The County Legislature shall be the elected governing body of
Sullivan County which shall perform the legislative, appropriating,
policy determining and administrative functions as provided for in
the County Law.
The County Legislature shall be composed of the elected legislators elected from single-member legislative districts, each member elected for a term of four years and having one vote. Members of the Legislature shall be elected from the districts established in §
C2.01 of the Sullivan County Charter.
The County Legislature at its organizational meeting held only
on January 1 of each and every even-numbered year following the election
of the Legislators, or as soon thereafter as is practical, shall elect
from its membership a Chairman who shall serve until replaced.
Except as may otherwise be provided in this Administrative Code,
the Chair of the County Legislature shall have all the powers and
duties now or hereafter conferred or imposed upon a Chair of a County
Legislature by law. Among such powers and duties, but not by way of
limitation, the Chair shall:
A. Determine in consultation with the County Manager what officer shall
perform a particular power or duty not clearly defined herein or by
law.
B. Execute and deliver documents and contracts authorized by law and by the County Legislature, which are not within the powers of the County Manager as described in §
C3.06J of the Sullivan County Charter.
C. Perform such other administrative duties as the Legislature determines
to be necessary.
The County Legislature, within the time provided for in the
Sullivan County Charter to elect a Chairman, shall elect a Vice Chairman,
by majority vote, and may elect other officers as it deems required,
all of whom shall serve until replaced. The Vice Chairman shall, in
the absence of the Chairman, preside over each duly constituted meeting
of the Legislature, have and exercise all of the powers and duties
of the Chairman at any meeting over which the Vice Chairman is called
to preside, and, except as herein limited, shall have and exercise
those additional powers and duties authorized by resolution of the
Legislature, provided that such resolution shall specify the dates
during which the Vice Chairman may exercise such powers and duties,
and that the powers and duties authorized to the Vice Chairman shall
not be exercised by the Chairman during the designated time period.
The Vice Chairman shall at no time appoint a person to an office or
position of employment with the County, nor appoint the Chairman or
members of any committee of the Legislature. The Vice Chairman may,
in the absence of the Chairman from the County, or upon the Chairman's
authorization, execute all agreements on behalf of the County which
the Legislature authorized the Chairman to execute.
In the event of the death, resignation or disability of the
Chairman, the Vice Chairman shall act as Chairman until a new Chairman
is elected. In the event of the death, resignation or disability of
the Vice Chairman or any other officers that may have been elected,
the Legislature shall elect a replacement Vice Chairman and may elect
replacements for the other officers. The election to replace the Chairman,
Vice Chairman or other officers contemplated herein shall be held
at the next regular meeting of the County Legislature or sooner at
a special or emergency meeting if desired. The degree of disability
of any officer must be such so as to render that person's ability
to perform impractical in order to justify a replacement by the Legislature.
Committees are the basis for the organization of administrative
units and functions of government as presented in this Administrative
Code. Within 20 days after his or her election, the Chair of the County
Legislature shall appoint from among the members of the Legislature
the Chairs and members of the standing committees, to wit: the Management
and Budget, Capital Planning and Budgeting Committee; the Government
Services Committee; the Health and Family Services Committee; the
Human Resources Committee; the Planning, Real Property and Economic
Development Committee; the Public Safety & Law Enforcement Committee;
the Public Works Committee; the ; ; and the Veterans Committee. In
the case of a newly created committee, the Chair and members shall
be appointed by the Chair of the County Legislature within 20 days
after the creation of such new committee. In addition, the Chair of
the Legislature may appoint members to new and existing special committees
as may be created by the Legislature. The Chair of the County Legislature
shall also fill any and all vacancies on any committee within 20 days
of the creation of such vacancy. All committees shall meet at the
call of the Chair and/or pursuant to the rules of the Legislature.
There shall be a Clerk and Deputy Clerk to the County Legislature.
The Clerk shall be appointed by the Legislature to serve at its pleasure
and until a successor is appointed and has qualified. The Deputy Clerk
shall be appointed by the Clerk to the County Legislature. In addition
to duties prescribed by state law, the Clerk or Deputy shall serve
as secretary to all committees of the Legislature and perform other
duties as assigned by the Legislature.