NY Pub Auth L § 1263 (2021)
2021 New York Laws PBA - Public Authorities Article 5 - Public Utility Authorities Title 11 - Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority 1263 - Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

§  1263.  Metropolitan transportation authority. 1. * (a) (1) There is hereby  created  the  "metropolitan  transportation  authority."     The authority  shall  be  a body corporate and politic constituting a public benefit corporation. The authority shall consist of a chairman,  sixteen other  voting  members, and two non-voting and four alternate non-voting members, as described in subparagraph two of this paragraph appointed by the governor by and with the advice  and  consent  of  the  senate.  Any member  appointed  to  a term commencing on or after June thirtieth, two thousand nine shall have experience in one  or  more  of  the  following areas:   transportation,  public  administration,  business  management, finance, accounting, law, engineering,  land  use,  urban  and  regional planning, management of large capital projects, labor relations, or have experience  in some other area of activity central to the mission of the authority. Four of the sixteen voting members other  than  the  chairman shall  be  appointed  on  the written recommendation of the mayor of the city of New York; and each of seven other voting members other than  the chairman shall be appointed after selection from a written list of three recommendations  from the chief executive officer of the county in which the particular member is required to reside pursuant to  the  provisions of  this  subdivision. Of the members appointed on recommendation of the chief executive officer of a county, one such member shall  be,  at  the time  of appointment, a resident of the county of Nassau, one a resident of the county of Suffolk, one a resident of the county  of  Westchester, one  a  resident of the county of Dutchess, one a resident of the county of Orange, one a resident of the county of Putnam and one a resident  of the  county  of  Rockland, provided that the term of any member who is a resident of a county that has withdrawn from the  metropolitan  commuter transportation    district    pursuant   to   section   twelve   hundred seventy-nine-b of this title shall terminate upon the effective date  of such county's withdrawal from such district. Of the five voting members, other   than   the   chairman,   appointed   by   the  governor  without recommendation from any other person, three shall be,  at  the  time  of appointment,  residents of the city of New York and two shall be, at the time  of  appointment,  residents  of  such  city  or  of  any  of   the aforementioned  counties  in  the  metropolitan  commuter transportation district. Provided  however,  notwithstanding  the  foregoing  residency requirement,  one  of  the five voting members appointed by the governor without recommendation from any other person, other than  the  chairman, may  be  the  director of the New York state division of the budget, and provided further that, in the event  of  such  appointment,  the  budget director's  membership  in the authority shall be deemed ex-officio. The chairman and each of the members shall be appointed for a  term  of  six years,  provided  however, that the chairman first appointed shall serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty-one,  provided that  thirty days after the effective date of the chapter of the laws of two thousand nine which amended  this  subparagraph,  the  term  of  the chairman  shall  expire;  provided,  further,  that  such  chairman  may continue to discharge the duties of his or her office until the position of chairman is filled by appointment by the governor upon the advice and consent of the senate and the term of such new chairman shall  terminate June  thirtieth,  two  thousand fifteen. The sixteen other members first appointed shall serve for the following  terms:  The  members  from  the counties  of  Nassau  and Westchester shall each serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen  hundred  eighty-five;  the  members  from  the county  of Suffolk and from the counties of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Rockland shall each serve for a term  ending  June  thirtieth,  nineteen hundred  ninety-two;  two  of the members appointed on recommendation of the mayor of the city of New York shall each serve  for  a  term  ending  June  thirtieth,  nineteen hundred eighty-four and, two shall each serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred  eighty-one;  two  of the  members appointed by the governor without the recommendation of any other person shall each serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred  eighty-two,  two  shall  each  serve  for  a  term  ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty and one shall serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty-five.  The  two  non-voting  and four  alternate  non-voting members shall serve until January first, two thousand one. The members from the counties of Dutchess, Orange,  Putnam and Rockland shall cast one collective vote.  (2)   There  shall  be  two  non-voting  members  and  four  alternate non-voting members of the authority, as referred to in subparagraph  one of this paragraph.   The  first  non-voting  member shall be a regular mass transit user of the facilities of the authority and be recommended to  the  governor  by the  New  York  city  transit  authority  advisory  council.  