The City shall have the following Boards and Commissions whose
members and officers shall be appointed as set forth in this Charter,
the Administrative Code or state law.
C. Board of Assessment Review.
D. Plattsburgh Public Library.
[Amended 8-17-2017 by L.L. No. 4-2017; 11-16-2017 by L.L. No. 7-2017]
Each City department shall be managed by a department head and
such assistant department heads or deputies whose positions have been
established by the Common Council. The function, organization, powers
and duties of a department shall be defined in this Charter or the
Administrative Code.
H. Municipal Lighting Department.
There shall be a City court presided over by a full time City
judge. The City court shall not be subject to supervision or control
by the Mayor or Council. The City shall provide adequate accommodations
for City court.
A. City judge. Qualifications, appointment. The City judge shall be
appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the Common Council.
He or she shall have been admitted to practice before the courts of
the State of New York for not less than five years prior to appointment
and shall be a resident of the City at the time of his appointment
and during his or her term in office. The term of the City judge shall
be as prescribed in state law.
B. Acting City judge. Qualifications, appointment. The acting City judge
shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the Common
Council. He or she shall have been admitted to practice before the
courts of the State of New York for not less than five years prior
to appointment and shall be a resident of the City at the time of
his or her appointment and during his or her term in office. The term
of the acting City judge shall be as prescribed in state law, but
if no term is prescribed, the term shall commence on the first day
of February following commencement of the Mayor's term in office
and shall end on January 31st following the expiration of the Mayor's
term in office.
There shall be a Department of Finance headed by a City Chamberlain
who shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by the
Common Council. He or she shall be qualified on the basis of his or
her training and experience in financial management. He or she shall
be directly responsible to the Mayor.
A. Powers and duties. The City Chamberlain shall:
(1) Be the chief fiscal officer of the City responsible for all financial
administration of the City; specifically, he or she shall:
(a)
Collect, receive, have custody of, deposit and disburse all
fees, revenues and other funds of the City or for which the City is
responsible.
(b)
Review and pay all payrolls, approved claims, expenses and other
authorized disbursements of the City.
(c)
Perform the duties of an "enforcing officer" under the Real
Property Tax Law.
(d)
Conduct the sale of all bonds pursuant to the provisions of
the Local Finance Law and keep a record of all indebtedness, bonded
or otherwise, of the City.
(e)
Provide adequate insurance and surety bond coverage to protect
the City from all reasonable risks of loss or damage.
(f)
Submit to the Mayor and the Common Council at the end of each
quarter of the fiscal year, and such other times as requested, a complete
statement of City finances as specified in the Administrative Code.
(2) Advise and assist the Mayor and Council in the preparation of the
Mayor's budget and the Council's budget. Prepare for the
corporation counsel's review: laws, ordinances and resolutions
adopting the City budget and the levying taxes.
(3) Act as the chief auditing and accounting officer of the City; specifically,
he or she shall:
(a)
Maintain records of appropriations, encumbrances and expenditures
and prescribe approved methods of accounting for all units of City
government, unless otherwise required by the State Comptroller.
(b)
Certify the availability of funds for all requisitions, contracts,
purchase orders and other documents by which the City incurs financial
obligations or for the expenditure of funds for which the City is
responsible.
(c)
Audit for approval of payment all lawful claims or charges against
the City or against funds for which the City is responsible, in whole
or in part, in the manner provided in the Administrative Code.
(d)
Audit the financial records and accounts of all units of City
government charged with duties relating to funds of the City or for
which the City is responsible.
(e)
Provide for budget controls and allocation of appropriated funds
in efficient, economical and justifiable manners.
(f)
Review, evaluate and recommend changes to the City's purchasing
policy and procedures.
B. Deputy Chamberlain. There shall be a deputy Chamberlain appointed
by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council. The deputy chamberlain
shall, unless otherwise prescribed by law, possess the powers and
perform the duties of the chamberlain during the absence or inability
to act of the chamberlain, or during a vacancy in the office.
The Municipal Lighting Department, established by Local Law
No. 1 of 1936 pursuant to Article 14-a of the General Municipal Law,
is authorized to provide any service authorized to be furnished by
an electric corporation pursuant to Article 4 of the Public Service
Law. The department shall be governed by a Board of Directors composed
of the Mayor and members of the Common Council. The Board of Directors
shall adopt bylaws and hold regular meetings within 15 days of the
end of each calendar quarter. The department shall establish and maintain
separate financial records showing all revenue and expenditures. The
Board of Directors shall establish customer rates, charges and terms
of service in compliance with Public Service Commission laws, regulations
and procedures. The department shall be administered by a manager
appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council.
The Plattsburgh Public Library is not a branch or department
of City government, but a separate entity governed by the Library
Board of trustees constituted in accordance with the Charter granted
to it by the New York State Board of Regents. The Library Board has
the power and duty to determine and carry out all policies and principles
pertaining to operations of the library; to use library property;
to appoint, manage and control library personnel; to use and expend
funds appropriated for library purposes. The Mayor shall appoint the
Library Board of trustees, subject to Council confirmation. The City
may appropriate funds for library purposes. Library funds shall be
subject to oversight, custody and control by the City chamberlain,
as provided in state law.