[HISTORY: Adopted by the Rockland County Legislature as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 2-7-2006 by L.L. No. 5-2006]
This article shall be known as "The Rockland County Symbol of Harmony Award Act."
A. 
The Legislature of Rockland County determines that the County should recognize those municipal or geographic subdivisions of Rockland County that, through their efforts, bring all residents together in a spirit of harmony, whether through legislative enactments or otherwise. In order to effect this intent, the Legislature hereby creates the "Symbol of Harmony Award."
B. 
The Symbol of Harmony Award shall be bestowed upon a municipal or geographic subdivision of Rockland County annually, every June on June 14 beginning in 2007. June 14 is flag day in Rockland County and is an appropriate day to highlight community and neighborhood unity and harmony united in the spirit of the American flag.
For purposes of this article only, "municipal or geographic subdivision" shall mean a Town, Village, school district, hamlet, or other unincorporated areas of a Town based upon recognized municipal or geographic boundaries. It shall also include areas covered by a homeowners' or other neighborhood association with a defined geographic border.
A Symbol of Harmony Selection Committee is hereby established. The committee shall be a special committee of the Legislature appointed by the Chairperson of the Legislature. The membership of the committee shall number at least three, and shall include at least one member of the legislative majority and one member of the legislative minority.
A. 
The Symbol of Harmony Award shall be bestowed upon a municipal or geographic subdivision of Rockland County annually, every June on June 14 beginning in 2007.
B. 
The Chairperson of the special committee is hereby charged with setting the deadline by which nominations shall be accepted and with notifying the public that it may make nominations for the award.
A. 
Any resident, organization or other entity of Rockland County shall be eligible to nominate a municipal or geographic subdivision of Rockland County for the award.
B. 
The following criteria shall guide the committee in choosing a municipal or geographic subdivision for consideration for the Symbol of Harmony Award:
(1) 
Law enforcement and governmental actions, protocols and processes aimed at reducing discrimination and hate and enforcing federal and state hate crime laws; and
(2) 
Efforts to educate municipal officers, employees, residents, and other community entities about antidiscrimination efforts, fair housing, and anti-hate crimes, etc.; and
(3) 
Efforts to expand the diversity of municipal workforces; and
(4) 
Integration of law enforcement and schools to combat hate crimes and discrimination; and
(5) 
Methods used by the municipal or geographic subdivision to celebrate religious, cultural, social and ethnic diversity; and
(6) 
Community events that promote inclusiveness, pride in one's community, etc.; and
(7) 
Governmental responses to acts of discrimination and hate crimes; and
(8) 
Community responsiveness to acts of discrimination and hate crimes; and
(9) 
Methods to incorporate various segments of the subdivision's population and increase communication and understanding; and
(10) 
The existence of action plans to respond to acts of discrimination and hate crimes; and
(11) 
Other relevant efforts as determined by the special committee.
After the Symbol of Harmony Selection Committee selects an award recipient the following procedures shall be followed:
A. 
The special committee shall cause a resolution to be drafted naming the community selected as the recipient of the award. The caption of the resolution shall read: "Declaring the (name of municipal or geographic subdivision) as a Symbol of Harmony for the Year xxxx." All members of the Legislature may at any time be named sponsors prior to a vote by the full Legislature.
B. 
Said legislative resolution shall be presented to the Rockland County Executive for signature or veto, and then potential override by the Legislature where necessary in accordance with the charter of the County of Rockland.
C. 
Upon enactment of the legislative resolution, the Chairperson of the special committee shall schedule an award ceremony in the municipal or geographic subdivision receiving the award in collaboration with the chief executive of the awardee.
The County of Rockland shall give to each municipal or geographic subdivision receiving this honor five highway road signs approximately 24 inches square that shall read: "(name of municipal or geographic subdivision): A Rockland County Symbol of Harmony, Award Year [xxxx]." Said sign shall bear the Seal of the County of Rockland. Said sign shall be placed by the Rockland County Highway Department on streets entering the municipal or geographic subdivision in consultation with all applicable and jurisdictional local ordinances and regulations and in accordance with the consent of the governing body if said sign is not placed on a County road.
The budget of the County of Rockland, in the department of the Legislature, shall have an appropriation, not to exceed $2,500, to cover the costs associated with this community recognition, including but not limited to highway signage.