The most important element when choosing and independent board member is making sure they have your back (and not the VC's) if a conflict arises between you and the Preferred Seat Holders on your board.
You can set up an advisory board if you want to bring someone on for advice and comp them as an advisor, and meet them weekly. Frankly, the board is not the best place to be totally candid about your business and seek advice. The board's first job is to decide whether to keep / fire you.
The independent is critical when the common shareholders and the preferred investors disagree and the independent needs to make the deciding vote. When does this happen? If there's an inside led term sheet, an acquisition opportunity, or when firing the CEO.
In these instances, you want to make sure the independent is loyal to you not the other VCs.
VC's often are more loyal to each other since it’s a longer term game amongst them since they are on multiple boards together, and want to make sure they are cooperative with each other more than any one founder who may come and go.
Cash for board service is strange for private companies in my experience, esp at your stage. 1% over 4 years feels directionally normal. I would try to vest 0.5% over 2 years if possible. Easier to renew if you like them than to cancel if you don't.