§ 310. Assessor. 1. Selection. Each local government to which this
title applies which has the power to assess real property for purposes
of taxation shall have one assessor. An appointive assessor shall be
appointed by the legislative body of the local government except that in
a local government where department heads and other local officers are
appointed by the chief executive officer, such assessor shall be
appointed by such officer. Any resident of the state, otherwise eligible
for appointment as assessor, may be appointed assessor. An assessor may
be employed by the local government in any other position not
incompatible with the office of assessor.

2. Term of office. The term of office of assessor shall be six years
except as otherwise provided in subdivision seven of this section. The
terms for appointive assessors shall commence on the first day of
October, nineteen hundred seventy-one and each sixth year thereafter.
Where a town has exercised the option to elect one assessor, as provided
by section three hundred twenty-nine of this article, the term for such
elected assessor shall be as of the first day of January, nineteen
hundred ninety-four and each sixth year thereafter.

3. Classification. The position of appointive assessor shall be in the
classified service, notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (e) of
section thirty-five of the civil service law.

4. Minimum qualification standards. No person shall be eligible for
appointment as assessor unless he meets the minimum qualification
standards established for such office by the commissioner.

5. Certification and continuing education. (a) All assessors, whether
appointed or elected, must obtain commissioner certification of
successful completion of the basic course of training and education
prescribed by the commissioner pursuant to this title.

(b) In addition to the basic course of training and education, all
appointive assessors and any assessor elected to a six-year term shall
also complete additional courses in a continuing training and education
program prescribed by the commissioner pursuant to the provisions of
this title.

6. Training; services by state; county cooperation. The commissioner
shall provide training programs including but not limited to courses of
training and education required to be completed by local officers and
employees and by candidates for certification as eligible for the
position of assessor in accordance with the provisions of this title.
Such programs shall be provided by the commissioner for counties, cities
and towns to which this title is applicable. Counties shall cooperate
with the commissioner in providing such programs.

7. Indefinite term for assessors. Notwithstanding the provisions of
subdivision two of this section, the office of assessor shall have an
indefinite term (a) where the office of assessor is a full time position
as determined by the local legislative body and on or after August
first, nineteen hundred seventy is classified in the competitive class
of the civil service at the request of the local legislative body or (b)
where on July thirty-first, nineteen hundred seventy the office of
assessor is classified in the competitive class of the civil service and
has an indefinite term pursuant to law.