[Amended 10-21-2014 by L.L. No. 5-2014]
There shall be an Ulster County Environmental
Management Council comprised of one member from each city, town and
village environmental council and commission within the County, nominated
by the governing body of that city, town or village and appointed
by the County Executive with the confirmation of the Legislature for
a term of three years, and up to an equal number of at-large appointees
appointed by the County Executive with the confirmation of the Legislature
for a term of three years, and the County Director of Planning, serving
ex officio. The presiding officer of the Environmental Management
Council shall be chosen annually by its members from among their members
but shall not be an employee of the County of Ulster. Members of the
Ulster County Environmental Management Council shall receive no compensation
for services rendered but shall be entitled to their reasonable and
necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, within
appropriations made for such purposes.
Except as otherwise provided in the
Charter, the Ulster County Environmental Management Council shall:
A.
In consultation with the Department of Environment, advise the County Executive and the County Legislature on all matters
affecting the preservation, conservation and ecologically suitable
use of the natural resources of the County;
B.
Review the condition of the County environment
as a whole and prepare and submit an annual report of its findings
to the Department of Environment, the County Executive
and the County Legislature, which report shall also include an account
of the Council's activities and accomplishments based on accurate
records of its meetings and other works;
C.
In cooperation with the Department
of Environment, the County Planning Agency and other appropriate
agencies, prepare a plan for the protection of the County's environment
and the management of its natural resources. To the extent practicable,
the preparation, content and subsequent revision, if any, of the County
environmental plan shall be coordinated with the state environmental
plan and a copy of this County plan and any subsequent revisions of
it shall be filed with the State Commissioner of Environmental Conservation;
D.
Investigate and recommend to the
Department of Environment and the County governing body ecologically
sound methods for use of the County's resources; and
E.
In consultation with the Department of Environment, cooperate and assist such other governmental or nongovernmental boards
or organizations on the preparation of plans or reports or review
of proposals or applications as the County may direct.
F.
The Environmental Management Council shall keep minutes
of all meetings, including the date and time of meeting and members
in attendance. The original of said minutes shall be filed with the
Clerk of the Legislature as soon as possible, but not to exceed 10
business days after the next regular Council meeting at which the
minutes were reviewed and accepted. The Clerk of the Legislature or
his or her designee shall maintain an official record of the Council's
agenda items. This official record shall include the disposition of
each agenda item, including individual votes of each member on each
item.
