2023 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.