2608 - New York state olympic regional development authority.
§ 2608. New York state olympic regional development authority. 1. For the purposes of effectuating the policy declared in section twenty-six hundred six of this title, there is hereby created the "New York state olympic regional development authority", referred to in this title as "the authority", which shall be a body corporate and politic constituting a public benefit corporation. The authority shall consist of ten members who shall be the commissioner of environmental conservation, the commissioner of commerce, the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation and seven persons to be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate. Of the seven persons appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, one each shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly. Three of the persons appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate shall be appointed upon the recommendation of the town board of the town of North Elba and shall be residents of the park district. One of the persons appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, shall be a resident of Warren county. The governor shall appoint a chairman and a vice chairman from among any of the members of the authority and such chairman and vice chairman shall serve at the pleasure of the governor, provided, however, that the vice chairman shall be appointed on the recommendation of the town board of North Elba. From among any candidates recommended by the chairman, the members shall appoint a president/chief executive officer of the authority. The members first appointed by the governor shall be appointed within thirty days of the effective date of this title. The members first appointed by the governor upon the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly shall serve terms of three years respectively from January first next succeeding their appointment. The remaining four members first appointed by the governor shall serve terms of one, two, four and five years respectively from January first next succeeding their appointment. The fifth member appointed by the governor shall serve a term of two years from January first, next succeeding his or her appointment. Each appointment of a member following the expiration of the original terms of the appointment shall be for a term of five years. Members shall continue to hold office until their successors have been appointed and qualified. In the event of a vacancy occurring during the term of a member's appointment, by reason of death, resignation, disqualification or otherwise, such vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. 2. The members of the authority shall not receive a salary or other compensation for their services as members of the authority but each member shall be allowed reimbursement for the necessary and actual expenses which he or she shall incur in the performance of his or her duties under this title. 3. The president/chief executive officer shall serve at the pleasure of the members and shall be responsible for the discharge of the executive and administrative functions and exercise of any power or function of the authority. 4. Six members of the authority shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business or the exercise of any power or function of the authority. The authority may delegate to one or more of its members, officers, agents and employees, such powers and duties as it may deem proper. The commissioner of environmental conservation, the commissioner of commerce, the commissioner of parks and recreation and any other member of the authority who is a full time employee of the state or whoholds public office may designate one person from his department or from the public corporation in which he holds a public office to represent him at all meetings of the authority from which such member may be absent. Any representative so designated shall have the power to attend and to vote at any meeting of the authority from which the member so designating him is absent, with the same force and effect as if the member designating him were present and voting. Such designation shall be by written notice filed with the chairman of the authority by the member making the designation and shall be for a term of one year or until such representative shall resign or shall no longer be employed by the department of which such member making the designation is an employee or by the public corporation of which such member making the designation holds a public office or until revoked by the person making such designation. Such designation shall not limit the power of the member making the designation to attend and vote in person at any meeting of the authority. 5. The authority shall be a "state agency" for the purposes of sections seventy-three and seventy-four of the public officers law. 6. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of this or any other law, general, special or local, no officer or employee of the state, as defined in the public officers law, or of the park district shall be deemed to have forfeited or shall forfeit his office of employment or any benefits provided under the retirement and social security law or under any public retirement system maintained by the state or any of its subdivisions by reason of his acceptance of membership on or chairmanship of the authority; provided, however, a member or chairman who holds such other public office of employment shall receive no additional compensation for services rendered pursuant to this title, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for his actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of such services. 7. The governor may remove any member of the authority for cause, other than the commissioner of environmental conservation, the commissioner of commerce and the commissioner of parks and recreation, after giving him a copy of the charges against him and an opportunity to be heard, in person or by counsel in his defense, upon not less than ten days' notice. If any member shall be so removed, the governor shall file in the office of the department of state a complete statement of charges made against such member, and his findings thereon, together with a complete record of the proceedings. 8. The principal office of the authority shall be located in the town of North Elba.