NY Arts & Cult Aff L § 57.07 (2021)
2021 New York Laws ACA - Arts and Cultural Affairs Title U - Divisions of History and Public Records Article 57 - Divisions of History and Public Records 57.07 - Local Historian; Appointment; Maintenance of Historical Edifices.

§ 57.07. Local   historian;  appointment;  maintenance  of  historical   edifices. 1. A local historian shall be appointed, as provided  in  this   section,  for  each city, town or village, except that in a city of over   one million inhabitants a local historian shall be  appointed  for  each   borough therein instead of for the city at large; and a county historian   may  be  appointed for each county. Such historian shall be appointed as   follows: For a city, by  the  mayor;  for  a  borough,  by  the  borough   president;  for  a town, by the supervisor; for a village, by the mayor;   for a county, by the board of supervisors. Such  historian  shall  serve   without  compensation,  unless  the  governing  board of the city, town,   village or county for or in which he or she was appointed or in the city   of New York, the mayor, shall otherwise provide.  In  a  city  having  a   board  of  estimate,  other  than  the city of New York, a resolution or   ordinance establishing compensation or salary for such  historian  shall   not  take  effect  without  the  concurrence  of  such board. Each local   government historian shall promote the establishment and improvement  of   programs for the management and preservation of local government records   with  enduring  value  for  historical  or other research; encourage the   coordinated collection and preservation  of  nongovernmental  historical   records  by libraries, historical societies, and other repositories; and   carry out and actively encourage research in such records  in  order  to   add  to the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the community's   history. The local authorities of the city, town, village or county  for   which  such  historian  is  appointed,  may  provide  the historian with   sufficient space in a safe, vault or other fire proof structure for  the   preservation  of  historical materials collected. Such local authorities   and also the board of supervisors of each of the counties of  the  state   are  hereby  authorized  and  empowered to appropriate, raise by tax and   expend   moneys   for   historical   purposes   within   their   several   jurisdictions, including historical edifices, the erection of historical   markers and monuments, the collection of war mementos, and, either alone   or  in  cooperation  with  patriotic  or  historical  organizations, the   preparation and publication of  local  histories  and  records  and  the   printing and issuing of other historical materials in aid of the work of   the local historian.2. Such local authorities and also the board of supervisors of each of   the  counties of the state are hereby authorized and empowered, in their   discretion, to contract with the trustees of an  historical  association   for  the  support  of  any  or all historic edifices situated within the   boundaries of such municipality; or may share the  cost  of  maintaining   the same as agreed with other municipal bodies; or may contract with the   trustees  of  such  historical  associations  to  maintain said historic   edifices for public use under such terms and conditions as may be stated   in such contract. The amount agreed to be paid for such use  under  such   contract  shall  be  a charge upon the municipality and shall be paid in   the same manner as other municipal charges, except in a  city  having  a   board  of  estimate, other than the city of New York, such contracts and   any payments  made  thereunder  shall  be  approved  by  such  board  of   estimate.  In  the  city  of  New  York, such contracts and any payments   thereunder shall be approved by the mayor.3. Such local authorities  are  hereby  authorized  to  establish  and   collect  reasonable  charges  to  defray  the  cost of searching for and   reproducing copies of written or printed historical materials collected.