Referred to:  The American Rescue Plan Act Special Committee (Chairman Criswell and Legislators Corcoran, Levine, Lopez, and Sperry), The Health, Human Services and Housing Committee (Chair Walter and Legislators Corcoran, Erner, Lopez, Nolan, Petit, and Uchitelle, 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)

Chairman of the ARPA Special Committee, Peter J. Criswell, and Deputy Chair Thomas Corcoran, Jr. offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Department of Public Works; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature passed Resolution No. 333 dated August 17, 2021 creating Capital Project No. 598, entitled “ARP Mental Health and Addiction Recovery”, with an anticipated allocation in the amount of $5,000,000.00; and

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 333 dated August 17, 2021 resolved that funding for Capital Project No. 598 shall be subject to the further approval of the Ulster County Legislature; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature passed Resolution No. 424 dated October 19, 2021 and resolved that, ‘it shall be the policy of Ulster County to have a Crisis Stabilization Center recommended to operate 24 hours/day, 7 days per week, with sufficient staffing”; and

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 424 dated October 19, 2021 further resolved, “that any project established in furtherance of this policy shall be paid for from the $5,000,000.00 of American Rescue Plan Act funding allocated for the purpose of addressing the need for enhanced Mental Health and Addiction Recovery services throughout Ulster County”; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Behavioral Health Task Force provided a report in September 2021 and identified Crisis Services and creation of a Crisis Stabilization Center as a priority investment for the County; and

WHEREAS, Capital Project 598 was amended pursuant to Resolution No. 166 of 2022, in the amount of $2,000,000 for the purchase an existing commercial office building located at 368 Broadway in the City of Kingston, to meet the goals of Resolution No. 424 dated October 19, 2021 and the report of the Behavioral Health Task Force; and

WHEREAS, a crisis stabilization center would allow individuals in need of mental health and addiction services to connect immediately with an integrated team of clinical counselors, peer specialists, and addiction professionals who can provide support and treatment options; and

WHEREAS, the funds will be used to procure comprehensive architectural and engineering services for the design of the new Ulster County Community Wellness Hub to include a Stabilization Center, community-based organizations and all the divisions of the Ulster County Mental Health Department through RFP-UC22-024; and

WHEREAS, a design consultant will be hired to provide an analyses of facility and space programming needs and design the renovations of the building to best meet the County’s stated goals; and

WHEREAS, the Property is located in a central location in the City of Kingston that benefits nearby qualified census tract numbers 9520, 9518, 9514, and 9517 as well as Ulster County as a whole; and

WHEREAS, it is the intent to use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the renovation of this Property; and

WHEREAS, regulations implemented by the United States Treasury Department in their published Final Rule (31 CFR Part 35, RIN 1505-AC77), “recognizes that medical equipment and facilities designed to address disparities in public health outcomes are eligible capital expenditures” (see: page 128 of the Final Rule); and

WHEREAS, the Commissioner of Public Works requests that Capital Project No. 598 be amended to increase funding in the amount of $175,000.00 for a total of $2,175,000, to fund design services for the renovation of a Community Wellness Hub; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Legislature hereby determines that the action to purchase the Property as an in-kind reuse of an existing building constitutes a TYPE II action and as such will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment based on the criteria contained in section 6 NYCRR Part 617 and is therefore exempt from further review under SEQRA; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that Capital Project No. 598 for the ARP Mental Health and Addiction Recovery be amended as follows:

                                                       INCREASE                                       AMOUNT

Capital Project No. 598              ARP Mental Health and                       $175,000.00

                                                       Addiction Recovery               

and, be it further

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

INCREASE                                       AMOUNT                                             

HH.4997.0598-2300.2560              Capital Project No. 598                  $175,000.00

(App. #)                                           Professional Services

HH.4997.0598-3400.4495             Federal Aid, ARPA                          $175,000.00

(Rev. #),                                                                                                        

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                    NOES:        

Passed Committee: American Rescue Plan Act on _______________.

Passed Committee: Health, Human Services and Housing on _______________.

Passed Committee: Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation on _______________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on _______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$175,000.00 – COUNTY CAPITAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS 

$175,000.00 – FEDERAL CAPITAL FUND REVENUES