Bill Text: NY A02088 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Authorizes a state monitor for the town of Oyster Bay to provide direct oversight of the fiscal policies, practices, programs and decisions of the town of Oyster Bay.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to ways and means [A02088 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A02088-Introduced.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          2088

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 23, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. LAVINE -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Ways and Means

        AN ACT authorizing the comptroller to appoint a state monitor to oversee
          the  town  of Oyster Bay and establishing the powers and duties of the
          state monitor; and providing for the repeal of  such  provisions  upon
          expiration thereof

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. Definitions. For the purposes of this act:
     2    (a) "State monitor" or  "monitor"  shall  mean  the  person  appointed
     3  pursuant  to  section two of this act, or an interim person appointed to
     4  such position.
     5    (b) "Board" shall mean the town board of the town of Oyster Bay.
     6    (c) "Supervisor" shall mean the supervisor of the town of Oyster Bay.
     7    § 2. Appointment. (a) The comptroller shall appoint a state monitor to
     8  provide direct oversight of the fiscal policies, practices, programs and
     9  decisions of the town of Oyster Bay, the town board and the  supervisor,
    10  within  ninety  days following the effective date of this act. The comp-
    11  troller shall provide the monitor with technical support and  assistance
    12  for  the  purposes  of carrying out his or her duties under this act, if
    13  requested by the state monitor. The state monitor  shall  serve  at  the
    14  pleasure of the comptroller.
    15    (b)  The comptroller shall have the authority to appoint a state moni-
    16  tor on an interim basis during the search for  a  permanent  appointment
    17  and  in the event of resignation, death, incapacity, or any other reason
    18  which causes the monitor to be unable to perform his or her  duties  and
    19  until  such  time  as  a permanent state monitor is appointed. Any state
    20  monitor appointed on an interim basis shall have the powers  and  duties
    21  of the state monitor contained in this act.
    22    (c)  The  state  monitor,  including his or her staff, shall be paid a
    23  fixed salary set by the comptroller and shall be reimbursed  for  actual

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD02713-01-3

        A. 2088                             2

     1  expenses  incurred  in  the  performance  of his or her duties including
     2  travel and supplies. The costs associated  with  the  implementation  of
     3  this act shall be borne by the town of Oyster Bay.
     4    (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of general or special law, the
     5  earnings limitations contained in any such general or special law, local
     6  law  and/or  charter  and  applicable  to the employment of persons in a
     7  position or positions in public  service  in  any  calendar  year  while
     8  retired  and  receiving  a  retirement  allowance shall not apply to any
     9  appointment authorized by this act. If applicable, the state monitor may
    10  continue as retired and without loss, suspension or diminution of his or
    11  her retirement allowance provided that  such  individual  is  granted  a
    12  waiver of retirement earnings limitation by the comptroller.
    13    (e)  For  the  purposes  of this act, the state monitor and his or her
    14  staff shall be considered state employees as defined in the public offi-
    15  cers law.
    16    § 3. State monitor powers. The state monitor shall have the power to:
    17    (a) Propose a resolution or course of action to be considered  by  the
    18  town board or supervisor if the state monitor finds that such resolution
    19  or course of action is necessary in order to carry out his or her duties
    20  required  by  this  act and is necessary for the fiscal stability of the
    21  town. If such resolution or course of action is proposed, the board must
    22  vote on the proposed resolution or course of action within fourteen days
    23  of receiving such resolution, or at the next regularly  scheduled  board
    24  meeting.
    25    (b)  Review  and  make  recommendations  on the operation, management,
    26  efficiency and productivity of the relevant municipality and any subsid-
    27  iary organization.
    28    (c) Issue bonds.
    29    (d) Consult with the locality during  the  budget-making  process  and
    30  make  recommendations.   The monitor shall have the authority to approve
    31  or reject budgets and required multi-year financial plans.
    32    (e) Comment on  the  proposed  borrowings  and  collective  bargaining
    33  agreements.
    34    (f)  Override  decisions by the board or supervisor if he or she finds
    35  that such override is necessary in order to carry out his or her  duties
    36  required  by  this  act and is necessary for the fiscal stability of the
    37  town. The state monitor may override a decision by the board or supervi-
    38  sor by issuing a directive, which must include specific findings  as  to
    39  the necessity of such override. The board may appeal the state monitor's
    40  override in accordance with section five of this act.
    41    (g)  Access  all  town  documents  and  records.  Town personnel shall
    42  provide any and all documents requested by the state monitor or  his  or
    43  her  designee without charge, and the state monitor shall have access to
    44  all electronic information systems, databases, and  planning  documents.
    45  The  monitor  shall  maintain  the  security  and confidentiality of all
    46  information protected from disclosure by federal or state law  or  regu-
    47  lation.
    48    (h)  Direct the board and supervisor to undergo any training as deemed
    49  necessary and pursuant to timelines established by the state monitor.
    50    (i) Hire staff necessary to assist in carrying out the state monitor's
    51  duties required by this act, subject to a staffing plan approved by  the
    52  comptroller.
    53    (j) Hold public hearings or forums on town fiscal matters as he or she
    54  deems necessary.
    55    (k)  Conduct any relevant studies, reports, and reviews of town fiscal
    56  matters.

