§ 224-B — Cooperative extension area and statewide program specialist

§ 224-b. Cooperative extension area and statewide program specialist.\n1. Agreements to employ and manage area program specialists.\nNotwithstanding the provisions of subdivision eight of section two\nhundred twenty-four of this article, two or more county cooperative\nextension associations may enter into a separate agreement with Cornell\nuniversity to employ area program specialists. Examples of program areas\nwhich could be funded and delivered through the Cornell cooperative\nextension system could include but not be limited to water quality,\nsolid waste management, commercial and alternative agricultural\ntechnologies integrated pest management, nutrition, diet and health,\nadult and childhood obesity, asthma and chronic respiratory illness\nprevention, community and rural development, housing availability and\naffordability, family and economic well being, and the complex problems\nof youth at risk. Such annual agreements shall identify the titles of\nthe positions to be supported and the program areas for which they will\nprovide leadership. Standards for the employment of area program\nspecialists, including salaries, shall be established by Cornell\nuniversity, through the director of extension in consultation with\ncounty cooperative extension associations, apart from standards for the\nemployment of professional staff under section two hundred twenty-four\nof this article. Area program specialists shall, for administrative\npurposes, receive salary payments through the Cornell university payroll\nand for such purposes shall be deemed employees of Cornell university;\nprovided, however, that their program activities shall be directed and\nmanaged jointly by the participating associations and Cornell university\nunder the terms of the annual memorandum of agreement. Area program\nspecialists shall be eligible to receive the same state or federal\nfringe benefits as professional staff employed by the cooperative\nextension associations under the terms of section two hundred\ntwenty-four of this article.\n 2. Funding for area program specialists. The salaries and program\nexpenses of area program specialists shall be supported jointly by state\nappropriations and/or other sources and by contributions from\nparticipating cooperative extension associations. The state may\nappropriate from funds available in the aid to localities account of the\ngeneral fund monies to support the programs and work of area specialists\nunder agreements with two or more cooperative extension associations.\nSuch funds shall be appropriated separately from funds appropriated\nunder section two hundred twenty-four of this article and administered\nby the director of extension. State appropriations expended to support\narea program specialists must be matched by funds provided from\nnon-state sources under the annual agreement by the participating\ncooperative extension associations.\n 3. A cooperative extension association participating in an area\nprogram specialist agreement shall continue to be a subordinate\ngovernmental agency and neither the county nor Cornell university nor\nany member, officer or director of the association shall be liable in\ndamages for any injury to person or property in connection with the\nactivities of the association the proximate cause of which was not\ndirectly their or his fault or negligence.\n 4. Funding for statewide program specialists. The state may\nappropriate monies from the aid to localities account in the general\nfund for programs of statewide extension specialists, those funds are to\nbe administered by the director of extension. Such specialists shall be\nemployees of Cornell university, which shall establish standards for\ntheir employment. Statewide specialists shall work under the direction\nand supervision of Cornell university.\n