Section 2045-C. Onondaga county resource recovery agency  


Latest version.
  • 1. A corporation
      known as the Onondaga county resource recovery agency is hereby  created
      for  the  public  purposes  and  charged  with the duties and having the
      powers provided in this title. The agency shall be a body corporate  and
      politic  constituting  a public benefit corporation. It shall consist of
      eleven  members,  provided,  however,  that  after  July   thirty-first,
      nineteen  hundred  eighty-nine,  such  board  shall  consist  of fifteen
      members, who shall be appointed as  follows:  (i)  four  by  the  county
      executive;  (ii)  three by the chairman of the county legislature; (iii)
      two by the mayor of the city of Syracuse, subject to confirmation by the
      common  council  of  such  city,  provided,  however,  that  after  July
      thirty-first,  nineteen  hundred  eighty-nine,  such mayor may make four
      additional appointments to the board  subject  to  confirmation  by  the
      common  council  of such city; (iv) one by the town board of the town of
      Camillus, except that any other  provision  of  any  other  law  to  the
      contrary   notwithstanding,   this  appointment  shall  expire  on  July
      thirty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-nine, and replaced by a member  to
      be  appointed by the town board of the town in which the agency sanitary
      landfill  portion  of  the  solid  waste  management-resource   recovery
      facility  is  designated to be located or is designated as the preferred
      site by resolution of the county legislature, as provided in subdivision
      one-a of this section; and (v) one by the town  board  of  the  town  of
      Onondaga,  except  that  any  other  provision  of  any other law to the
      contrary  notwithstanding  this  appointment  shall   expire   on   July
      thirty-first,  nineteen hundred eighty-nine, and be replaced by a member
      to be appointed by the town board  of  the  town  in  which  the  agency
      waste-to  energy portion of the solid waste management-resource recovery
      facility is designated  to  be  located  by  resolution  of  the  county
      legislature.  The  appointments by the county executive and the chairman
      of the county legislature each shall be subject to confirmation  by  the
      county  legislature.  In  making  appointments  of  members,  the county
      executive and the chairman of the  county  legislature  shall  give  due
      consideration  to  the representation of diverse geographical areas. 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, nineteen hundred eighty-two; one  for  a  term  ending  on
      December thirty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-three; and two for a term
      ending on December thirty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-four. The first
      members  appointed  by  the  chairman of the county legislature shall be
      appointed for staggered terms of office ending on December  thirty-first
      in  each  of  the  years nineteen hundred eighty-two to nineteen hundred
      eighty-four, inclusive. The first members appointed by the mayor of  the
      city  of  Syracuse  shall  be  appointed  for  staggered terms of office
      ending, respectively, on December thirty-first  in  each  of  the  years
      nineteen  hundred  eighty-two  and nineteen hundred eighty-three, except
      that if such appointments were not made prior to such  dates,  then  the
      first  two  members  appointed  by  such  mayor  shall  be appointed for
      staggered terms of office ending, respectively, on December thirty-first
      in each of the  years  nineteen  hundred  ninety  and  nineteen  hundred
      ninety-one;  and  provided  further  that of the four additional members
      appointed pursuant to this subdivision by such mayor to the board  after
      July  thirty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-nine, two shall be appointed
      for terms of office ending on December  thirty-first,  nineteen  hundred
      ninety-one,  and  two  shall  be appointed for terms of office ending on
      December thirty-first, nineteen hundred ninety-two.   The  first  member
      appointed  by  the town board of the town of Camillus shall be appointed
      for a term of office ending on December thirty-first,  nineteen  hundred
      eighty-two.  The first member appointed by the town board of the town in
    
      which   the   agency  sanitary  landfill  portion  of  the  solid  waste
      management-resource recovery facility is designated to be located or  is
      designated as the preferred site shall be appointed for a term of office
      ending  on December thirty-first, nineteen hundred ninety-one. The first
      member appointed by the town board of the  town  of  Onondaga  shall  be
      appointed for a term of office ending on December thirty-first, nineteen
      hundred eighty-three. Except as provided herein, subsequent appointments
      of  members  shall be made by the same appointing authorities for a term
      of three years ending in each case on December thirty-first of the  last
      year  of  such  term.  No  person  who  has  served  as a member for two
      consecutive terms shall be eligible for reappointment as a member for  a
      third  term,  except  after  an  interval  of  at least three years. All
      members shall  continue  to  hold  office  until  their  successors  are
      appointed  and qualify. Vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided
      for  original  appointments.  Vacancies,  occurring  otherwise  than  by
      expiration  of  term of office, shall be filled for the unexpired terms.
      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 agency  shall  receive  no  compensation  for
      their  services  but  shall  be  reimbursed  for  all  their  actual and
      necessary expenses incurred in connection with the carrying out  of  the
      purposes  of this title. The powers of the agency shall be vested in and
      be exercised by the governing body at a meeting duly called and held and
      six  members  shall  constitute  a  quorum  provided  that  after   July
      thirty-first,   nineteen   hundred   eighty-nine,  eight  members  shall
      constitute a quorum. No action shall be taken  except  pursuant  to  the
      favorable  vote  of  at  least  six  members  provided  that  after July
      thirty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-nine, no  action  shall  be  taken
      except  pursuant  to  the  favorable vote of at least eight 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.
        1-a.  Pursuant to a resolution adopted by the county legislature on or
      before the effective date of this subdivision designating a town as  the
      preferred  site  for  the  agency sanitary landfill portion of the solid
      waste management-resource recovery facility, the town board of such town
      may appoint a member to serve on the agency board until: (a) an explicit
      finding by resolution of the county  legislature  with  respect  to  the
      preferred  site,  pursuant to subdivision eight of section 8-0109 of the
      environmental conservation law; or (b) withdrawal of the preferred  site
      from   consideration   by  resolution  of  the  county  legislature  and
      designation of another preferred site in another town by  resolution  of
      such  legislature;  or (c) expiration of the term of the member from the
      town designated as the preferred site, whichever shall occur  first.  In
      the  event  that  an explicit finding has not been made by resolution of
      the county legislature with respect to the preferred site prior  to  the
      expiration  of  the  term,  the town board of the town designated as the
      preferred site by resolution of the  county  legislature  prior  to  the
      effective  date  of  this subdivision may reappoint such member or a new
      member for an additional term not to exceed one year. In the  event  the
      county  legislature  shall  designate  another preferred site in another
      town by a resolution, the term of the member then serving from the  town
      previously  identified  by such county legislature as the preferred site
      shall terminate on the effective date of such resolution and  the  newly
      designated  town  shall  succeed  to  the  rights  of the town initially
      identified as the preferred site, as shall be  true  of  any  subsequent
      town identified by resolution of the county legislature as the preferred
      site for the sanitary landfill; provided, however that the first term of
      any  such  member  shall  expire on December thirty-first of the year in
    
