Referred to:  The American Rescue Plan Act Special Committee (Chairman Criswell and Legislators Corcoran, Levine, Lopez, and Sperry), The Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation Committee (Chairwoman Petit and Legislators Fabiano, Litts, Nolan, and Stewart), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Cahill, Fabiano, Ronk, and Walter)

Legislators Eric Stewart and Laura Petit offer the following:

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature passed Resolution Number 333 on August 17, 2021 creating a capital project entitled “ARP Infrastructure and Trails”, with an anticipated allocation in the amount of $6,000,000.00; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of the ARPA is to support urgent COVID-19 response efforts to continue to decrease the spread of the virus and bring the pandemic under control, with one of the key components of these measures being through promoting social distancing—especially outdoors; and

WHEREAS, state, county and municipal governments are charged with providing equal services, amenities, and access to public spaces through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); and

WHEREAS, the Town of Marbletown in 2019 signed a 99-year lease with the D&H Canal Historical Society and Museum (D&H) for the parcel of land in High Falls between State Route 213 and Old State Route 213 for the purposes of creating a public park; and

WHEREAS, this park, henceforth referred to as Grady Park, will serve as a gateway to the hamlet of High Falls and the Town of Marbletown and work in conjunction with the D&H’s new visitor’s center and also serve as a nexus of the Creek Walk connector to the O&W Rail Trail and the D&H’s Five Locks Walk, with hopes to eventually serve as a conduit to link the O&W with the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail; and

WHEREAS, Grady Park will provide needed green space in the center of the High Falls Historic District, create a newly renovated space weekend flea markets and other events, preserve ruins of the abandoned locks of the D&H Canal, and provide educational signage and learning opportunities highlighting the canal’s importance to the history of the High Falls, Marbletown and all of Ulster County; and

WHEREAS plans for Grady Park also make significant improvements to the municipal parking area and improves public safety and access by adding ADA-compliant walkways, sidewalks, and crosswalks; and

WHEREAS, in allocating ARPA funding, the Ulster County Legislature intends to make fair investments that result in positive, long-term benefits for as many Ulster County communities as possible; and

WHEREAS the Town of Marbletown has conducted many hundreds of hours of meetings and public hearings, and received letters in support of the project from the D&H, not for profit agencies, business owners, civic organizations, governmental bodies and elected officials; and

WHEREAS, the Town of Marbletown has already invested tens of thousands of dollars in procuring the services of nationally recognized, regional planning & engineering firm to create comprehensive plans and architectural drawings of Grady Park and the surrounding area, and has also already done extensive preliminary work at the site; and

WHEREAS construction of Grady Park is estimated to cost $2,000,000, with $1,000,000 of ARPA funds from Ulster County and 50% matching funds of $1,000,000 provided by the Town of Marbletown; and  

WHEREAS the project will be constructed and maintained by the Town of Marbletown; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that Capital Project No. 634 is hereby established as follows:

CREATE                                        AMOUNT

Capital Project No. 634                  Grady Park Construction              $1,000,000.00

                                                            Town of Marbletown

and, be it further

RESOLVED, the 2022 Ulster County Capital Fund is hereby amended as follows:

                                                            INCREASE                                       AMOUNT

HH.7197.0634.4300.4505               Professional Services                      $1,000,000.00   

(App. #)                                                                                                                                                                                

HH.7197.0634.3400.4995              Federal Aid, ARPA                         $1,000,000.00

(Rev. #)                                                                                                         

and, be it further

RESOLVED, that funding of the Capital Project established by this Resolution, and any contracts in excess of $50,000 or contract amendments which cause such contracts to exceed the aggregate sum of $50,000, made in connection with such Capital Project, shall be subject to the further approval of the Ulster County Legislature,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                        NOES:      

Passed Committee: American Rescue Plan Act on _____________.

Passed Committee: Public Works and Capital Projects on _____________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on _____________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$1,000,000.00– COUNTY CAPITAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS

$1,000,000.00– FEDERAL CAPTIAL FUND REVENUES