Section 49-0211. State land acquisition advisory council

1.  The  council  shall  consist of seven members: the commissioner of
  environmental conservation and the commissioner of parks, recreation and
  historic preservation, and the following officials or  their  designees:
  the  governor,  the  majority  leader  of the senate, the speaker of the
  assembly, the minority leader of the senate and the minority  leader  of
  the assembly. The governor shall appoint the chair. Persons serving as a
  member  of  the  council  pursuant  to  designation  shall  serve at the
  pleasure of the designating authority, without compensation,  but  shall
  be  entitled to receive reimbursement of reasonable expenses necessarily
  incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to  the  provisions
  of this title.
    2.  The  provisions of section seventy-four of the public officers law
  shall be applicable to the members of the  council  in  connection  with
  their  duties  under  this  article.  At  any  time that a member of the
  council has or may have a direct or indirect financial  interest  in  or
  resulting  from the proposed acquisition or decision not to acquire land
  or an interest in  land,  such  member  shall  not  participate  in  any
  discussion  or  deliberation  of  the  council  concerning  such land or
  interest.
    3. The advisory council shall:
    a. advise and make  recommendations  to  the  commissioners  regarding
  acquisition  goals  and  priorities to ensure a balance of statewide and
  regional interests in acquisition;
    b. have an opportunity to review and  make  recommendations  regarding
  specific  parcels proposed by the commissioners for acquisition prior to
  the approval  by  the  department  or  the  office  of  any  parcel  for
  acquisition; and
    c.  review  the  annual reporting of the regional advisory committees,
  any community preservation project plans developed pursuant  to  section
  six-s  of  the general municipal law, the department and the office, and
  the state land acquisition plan.
    4. Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of  article  six  of  the  public
  officers  law, no records of the advisory council shall be available for
  public inspection. Notwithstanding the provisions of  article  seven  of
  the  public  officers  law,  no  meeting  or  proceeding of the advisory
  council shall be open to the public. All  proceedings  of  the  advisory
  council  shall  be  confidential.  Members  of  the advisory council may
  participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone  or  similar
  communications equipment and may exchange information by mail.
    5.  In carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to this article, the
  council shall take into account the regional and state land  acquisition
  priorities and policies.