* § 239-n. Intergovernmental relations councils. 1. Any county outside
the city of New York, city, town, village, school district, board of
cooperative educational services, or fire district or any combination
thereof, may create by agreement an intergovernmental relations council
to strengthen local governments and to promote efficient and economical
provision of local governmental services within or by such participating
municipalities, and to that end such council shall have power to:

a. Make surveys and studies and conduct research programs to aid in
the solution of local governmental problems and in efforts to improve
administration and services.

b. Provide for the distribution of information resulting from such
surveys, studies and programs.

c. Consult and cooperate with appropriate state, municipal and public
or private agencies in matters affecting municipal government.

d. Devise practical ways and means for obtaining greater economy and
efficiency in the planning and provision of municipal services and make
recommendations in accordance therewith.

e. Promote the general commercial, industrial and cultural welfare of
the participating municipalities.

f. Otherwise promote strong and effective local government, public
health, safety, morals and general welfare by means of local and
intercommunity planning or performance of municipal services.

g. Employ such persons and adopt such rules and regulations as shall
be necessary and proper to effectuate the purposes of this section.

h. Provide a forum for local governments to explore and develop areas
for municipal cooperative activities pursuant to article five-G of this
chapter.

i. Operate as a purchasing consortium, where authorized by
participating municipalities, for the purpose of obtaining economies
through joint bidding and purchasing.

j. Purchase and make available to participating municipalities, where
authorized by participating municipalities, goods and equipment,
including but not limited to computer hardware and software.

k. Gather and make available information on surplus goods and
equipment for sale or lease.

2. The members of an intergovernmental relations council shall adopt
by-laws to govern its activities and shall elect from their own number a
chairman and secretary and other necessary officers to serve for such
period as the members shall decide.

3. The board of supervisors of a county, the appropriate officials of
a city, the governing body of a school district, board of cooperative
educational services or fire district, the board of trustees of a
village, or the town board of a town, is hereby authorized to include
annually in the budget and raise by taxation in such county, city,
school district, village or town a sum to meet all or an appropriate
share of the actual and necessary expenses of establishing, maintaining
and continuing such intergovernmental relations council.

* NB There are 2 § 239-n's