[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Groton 2-20-1989 as L.L. No. 2-1989. Section 67-6 amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I. Other amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Games of chance — See Ch. 115.
A. 
The Legislature of the State of New York has declared and the Board of Trustees of the Village of Groton hereby declares that the raising of funds for the promotion of a bona fide charitable, educational, scientific, health, religious and patriotic causes and undertakings where the beneficiaries are undetermined is in the public interest.
B. 
The Legislature of the State of New York has declared and the Board of Trustees of the Village of Groton hereby declares it to be the policy of said Legislature and Board of Trustees that all phases of the supervision, licensing and regulations of games of bingo and the conduct of games of bingo should be closely controlled and the laws and regulations pertaining thereto should be strictly construed for the purpose of discouraging commercialism in such games and to ensure a maximum availability of the net proceeds of games of bingo exclusively for the application of worthy causes.
C. 
The Board of Trustees of the Village of Groton deems it in the best interests of the citizens of the Village of Groton that said games of bingo should be permitted in the Village of Groton as authorized by Article 14-H of the General Municipal Law.
This chapter shall apply only within the corporate limits of the Village of Groton, County of Tompkins and State of New York.
All terms used herein shall be given their ordinary and common meaning, unless said terms are specifically defined by Article 14-H of the General Municipal Law or the rules and regulations of the State of New York Racing and Wagering Board regulating games of chance, which regulations are currently located in 9 NYCRR 5800.
This chapter shall be deemed to include all of the provisions of Article 14-H of the General Municipal Law and the rules and regulations of the State of New York Racing and Wagering Board adopted pursuant to said Article 14-H, as such may from time to time be amended, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
Authorized organizations may, upon obtaining a license from the Board of Trustees of the Village of Groton, conduct games of bingo within the corporate limits of the Village of Groton. Such bingo games shall be conducted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, the rules and regulations adopted by the New York State Racing and Wagering Board and this chapter.
Bingo may be conducted on the first day of the week, commonly known and designated as "Sunday." The games of bingo commencing on Sunday shall be conducted only between the hours of 12:00 noon and 12:00 midnight, unless the succeeding Monday is a legal holiday, in which case such bingo games may be conducted until 2:00 a.m. on such legal holiday.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
The Board of Trustees and the chief law enforcement officer of the Village of Groton shall exercise control over and supervise all bingo games conducted under a duly authorized license, and the Board of Trustees and such chief law enforcement officer shall have all the powers and duties set forth in Article 14-H of the General Municipal Law, including the power to suspend or revoke any license to conduct games of bingo. The chief law enforcement officer of the village shall have the authority to temporarily suspend any license to conduct bingo games pending a hearing by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Groton on the alleged violation.
A. 
Any person, firm, partnership, corporation or organization who or which shall commit any of the acts enumerated in § 495 of the General Municipal Law, including the violation of any provision of Article 14-H of the General Municipal Law or of any license issued under this chapter, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall forfeit any license issued under this chapter and be ineligible to apply for a license under this chapter for at least one year after such conviction.
B. 
In addition, after notice and hearing, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Groton may impose a fine on any person, firm, partnership, corporation or organization that leases any premises for the conducting of bingo games for any consideration whatsoever, unless such person, firm, corporation or organization is a licensed authorized commercial lessee.
The Board of Trustees of the Village of Groton hereby delegates the responsibility for the administration and enforcement of this chapter as follows:
A. 
The Village Clerk and the chief law enforcement officer of the village shall be responsible for the initial investigation of each applicant for a license to be issued under this chapter.
B. 
The Village Clerk shall be responsible for the issuance or denial of such a license and shall be further responsible for all administrative tasks relating to the issuance, denial, revocation, suspension or amendment of such a license.
C. 
The chief law enforcement officer of the village shall be responsible for the enforcement of the provisions of Article 14-H of the General Municipal Law, the regulations promulgated under that law and this chapter and shall have the authority to temporarily suspend any license to conduct bingo games pending a hearing on the alleged violation by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Groton.
D. 
The Board of Trustees shall hear and determine any proceedings respecting the suspension or revocation of licenses or imposition of fines and shall hear and determine any appeals from the decision of the Village Clerk regarding the denial of the issuance or amendment of a license.
This chapter shall become effective upon its approval by a majority of the electors voting on a proposition submitted at a general or special election held within the Village of Groton who are qualified to vote for officers of the Village of Groton.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: This chapter was approved at referendum 5-2-1989.