§ 14. Local veterans' service agencies. 1. County veterans' service
agencies. There shall be established a county veterans' service agency
in each county not wholly included within a city, and there shall be a
county director of each county veterans' service agency. Any county
director hired after the effective date of this chapter shall be a
veteran as defined in New York state statute. The chair of the board of
supervisors of a county, with the approval of the board of supervisors,
shall appoint and may at pleasure remove a county director of the county
veterans' service agency for such county. In a county having a county
president, a county executive or other chief executive officer, such
president or executive officer shall appoint and may at pleasure remove
a county director. The county director may be paid such compensation as
shall be fixed by the appointing officer and the board of supervisors.
The county director shall appoint such assistants and employees as he or
she may deem necessary, other than those, if any, supplied by the state;
he or she may prescribe the duties of those appointed by him or her and
fix their salaries within the appropriations made available for that
purpose by the county and may at pleasure remove any such assistants or
employees. The county director shall have jurisdiction throughout the
territorial limits of the county, including any city therein which does
not have a city veterans' service agency, provided that after the
establishment of a city veterans' service agency in any such city, the
county director shall not have jurisdiction within such city.

2. City veterans' service agency. There may be established a city
veterans' service agency in each city; and there shall be a city
director of each city veterans' service agency which is established. The
mayor of such city, or the city manager in a city of less than one
hundred forty thousand population having a city manager, shall appoint
and may at pleasure remove the city director. A city director may be
paid such compensation as shall be fixed by the mayor or city manager,
as the case may be, empowered to appoint the city director, and the
governing body of the city. The city director may appoint such deputies,
assistants and employees as he or she may deem necessary other than
those, if any, supplied by the state; the director may prescribe the
duties of those appointed by him or her and fix their salaries within
the appropriations made available for that purpose by the city and may
at pleasure remove any such assistant or employee. A city director shall
have jurisdiction throughout the territorial limits of the city.

3. Accreditation. (a) Current county or city directors within three
years from the effective date of this subdivision shall take all steps
necessary to be accredited as a veterans service organization (VSO)
representative. Accreditation shall mean the authority granted by the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans and
their family members in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution
of claims for benefits pursuant to section 5902 of Title 38 U.S.C. and
section 14.628 of Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations. Once an
application for accreditation is approved by the General Counsel of the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the applicant is
notified of this action, the director of the county or city veterans
service agency shall file a copy of the accreditation certificate from
the appropriate veterans service organization with the commissioner of
the department. Such accreditation shall be maintained during the
duration of his or her status as a director of such county or city
veterans service agency. The commissioner of the department may
determine that satisfactory completion of a course or instruction on
veterans' benefits approved by the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs and conducted by the department may fulfill the requirements of
this subdivision.

(b) Any county or city director hired after the effective date of this
chapter shall take all steps necessary to be accredited as a veterans
service organization (VSO) representative within eighteen months of such
appointment. Accreditation shall mean the authority granted by the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans and
their family members in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution
of claims for benefits pursuant to section 5902 of Title 38 U.S.C. and
section 14.628 of Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations. Once an
application for accreditation is approved by the General Counsel of the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the applicant is
notified of this action, the director of the county or city veterans
service agency shall file a copy of the accreditation certificate from
the appropriate veterans service organization with the commissioner of
the department. Such accreditation shall be maintained during the
duration of his or her status as a director of such county or city
veterans service agency. The commissioner of the department may
determine that a satisfactory completion of a course of instruction on
veterans' benefits approved by the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs and conducted by the department may fulfill the requirements of
this subdivision.

(c) During the time a director is working toward accreditation
pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision, such individual
may provide services to veterans and their family members as defined in
section fifteen of this article other than the preparation,
presentation, and prosecution of claims for benefits under federal
statutes and regulations.