N.Y. County Law § 224-b: Cooperative extension area and statewide program specialist

§ 224-b. Cooperative extension area and statewide program specialist.

1. Agreements to employ and manage area program specialists.

Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision eight of section two

hundred twenty-four of this article, two or more county cooperative

extension associations may enter into a separate agreement with Cornell

university to employ area program specialists. Examples of program areas

which could be funded and delivered through the Cornell cooperative

extension system could include but not be limited to water quality,

solid waste management, commercial and alternative agricultural

technologies integrated pest management, nutrition, diet and health,

adult and childhood obesity, asthma and chronic respiratory illness

prevention, community and rural development, housing availability and

affordability, family and economic well being, and the complex problems

of youth at risk. Such annual agreements shall identify the titles of

the positions to be supported and the program areas for which they will

provide leadership. Standards for the employment of area program

specialists, including salaries, shall be established by Cornell

university, through the director of extension in consultation with

county cooperative extension associations, apart from standards for the

employment of professional staff under section two hundred twenty-four

of this article. Area program specialists shall, for administrative

purposes, receive salary payments through the Cornell university payroll

and for such purposes shall be deemed employees of Cornell university;

provided, however, that their program activities shall be directed and

managed jointly by the participating associations and Cornell university

under the terms of the annual memorandum of agreement. Area program

specialists shall be eligible to receive the same state or federal

fringe benefits as professional staff employed by the cooperative

extension associations under the terms of section two hundred

twenty-four of this article.

2. Funding for area program specialists. The salaries and program

expenses of area program specialists shall be supported jointly by state

appropriations and/or other sources and by contributions from

participating cooperative extension associations. The state may

appropriate from funds available in the aid to localities account of the

general fund monies to support the programs and work of area specialists

under agreements with two or more cooperative extension associations.

Such funds shall be appropriated separately from funds appropriated

under section two hundred twenty-four of this article and administered

by the director of extension. State appropriations expended to support

area program specialists must be matched by funds provided from

non-state sources under the annual agreement by the participating

cooperative extension associations.

3. A cooperative extension association participating in an area

program specialist agreement shall continue to be a subordinate

governmental agency and neither the county nor Cornell university nor

any member, officer or director of the association shall be liable in

damages for any injury to person or property in connection with the

activities of the association the proximate cause of which was not

directly their or his fault or negligence.

4. Funding for statewide program specialists. The state may

appropriate monies from the aid to localities account in the general

fund for programs of statewide extension specialists, those funds are to

be administered by the director of extension. Such specialists shall be

employees of Cornell university, which shall establish standards for

their employment. Statewide specialists shall work under the direction

and supervision of Cornell university.