Enabling Legislation

Nassau County Charter—XXI. Miscellaneous Officers. (§ 2102-2112.)

§ 2112. OFFICE OF MINORITY AFFAIRS.

1. There shall be an office of county government known as the Office of Minority Affairs, the head of which shall be the Executive Director of Minority Affairs, who shall be appointed by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature; provided that prior to the appointment of any person to serve in such position, the County Executive shall take into consideration the candidate or candidates recommend-ed by the Minority Affairs Council created pursuant to subdivision four of this section. The Executive Director of Minority Affairs shall receive such compensation as may be provided by ordinance. Subject to sufficient budget appropriations being made there-fore, the Executive Director of Minority Affairs shall have the power to appoint such deputies, officers and employees of the Office of Minority Affairs as may be provided by ordinance.

2. The purpose of the Office of Minority Affairs shall be the development, advancement and betterment of economic, employment, business and cultural opportunities for the minority residents of the county and the improvement and stabilization of economically deprived areas in the county. The Office of Minority Affairs shall serve as a central coordinating body for county funded and county assisted agencies or offices involved in any of the foregoing purposes.

3. The Office of Minority Affairs shall have the following powers and duties:

a. Assist the various officers of the county government in improving the de-livery of quality of life services such as social services, mental health, health services, public works projects involving the minority community and public safety.
b. Provide the County Executive and the County Legislature with "Minority Community Impact" assessments on budgetary actions and policies.
c. Provide access and opportunity for minority participation in county con-tract and procurement programs.
d. Develop and improve the county's Minority and Women Business Enterprise programs to afford greater opportunities to participate in public contract bidding procedures as well as exploring ways and means to assure their participation.
e. Produce and publish any research papers or studies on issues affecting the minority community Provide assistance in the implementation of Affirmative Action programs in county government employment, housing and the development of an annual Affirmative Action report required by the county for certain of its state and federal funding sources on employment opportunities for minorities in the work force.
f. Provide assistance in the implementation of Affirmative Action programs in county government employment, housing and the development of an annual Affirmative Action report required by the county for certain of its state and federal funding sources on employment opportunities for minorities in the work force.
g. Administer the county's affirmative action program
(Subd. (g) added by Local Law 402000, effective January 1, 2001.)

4. Minority Affairs Council

a. A Minority Affairs Council is hereby established to advise the Executive Director of Minority Affairs on matters concerning the purposes for which the Office of Minority Affairs is created, as set forth in subdivision two of this section. The Minority Affairs Council shall consist of not less than nine members who shall serve at the pleasure of the County Executive. In no event shall the Executive Director of Minority Affairs serve on the Minority Affairs Council. The County Executive shall appoint a Deputy County Executive to serve on the Minority Affairs Council at all times. The County Executive also shall appoint to the Minority Affairs Council such representatives of groups within the county that are, in the County Executive's judgment, involved in fulfilling the purposes for which the Office of Minority Affairs is created, or which otherwise may be deserving of representation on the Minority Affairs Council in order for the Office of Minority Affairs to be able effectively to fulfill its purposes. Initially, three of the nine members of the Minority Affairs Council shall be representatives of the Coordinating Agency for Spanish Americans, the Office of Women's Services and the Economic Opportunity Commission appointed by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature, which organizations are hereby determined to be involved in fulfilling the purposes for which the Office of Minority Affairs is created, it being understood, however, that such determination shall not confer or be deemed to confer upon such organizations any greater rights or privileges than shall be conferred upon any other advisory committee or similar body for which a representative shall hereafter be appointed to the Minority Affairs Council by the County Executive pursuant to subparagraph b of this subdivision four. The other five initial members of the Minority Affairs Council shall be appointed by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature; provided that prior to the appointment of any person to serve in such position, or to fill a vacancy in any such position, the County Executive shall solicit and take into consideration recommendations to fill such position from the general public and from groups within the county that have been involved in the purposes for which the Office of Minority Affairs is created.

b. If at any time the County Executive shall create or recognize any advisory committee or similar body that the County Executive determines to be involved in fulfilling the purposes for which the Office of Minority Affairs is created, the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature, may appoint a representative of such committee or body to the Minority Affairs Council, which representative shall be one of the five members referred to in the final sentence if subparagraph a of this subdivision four or, if all such positions already shall be filled with representatives of such advisory committees of similar bodies, then the County Executive shall create an additional membership on the Minority Affairs Council in order to accommodate such representative.