N.Y. General Municipal Law § 119-ooo: Inclusion of Cornell University as a member of the governing body of an entity created by intermunicipal agreement to construct and opera...

§ 119-000. Inclusion of Cornell University as a member of the

governing body of an entity created by intermunicipal agreement to

construct and operate water treatment plants and water distribution

systems in or adjoining the county of Tompkins. 1. Notwithstanding any

other provision of law to the contrary, the municipalities in or

adjoining the county of Tompkins including, but not limited to, the

towns of Ithaca, Dryden and Lansing, the villages of Cayuga Heights and

Lansing, and the city of Ithaca, and Cornell University may jointly

provide for water services in the municipalities in and adjoining the

county of Tompkins and the water districts located within the

municipalities in or adjoining the county of Tompkins.

2. In addition to the powers set forth in article five-B of this

chapter and this article, the municipalities in or adjoining the county

of Tompkins and water districts within such municipalities, shall have

the power to, jointly with Cornell University:

a. Contract, acquire, finance and sell common water supplies;

b. Construct, operate, maintain, lease, sell, and otherwise deal in

and supervise water intakes, water treatment plants, water lines, pumps,

storage facilities, distribution facilities and all other activities

normally or reasonably related to the provision of such services which

municipalities individually are authorized to undertake; and

c. Create, continue, maintain and modify by agreement a governing body

to supervise and operate such facilities which governing body may be

made up of representatives from the participating municipalities and

representatives from Cornell University.

3. The inclusion of Cornell University as a party to any such

agreement, and the inclusion of any representatives of Cornell

University as members of any governing body, shall not be deemed to

change the characterization of such body as a municipal body with all of

the benefits, liabilities, immunities and responsibilities of a

municipal body.

4. The powers granted by this section shall be in addition to and not

in substitution of any other powers granted to the municipalities in or

adjoining the county of Tompkins and Cornell University to provide water

services, including, without limitation, the power to jointly contract

for obtaining and operating such services pursuant to article five-B of

this chapter and this article.