The  first alternate non-voting member shall be a regular mass transit user of  the facilities  of  the  authority and be recommended to the governor by the Metro-North commuter council. The  second  alternate  non-voting  member shall  be a regular mass transit user of the facilities of the authority and be recommended  to  the  governor  by  the  Long  Island  Rail  Road commuter's council.   The  second  non-voting member shall be recommended to the governor by the labor organization representing the majority  of  employees  of  the Long  Island  Rail  Road. The third alternate non-voting member shall be recommended to the governor by the labor organization  representing  the majority of employees of the New York city transit authority. The fourth alternate  non-voting member shall be recommended to the governor by the labor  organization  representing  the  majority  of  employees  of  the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company. The chairman of the authority, at his   direction,   may  exclude  such  non-voting  member  or  alternate non-voting member from  attending  any  portion  of  a  meeting  of  the authority  or  of any committee established pursuant to paragraph (b) of subdivision four of this section held  for  the  purpose  of  discussing negotiations with labor organizations.   The  non-voting  member  and  the  two  alternate  non-voting  members representing the New York York city transit authority advisory  council, the  Metro-North  commuter  council,  and  the  Long  Island  Rail  Road commuter's council shall serve  eighteen  month  rotating  terms,  after which  time  an  alternate non-voting member shall become the non-voting member and the rotation shall continue until each alternate  member  has served  at  least  one  eighteen  month term as a non-voting member. The other non-voting member and alternate  non-voting  members  representing the  New  York  city  transit  authority,  Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, and the Long Island Rail Road labor organizations  shall  serve eighteen  month rotating terms, after which time an alternate non-voting member shall  become  the  non-voting  member  and  the  rotation  shall continue  until  each  alternate member has served at least one eighteen month term as  a  non-voting  member.  The  transit  authority  and  the commuter  railroads  shall  not  be  represented concurrently by the two non-voting members during any such eighteen month period.   * NB Effective until June 30, 2024   * (a)  There  is  hereby  created  the  "metropolitan   transportation authority."  The  authority  shall  be  a  body  corporate  and  politic constituting a public benefit corporation. The authority  shall  consist of a chairman and sixteen other members appointed by the governor by and with  the  advice  and  consent of the senate. Any member appointed to a term commencing on or after June thirtieth, two thousand nine shall have  experience  in  one  or  more  of  the  following  areas  of  expertise: transportation,  public  administration,  business  management, finance, accounting, law, engineering, land use,  urban  and  regional  planning, management   of   large  capital  projects,  labor  relations,  or  have experience in some other area of activity central to the mission of  the authority.  Four of the sixteen members other than the chairman shall be appointed on the written recommendation of the mayor of the city of  New York;  and  each of seven other members other than the chairman shall be appointed after selection from a written list of  three  recommendations from  the  chief executive officer of the county in which the particular member is  required  to  reside  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  this subdivision.  Of  the  members  appointed on recommendation of the chief executive officer of a county, one such member shall be, at the time  of appointment,  a  resident of the county of Nassau; one a resident of the county of Suffolk; one a resident of the county of Westchester; and  one a  resident  of  the county of Dutchess, one a resident of the county of Orange, one a resident of the county of Putnam and one a resident of the county of Rockland, provided that the  term  of  any  member  who  is  a resident  of  a county that has withdrawn from the metropolitan commuter transportation   district   pursuant   to   section    twelve    hundred seventy-nine-b  of this title shall terminate upon the effective date of such county's withdrawal from such district. Of the five members,  other than the chairman, appointed by the governor without recommendation from any  other person, three shall be, at the time of appointment, residents of the city of New York and two shall be, at the  time  of  appointment, residents  of  such city or of any of the aforementioned counties in the metropolitan  commuter  transportation   district.   Provided   however, notwithstanding  the  foregoing  residency  requirement, one of the five voting members appointed by the governor without recommendation from any other person, other than the chairman, may be the director  of  the  New York  state  division  of  the budget, and provided further that, in the event of such appointment,  the  budget  director's  membership  in  the authority  shall  be  deemed  ex-officio.  The  chairman and each of the members shall be appointed for a term of six  years,  provided  however, that  the  chairman  first  appointed shall serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty-one, provided that thirty days  after the effective date of the chapter of the laws of two thousand nine which amended this paragraph, the term of the chairman shall expire; provided, further,  that such chairman may continue to discharge the duties of his office until the position of chairman is filled by  appointment  by  the governor  upon the advice and consent of the senate and the term of such new chairman shall terminate June thirtieth, two thousand  fifteen.  