§ 357. 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 statute shall be a veteran as defined in New York state statute. The chairman 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 may deem necessary, other than those, if any, supplied by the state; he may prescribe the duties of those appointed by him 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 may deem necessary other than those, if any, supplied by the state; he may prescribe the duties of those appointed by him 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 director of the division. 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 director of the division 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 division may fulfill the requirements of this subdivision.

(b) Any county or city director hired after the effective date of this statute 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 director of the division. 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 director of the division 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 division 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 three hundred fifty-eight of this article other than the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for benefits under federal statutes and regulations.