Pursuant to the provisions of § 88-a of the General Municipal
Law of the State of New York, there shall be and hereby is created a Merit
Award Board of the City of Kingston, consisting of the Mayor, the Corporation
Counsel and a bipartisan committee of the Aldermen to be designated by the
Common Council.
Such Merit Award Board shall have the power and it shall be its duty
to formulate and, as the circumstances may require, to amend rules and to
establish and maintain a plan or plans to encourage and reward unusual and
meritorious suggestions and accomplishments by employees of the City of Kingston
which have, in the preceding years, resulted in either more efficient or more
economical operation of any of the departments or functions of the city government
as, in its discretion, appear worthy of recognition and reward.
Such Merit Award Board shall also have the power to appoint such other
persons, if any, as it may deem best to make recommendations to such Board
for its consideration in the making of such annual awards.
Said Merit Award Board shall meet as soon as possible following the
adoption of this chapter and prepare and adopt rules and regulations to carry
out the purposes for which such Board is being created, within the purview
of § 88-a of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York
and of any other appropriate general or special law.
There is appropriated for the aforesaid purposes the sum of $7,500,
being a portion of the funds received by the City of Kingston, New York, through
and under the will of the late Cornelia H. Staples, which funds shall be deposited
in an interest-bearing trust account for such purposes only, or invested in
any securities which are legally permissible, and the interest or income therefrom
shall be used exclusively for the purposes set forth herein. The principal
thereof shall not be used unless it shall become necessary in order to carry
out the provisions of this chapter, and only then with specific approval of
the Common Council.
Such Merit Award Board shall purchase and have suitably inscribed a
memorial plaque which shall refer to the bequest received by the City of Kingston,
New York, through the generosity of the late Cornelia H. Staples, recognizing
the fact that such bequest was given in honor of her father. The form, nature
and context of such memorial plaque shall be determined by such Board.
Awards as may be established by such Merit Award Board shall be first
given for the year 1960, and the initial presentation therefor shall be made
at the first meeting of the Common Council in January 1961, and thereafter
as the rules of such Board may provide.
Such Merit Award Board shall serve without compensation.
This chapter shall take effect immediately.