The sixteen  other  members  first  appointed  shall serve for the following terms: The members from the counties of  Nassau  and  Westchester  shall each   serve   for  a  term  ending  June  thirtieth,  nineteen  hundred eighty-five; the members  from  the  county  of  Suffolk  and  from  the counties of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam and Rockland shall each serve for a term  ending  June  thirtieth,  nineteen  hundred ninety-two; two of the members appointed on recommendation of the mayor of the city of New York shall each serve for a term  ending  June  thirtieth,  nineteen  hundred eighty-four  and, two shall each serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred  eighty-one;  two  of  the  members  appointed  by  the governor without the recommendation of any other person shall each serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty-two, two shall each serve for a term ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty and one  shall  serve  for  a  term  ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty-five. The members from the counties of Dutchess,  Orange,  Putnam and Rockland shall cast one collective vote.    * NB Effective June 30, 2024  (a-1)  The  mayor  of  the city of New York shall, no later than April first, nineteen hundred ninety-one, develop and submit to the  governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly, a plan   detailing   how   the   four  appointments  to  the  metropolitan transportation authority board made by the  governor  upon  the  written recommendation  of  the mayor can be utilized to ensure that each county within the city of New York is represented on such board.  (b) Vacancies occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall  be filled  in  the  same manner as original appointments for the balance of the unexpired term, provided, however, that in the event  of  a  vacancy caused  by  the  death,  resignation,  removal,  or  disability  of  the chairman, the vacancy shall be filled by the governor by  and  with  the advice and consent of the senate for the unexpired term. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the governor shall designate an  acting  chairman  for  a  period not to exceed six months or until a successor chairman has been confirmed by  the  senate,  whichever  comes first.  Upon  the  expiration of the six-month term, if the governor has nominated a successor chairman, but the senate has not  acted  upon  the nomination,  the  acting chair can continue to serve as acting chair for an additional ninety  days  or  until  the  governor's  successor  chair nomination is confirmed by the senate, whichever comes first.  (c)  (i)  Notwithstanding  any inconsistent provision of this section, the term of any member shall expire upon the expiration of the  term  in office   being   served  by  the  county  elected  official  upon  whose recommendation they were appointed;  provided,  however,  that  in  such circumstance  such  member  may  serve as a holdover appointee for sixty days, or until such time as a new  member  is  appointed,  whichever  is less.  The  term  of  any  member  appointed  to replace such a holdover appointee shall expire at the end of the term in office  of  the  county elected official upon whose recommendation such member was appointed. If a  county  elected official leaves office because of death, resignation, removal or disability, however, a member appointed upon such  official's recommendation  shall  continue  to serve until such time as such county elected office is filled, at  which  time  such  member  will  become  a holdover appointee and may serve for sixty days, or until such time as a new member is appointed, whichever is less.  (ii)  Notwithstanding  any inconsistent provision of this section, the term of any chairman or any member shall expire upon the  expiration  of the  term  in  office being served by the city or state elected official upon whose recommendation they were appointed; provided,  however,  that in such circumstance the chairman or such member may serve as a holdover appointee  until such time as a new chairman or member is appointed. The term of any chairman or member appointed  to  replace  such  a  holdover appointee  shall  expire at the end of the term in office of the city or state elected official upon whose recommendation such chairman or member was appointed.   2. The chairman and the first vice chairman shall be paid a salary  in the  amount  determined  by  the  authority; the other members shall not receive a salary or  other  compensation.  Each  member,  including  the chairman and the first vice chairman, shall be entitled to reimbursement for  actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his or her official duties.   3. (a) A majority of the whole number of members of the authority then in office shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any  business or  the  exercise  of  any  power  of the authority. Except as otherwise specified in this title, for the transaction  of  any  business  or  the exercise  of  any power of the authority, the authority shall have power  to act by a majority vote of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is in attendance and except further, that in the event of a tie vote the chairman shall cast one additional vote.  (b)  For  purposes  of  determining  the presence of a quorum, and for purposes of  participation  on  any  committee  or  subcommittee,  those members  who  collectively cast a single vote pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (a) of subdivision one of this section shall be  considered to  be  a  single  member,  and  the  presence  of  such member shall be determined as provided in this subdivision. Except as otherwise provided in  a  by-law  adopted  as  hereinafter  provided,  such  single  member constituting those members entitled to a collective vote shall be deemed present  as  a  single member for purposes of a quorum if one or more of the members then in office entitled to  cast  such  collective  vote  is present,  and  such collective vote shall be cast in accordance with the majority agreement of the members entitled to a collective vote who  are present or in the event a single member entitled to a collective vote is present  it  shall  be cast by that member. To evidence the existence of such majority agreement among the members entitled to a collective vote, each such member shall be polled as to his vote and such poll  shall  be recorded in the minutes. In the event a majority vote is not achieved by the members entitled to a collective vote who are present, then the vote shall not be cast. Nothing herein shall limit the right of an individual member  to  participate  in board meetings or in other activities of the authority when the other members then in office entitled to collectively cast a vote are not present. At any meeting of the  authority  at  which there  is  a quorum including all the members then in office entitled to cast a collective vote, the authority may  adopt  a  by-law  or  by-laws regulating  the  casting  of  such collective vote, provided all members then in office entitled to cast a collective vote affirmatively  approve such  by-law or by-laws. Any action taken by the authority in accordance with any such by-law or by-laws adopted pursuant to  the  provisions  of this  paragraph shall take effect in the same manner as any other action of the authority. Any such by-law or by-laws shall not provide  for  the casting  of  any  fractional  vote.  Nor  shall such a by-law or by-laws provide for the amendment, repeal or adoption in the future  of  such  a by-law  or  by-laws  in  a  manner  other  than  that  set forth in this paragraph.  (c) No provision of paragraph (b) of this subdivision relating to  the adoption  of certain by-laws by the authority shall affect the manner in which by-laws of the authority are adopted concerning any subject  other than the voting and presence for quorum purposes of the members from the counties of Dutchess, Putnam, Orange and Rockland.  (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of subdivision one of  this  section,  any  member  appointed  from the county of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam or Rockland prior  to  the  increase  in  the  number  of members of the authority to include a member from each such county shall continue  in office as the member from such counties pursuant to section five of the public officers law until the appointment  and  confirmation of  all of the new members from such counties pursuant to the provisions of this section, and no individual member exercising a  collective  vote appointed  and confirmed pursuant to paragraph (a) of subdivision one of this section shall take office until all such new members are  appointed and confirmed.   4.  (a)  Notwithstanding  any  provision  of  law to the contrary, the chairman shall be the chief executive officer of the authority and shall be responsible for the discharge of  the  executive  and  administrative functions  and  powers  of  the  authority.  The chairman may appoint an executive director and such other officials and employees  as  shall  in  his   or   her  judgment  be  needed  to  discharge  the  executive  and administrative functions and powers of the authority.   * (b)  The  chairman  shall  establish committees to assist him in the performance of his duties and shall appoint members of the authority  to such  committees.  Among  such committees, there shall be a committee on operations of the New York city transit  authority,  the  Manhattan  and Bronx  surface  transit  operating authority and the Staten Island rapid transit operating authority; a  committee  on  operations  of  the  Long Island  Rail  Road  and  the  metropolitan  suburban  bus  authority;  a committee  on  operations  of  the  Metro-North  commuter  railroad;   a committee on operations of the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority; a committee  on  finance;  a committee on capital program oversight; and a committee on safety. In addition to such appointed members, each of  the non-voting  members  referred to in subparagraph two of paragraph (a) of subdivision one of this section shall serve on the committee on  capital program  oversight,  the  committee on finance, the committee on safety, the  committee  on  operations  of  the  Triborough  bridge  and  tunnel authority, and the operations committee relevant to the commuter council that  recommended  such  member.  The alternate non-voting members shall each serve on  the  respective  operations  committee  relevant  to  the commuter  council that recommended each member. The committee on capital program oversight and the committee on safety  shall  include  not  less than  three members, and shall include the chairpersons of the committee on operations of the New York city transit authority, the Manhattan  and Bronx  surface  transit  operating authority and the Staten Island rapid transit operating authority, the committee on  operations  of  the  Long Island  Rail  Road  and the metropolitan suburban bus authority, and the committee on  operations  of  the  Metro-North  commuter  railroad.  