Upon the trial of any issue or the prosecution of any proceeding, or upon the taking or making of any inquisition, appraisal or award, or upon the judicial investigation of any facts whatever, to which issue, proceedings, inquest, investigation or award the city is a party, or in which the city may, in any way, be interested, no person shall be deemed incompetent as a judge, referee, commissioner, witness or juror by reason of his being an inhabitant, freeholder or taxpayer of the city. The place of trial of all actions and proceedings against the city, or any of its officers, boards or departments shall be the county in which the city is situated.
New York Legal Code