      which he or she has been appointed. Upon adoption of a resolution by the
      county legislature making an explicit finding with respect to  the  site
      of  the sanitary landfill portion of the solid waste management-resource
      recovery  facility,  pursuant  to subdivision eight of section 8-0109 of
      the environmental conservation law, the town board of the town in  which
      such  sanitary  landfill  is designated to be located by such resolution
      may appoint one member  to  the  agency  board  to  succeed  the  member
      appointed  by  the  previously  identified  by  resolution of the county
      legislature as the preferred site for such landfill.
        2. The  officers  of  the  agency  shall  consist  of  a  chairman,  a
      vice-chairman and a treasurer, who shall be members of the agency, and a
      secretary,  who  need not be a member of the agency. Such officers shall
      be appointed by the governing body and shall serve at  the  pleasure  of
      the  governing  body.  The  governing  body  may appoint and at pleasure
      remove an attorney and an engineer, which positions, in addition to  the
      position  of  secretary,  shall  be  in  the  exempt  class of the civil
      service, and such additional officers and employees as it may  determine
      necessary  for  the  performance of the powers and duties of the agency,
      and fix and determine their  qualifications,  duties  and  compensation,
      subject  to  the provisions of the civil service law. 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 office, the amount and  sufficiency  of
      which  shall  be approved by the governing body and the premium therefor
      shall be paid by the agency.
        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 agency, nor shall service as such member, officer, agent
      or  employee  be  deemed  incompatible  or in conflict with such office,
      membership or employment; provided, however,  that  no  public  official
      elected  to  his  or her office pursuant to the laws of the state or any
      municipality thereof may serve as a member of the governing body of  the
      agency during his or her term of office.
        4.   (a)   The   county  executive  shall  file  on  or  before  March
      thirty-first,  nineteen  hundred  eighty-two,  in  the  office  of   the
      secretary of state, a certificate signed by the county executive setting
      forth:  (1)  the  name  of  the  agency;  (2)  the  names of the members
      appointed by the county executive and at least three  other  members  of
      the agency and their terms of office; and (3) the effective date of this
      title.  The  agency  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  agency  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
      agency  and  its  corporate existence shall continue until terminated by
      law, provided, however, that no such law shall take effect  so  long  as
      the  agency  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 agency, all of the
      rights and properties of the agency then remaining  shall  pass  to  and
      vest in the county.
        5.  In  addition  to  any  powers  granted  to  it  by law, the county
      legislature from time to time may  appropriate  by  resolution  sums  of
      money  to  defray  project  costs or any other costs and expenses of the
      agency, to be incurred prior to the first issuance of bonds. Subject  to
    
      the  rights  of bondholders, the county legislature may determine if the
      moneys so appropriated shall be subject to repayment by  the  agency  to
      the  county  and,  in  such event, the manner and time or times for such
      repayment.
        6.  The  agency  shall  not  be  deemed a successor in interest to the
      Onondaga  county  solid  waste  disposal  authority  for   any   purpose
      whatsoever. In the event that the county acquires any property from such
      authority  and  thereafter  transfers  such  property to the agency, the
      agency shall not by reason of receiving such property  become  obligated
      for  any indebtedness or liability of such authority. The agency, upon a
      determination that it is in the public interest, may assume and pay  any
      compromised  or  settled  claim  against  such  authority which shall be
      outstanding as of the date of the first issuance of  bonds.  Nothing  in
      this  title  shall  be  construed  to  require  the agency to assume any
      liability of such authority.
        7. It is hereby determined and  declared,  that  the  agency  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 of New  York  for  the
      improvement  of  their  health,  welfare  and  prosperity  and that such
      purposes are public  purposes  and  that  the  agency  is  and  will  be
      performing  an  essential  governmental  function in the exercise of the
      powers conferred upon it by this title.