Referred to:  The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Archer, Bartels, Haynes, Maio, Parete, Ronk, and Walter)

Chairman of the Legislature, David B. Donaldson offers the following:

WHEREAS, this Resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Department of Finance; and

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Treasury has notified Ulster County that funding for the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) is available in the amount of $34,491,474.00; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of the ARPA is to support urgent COVID-19 response efforts to continue to decrease spread of the virus and bring the pandemic under control; and

WHEREAS, the ARPA further seeks to replace lost public sector revenue to strengthen support for vital public services and help retain jobs; and

WHEREAS, the ARPA also seeks to support immediate economic stabilization for households and businesses; and

WHEREAS, the ARPA seeks to address systemic public health and economic challenges that have contributed to the unequal impact of the pandemic; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature and County Executive set up the Recovery and Resilience Working Group to solicit public input on use of the ARPA funds and to develop a plan to use the funds to ensure Ulster County emerges from the pandemic stronger and more equitable; and

WHEREAS, the Working Group held four public hearings in Shawangunk, Kingston, Woodstock, and online and received 295 responses to an online community survey, along with several Legislative and community proposals; and

WHEREAS, the Working Group has prepared the Ulster County Recovery and Resilience Plan, a set of program priorities and funding targets, in response to this input; and

WHEREAS, the Plan provides high-level guidance for program development, and all projects and contracts within each program area will go through standard budget and contract approval process; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature supports the recommendations of the Recovery and Resilience Working Group and urges the County Executive to direct resources of the Executive staff towards implementation,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                        NOES:      

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on _______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE