N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 15-1907: Drainage improvement associations

§ 15-1907. Drainage improvement associations.

1. There shall be in each drainage improvement district an association

to be known by the name of the district, as ............. ............

Drainage Improvement Association. It shall be the object of this

association to represent the interests of its members in drainage

matters before the department and elsewhere and to serve as a channel of

communication between the members thereof and the department. Each owner

of land within the district, each lessee of such land and each person

who has contracted to purchase such land shall be a member of and shall

have an equal vote in the association. Such association may be formed

voluntarily as soon as the department has filed its first description of

the boundaries of the district. As soon as practicable after recording

the final order creating a district, the association, if already formed,

shall call a meeting of the members of the association and perfect a

permanent organization.

2. If no association has been formed, the department may call a

meeting for the purpose of forming such association and a representative

of the department shall preside thereat until a temporary chairman is

elected. Such association shall adopt by-laws for the transaction of

its business. The association shall choose from among its members a

president, secretary and executive committee and such other officers and

committees as the by-laws may provide. It shall be the duty of the

secretary to keep a list of the members and their addresses and to

furnish the department with copies of such list on request. The annual

meeting of the association shall be held during the month of February in

each year, at which meeting the officers shall be elected and the

association shall determine upon the drainage maintenance or

construction work desired during the ensuing year.

3. Immediately after the close of the annual meeting the secretary of

the association shall submit to the department a list of the names and

addresses of the officers for the year and, if there be such, petitions

setting forth the desires of the association and of the members thereof.

4. To defray the costs of the necessary meetings, the association may

collect dues or contributions from its members.