ARTICLE 27
APPLICATION OF CHARTER

   Section 2701. Adoption of Charter; when effective. This Charter shall become effective on and after January 1, 1994, upon approval by public referendum in the manner provided by applicable law. An Administrative Code may be adopted and amended by local law at any time subsequent to the approval and adoption of this Charter.

   Section 2702. Amendment of Charter. This Charter may be amended in the manner provided by the Municipal Home Rule Law. Any proposed amendment which would have the effect of transferring a function or duty of the County, or of a city, town, village, district or other unit of local government wholly contained within the County, shall not become operative unless it is approved by mandatory referendum as required by the Municipal Home Rule Law.

   Further, any amendment which would (a) create or abolish an elective County office, (b) change the power or method of removing an elective County officer during her term of office, (c) abolish, curtail or transfer to another County office or agency any power of an elected County officer, or (d) change the form or composition of the County Legislature, shall be subject to a mandatory referendum.

   Section 2703. Continuity of Authority; Completion of Unfinished Business. The performance of functions pursuant to the provisions of this Charter shall be deemed to constitute a continuation of such functions for the purpose of succession to all rights, powers, duties and obligations attached to such functions. Any proceedings or other business undertaken or commenced prior to the effective date of this Charter may be conducted and completed by the County officer or Administrative Unit responsible for such proceedings or other business under this Charter.

   This Charter shall not be deemed to invalidate any obligations previously issued by the County or by any of its commissions, boards or agencies, and such obligations shall be and remain binding obligations of the County. In the event any obligation shall have been issued in anticipation of the issuance of bonds by the County, or by any of its commissions, boards or agencies, the County is hereby empowered to issue such bonds as legal and binding obligations of the County.

   Section 2704. Charter Clarification. In the event any provision of this Charter is unclear or requires elaboration in its application to the County, the County Legislature may interpret such provisions in a manner not inconsistent with the provisions of the Municipal Home Rule Law.

   Section 2705. Severability. If part of any provision of this Charter shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such adjudication shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder of such provision, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, section or article thereof directly involved in the proceeding in which such adjudication shall have been rendered.

   Section 2706. Dates. If any date specified in this Charter, falls, in any year, on a Saturday, Sunday or legal County holiday, then such date shall be deemed to refer to the next succeeding date which is not a Saturday, Sunday or legal County holiday.

   Section 2707. Office Abolished; Incumbent Continued.

(a) Any person serving as a Department Head on December 31, 1993 shall continue to serve in such capacity in the following manner:

(i) Persons appointed for a fixed term shall continue in their office until the expiration of such fixed term. In the event a vacancy shall arise in any such office, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of this Charter.

(ii) Persons appointed by the County Legislature and serving at its pleasure shall continue to serve at its pleasure in their offices until December 31, 1995. In the event that a vacancy shall arise in any such office, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of this Charter.

(b) Effective January 1, 1996, the Buildings Department shall be consolidated into the Department of Public Works and the position of Superintendent of Buildings shall be incorporated into the Department of Public Works, Division of Buildings. Until such date, the Department of Buildings shall remain as established in the existing Albany County Charter.

   Section 2708. Recognition of Districts. For the purpose of electing County Legislators, this Charter incorporates herein the Legislative Districts described in local Law No. 2 adopted on May 28, 1992.

   Section 2709. Submission of Electors. This Charter shall be submitted to the electors of Albany County at the general election occurring November 2, 1993 .