N.Y. Town Law § 56: Town-village cooperation

§ 56. Town-village cooperation. 1. Where a suburban town and a village

or villages therein create one or more joint municipal survey committees

pursuant to article twelve-C of the general municipal law and where such

a committee makes a recommendation relating to the provision of an

existing or new function, service or facility in the town and in one or

more villages thereof:

a. If the recommendation is for the provision or extension of (1) a

town function, service or facility to one or more villages in the town

and for the spreading of the costs thereof against the affected area of

the town outside villages and against the affected area of such village

or villages or (2) a village function, service or facility to an area of

the town outside any village or to an area of any other village and for

the spreading of the costs thereof against the affected area or areas,

of the village or villages and against the affected area of the town,

and if such recommendation is acceptable to the town board and the

affected village board or boards, the town board and village board or

boards, respectively, may adopt such recommendation and, notwithstanding

any inconsistent provision of any general or special law, taxes,

assessments, or other charges necessary to pay the cost of such

function, service or facility shall be spread (1) by the town against

the affected area of the town outside villages and against the affected

area in such village or villages or (2) by the village or villages

against the affected area of such village or villages and by the town

against the affected area of the town outside any such village, as the

case may be.

b. If the recommendation is for the provision or extension of a

function, service or facility by the town in the area outside villages

or outside a specified village or villages, as the case may be, and for

the separate provision thereof by such village or villages, with the

respective costs to be spread by the town against the area outside

villages or outside the specified village or villages, as the case may

be, and separately by such village or villages against the area or areas

within the same, and if such recommendation is acceptable to the town

board and the affected village board or boards, the town board and the

affected village board or boards, respectively, may adopt such

recommendation and, notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of any

general or special law, the necessary taxes, assessments, or other

charges for such function, service or facility shall be borne and spread

on such basis.

c. If the recommendation is for the performance of a function, power

or duty among them or their districts, on a cooperative, joint or

contract basis pursuant to article five-G of the general municipal law,

or other similar law, and for allocating and financing the capital and

operating costs among them or their districts on a specified equitable

basis, and if such recommendation is acceptable to the town board and

the affected village board or boards, the town board and the affected

village board or boards, respectively, may adopt such recommendation

pursuant to such article and, notwithstanding any inconsistent provision

of general or special law, such function, power or duty shall be so

provided and the costs allocated and financed on such basis.

d. Where costs are to be spread against an area of a town or an area

of a village and such costs are financed pursuant to the local finance

law, such area shall be primarily liable therefor.

2. Members of the town board shall be eligible to serve on any joint

municipal survey committee in which the town participates.