There shall be a Department of Highway, under the direction
of a Highway Director, who shall be appointed by the County Administrator,
subject to confirmation by the Tompkins County Legislature. The Highway
Director shall be appointed on the basis of professional training
and experience and other qualifications appropriate to the responsibilities
of the office. The Highway Director shall be directly responsible
to the County Administrator for the implementation of policies established
by the Tompkins County Legislature.
The Highway Director shall be directly responsible to the County
Administrator for implementation of policies established by the Tompkins
County Legislature. The Highway Director is responsible for roads
and bridges under the County's jurisdiction.
The Highway Director shall have the power to appoint all such
deputies, assistants, and employees of the Department as may be authorized
by the Tompkins County Legislature. All deputies, assistants, and
employees of the Department shall be directly responsible to the Director.
Except as may otherwise be provided in this Charter, the Highway Director
shall have all the powers and perform all the duties now or hereafter
conferred or imposed by law upon a County Superintendent of Highways,
County Engineer, and Commissioner of Public Works.
The powers and duties of the Highway Director shall be to:
(a)
Within the appropriations provided therefor, and with the approval
of the appropriate committee of the County Legislature, employ such
special engineering or technical consultants and incur such expenses
as may be necessary for the performance of any of the duties related
to highways and bridges set forth in this Charter, or in applicable
law, except that professional fees or other compensation shall not
exceed amounts approved by the Tompkins County Legislature;
(b)
Contract, subject to the approval of the Tompkins County Legislature,
with any public corporation, public authority, governmental unit or
any combination of the same for highway and bridge services;
(c)
Undertake pavement management of the County's highway network, including
reconstruction, rehabilitation, preventive and routine maintenance;
(d)
Construct, maintain, and operate all bridges under the jurisdiction
of the County;
(e)
Plan, develop, and implement the County capital highway and bridge
program as related to the construction, alteration, demolition, and
repair of highways, and bridges;
(f)
Direct the development of designs for highways, bridges, and other
related facilities;
(g)
Manage the technical staff and supervision of the retention and maintenance
of highway engineering records;
(h)
At the direction of the County Administrator, or the appropriate
committee of the County Legislature, provide engineering, surveying,
and related engineering services, including preparation of plans and
specifications for County highways and bridges, and supervise the
design and construction of capital highway and bridge projects when
any of such capital projects are designed and constructed by the County
government or by any other governmental unit or private contractor
under contract to the County government, or any combination of the
same;
(i)
Authorize the rental, with or without operator, of highway machinery, tools, and equipment of any public corporation, public authority, or any combination of the same as provided by Article 34 of the Charter upon such terms as may be agreed upon. All sums obtained pursuant to any terms agreed upon shall be deposited in the appropriate department fund;
(j)
Authorize the rental of machinery from any person, company, public or private corporation, public authority or any combination of the same as provided by Article 34 of the Charter, and such rental shall be payable from the appropriate fund;
(k)
Ensure timely and accurate communication with property owners affected
by highway and bridge projects; and