        A. 2088                             3

     1    § 4. State monitor duties. The state monitor shall have the  following
     2  duties:
     3    (a)  Develop  and  implement  a five-year strategic fiscal improvement
     4  plan in consultation with the  comptroller  and  the  board  within  six
     5  months from the date of appointment.
     6    1. The monitor shall hold at least one public hearing within the town,
     7  prior  to  the  certification  of the plan by the state monitor, for the
     8  purpose of presenting the contents of the improvement plan  and  seeking
     9  public  comment on its contents. The supervisor shall ensure that notice
    10  for the public hearing or hearings are posted in a  manner  to  maximize
    11  the participation of residents.
    12    2.  The plan must establish a set of goals with appropriate benchmarks
    13  and measurable objectives and identify strategies to address areas where
    14  improvements are needed in financial stability.
    15    3. The plan shall be publicly available at least fourteen days  before
    16  the hearing or hearings at which it will be presented and the supervisor
    17  shall  ensure  that copies thereof shall be prepared and made available,
    18  upon request, to residents within the town.
    19    4. Following the hearing or hearings held pursuant to paragraph one of
    20  this subdivision, but prior to certification of the improvement plan  by
    21  the  state monitor, the state monitor shall publicly report to the board
    22  an assessment of all public comments concerning the proposed plan and  a
    23  description  of  any  changes  made  to  such plan as a result of public
    24  comments received. The certified plan must be submitted  to  the  board,
    25  comptroller,  governor,  the  temporary president of the senate, and the
    26  speaker of the assembly.
    27    (b) Attend all meetings of the  board  including  executive  sessions.
    28  The  state  monitor, or designee of the monitor, shall be deemed to be a
    29  non-voting member of the board and shall be entitled to sit  with  board
    30  members  at all meetings of the board and participate in all board hear-
    31  ings and meetings, and the  supervisor  shall  be  required  to  provide
    32  adequate  notice to the state monitor of all such meetings and hearings.
    33  The state monitor shall ensure to the extent practicable that the  board
    34  conducts  all meetings, including executive sessions, in compliance with
    35  article 7 of the public officers law, and shall be  authorized  to  seek
    36  written advisory opinions from the committee on open government.
    37    (c)  Supervise  the  fiscal  and  operational  management of the town,
    38  including, but not limited to, oversight over  the  development  of  the
    39  annual budget.
    40    (d)  Submit  an annual report to the board, comptroller, governor, the
    41  temporary president of the senate, and the speaker of  the  assembly  on
    42  the progress of the strategic fiscal improvement plan, actions undertak-
    43  en by the monitor, any financial information the monitor deems appropri-
    44  ate,  and  other  town matters of importance.   At the conclusion of the
    45  monitor's appointment as determined by section seven of  this  act,  the
    46  state  monitor shall issue a final report that includes long term recom-
    47  mendations that address the unique needs of the town.
    48    § 5. Appeal process for monitor decisions. Notwithstanding  any  other
    49  law, rule or regulation to the contrary, all decisions made by the state
    50  monitor,  including  decisions to overturn board and supervisor actions,
    51  shall be final and conclusive unless and until modified or  reversed  in
    52  an  appeal  to  the comptroller pursuant to this section. When the board
    53  alleges that a reversal of a board or supervisor decision by  the  state
    54  monitor  violates  the regulations of the comptroller, or the terms of a
    55  certified five-year strategic fiscal improvement  plan,  the  board  may
    56  appeal by petition to the comptroller.

        A. 2088                             4

     1    §  6.  Regulations.  The comptroller shall be authorized to promulgate
     2  regulations and immediately take such  other  actions  as  necessary  to
     3  implement the provisions of this act.
     4    § 7. Appointment period. The appointment of the state monitor shall be
     5  for  a  period of at least five years from the initial date of the state
     6  monitor appointment. At the expiration of the initial appointment  peri-
     7  od,  the  comptroller shall have the authority to extend the appointment
     8  for an additional period of time in intervals of one to five  years,  as
     9  determined  by  the  comptroller. The appointment may be extended, for a
    10  term or terms as the comptroller deems necessary,  consistent  with  the
    11  repeal date of this act.
    12    §  8.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
    13  deemed repealed December 31, 2033.
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