(1) Each county in which one or more areas of critical state concern are located is authorized to create, by ordinance, a public body corporate and politic, to be known as a land authority, which may be renamed by the governing board of the county. The governing body of the land authority shall be the governing board of the county. For the purposes of this act, the governing body of the land authority shall be referred to individually or collectively as the members or membership of the land authority, whichever is appropriate.
(2) The chair and a vice chair shall be elected annually by the members of the land authority. The membership of the land authority may also designate and elect any additional officers as may be deemed necessary in order to carry out the responsibilities pursuant to this act.
(3) Members of the land authority shall receive no compensation for services but shall be entitled to necessary expenses, including per diem and travel expenses, incurred in the discharge of official duties as provided by law.