(1) The director of the department of ecology, or the director's designee, will serve as an ex officio member of the materials management and finance authority board of directors.

(a) Ex officio designations must be made in writing and communicated to the authority director.

(b) The function of ecology's membership is advisory only and carries no voting privileges on matters brought before the board.

(2) Ecology must provide staff to assist in the creation of the authority.

(a) If requested by the authority, ecology will also provide start-up support staff to the authority for its first twelve months of operation, or part thereof, to assist in the quick establishment of the authority.

(b) Staff expenses incurred by ecology must be paid back to ecology through funds collected by the authority and must be reimbursed to ecology from the authority's financial resources within the first twenty-four months of operation.