N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 15-2305: River improvement associations

§ 15-2305. River improvement associations.

There shall be in each river improvement district an association to be

known by the name of the district, as..................River Improvement

Association. It shall be the object of this association to represent the

interests of its members before the department and elsewhere and to

serve as a channel of communication between the members thereof and the

department. Each public corporation and each owner of land within the

district and each lessee of 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 the district the association, if already

formed, shall call a meeting of the members of the association and

perfect a permanent organization. If no association has been formed the

department shall call a meeting for the purpose of forming such an

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 a list of

such members on request. The association may require the payment of

annual dues or contributions to the association treasury, the amount of

such contribution and the manner of collecting the same to be decided by

the association. 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 what further work,

if any, it desires during the ensuing year. Immediately after the close

of the annual meeting the secretary of the association shall submit to

the department a list of names and addresses of the officers for the

year and a petition setting forth the desires of the association.