Referred to:  The Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning and Transit Committee (Chairman Woltman and Legislators Archer, Delaune, Maio, James Maloney, Joseph Maloney, and Rodriguez)

Legislators Kathy Nolan and Brian Woltman offer the following:

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) is a public benefit corporation formed for the benefit of Ulster County and governed by Article 18-A of the New York State General Municipal Law; and

WHEREAS, the IDA is a tool utilized for economic development purposes throughout the County for the benefit of the County and the taxpayers thereof; and

WHEREAS, it is paramount to the operation of the Ulster County IDA that it maintain transparency to allow taxpayers to truly evaluate its effectiveness and provide assurances that it is generating the promised economic benefits; and

WHEREAS, if the IDA were to provide notice to the clerk of the Ulster County Legislature and affected school districts of public hearings concerning projects within their jurisdiction it would ensure coordination and transparency among stakeholders without inhibiting economic growth; and

WHEREAS, legislation requiring IDAs to make similar notifications has been proposed in the State Legislature; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature seeks to take a leadership role in ensuring that the public has confidence in the operation of the Ulster County IDA, and therefore has determined that the provision of additional notifications of public hearings should be implemented by the Ulster County IDA on a voluntary basis, even absent the passage of State legislation mandating the same; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Industrial Development Agency is hereby requested to send written notification to the clerk of the Ulster County Legislature and the affected school district of public hearings concerning projects within their jurisdiction on the same date that it provides the notifications required by New York’s Open Meetings Law (NY Public Officers Law § 104); and

RESOLVED, that said notification shall contain the same information as the notifications described in section 859-a(3) of New York General Municipal Law,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                        NOES:    

Passed Committee: Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning and Transit on ______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE