S 4186: Relates to members and powers of intergovernmental relations councils.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4186 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN SENATE February 3, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Local Government AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to members and powers of intergovernmental relations councils The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 239-n of the general municipal law, as amended by 2 chapter 728 of the laws of 1961, the section heading, the opening para- 3 graph and paragraph a of subdivision 1 and subdivisions 2 and 3 as 4 amended and paragraph h of subdivision 1 as added by chapter 203 of the 5 laws of 1983, paragraphs f and g of subdivision 1 as amended and para- 6 graph e of subdivision 1 as added by chapter 96 of the laws of 1962 and 7 paragraphs i, j and k of subdivision 1 as added by chapter 605 of the 8 laws of 1993, is renumbered section 239-nnn and is amended to read as 9 follows: 10 § 239-nnn. Intergovernmental relations councils. 1. Any county 11 outside the city of New York, city, town, village, school district, 12 board of cooperative educational services, [or] fire district or public 13 benefit corporation or any combination thereof, may create by agreement 14 an intergovernmental relations council to strengthen local governments 15 and to promote efficient and economical provision of [local govern- 16 mental] public services within or by such participating [municipalities] 17 members, and to that end such council shall have power to: 18 a. Make surveys and studies and conduct research programs to aid in 19 the solution of local governmental problems and in efforts to improve 20 administration and services. 21 b. Provide for the distribution of information resulting from such 22 surveys, studies and programs. 23 c. Consult and cooperate with appropriate state, municipal and public 24 or private agencies in matters affecting municipal government. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07798-01-5 
 S. 4186 2 1 d. Devise, recommend and implement practical ways and means for 2 obtaining greater economy and efficiency in the planning and provision 3 of [municipal] public services [and make recommendations in accordance 4 therewith]. 5 e. Promote the general commercial, industrial and cultural welfare of 6 the participating [municipalities] members. 7 f. Otherwise promote strong and effective local government, public 8 health, safety, morals and general welfare by means of local and inter- 9 community planning or performance of [municipal] public services and 10 governmental functions. 11 g. Employ such persons and adopt such rules and regulations as shall 12 be necessary and proper to effectuate the purposes of this section. 13 h. Provide a forum for local governments to explore and develop areas 14 for [municipal] cooperative activities pursuant to [article five-G of] 15 this chapter. 16 i. Operate as a purchasing consortium, where authorized by participat- 17 ing [municipalities] members, for the purpose of obtaining economies 18 through joint bidding and purchasing. 19 j. Purchase and make available to participating [municipalities] 20 members, where authorized by participating [municipalities] members, 21 goods [and], equipment and services, including but not limited to 22 computer hardware and software. 23 k. Gather and make available information on surplus goods and equip- 24 ment for sale or lease. 25 2. The participating members of an intergovernmental relations council 26 shall adopt by-laws to govern its activities and shall elect from their 27 own number a [chairman] chairperson and secretary and other necessary 28 officers to serve for such period as the participating members shall 29 decide. 30 3. The board of supervisors of a county, the appropriate officials of 31 a city, the governing body of a school district, board of cooperative 32 educational services or fire district, the board of trustees of a 33 village, [or] the town board of a town or the members or board of a 34 public benefit corporation, is hereby authorized to include annually in 35 the budget and raise by taxation in such county, city, school district, 36 village or town a sum to meet all or an appropriate share of the actual 37 and necessary expenses of establishing, maintaining and continuing such 38 intergovernmental relations council. 39 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.