LOCAL LAW NO. “R” FOR 2024
A LOCAL LAW OF THE COUNTY OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, AMENDING THE ALBANY COUNTY CHARTER AND LOCAL LAW NO. 8 FOR 1993 AS AMENDED TO INCORPORATE CERTAIN UNITS OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Introduced: 10/15/24
By Cunningham, Willingham and Lekakis:
PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 10 AND 33 OF THE MUNICIPAL HOME RULE LAW, COUNTY LAW SECTION 400 AND SECTION 2702 OF THE ALBANY COUNTY CHARTER:
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the County of Albany as follows:
SECTION I. Legislative Intent:
In 2012, a Charter Review Commission was formed by this Honorable Body to determine what, if any, changes could be made to the then decade’s old charter. The Commission met routinely over the course of a year and published recommended changes to the Charter, many of which sought to streamline processes or modernize the County’s operations. To date, many of the proposed changes have been adopted, including provisions which recognize departments that have come into existence since the former Charter, but more departments have come into existence, needing the same attention. These proposed changes do just that, with the Division of Information Services, Veterans Services Bureau and the newly retitled Department of Parks and Recreation,
SECTION II. Article 5 of the Albany County Charter is hereby amended to create the following sections:
Section 504: Information Services.
There shall be within the Department of Management and Budget an independent Division of Information Services headed by a Chief Information Officer. The Chief Information Officer shall be appointed by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature as provided in Section 302(c) of this Charter, and serve at the pleasure of the County Executive. The Chief Information Officer and staff shall be charged with providing information, technology and computer systems services in support of the county’s departments and administrative units. The Chief Information Officer shall perform such other and related duties as shall be required or delegated to her by the County Executive or the County Legislature.
SECTION III. Article 20 of the Albany County Charter is hereby repealed entirely and replaced as follows:
Article 20: Parks and Recreation.
There shall be a Parks and Recreation Department which shall be responsible for providing recreation programs and opportunities for the Albany County community that develops fundamental social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills that promote a higher quality of life. The department head shall be the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation. The Commissioner of Parks and Recreation shall be appointed by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature as provided in Section 302(c) of this Charter, and serve at the pleasure of the County Executive. The Commissioner of Parks and Recreation shall perform such other and related duties as shall be required or delegated to her by the County Executive or the County Legislature.
SECTION IV. Article 25 of the Albany County Charter is hereby amended as follows:
Section 2501: Veterans Service Bureau.
There shall be a Veterans Service Bureau headed by a Director of Veterans Services. The Director of Veterans Services shall be appointed by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature as provided in Section 302(c) of this Charter, and serve at the pleasure of the County Executive. The Director of Veterans Service shall be charged with providing information and services to veterans living in Albany County, assisting veterans and their dependents in filing claims, obtaining important documents, and determining eligibility for the benefits and services they have a legal right to. The Director of Veterans Services shall perform such other and related duties as shall be required or delegated to her by the County Executive or the County Legislature.
SECTION V. SEQRA Compliance
This County Legislature determines that this local law constitutes a “Type II action” pursuant to the provisions of the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), and that no further action under SEQRA is required.
SECTION VI. Effective Date.
This Local Law is adopted subject to permissive referendum pursuant to Section 24 of the New York State Municipal Home Rule Law.