Article 23 - Autonomous Institutions - Charter

Section 2301. Erie Community College. As authorized and set forth in Article 126 of the Education Law of the State of New York and other applicable laws, there shall be a State University of New York Erie Community College ("S.U.N.Y. at ECC"), which is governed by a Board of Trustees. The number of trustees and their manner of appointment shall be as set forth in §6306 of said Education Law as presently constituted or hereafter amended, except that the power of appointment shall be exercised by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature. The college's fiscal operations shall be as set forth in Plan C of the NYS Education Law.

1. Powers and duties of Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees of S.U.N.Y ECC shall have the powers and duties set forth in Article 126 of the Education Law of the State of New York and other applicable laws, including but not limited to the following which are found in Article 126 of the Education Law.
   1. To appoint a president of the college, subject to approval by the State University Trustees;
   2. To appoint or delegate to the president of the college the appointment of other members of the staff;
   3. To adopt curricula for the college, subject to the approval of the State University Trustees;
   4. To prepare a budget for submission to and approval by the County Legislature under policy and procedures for budgets found elsewhere in the Charter;
   5. To discharge such other duties as may be appropriate or necessary for the effective operation of the college, and may be required by other laws.
2. Audits. The Erie County Legislature together with the County Executive shall have the authority to request from time to time that an audit of ECC's financial records be conducted under the direction of the County Comptroller. The request will be made in writing by the Legislature and will not be unreasonably denied by the college.
3. Training of County personnel. S.U.N.Y at ECC is to be a dynamic, vibrant part of the college. To that end, the college and the county are to work together to find synergies between them whereby the college becomes the educational vehicle of choice for training of County personnel and the personnel in other municipalities whenever it is in the best interest of both parties—fiscally, educationally, and operationally—to do so.

Section 2302. Erie County Medical Center Corporation. The former Erie County Medical Center (ECMC) is now recognized as Erie County Medical Center Corporation (ECMCC), a public benefit corporation organized under the New York State Public Authorities Law. Should ownership of the former Erie County Medical Center Health Care Network revert from ECMCC to the County, the County Executive shall appoint a five-member Board of Directors to operate the hospital on an interim basis. The interim board shall, within 120 days, develop a new organizational structure for operation of the hospital, consistent with the County strategic plan and fiscal condition, subject to approval by the County Legislature and County Executive. The interim board shall continue to operate the hospital until the new structure can be implemented, but for no longer than one year from its time of appointment.

Section 2303. Buffalo and Erie County Public Library.

The Buffalo and Erie County Library system is governed under New York State Law, Chapter 768 of the Laws of 1953, and is funded under Section 259 of the Education Law. It is a corporation chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, and its Board of Trustees has all the powers and duties set forth in New York State law.

Section 2304. Support of public libraries.

1. A portion of the annual real property tax shall be annually levied and collected for library purposes, and shall be separately set out on the real property tax notices as the "amount for library purposes." The entire amount of funds allocated in the general budget for library purposes shall be available to the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, and shall not be subject to withholding, modification, or reduction by the County after adoption of the annual Erie County budget, consistent with library powers in section two hundred fifty nine of the education law, except that the trustees of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library shall not authorize, without the prior approval of the County Legislature, the transfer of any appropriation from one branch or contract library to another which would necessitate the closing of any branch or contract library.
2. The Erie County Legislature shall, by majority vote, annually determine the amount to be raised for the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library under this section. Such amount shall not exceed the anticipated County share of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library expenses adopted in the annual Erie County budget.

Article 23 added by Local Law No. 3-2006.

Article 23 was formerly numbered Article 24.