The county board of social services of a county shall consist of three members, except that the board of commissioners of any county may increase such number to five members. The decision to increase the size to five members or to reduce a five-member board to three shall be reported immediately in writing by the chairman of the board of commissioners to the Department of Health and Human Services. (1917, c. 170, s. 1; 1919, c. 46, s. 3; C.S., s. 5014; 1937, c. 319, s. 3; 1941, c. 270, s. 2; 1945, c. 47; 1953, c. 132; 1955, c. 249; 1957, c. 100, s. 1; 1959, c. 1255, s. 1; 1961, c. 186; 1963, c. 139; c. 247, ss. 1, 2; 1969, c. 546, s. 1; 1973, c. 476, s. 138; 1981, c. 275, s. 1; 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 690, s. 6; 1997-443, s. 11A.118(a).)