NY Cty L § 224-B (2021)
2021 New York Laws CNT - County Article 5 - General Powers of Board of Supervisors 224-B - Cooperative Extension Area and Statewide Program Specialist.

§  224-b. Cooperative extension area and statewide program specialist.   1.  Agreements  to  employ  and   manage   area   program   specialists.   Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of  subdivision  eight  of section two   hundred twenty-four of this article,  two  or  more  county  cooperative   extension  associations may enter into a separate agreement with Cornell   university to employ area program specialists. Examples of program areas   which could be funded and  delivered  through  the  Cornell  cooperative   extension  system  could  include  but  not be limited to water quality,   solid  waste  management,  commercial   and   alternative   agricultural   technologies  integrated  pest  management,  nutrition, diet and health,   adult and childhood obesity,  asthma  and  chronic  respiratory  illness   prevention,  community  and  rural development, housing availability and   affordability, family and economic well being, and the complex  problems   of  youth  at  risk. Such annual agreements shall identify the titles of   the positions to be supported and the program areas for which they  will   provide  leadership.  Standards  for  the  employment  of  area  program   specialists,  including  salaries,  shall  be  established  by   Cornell   university,  through  the  director  of  extension  in consultation with   county cooperative extension associations, apart from standards for  the   employment  of  professional staff under section two hundred twenty-four   of this article. Area  program  specialists  shall,  for  administrative   purposes, receive salary payments through the Cornell university payroll   and  for  such purposes shall be deemed employees of Cornell university;   provided, however, that their program activities shall be  directed  and   managed jointly by the participating associations and Cornell university   under  the  terms  of  the  annual memorandum of agreement. Area program   specialists shall be eligible to  receive  the  same  state  or  federal   fringe  benefits  as  professional  staff  employed  by  the cooperative   extension  associations  under  the  terms  of   section   two   hundred   twenty-four of this article.2.  Funding  for  area  program  specialists. The salaries and program   expenses of area program specialists shall be supported jointly by state   appropriations  and/or  other  sources   and   by   contributions   from   participating   cooperative   extension   associations.  The  state  may   appropriate from funds available in the aid to localities account of the   general fund monies to support the programs and work of area specialists   under agreements with two or more  cooperative  extension  associations.   Such  funds  shall  be  appropriated  separately from funds appropriated   under section two hundred twenty-four of this article  and  administered   by  the  director of extension. State appropriations expended to support   area  program  specialists  must  be  matched  by  funds  provided  from   non-state  sources  under  the  annual  agreement  by  the participating   cooperative extension associations.3. A  cooperative  extension  association  participating  in  an  area   program   specialist  agreement  shall  continue  to  be  a  subordinate   governmental agency and neither the county nor  Cornell  university  nor   any  member,  officer  or director of the association shall be liable in   damages for any injury to person or  property  in  connection  with  the   activities  of  the  association  the  proximate  cause of which was not   directly their or his fault or negligence.4.  Funding  for  statewide  program  specialists.   The   state   may   appropriate  monies  from  the  aid to localities account in the general   fund for programs of statewide extension specialists, those funds are to   be administered by the director of extension. Such specialists shall  be   employees  of  Cornell  university,  which shall establish standards for   their employment. Statewide specialists shall work under  the  direction   and supervision of Cornell university.