Section 1123. Dutchess county water and wastewater authority  


Latest version.
  • 1. A public
      corporation, to be known as the "Dutchess county  water  and  wastewater
      authority" is hereby created for the public purpose and charged with the
      duties and having the powers provided in this title. The authority shall
      be   a   body  corporate  and  politic  constituting  a  public  benefit
      corporation and shall be a "public district"  for  purposes  of  section
      eighty-nine-l  of  the  public  service law, the objects of which in the
      judgment of the legislature cannot be attained under general  laws.  The
      governing  body of the authority shall consist of a total of five voting
      members, two of whom shall be appointed by the county executive, without
      confirmation of the county legislature, two of whom shall  be  appointed
      by  the  chairman of the county legislature, without confirmation of the
      county legislature and without county executive right to veto,  and  one
      of  whom  shall  be  appointed  jointly  by the county executive and the
      chairman of the county  legislature,  subject  to  confirmation  by  the
      county  legislature,  and of three non-voting ex officio members, one of
      whom shall be the manager of the  county  soil  and  water  conservation
      district,   one   of  whom  shall  be  the  executive  director  of  the
      environmental management council and one of whom  shall  be  the  county
      commissioner of planning, or their designated representatives. No voting
      member  shall,  either  at  the time of his or her appointment or at any
      time during which he or she shall serve as a voting member, be a  member
      of the county legislature, a town board, village board of trustees, city
      council,  common  council, board of estimate and apportionment, board of
      estimate and contract, or member of a body serving a similar function in
      a city, or a member of a body serving a similar function of a  sewer  or
      water  district  which,  as  of  December thirty-first, nineteen hundred
      thirty-eight, possessed both the power to contract indebtedness  in  its
      own  name and to levy taxes or benefit assessments upon real property or
      require the levy of such taxes or benefit assessments. The  election  or
      appointment  of  a  voting member to any such office or membership shall
      result in a vacancy in the position of such voting member effective  the
      date  of  the assumption of such office or membership. The first members
      appointed by the county executive shall be appointed for  the  following
      terms  of  office: one for a term ending on December thirty-first of the
      second year following the year in which this title shall have become law
      and one for a term ending on December thirty-first  of  the  fifth  year
      following  the year in which this title shall have become law. The first
      members appointed by the county legislature  shall  have  the  following
      terms:  one for a term ending on December thirty-first of the first year
      following the year in which this title shall have become law and one for
      a term ending on December thirty-first of the fourth year following  the
      year in which this title shall have become law. The first member jointly
      appointed  by the county executive and the county legislature shall have
      a term of office ending on  December  thirty-first  of  the  third  year
      following the year in which this title shall have become law. Subsequent
      appointments  of  voting  members shall be made for a term of five years
      ending in each case on December thirty-first of the last  year  of  such
      term.  No  person  who has served as a voting member for two consecutive
      terms shall be eligible for reappointment as a member for a third  term,
      except  after  an  interval  of  at least two years. Any initial term or
      unexpired term greater than two years shall be considered to be  a  five
      year  term. All voting members shall continue to hold office until their
      successors are appointed and qualify. Vacancies shall be  filed  in  the
      manner provided for original appointment. Vacancies, occurring otherwise
      than by expiration of term of office, shall be filled by appointment for
      the  unexpired  terms. Voting 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. The members of the authority shall
      receive no compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed  for
      their  actual  and  necessary  expenses  incurred in connection with the
      carrying  out of the purposes of this title. 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 three voting members are present.
      No  action  shall  be  taken except pursuant to the favorable vote of at
      least three voting members. The governing body may delegate  to  one  or
      more  of  its  members,  officers,  agents  or employees such powers and
      duties as it may deem proper.
        2. The officers of the authority shall  consist  of  a  chairman,  who
      shall  be  a  voting  member of the authority, and a vice-chairman and a
      treasurer,  who  shall  be  voting  members  of  the  authority,  and  a
      secretary, who need not be either a voting member or a non-voting member
      of  the authority. Such officers shall be appointed by the voting member
      of the governing body and shall serve in such capacities at the pleasure
      of the voting  members  of  the  governing  body.  In  addition  to  the
      secretary,  the  voting members of the governing body may appoint and at
      pleasure remove  such  additional  officers  and  employees  as  it  may
      determine  necessary for the performance of the powers and duties of the
      authority  and  fix  and  determine  their  qualifications,  duties  and
      compensation,  subject  to  the provisions of the civil service law. The
      voting members of 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 therefor shall be paid by the authority.
        3.  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, officer, agent or
      employee of the authority, nor shall service as  such  member,  officer,
      agent  or  employee  be  deemed  incompatible  or  in conflict with such
      office, membership  or  employment  and  any  such  officer,  member  or
      employee  may  accept  such  appointment and serve as a member, officer,
      agent or employee of the  authority  without  forfeiture  of  any  other
      office or position of public employment by reason thereof.
        4.  (a)  The  county  executive  shall  file  on  or  before  December
      thirty-first of 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 voting members initially appointed, and their terms of  office;  (3)
      the  names of the ex officio members, and (4) the effective date of this
      title. The authority shall be perpetual in duration, except that 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  and properties of the authority then remaining shall pass to and
      vest in the county.
        5. 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.
        * NB There are 2 § 1123's