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

Chairman of the Economic Development, Tourism, Housing, Planning, and Transit Committee, Brian J. Woltman, and Deputy Chair Lynn Archer offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been offered by the Acting County Executive on behalf of the Department of Tourism; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County (the “County”) and the City of Kingston (the “City”) both operate separate departments of tourism; and

WHEREAS, the County’s Department of Tourism is responsible for promoting all of Ulster County’s tourism sites, attractions and events, while the City promotes its own tourism sites, attractions, and events; and 

WHEREAS, the City desires to leverage its limited tourism resources by having the County operate, staff, and provide volunteer coordination services at the City’s Heritage Area Visitors’ Center located at 20 Broadway, Kingston, New York 12401 (the “Center”); and

WHEREAS, the County and the City have previously entered into an Agreement (County Contract No. 2016-00436) for a tourism shared services initiative with the City; and

WHEREAS, the County and the City have decided to terminate the prior Agreement (County Contract No. 2016-00436), and enter into a new Agreement pursuant to which the County will continue to operate, staff, and provide volunteer coordination services at the Center in exchange for the City providing and permitting the County to use office space at the Center; and

WHEREAS, it is anticipated that the new Agreement will allow the County to continue to interact with the public at a prime location, as it is located near one of the busiest City of Kingston waterfront locations, the site of many fairs, festivals, and tourist activities every year; and

WHEREAS, said continued interaction and visitor traffic at the County’s office location at the Center will permit the distribution, to visitors from both inside and outside the County, of County-wide tourism information, such as the County’s travel guide, hiking guide, golf guide, calendar of events and other brochures; and

WHEREAS, entry into a shared services agreement would result in a more coordinated and streamlined effort to attract tourists to both the County as well as the City of Kingston; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Chair of the Ulster County Legislature is hereby authorized to sign an agreement and any related amendments with the City of Kingston for a shared services agreement in which the County operates, staffs, and provides volunteer coordination services at the Center, in exchange for the City providing office space at the Center, for an initial term of twelve months with two separate one-year automatic renewals, in the form as filed with the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature or as modified with the approval of the County Attorney,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                        NOES:    

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

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE