Referred to: The Laws and Rules, Governmental Services Committee (Chairwoman Bartels and Legislators Gavaris, Heppner, Roberts, and Ronk), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairwoman Archer and Legislators Bartels, Gavaris, Haynes, Maio, Ronk, and Walter)

Chairwoman of the Laws and Rules, Governmental Services Committee, Tracey A. Bartels, offers the following:

WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all aspects of life in Ulster County; and

WHEREAS, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed sweeping election reform into law including S.8015-D/A.10833 allowing all voters to get an absentee ballot due to risk or fear of illness including COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, as a result, absentee applications have more than doubled since the last presidential election; and

WHEREAS, employees of the Ulster County Board of Elections have undertaken considerable additional work in the implementation and expansion of absentee balloting; and

WHEREAS, early voting participation has exceeded expectation and previous experience resulting in record turnout; and

WHEREAS, the additional workload has generated a considerable amount of compensatory time for employees, with limited ability to draw down this accrued time in a timely fashion based on the election calendar; and

WHEREAS, in some cases, employees have exceeded their maximum allowed compensatory time and continue to work without compensation; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature deems it necessary to compensate these employees at the Ulster County Board of Elections for their accrued compensatory time; and

WHEREAS, this one-time pay-out will bring the employees into compliance with county policy; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that eight (8) current employees of the Ulster County Board of Elections, excluding the titles of Commissioner of Elections and Deputy Commissioner of Elections, shall receive a one-time payout of all accrued compensatory time, including compensatory time for hours worked over 105, accrued as of November 21, 2020, to be issued in December 2020; and, be it further 

RESOLVED, the Commissioner of Finance is authorized and directed to transfer funds within the Board of Elections 2020 approved departmental budget for the purpose of complying with this Resolution resulting in no increase in County contribution as a result of said payout,

and move its adoption.                                                                 

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                     NOES:    

Passed Committee: Laws and Rules, Governmental Services as amended on November 16, 2020

Sponsor rejects amendment on November 17, 2020.  Shall be considered a Regular Resolution at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Laws and Rules, Governmental Services Committee.

Passed Committee: Laws and Rules, Governmental Services on ____________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ____________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

TBD – 2020 BUDGETED APPROPRIATION DOLLARS