a. There shall be in the department a board of health, the chairperson of which shall be the commissioner. In addition to the chairperson, the board shall consist of ten members, five of whom shall be doctors of medicine who shall each have had not less than ten years experience in any or all of the following: clinical medicine, neurology or psychiatry, public health administration or college or university public health teaching. The other five members need not be physicians. However, non-physician members shall hold at least a masters degree in environmental, biological, veterinary, physical, or behavioral health or science, or rehabilitative science or in a related field, and shall have at least ten years experience in the field in which they hold such degree. One member of the board shall be the chairperson of the mental hygiene advisory board, as set forth in section 568 of the charter, provided that such chairperson shall meet the requirements for board membership of either a physician or non-physician member.
b. The nine members other than the chairperson and the member who shall be the chairperson of the mental hygiene advisory board shall serve without compensation and shall be appointed by the mayor, each for a term of six years, commencing at the expiration of the terms of the present incumbents. In case of a vacancy the mayor shall appoint a member to serve for the unexpired term.
c. The commissioner shall designate employees of the department as may be necessary to the service of the board including an employee designated by him to serve as the secretary of the board.