N.Y. County Law § 225: Optional appropriations for public benefit services administered by the board

§ 225. Optional appropriations for public benefit services

administered by the board. 1. The board of supervisors shall have power

to appropriate county funds and to permit the use of county property of

all kinds for the following public benefit, objects and purposes:

(a) Propagation of game, game birds and fish. The amount appropriated

under this paragraph for any fiscal year may equal but not exceed in any

county one-half of one per centum of the total amount of the last

preceding annual budget for county purposes, but in no event an amount

in excess of ten thousand dollars;

(b) Eradication or prevention of bovine tuberculosis or other

infectious or communicable diseases affecting domestic animals and

fowls;

(c) Publicizing the advantages of the county or region, or for

commemoration programs of historical events;

(d) Care of burial lots of deceased members of the armed forces of the

United States located in a cemetery within the county and owned and

maintained by an incorporated cemetery association;

(e) Suppression or control of white pine blister rust and other forest

tree diseases and forest insects under the direction and supervision of

the state conservation department. Employees engaged in such work upon

public or private lands shall not be liable for trespass and no action

shall lie therefor;

(f) Suppression or control of the Japanese beetle infestation under

the direction and supervision of the state department of agriculture and

markets. Employees engaged in such work upon public or private lands

shall not be liable for trespass and no action shall lie therefor; and

(g) Establishment and maintenance of fire training schools for

training firefighters.

(h) Establishment and maintenance of a central fire alarm system.

(i) In the county of Washington for the destruction of bobcats,

porcupines, wolves, coyotes, coydogs and rattlesnakes, and in the county

of Hamilton for the destruction of bobcats, porcupines, wolves, and

coyotes, the funds appropriated therefor to be expended in payment of

bounties to be established by the board of supervisors.

(j) In the counties of Essex, Saratoga, St. Lawrence and Warren for

the destruction of bobcats, wolves, coyotes, coydogs, foxes, porcupines

and rattlesnakes, the funds appropriated therefor to be expended in

payment of bounties to be established by the board of supervisors.

(k) Conservation education, including the promotion of better public

understanding of problems and desirable practices in conservation of

natural resources.

(l) Establishment and maintenance of a county zoo, or the expenditure

of county funds for the support, in whole or in part, of an existing zoo

in the county, owned by a municipal corporation.

(m) eradication or control of the golden nematode infestation under

the direction and supervision of the state department of agriculture and

markets. Employees engaged in such work upon public or private lands

shall not be liable for trespass and no action shall lie therefor.

(n) Without limitation of the foregoing for any of the public

benefits, objects and purposes which are set forth in section two

hundred twenty-four of this county law as amended.

2. The board shall provide for the expenditure for wages, equipment

and supplies, under the direction of a committee from its membership.

Authority may be granted to the chairman of such committee to issue

orders upon the county treasurer for such expenditures. The board shall

require a report of such expenditures with verified or certified

vouchers attached. The board of supervisors may adopt such rules as it

may deem necessary governing the expenditure of such moneys and may

require a bond in such amount as it shall determine.

3. The board may authorize the expenditure of county funds for any or

all of such public benefit objects and purposes jointly with another

county or counties. The board of each participating county shall appoint

a committee to act for it in connection with such project. Such

committees in joint sessions shall select one of their members to be

chairman and shall designate the county treasurer of one of the

participating counties to be custodian of the project fund. Each county

treasurer shall pay to the designated county treasurer whatever portion

of the total estimated cost of the project its board of supervisors has

determined to contribute. Such joint fund shall be deemed the fund of

all participating counties in proportion to the contribution made by

each. Orders upon the fund shall be signed by the chairman. Reports of

expenditures with verified or certified vouchers attached shall be made

annually to the board of supervisors of each participating county.