executive director of the Authority. The ex officio member of the council has all rights incidental to membership on the council, except that he does not have the right to vote on matters coming before the council. However, the ex officio member may participate in all discussions on those matters and be present at the time of the vote. In the event of a vacancy in the position of executive director, the ex officio seat on the council shall be taken by the interim or permanent successor to that position. In the event that the position of executive director of the Authority does not exist, the ex officio seat on the council shall be taken by a person designated by the Authority. The executive director or the person appointed by the Authority to take the ex officio seat of the executive director on the council shall act as chairman of the council. The Maryland Agricultural Commission shall appoint 5 members of the council. Those produce merchants who are tenants in the produce market facility in the market shall appoint from among their number 5 members of the council. The Maryland Agricultural Commission and the produce merchants shall determine their respective methods of appointment of members of the council. Their successors shall be appointed for terms of 1 year from the date of expiration of their terms of office, except that any person appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve only for the unexpired term. Any member of the council is eligible for reappointment. Compensation may not be paid to members of the council for performance of their duties, but the Authority may reimburse them for actual expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.

      (c)      The advisory council shall meet at least annually. All meetings of the council shall be called by the chairman of the council by written notice to each member at least 10 days in advance of the meeting. Five members of the council constitute a quorum. The ex officio member of the council may not be counted for purposes of determining the existence of a quorum. Action by the council shall be by majority vote, each member, excluding the ex officio member, being entitled to 1 vote. A vacancy in the council does not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all of the rights and perform all of the duties of the council. The council may establish whatever other rules and regulations as may be necessary for its own government.