What's happening
This bill changes the governance of the Mount Vernon Public Library, making trustees mayoral appointees confirmed by the city council.
Why it matters
Shifts library oversight to city government. By making library trustees mayoral appointees (with city council confirmation), the bill increases Mount Vernon’s direct control over the library, potentially aligning library policies more closely with city priorities and politics.
Changes how trustees are selected and their terms. Instead of trustees being elected or selected internally, future vacancies will be filled through a political appointment process, with each new trustee serving a five-year term—this could impact the independence of library governance.
Increases accountability to city officials. Trustees will now be required to submit annual reports to the city council, potentially increasing transparency and oversight, but also subjecting library operations to greater political scrutiny.
Alters longstanding institutional structure. The move overrides provisions from the library’s original 1896 charter, representing a significant shift in how the library has historically operated and been governed.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Change Mount Vernon Library Governance
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to libraries and education technology
- Referred to libraries and education technology
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
757
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Committee on Libraries and Education Technology
AN ACT relating to the Mount Vernon public library
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law or any provision of the charter issued to the Mount Vernon public library by the university of the state of New York on March 19, 1896:
a. the Mount Vernon public library shall be deemed authorized by the city of Mount Vernon;
b. the trustees of such Mount Vernon public library and their successors shall be appointed by the mayor of the city of Mount Vernon and confirmed by the Mount Vernon city council beginning with the first vacancy occurring, by reason of the expiration of a term or for any other reason, after the effective date of this act. Each person appointed to a vacancy occurring by reason of the expiration of a term shall be appointed for a term of 5 years, any person appointed to fill an unexpired term shall be appointed to serve out such unexpired term; and
c. the trustees shall report to the city council on or before March 31st of each year beginning with the calendar year following the effective date of this act.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05206-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.