Referred to: The Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning and Transit

Committee (Chairman Maloney and Legislators Berky, Delaune, Lapp, Litts, Maio

and Rodriguez)

Chairman Kenneth J. Ronk, Jr. and Majority Leader Mary Beth Maio offer the

following:

WHEREAS, the County of Ulster owns 38.6 miles of the Ulster and Delaware

Railroad corridor (U&D corridor); and

WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 275 of 2014, the Ulster County Legislature

established the County’s policy for the U & D corridor; and

WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 155 of 2015, the Ulster County Legislature

created the Ulster and Delaware Corridor Advisory Committee to make an

assessment of this distinctive County asset and to determine the highest and best use

of it; and

WHEREAS, the U&D Corridor Advisory Committee had copious meetings

and hired a consultant to assist the Committee in its mission; and

WHEREAS, the U&D Corridor Advisory Committee filed its findings and

recommendations with the Clerk of the Legislature at the end of November 2015 and

such recommendations included an amendment to the Ulster County policy on the

U&D corridor as well as the release for a Request for Proposals (RFPs) for potential

tourism railroad operators following the expiration of the current U&D lease which

expires on May 31, 2016; and

WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 488 of 2015, the Ulster County Legislature

amended the County’s policy on the U&D corridor and required the release of an

RFP for potential railroad operators 90 days after Resolution No. 488 went into

effect; and

WHEREAS, on March 17, 2016, the Director of Purchasing released the RFP

for a Tourist Railroad Operator; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature is an important participant in the

advancement of the U&D corridor and seeks to keep the process of its development

open and transparent; and 

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature wants to ensure that there are

continued benefits of railroad events to businesses in uptown Kingston and to expand

trail use throughout the U&D corridor; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature appreciates the time and effort

expended by the U&D Corridor Advisory Committee and deems its

recommendations as worthwhile and, accordingly, desires to see that the

Committee’s recommendations are abided by; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Ulster County Charter Section C-16 and the

Administrative Code Section A2-11: “Advisory committees, commissions and boards.

Members of all citizens’ committees, commissions and boards appointed pursuant to

Section C-11K of the Charter shall serve at the pleasure of the County Legislature.

They shall serve without compensation other than for actual and necessary expenses

within appropriations made therefor, unless otherwise provided by resolution of the

County Legislature. The Chairman of the County Legislature shall be a member exofficio of all such committees, commissions and boards;” and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Ulster County Charter Section C-47, “The Director

of Planning and/or the County Planning Board shall perform such other and related

duties as required by the County Executive or County Legislature,” now, therefore be

it

RESOLVED, that the U&D TRAC (Trail Rail Advisory Committee) shall be

established for the general oversight of the development of the U&D Corridor, and be

it further

RESOLVED, that the U&D TRAC shall be comprised of six members of the

Ulster County Legislature, 3 of whom shall be appointed by the Majority Leader, and

3 of whom shall be appointed by the Minority Leader, for a term commencing at the

effective date of this Resolution through December 31, 2017; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Director of Planning, or designee, shall update the U&D

TRAC at each of its meetings as to the status of various projects along the Corridor,

including but not limited to the available and secured funding sources for each

project, and the on-going maintenance plan for the segmented rail with trail Corridor,

and move its adoption. 

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES: 22 NOES: 0

(Absent: Legislator Loughran)

Passed Committee: Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning and Transit

on April 5, 2016

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE

STATE OF NEW YORK

 ss:

COUNTY OF ULSTER

I, the undersigned Clerk of the Legislature of the County of Ulster, hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is

the original resolution adopted by the Ulster County Legislature on the 19th Day of April in the year Two Thousand and

Sixteen, and said resolution shall remain on file in the office of said clerk.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the County of Ulster this 20th Day of April in

the year Two Thousand and Sixteen.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk

Ulster County Legislature