Section 310. Assessor

1.  Selection. Each local government to which this
  title applies which has the power to assess real property  for  purposes
  of  taxation  shall  have  one assessor. An appointive assessor shall be
  appointed by the legislative body of the local government except that in
  a local government where department heads and other local  officers  are
  appointed  by  the  chief  executive  officer,  such  assessor  shall be
  appointed by such officer. Any resident of the state, otherwise eligible
  for appointment as assessor, may be appointed assessor. An assessor  may
  be   employed  by  the  local  government  in  any  other  position  not
  incompatible with the office of assessor.
    2. Term of office. The term of office of assessor shall be  six  years
  except  as  otherwise provided in subdivision seven of this section. The
  terms for appointive assessors  shall  commence  on  the  first  day  of
  October,  nineteen  hundred  seventy-one and each sixth year thereafter.
  Where a town has exercised the option to elect one assessor, as provided
  by section three hundred twenty-nine of this article, the term for  such
  elected  assessor  shall  be  as  of  the first day of January, nineteen
  hundred ninety-four and each sixth year thereafter.
    3. Classification. The position of appointive assessor shall be in the
  classified service, notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (e) of
  section thirty-five of the civil service law.
    4. Minimum qualification standards. No person shall  be  eligible  for
  appointment  as  assessor  unless  he  meets  the  minimum qualification
  standards established for such office by the state board.
    5. Certification and continuing education. (a) All assessors,  whether
  appointed   or   elected,  must  obtain  state  board  certification  of
  successful completion of the basic  course  of  training  and  education
  prescribed by the state board pursuant to this title.
    (b)  In  addition  to  the basic course of training and education, all
  appointive assessors and any assessor elected to a six-year  term  shall
  also  complete additional courses in a continuing training and education
  program prescribed by the state board pursuant to the provisions of this
  title.
    6. Training; services by state; county cooperation.  The  state  board
  shall  provide training programs including but not limited to courses of
  training and education required to be completed by  local  officers  and
  employees  and  by  candidates  for  certification  as  eligible for the
  position of assessor in accordance with the provisions  of  this  title.
  Such  programs shall be provided by the state board for counties, cities
  and towns to which this title is applicable.  Counties  shall  cooperate
  with the state board in providing such programs.
    7.  Indefinite  term  for assessors. Notwithstanding the provisions of
  subdivision two of this section, the office of assessor  shall  have  an
  indefinite term (a) where the office of assessor is a full time position
  as  determined  by  the  local  legislative  body and on or after August
  first, nineteen hundred seventy is classified in the  competitive  class
  of the civil service at the request of the local legislative body or (b)
  where  on  July  thirty-first,  nineteen  hundred  seventy the office of
  assessor is classified in the competitive class of the civil service and
  has an indefinite term pursuant to law.