§ 616. Utica urban renewal agency. An urban renewal agency, to be known as the Utica urban renewal agency, is hereby established for the accomplishment of any or all of the purposes specified in articles fifteen and fifteen-A of the chapter and in accordance with article eighteen of the constitution of the state of New York. It shall constitute a body, corporate and politic, be perpetual in duration and consist of seven members, including the mayor, who shall be chairman, the city engineer, the chairman of the city planning board, all of whose terms shall expire with the term of the mayor, two citizen electors, appointed by and to serve at the pleasure of the mayor and two members of the common council, appointed by the council, who shall not be of the same political party and each of whom shall serve until the expiration of his term of office as councilman. The treasurer of the agency shall be the comptroller who shall not be a member of the agency. It shall have the powers and duties now or hereafter covered by article fifteen-A of this chapter upon municipal renewal agencies. It shall be organized in the manner prescribed by and be subject to the provisions of article fifteen-A of this chapter and the agency, its members, officers and employees and its operations and activities shall in all respects be covered by the provisions of such article.