Section 1232-C. Nassau county sewer and storm water finance authority

1. A
  public benefit corporation, to be known as the "Nassau county sewer  and
  storm  water  finance  authority"  is  hereby  created  for  the  public
  purposes, charged with the duties and having the powers provided in this
  title. The authority shall be a "covered organization", as such term  is
  defined  pursuant  to the Nassau county interim finance authority act in
  subdivision ten of section thirty-six hundred fifty-one of this chapter,
  and shall maintain itself as a publicly rated investment  grade  entity.
  The  authority  shall  be  a  body  corporate and politic constituting a
  public benefit corporation, the objects of which in the judgment of  the
  legislature  cannot  be  attained  under  general  laws. The authority's
  governing body shall consist of seven members who shall be residents  of
  the  county,  and  be appointed by the county executive and confirmed by
  the county legislature;  one  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  county
  comptroller,  two  upon  recommendation  of the presiding officer of the
  county legislature and two upon recommendation of the minority leader of
  the county legislature. No more than four members shall  be  members  of
  the  same  political  party.  The  first members appointed by the county
  executive shall be appointed for the following terms of office: two  for
  a  term  ending on December thirty-first, two thousand five, three for a
  term ending on December thirty-first, two thousand six  and  two  for  a
  term  ending  on  December  thirty-first, two thousand seven. Subsequent
  appointments of members shall be made for a term of three  years  ending
  in each case on December thirty-first of the last year of such term. All
  members  shall  continue  to  hold  office  until  their  successors are
  appointed and qualify, provided that any member who is a county employee
  shall cease to hold office upon termination of his or her  status  as  a
  county  employee.  Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner provided
  for  original  appointment.  Vacancies,  occurring  otherwise  than   by
  expiration  of  term  of  office, shall be filled by appointment for the
  unexpired terms. The governing body shall appoint a chairperson, a  vice
  chairperson  and  a treasurer from their own members and a secretary who
  need not be a member. Members may be removed from office  for  the  same
  reasons and in the same manner as may be provided by law for the removal
  of  officers  of  the  county. In addition, a member may be removed from
  office for inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct in office,  after
  the  governing  body has given such member a copy of the charges against
  him or her and opportunity to be heard in person or by counsel in his or
  her defense, upon not less than ten days notice. If a  member  fails  to
  attend  three consecutive regular meetings of the authority, unless such
  absence is for good cause and is  excused  by  the  chairperson  of  the
  authority  or,  in  the case of the chairperson of the authority, by the
  chairperson of the county legislature, the office may be  deemed  vacant
  for purposes of nomination and appointment of a successor. Members shall
  serve  without  compensation,  but  each  member  shall  be  entitled to
  reimbursement of their actual and necessary expenses,  including  travel
  expenses,  incurred  in the discharge of their duties, provided that the
  aggregate of such reimbursement allowance  to  any  one  member  of  the
  authority  in  any one fiscal year of the authority shall not exceed the
  sum of five thousand dollars;  provided,  however,  that  the  authority
  shall  adopt  by-laws  regarding  the  approval of such reimbursement of
  their  actual  and  necessary  expenses  that  specifically  include   a
  procedure  for prior approval of such expenses by a majority vote of the
  authority.
    2. The powers of the authority shall be vested in and be exercised  by
  the  governing  body at a meeting duly called and held where a quorum of
  four members is present. No action shall be taken except pursuant to the
  favorable vote of at least four  members;  provided,  however,  that  no

  action  shall  be  taken  approving borrowing and contracts in an amount
  exceeding fifty thousand dollars,  except  by  favorable  vote  of  five
  members of the governing body. The governing body may delegate to one or
  more  of  its  members or officers such powers and duties as it may deem
  proper.
    3. The officers of the authority, consisting of the  chairperson,  the
  vice  chairperson,  the  treasurer and the secretary shall serve in such
  capacities at the pleasure of the governing body  without  compensation,
  but  each  such  officer  shall  be  reimbursed for actual and necessary
  expenses incurred in the performance of such officer's  official  duties
  as  officers  of the authority. The governing body may also from time to
  time contract for expert  professional  services.  The  treasurer  shall
  execute  a bond, conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties
  of his or her office, the amount  and  sufficiency  of  which  shall  be
  approved  by  the governing body and the premium therefore shall be paid
  by the authority.
    4. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of any general,  special
  or  local  law,  ordinance, resolution or charter, no officer, member or
  employee  of  the  state,  any  municipality  or  any   public   benefit
  corporation  shall  forfeit his or her office or employment by reason of
  his or her acceptance of appointment as  a  member  or  officer  of  the
  authority,  nor  shall  service  as  such  member  or  officer be deemed
  incompatible or in conflict with such office, membership or  employment,
  provided, that such officer serves in an unpaid capacity.
    5. The authority shall hire no employees.
    6. (a) The county executive shall file on or before March thirty-first
  of  the  year following the year in which this title shall have become a
  law, in the office of the secretary of state, a  certificate  signed  by
  the  county  executive setting forth: (1) the name of the authority; (2)
  the names of the members appointed by the  county  executive  and  their
  terms  of  office;  and  (3)  the  effective date of this title. If such
  certificate is not filed with the secretary of state on or  before  such
  date,  then  the  corporate  existence  of the authority shall thereupon
  terminate, and  it  shall  thereupon  be  deemed  to  be  and  shall  be
  dissolved.
    (b)  Except  as  provided  in  paragraph  (a) of this subdivision, the
  authority and its corporate existence shall continue until terminated by
  law; provided, however, that no such law shall take effect  so  long  as
  the  authority  shall have bonds or other obligations outstanding unless
  adequate provision  has  been  made  for  the  payment  or  satisfaction
  thereof.  Upon termination of the existence of the authority, all of the
  rights, properties, responsibilities and liabilities  of  the  authority
  then remaining shall pass to and vest in the county.
    7.  Nothing herein shall be construed to exempt the authority from the
  requirements set forth in the environmental  conservation  law  and  the
  regulations  promulgated  thereunder  implementing the provisions of the
  state environmental quality review act.
    8. It is hereby determined and declared that  the  authority  and  the
  carrying  out  of  its  powers  and  duties  are in all respects for the
  benefit of the people of the county and the state for the improvement of
  their health, welfare and prosperity, and that such purposes are  public
  purposes  and  that the authority is and will be performing an essential
  governmental function in the exercise of the powers conferred upon it by
  this title.
    9. Nothing in this title shall be construed to obligate the  state  in
  any  way  in  connection  with  the  operations  or  obligations  of the
  authority.