§ 239-U — Creation of drug abuse prevention council

§ 239-u. Creation of drug abuse prevention council. 1. The local\nlegislative body of any county, city, town, village or community boards,\nas such term is defined in article fifty-two-A of the education law, may\nby resolution create one or more drug abuse prevention councils. Such\ncouncil shall develop a program of community participation regarding the\ncontrol of the use of narcotics and dangerous drugs at the local level.\nSuch council shall direct itself toward accomplishing the following:\n (a) develop and implement community drug abuse prevention programs;\n (b) recruit, train, and utilize volunteers from the community to serve\nwithout charge in its programs;\n (c) make immediately available to the community, basic knowledge\nacquired in the field of drug abuse;\n (d) create a climate in which persons seeking assistance in coping\nwith narcotics and dangerous drug problems can meet, without\nembarrassment, with responsible individuals or agencies in a position to\nrender assistance;\n (e) authorize persons approved by the council to contact and counsel\npersons within the community suspected of using narcotics and/or\ndangerous drugs or those persons allegedly having knowledge of such\nusage; and\n (f) cooperate with other drug abuse prevention councils, the local\nagency as defined in section 83.03 of the mental hygiene law, and with\nthe state, and federal drug abuse agencies in planning and implementing\nlocal programs staffed by volunteers, for the prevention of drug abuse\namong those at risk within the local community.\n 2. Such council shall consist of not less than three nor more than\nseven members who shall be appointed by the local legislative body or\ncommunity board for a term not exceeding three years and may include a\nmember of the clergy, an attorney, a physician or other persons who have\nshown an active interest in the problems of drug abuse and,\nnotwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, persons under\ntwenty-one years of age.\n 3. The presiding officer or chairman of the council shall be\ndesignated by the local legislative body from among the members so\nappointed to the council. The local legislative body shall have\nauthority to remove any member of said council so appointed for cause,\nafter a public hearing, if requested. A vacancy shall be filled for the\nunexpired term in the same manner as an original appointment. The local\nlegislative body may provide for compensation to be paid to the members\nof the council and is empowered and authorized to make such\nappropriation as it may see fit for expenses incurred by the council.\nSuch council may appoint such clerks and other employees as it may from\ntime to time require with the approval of the local legislative body.\nThe expenses of the council shall not exceed the appropriation that may\nbe made therefor by the local legislative body. In the event a town\ncreates or continues a drug abuse prevention council which develops a\nprogram pursuant to the provisions of this article, the cost thereof\nshall be a town charge, provided, however, that in counties with a\npopulation in excess of seven hundred fifty thousand, no tax shall be\nlevied on real property in a village wholly or partially within such\ntown for such cost if the village creates and continues a village drug\nabuse prevention council. The council may, with the approval of the\nlocal legislative body, apply to the local agency designated to prepare\nand implement the comprehensive plan under article eighty-three of the\nmental hygiene law, for support from special grants for local volunteer\nprograms which conform to and are included within the comprehensive\nplan.\n