* § 401. Stewart airport commission. 1. Upon assumption by the department of transportation of jurisdiction over the airport facility and surrounding area located in the county of Orange, known as Stewart airport, there shall thereupon be created a Stewart airport commission. This commission will be an advisory council to the commissioner with respect to administration and management of the Stewart airport facilities and its surrounding areas with respect to projects to be undertaken and operations and management of the facilities at such airport. The commission shall be composed of ten members of which six must be residents of Orange county, two must be residents of Dutchess county and two residents from Ulster county. By virtue of their offices, the commissioner of transportation or the commissioner's designee, the Orange county executive, the Dutchess county executive and the chairperson of the Ulster county legislature shall be ex officio members of the commission. The members of the commission shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate and, except for the initial appointment terms, shall serve for a term of four years. However, two of the appointments must be from a list submitted by the temporary president and majority leader of the senate, and two must be from a list submitted by the speaker of the assembly. Initial appointments shall be to staggered terms with three of the nominees of the governor being made to initial one-year terms and the other three nominees to initial four-year terms, the members nominated by the speaker of the assembly to initial two-year and three-year terms, respectively, and the members nominated by the temporary president and majority leader of the senate to initial two-year and three-year terms, respectively. If any member shall thereafter no longer meet the residency requirement of his or her appointment, such position shall be declared vacant. In the event of a vacancy, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the initial appointments except that the term shall be for the unexpired portion of the term of such members. All such members shall be deemed officers of the state in connection with the provisions of section seventeen of the public officers law. The members of the commission shall appoint a chairman from among their number. Members shall not receive a salary or other compensation, but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties.

2. The Stewart airport commission shall assist in the development of a program relative to the administration and management of the Stewart airport and to advise the commissioner of transportation with regard to such other programs relative to the Stewart airport as he may undertake. Such program shall include, but not be limited to identification of future capital needs, examining the means and methods of financing such future capital needs, the promotion and examination of the financing means and methods for the economic development of the area around the airport, the joining together of such economic development and the airport operations, the identification and implementation of ways of working with the local community to accomplish the program and the identification of non-aviation uses and purposes and prorations of use or purposes for determinations of in lieu of tax payments. Once the commission has been established, the commissioner and/or the department shall effectuate the authorizations, powers and/or duties set forth in section four hundred of this article only following the consultation, guidance, advice and assistance of the commission. The Stewart airport commission shall meet at least six times a year at the call of the commissioner of transportation or the chairman of the commission and shall keep a record of all its proceedings and recommendations. Staff services for the commission shall be performed by personnel of the department of transportation. In carrying out the functions and responsibilities of the commissioner and the commission, the commissioner shall designate an executive secretary from among the staff of the department of transportation who will act as the administrative agent of the commission and assist the commission in fulfilling its duties and functions.

* NB There are 2 § 401's