Pursuant to New York State Town Municipal Home Rule Law § 10(1)(ii)(d)(3) and New York State Town Law § 21-a there is hereby created in the Town of Lansing a Public Works Department.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Lansing 11-20-2024 by L.L. No. 4-2024. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The functions of the Highway Department of the Town of Lansing are hereby transferred to the Public Works Department.
A.
The Public Works Department's responsibilities shall include the Town's highway functions, along with responsibilities for the construction, improvement, repair, care, and maintenance of the walkways/sidewalks, highways, bridges, sluices, waterways, culverts for drainage, water and sewer infrastructure and facilities, buildings and other related facilities, grounds, cemeteries, and stormwater facilities of the Town, including stormwater management. The Public Works Department will collaborate and assist the Parks and Recreation Department with the maintenance of the facilities and grounds of the Town's parks, trails and ballfields. The Public Works Department shall have such other responsibilities, not inconsistent with law, as may be assigned by the Town Board.
B.
In addition, the Public Works Department shall provide all services required or desirable in order to enable the Highway Superintendent to fulfill any duty or responsibility imposed upon such official, whether or not in their capacity as Town Highway Superintendent, by this chapter, or by any other local law, ordinance, or regulation of the Town, or further by any lawful directive of the Town Board or any statute or regulation of the State of New York.
C.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, this chapter shall not prohibit the Town Board from providing for construction of any public building, street, highway, road or other facility by public contract.
A.
The elected Town Highway Superintendent shall be the administrative head of the Department of Public Works, shall hold office as such administrative head for the terms set forth in New York Town Law § 20 Subdivision 4, shall have the powers and duties of a highway superintendent pursuant to the New York State Highway Law, Town Law, and other applicable laws and regulations of the State of New York, and shall have such powers as are necessary for the proper administration of the Department of Public Works consistent with applicable laws. The Highway Superintendent's office shall be in the unclassified civil service. The administrative head shall also hold the Town's informal administrative title of "Director of Public Works," and they may use the titles of "Highway Superintendent" and/or " Highway Superintendent/Director of Public Works."
B.
During the absence or inability of the Highway Superintendent to act for any reason, the Deputy Highway Superintendent will assume the roles, powers, and responsibilities of the Highway Superintendent as afforded by the New York State Town Law, Article 7 and 8 of the Highway Law, and any authority, duties, or powers inferred under this chapter.
The salary of the Highway Superintendent/Director of Public Works shall be fixed annually by the Town Board, and such moneys shall be paid out of the general fund of the Town as the Town Board shall direct, as well as from any improvement or benefit district of the Town pursuant to New York State Town Law Articles 12, 12-A, and 12-C, including but not limited to § 202-a(7), as well as applicable provisions of the General Municipal Law and, if so charged to any benefit or improvement district such charges shall not be or be deemed, in whole or in part, a charge upon any item of the Highway Fund. The salary may be shown in any budget or notice relating to such budget under the classification of either Highway Superintendent or Highway Superintendent/Director of Public Works.