§ 323. Local health officer; compensation and expenses. 1. Every local board of health shall fix the compensation of the local health officer, which in the case of the health officer of a city, town, village and consolidated health district having a population of eight thousand or less, shall not be less than the equivalent of fifteen cents per annum per inhabitant, including Indians on reservations, of the city, town, village or consolidated health district, according to the latest federal or state census or enumeration; and in a city, town, village and consolidated health district having a population of more than eight thousand, shall not be less than twelve hundred dollars per annum. 2. In addition to his compensation as provided herein, the board of health shall allow the actual and reasonable expenses of the health officer (a) in the performance of his official duties, (b) in going to, attending and returning from the annual health conference or equivalent meeting held yearly within the state (c) in going to, attending and returning from conferences called by the commissioner or his authorized representative and (d) in going to, attending and returning from conferences called by the state district health officer of the district. The board of health, in lieu of allowing the actual and reasonable expenses for travel of said health officer, may determine by resolution to allow him an amount not to exceed eight cents per mile for the use of his own automobile for each mile actually and necessarily traveled by him in the performance of the duties of his office and in going to, attending and returning from any of such conferences. 4. (a) The regular compensation of a health officer appointed jointly by two or more local boards of health for two or more towns or villages shall be fixed jointly by such boards in such sum as they shall determine in accordance with the provisions of this section, and such compensation, together with the expenses of the health officer in the performance of his duties and in attending the annual sanitary conference or equivalent meeting and conferences called by the state district health officer, shall be allowed by the local boards of health and paid by the municipalities in the proportions to each as shall have been determined in the resolutions or ordinances authorizing the joint appointment of the health officer.

(b) The resolution or ordinance of the towns and villages authorizing the local boards of health of said towns or villages to appoint a health officer for the said towns or villages pursuant to subdivision three of section three hundred twenty of this chapter, shall state the proportion of compensation and expenses of the health officer for which each such town or village shall be responsible. 5. The provisions of this section relating to the care of venereal diseases shall not apply to municipalities where a satisfactory clinic is reasonably available.