§ 225. Optional appropriations for public benefit services administered by the board. 1. The board of supervisors shall have power to appropriate county funds and to permit the use of county property of all kinds for the following public benefit, objects and purposes:

(a) Propagation of game, game birds and fish. The amount appropriated under this paragraph for any fiscal year may equal but not exceed in any county one-half of one per centum of the total amount of the last preceding annual budget for county purposes, but in no event an amount in excess of ten thousand dollars;

(b) Eradication or prevention of bovine tuberculosis or other infectious or communicable diseases affecting domestic animals and fowls;

(c) Publicizing the advantages of the county or region, or for commemoration programs of historical events;

(d) Care of burial lots of deceased members of the armed forces of the United States located in a cemetery within the county and owned and maintained by an incorporated cemetery association;

(e) Suppression or control of white pine blister rust and other forest tree diseases and forest insects under the direction and supervision of the state conservation department. Employees engaged in such work upon public or private lands shall not be liable for trespass and no action shall lie therefor;

(f) Suppression or control of the Japanese beetle infestation under the direction and supervision of the state department of agriculture and markets. Employees engaged in such work upon public or private lands shall not be liable for trespass and no action shall lie therefor; and

(g) Establishment and maintenance of fire training schools for training firefighters.

(h) Establishment and maintenance of a central fire alarm system.

(i) In the county of Washington for the destruction of bobcats, porcupines, wolves, coyotes, coydogs and rattlesnakes, and in the county of Hamilton for the destruction of bobcats, porcupines, wolves, and coyotes, the funds appropriated therefor to be expended in payment of bounties to be established by the board of supervisors.

(j) In the counties of Essex, Saratoga, St. Lawrence and Warren for the destruction of bobcats, wolves, coyotes, coydogs, foxes, porcupines and rattlesnakes, the funds appropriated therefor to be expended in payment of bounties to be established by the board of supervisors.

(k) Conservation education, including the promotion of better public understanding of problems and desirable practices in conservation of natural resources.

(l) Establishment and maintenance of a county zoo, or the expenditure of county funds for the support, in whole or in part, of an existing zoo in the county, owned by a municipal corporation.

(m) eradication or control of the golden nematode infestation under the direction and supervision of the state department of agriculture and markets. Employees engaged in such work upon public or private lands shall not be liable for trespass and no action shall lie therefor.

(n) Without limitation of the foregoing for any of the public benefits, objects and purposes which are set forth in section two hundred twenty-four of this county law as amended.

2. The board shall provide for the expenditure for wages, equipment and supplies, under the direction of a committee from its membership. Authority may be granted to the chairman of such committee to issue orders upon the county treasurer for such expenditures. The board shall require a report of such expenditures with verified or certified vouchers attached. The board of supervisors may adopt such rules as it may deem necessary governing the expenditure of such moneys and may require a bond in such amount as it shall determine.

3. The board may authorize the expenditure of county funds for any or all of such public benefit objects and purposes jointly with another county or counties. The board of each participating county shall appoint a committee to act for it in connection with such project. Such committees in joint sessions shall select one of their members to be chairman and shall designate the county treasurer of one of the participating counties to be custodian of the project fund. Each county treasurer shall pay to the designated county treasurer whatever portion of the total estimated cost of the project its board of supervisors has determined to contribute. Such joint fund shall be deemed the fund of all participating counties in proportion to the contribution made by each. Orders upon the fund shall be signed by the chairman. Reports of expenditures with verified or certified vouchers attached shall be made annually to the board of supervisors of each participating county.