Article 22 - Other County Boards, Offices, Institutions and Functions - Charter

Section 2201. Board of Elections. The Board of Elections, its powers and duties and the method of appointment of the members thereof by the County Legislature shall continue as provided by law.

Section 2202. Traffic Safety Advisory Board. The County Executive shall appoint a Traffic Safety Advisory Board which shall at the request of the Commissioner of Public Works, and may on its own initiative, advise on matters relating to traffic safety in the County.
Amended by Local Law No. 6 1972.
Amended by Local Law No. 1 1964
1964 Local Law of Cities, Counties, Towns and Villages.

Section 2203. Department of Probation. There shall be a Department of Probation headed by a Commissioner who shall be appointed by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature.  Probation Officers and Supervisors staffing the Probation Department shall be New York State Certified Peace Officers and have met the mandated training requirement of a Probation Officer as specified by the New York Department of Criminal Justice Service and appointed under the provisions of New York Civil Service Law.

Amended by Local Law No. 1-2017.
Amended by Local Law No. 3-2006.
Amended by Local Law No. 6-2001.
Amended by Local Law No. 2 1987.

Section 2204. Other boards; how appointed. The Board of Trustees of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library and the Board of Trustees of the S.U.N.Y. at Erie Community College, shall continue as provided by law except that the power of appointment residing in the County Legislature or in the chairman thereof of one or more members of each of said boards is transferred to and shall be exercised on and after January first, nineteen hundred and sixty one, by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature. The appointment of any head, board or agency in relation to a county sewer, water, drainage or small water shed protection district or to any other county district of a similar nature shall be by the County Executive and shall be subject to confirmation by the County Legislature. Except as otherwise provided in this Charter or the Administrative Code, other appointments to boards and like units shall be made in the manner provided by applicable law.

Amended by Local Law No. 1-2017.
Amended by Local Law No. 3-2006.

Section 2205. Advisory boards. To better fulfill the purpose, responsibilities and goals of each department of the County, or comply with the requirements of NYS law, citizens' advisory boards may be established. Unless otherwise stipulated elsewhere in this charter, the Erie County Administrative Code, or through NYS law, advisory boards for Erie County shall be constituted as follows:

1.    New advisory boards may be established by the County Executive or the County Legislature. For each new board, the relevant department will provide a statement of purpose and objectives for approval by the County Executive or the County Legislature.
2.    Advisory boards shall consist of an odd number of members, at least seven and at most fifteen. Members shall be residents of Erie County. Each board should have criteria for membership to ensure broad representation, including seats for subject matter experts, relevant community representatives, and individuals from underrepresented populations.
3.    Members shall be appointed by the creating authority. For each advisory board, the process shall include a public call for applications with public notice of the application requirements.
4.    Members shall serve three-year terms.
5.    The creating authority shall fill any vacancies through a public application process opened within sixty days. If a member leaves a board before the end of his or her term, the replacement shall serve for the duration of the term.
6.    Each advisory board shall elect one of its members to serve a two-year term as chair; no chair may serve more than two consecutive terms.
7.    Advisory boards shall meet at least six times per year, and meetings shall be held in compliance with the Open Meetings Law. If a board fails to hold the minimum number of meetings, the creating authority shall investigate why, and is authorized to remove an ineffective chair or any inactive members, or to recommend that the legislature abolish the board when deemed appropriate. Members with more than three unexcused absences within a year may be removed by the legislature.
8.    Minutes of each advisory board meeting should be published within ten business days.
9.    Each advisory board chair shall submit an annual report to the County Executive and the Legislature stating the board's accomplishments during the past year and plans for the upcoming year. Each advisory board should present their annual report publicly to the County Legislature to ensure oversight of their activities and efficacy.
10.    Members of advisory boards shall serve without compensation. Members are required to complete an ethics acknowledgement form upon appointment and annually thereafter.
11.    To further define their structure and procedures, each advisory board may adopt bylaws that are not in conflict with this section, subject to the approval of the creating authority.
12.    Every effort shall be made to achieve diversity on advisory boards.

Amended by Local Law No. 3-2025.

Section 2205 (formerly Section 2305) added by Local Law No. 3-2006.

Section 2206. Additional appointments by County Executive. The head of any other County administrative unit, except as otherwise provided in this Charter, shall be appointed by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature. All such appointees shall serve at the pleasure of the County Executive.

Amended by Local Law No. 1-2017.
Amended by Local Law No. 5-2000.
NEW section 2206 (formerly section 2306, formerly Section 1608) Added by Local Law No. 3 1978.
Former section 1608 REPEALED by Local Law No. 3 1978.
NEW section 1608 Added by Local Law No. 17 1973.
Former section 1608 REPEALED by Local Law No. 17 1973.
NEW section 1608 Added by Local Law No. 15 1973.
Former section 1608 REPEALED by Local Law No. 15 1973.
Amended by Local Law No. 9 1972.
Amended by Local Law No. 1 1964
1964 Local Laws of Cities, Counties, Towns and Villages.

Section 2207. Miscellaneous administrative functions. Administrative functions not otherwise assigned by this Charter or the Administrative Code shall be assigned by the County Executive to an administrative unit under his or her supervision.

Section 2208. Poverty Advisory Board.  There shall be a Poverty Advisory Board of seven members appointed by the County Executive for five year staggered terms.  At least one member of such board shall be a physician licensed to practice in the State of New York and at least one member shall be a social worker employed in Erie County.  The Poverty Advisory Board shall have at least four meetings each year with at least one meeting to be in each quarter of the year.  The Poverty Advisory Board shall advise County departments on matters relating to social welfare.

Amended by Local Law No. 1-2017.

Article 22 was formerly numbered Article 23, which was formerly numbered Article XVI.