The committee  on  safety  shall  convene  at  least  once annually and each committee chairperson, that is a member  of  the  committee  on  safety, shall  report  to  the  committee  on  safety  any  and all initiatives, concerns,  improvements,  or  failures  involving  the  safety  of:  (1) customers;  (2)  employees;  and (3) the public at large, in relation to authority facilities and services. The capital program committee  shall, with  respect  to  any  approved  or proposed capital program plans, (i) monitor the current and future availability of funds to be utilized  for such  plans  approved  or  proposed  to be submitted to the metropolitan transportation capital program  review  board  as  provided  in  section twelve  hundred  sixty-nine-b  of  this title; (ii) monitor the contract awards of the metropolitan transportation authority  and  the  New  York city  transit  authority  to insure that such awards are consistent with (A) provisions of law authorizing United States  content  and  New  York state  content;  (B) collective bargaining agreements; (C) provisions of law providing for participation by minority and women-owned  businesses; (D)  New  York  state  labor  laws; (E) competitive bidding requirements including those regarding sole  source  contracts;  and  (F)  any  other relevant  requirements  established  by  law; (iii) monitor the award of contracts to determine if such awards are consistent with the manner  in which  the  work  was  traditionally  performed  in  the  past provided, however, that any such determination shall not be admissible as evidence in any arbitration or judicial proceeding; (iv) review the  relationship between  capital expenditures pursuant to each such capital program plan and current and future operating budget requirements;  (v)  monitor  the progress  of  capital  elements  described  in each capital program plan approved as provided in section  twelve  hundred  sixty-nine-b  of  this title;  (vi)  monitor  the  expenditures incurred and to be incurred for each such element; and (vii) identify capital elements  not  progressing on  schedule,  ascertain  responsibility  therefor  and  recommend those  actions required or appropriate to accelerate their implementation.  The capital  program  committee  shall  issue  a  quarterly  report  on  its activities and findings, and shall in connection with the preparation of such  quarterly  report,  consult with the state division of the budget, the state department of transportation, the members of the  metropolitan transportation  authority  capital  program  review  board and any other group  the  committee  deems   relevant,   including   public   employee organizations,  and,  at  least  annually,  with a nationally recognized independent  transit  engineering  firm.  Such  report  shall  be   made available  to  the  members  of  the  authority,  to  the members of the metropolitan transportation authority capital program review board,  and the  directors  of  the municipal assistance corporation for the city of New York.   * NB Effective until June 30, 2024   * (b) The chairman shall establish committees to  assist  him  in  the performance  of his duties and shall appoint members of the authority to such committees. Among such committees, there shall be  a  committee  on operations  of  the  New  York city transit authority, the Manhattan and Bronx surface transit operating authority and the  Staten  Island  rapid transit  operating  authority;  a  committee  on  operations of the Long Island  Rail  Road  and  the  metropolitan  suburban  bus  authority;  a committee   on  operations  of  the  Metro-North  commuter  railroad;  a committee on operations of the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority; a committee on finance; a committee on capital program  oversight;  and  a committee  on  safety.  The committee on capital program oversight shall include not less than four members, and shall include  the  chairpersons of  the  committee on operations of the New York city transit authority, the Manhattan and Bronx surface  transit  operating  authority  and  the Staten  Island  rapid  transit  operating  authority,  the  committee on operations of the Long Island Rail Road and  the  metropolitan  suburban bus  authority,  the committee on operations of the Metro-North commuter railroad, and the committee on safety. The  committee  on  safety  shall convene at least once annually and each committee chairperson, that is a member  of  the  committee  on  safety, shall report to the committee on safety any and all  initiatives,  concerns,  improvements,  or  failures involving  the  safety  of:  (1)  customers;  (2) employees; and (3) the public at large, in relation to authority facilities and  services.  The capital  program  committee  shall,  with  respect  to  any  approved or proposed capital program plans,  (i)  monitor  the  current  and  future availability of funds to be utilized for such plans approved or proposed to  be  submitted  to  the  metropolitan  transportation capital program review board as provided in section twelve hundred sixty-nine-b of  this title;   (ii)   monitor   the   contract   awards  of  the  metropolitan transportation authority and the New  York  city  transit  authority  to insure  that  such  awards  are  consistent  with  (A) provisions of law authorizing United States  content  and  New  York  state  content;  (B) collective  bargaining  agreements;  (C) provisions of law providing for participation by minority and women-owned businesses; (D) New York state labor  laws;  (E)  competitive  bidding  requirements  including   those regarding sole source contracts; and (F) any other relevant requirements