Legislators Jonathan Heppner and Kenneth Ronk offer the following:

WHEREAS, Section 154 of County Law of the State of New York provides that the Ulster County Legislature may create standing committees for the purpose of aiding and assisting the Legislature in the transaction of its business; and

            WHEREAS, the aforementioned State Law requires that “any local law or resolution creating any such committee shall specify the powers, duties and number of its members”; and

            WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the County of Ulster to formally create standing committees for the purpose of aiding and assisting the Ulster County Legislature in the transaction of its business; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that all standing committees for the year 2020 are hereby set forth as follows and described below:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM, HOUSING, PLANNING & TRANSIT

To set legislative policy and review contracts for all aspects of Economic Development, Tourism, and Planning. Responsible for issues pertaining to: Ulster County Industrial Development Agency, Ulster County Planning Department, Economic Development Department, Revolving Loan Fund Committee, Shovel Ready Committee, Employment and Training, Ulster County Area Transit, Technology and the Department of Information Services. To foster relations with the County and local Chambers of Commerce.

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

To set policy and review contracts pertaining to the Department of the Environment, Environmental Management Council, Fish and Wildlife Management Board, Forest Practice Board, and Soil and Water Conservation District, including the protection of water ways and the County’s recycling efforts. To set policy and review contracts pertaining to but not limited to the activities of the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY

To set policy and review contracts pertaining to the following County Departments and Divisions: Ulster County Sheriff and the Law Enforcement Center, Probation, Restorative Justice, Emergency Communications/Emergency Management, Arson Task Force, Fire Coordinator, EMS Coordinator, STOP DWI, District Attorney, Consumer Fraud Bureau, Safety and Public Defender.

LAWS AND RULES, GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES

To set policy and review contracts pertaining to the following County Departments and Divisions: Board of Elections, County Attorney, County Comptroller, Weights and Measures, Human Rights, Insurance, and Board of Ethics. To oversee Legislative policy and revisions the Legislature wants to see implemented in the Ulster County Charter and the Administrative Code. To review and maintain the Rules of the Legislature and to review and approve all local laws for legal sufficiency only, unless Laws and Rules, Governmental Services is the committee of original jurisdiction.  To approve all late resolutions, considering lateness and content prior to submittal to the full Legislature. To approve resolutions required to be referred to it under the Rules of the Legislature.

LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMS, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

To set policy and review contracts pertaining and related to the following: Arts, Ulster County Community College, Historian, Libraries, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Community Action, Office for the Aging, Youth Bureau, and Veterans Affairs.

PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES

To set policy for and review contracts pertaining to the following County Departments and Divisions: Health, Mental Health, and Social Services.

PUBLIC WORKS AND CAPITAL PROJECTS

To set policy for and review contracts pertaining to the following County Departments and Divisions: Public Works (including Parks, Highways, and Buildings and Grounds), Fleet Management and Capital Projects.

WAYS AND MEANS

To recommend the Legislature’s position on all budgetary and financial matters of the County. To review contracts pertaining to the following departments: County Clerk, Finance, Innovation Division, Personnel, Purchasing, and Real Property Tax Services. To approve all resolutions with financial impacts to the County, excluding those financial impacts limited solely to legislative advertising expenses;

and, be it further

RESOLVED, that each of the standing committees set forth herein and above shall consist of five to eight members; and, be it further

            RESOLVED, that nothing herein shall be deemed to authorize the delegation of any of the powers, duties or responsibilities of the County Legislature or any officer thereof except as otherwise expressly authorized by law,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                       NOES:              

Passed Committee: Committee of the Whole on __________________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE