Section 5209 - Creation of regional planning commission(a) The councils or corresponding legislative bodies of any group of political subdivisions, independently or together with the county commissioners of the county or counties in which such group of political subdivisions is located or of any adjoining county or counties, or the council or corresponding legislative body of any political subdivision together with the county commissioners in which such political subdivision is located, or the county commissioners of any two or more adjoining counties, may cooperate in the creation of a regional planning commission for any region defined, as may be agreed upon by said cooperating councils, authorities and county commissioners, or by said cooperating county commissioners.(b) The number and qualifications of the members of any such regional planning commission and their terms and method of appointment or removal shall be such as may be determined and agreed upon by said cooperating authorities and county commissioners. A majority of the members of the regional planning commission shall hold no other public office or position, excepting appointive membership on a municipal or other planning commission. Members of the regional planning commission shall serve without salary, but may be paid expenses incurred in the performance of duties.(c) The proportion of the expenses of the regional planning commission to be borne respectively by the political subdivisions and counties or by the counties cooperating in the establishment and maintenance of the commission shall be such as may be determined and agreed upon by the cooperating authorities and county commissioners, and said authorities and county commissioners are hereby authorized to appropriate their respective shares of such expenses. For the purpose of defraying such costs and expenses, the county commissioners may use current tax revenue or may issue general obligation bonds in such amounts as are necessary and in such manner as provided by the act of June 25, 1941 (P.L. 159), known as the "Municipal Borrowing Law." Within the amounts thus agreed upon and duly appropriated, any such regional planning commission shall have the power to appoint such employes and staff as it may deem necessary for its work, and contract with planners and other consultants for such services as it may require. The regional planning commission may also receive and expend for the purposes of its planning work, including planning work in or for counties, cities, boroughs, townships and towns, within the region, any gifts, grants and appropriations of money from any other source, including Commonwealth, Federal, county or local funds, and may contract with governmental or private agencies or individuals with respect thereto.(d) The regional planning commission shall elect its chairman, who shall hold no other public office or position except that he may be a member of a municipal or other planning commission. The term of the chairman shall be one year, with eligibility for reelection. The commission may create and fill such other offices as it may determine. It shall adopt rules for the transaction of business, and shall keep a record of its resolutions, transactions, findings and determinations, which record shall be a public record.(e) The county commissioners or other county official, or the chief executive officer or body of any political subdivision, may, from time to time, upon the request of the commission, and for the purpose of special surveys, assign or detail to the commission any officers or employes of the county or political subdivision to make for the commission special surveys or studies requested by the commission.1953, July 28, P.L. 723, art. XXII, § 2209. Amended 1956, May 25, P.L. (1955) 1745, § 1; 1963, Aug. 6, P.L. 539, § 1.