established by law; (iii) monitor the award of contracts to determine if such  awards  are  consistent  with  the  manner  in  which the work was traditionally performed in the past provided,  however,  that  any  such determination  shall not be admissible as evidence in any arbitration or judicial  proceeding;  (iv)  review  the  relationship  between  capital expenditures  pursuant to each such capital program plan and current and future operating  budget  requirements;  (v)  monitor  the  progress  of capital  elements  described  in  each  capital program plan approved as  provided in section twelve hundred  sixty-nine-b  of  this  title;  (vi) monitor  the  expenditures  incurred  and  to  be incurred for each such element;  and  (vii)  identify  capital  elements  not  progressing   on schedule,  ascertain responsibility therefor and recommend those actions required or appropriate to accelerate their implementation. The  capital program  committee  shall issue a quarterly report on its activities and findings, and shall in connection with the preparation of such quarterly report, consult with  the  state  division  of  the  budget,  the  state department   of   transportation,   the   members  of  the  metropolitan transportation authority capital program  review  board  and  any  other group   the   committee   deems   relevant,  including  public  employee organizations, and, at least  annually,  with  a  nationally  recognized independent   transit  engineering  firm.  Such  report  shall  be  made available to the members  of  the  authority,  to  the  members  of  the metropolitan  transportation authority capital program review board, and the directors of the municipal assistance corporation for  the  city  of New York.   * NB Effective June 30, 2024  (c)  The  chairman shall ensure that at every meeting of the board and at every meeting of each committee the public shall be allotted a period of time, not less than thirty minutes, to speak  on  any  topic  on  the agenda.  (d)  Notwithstanding  paragraph  (c)  of  subdivision  one  of section twenty-eight hundred twenty-four of this chapter or any other  provision of   law  to  the  contrary,  the  chairman  shall  not  participate  in establishing  authority  policies  regarding  the  payment  of   salary, compensation  and reimbursement to, nor establish rules for the time and attendance of, the chief executive officer. The salary of the  chairman, as determined pursuant to subdivision two of this section, shall also be compensation for all services performed as chief executive officer.   5.  The  authority  shall  be  a  "state  agency"  for the purposes of sections seventy-three and seventy-four of the public officers law.   6. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of this  or  any  other law,  general, special or local, no officer or employee of the state, or of any public corporation as defined in  the  general  corporation  law, shall  be  deemed  to  have  forfeited  or  shall  forfeit his office or employment or any benefits provided  under  the  retirement  and  social security  law  or  under  any public retirement system maintained by the state or any  of  its  subdivisions  by  reason  of  his  acceptance  of membership  on  or  chairmanship  of the authority; provided, however, a member or chairman who holds such  other  public  office  or  employment shall  receive no additional compensation for services rendered pursuant to this title, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for his actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of such services.   7. The governor may remove any member  for  inefficiency,  neglect  of duty,  breach of fiduciary duty or misconduct in office after giving the member a copy of the charges against the member and an opportunity to be heard, in person or by counsel in the member's defense,  upon  not  less than  ten  days' notice. If any member shall be so removed, the governor shall file in the office of the department of state a complete statement of charges made against such member, and his findings thereon,  together with a complete record of the proceedings.   8.  The  authority  shall  continue  so long as it shall have bonds or other  obligations  outstanding  and  until  its  existence   shall   be terminated  by  law.  Upon  the  termination  of  the  existence  of the authority, all its rights and properties shall pass to and be vested  in the state.    9.  Whenever  the  authority  causes  notices  of hearings on proposed changes in services or fares to be posted pursuant to  this  section  or any  statute,  regulation,  or authority policy, or where it voluntarily posts such notices, such notices shall: (a) be written in  a  clear  and coherent  manner  using  words with common and every day meaning; (b) be captioned in large point type bold lettering with a  title  that  fairly and  accurately  conveys the basic nature of such change or changes; (c) where such change involves a proposed change in levels of fare,  include in  its  title the range of amounts of fare changes under consideration; (d) contain, to the extent practicable, a  concise  description  of  the specific nature of the change or changes, including but not limited to a concise  description  of those changes that affect the largest number of passengers; (e) where such change involves a change in the nature  of  a route,  contain, to the extent practicable, a clear graphic illustration of such change or changes; and (f) where such change involves a  partial or complete station closing, such notice shall be posted at the affected station  with  a  clear graphic illustration depicting the nature of any closing for such station.