Referred to: The Law Enforcement and Public Safety Committee (Chair Walter and Legislators Fabiano, Hansut, Hewitt, and Uchitelle), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Cahill, Roberts, Ronk, and Walter)

Chair of the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Committee, Eve Walter, and Deputy Chair Gina Hansut offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the Ulster County Executive on behalf of the Ulster County District Attorney; and

          WHEREAS, the District Attorney advises that due to recent changes in personnel and the move of the office to an additional location, revising the status of a current part-time investigator position to a full-time investigator position is necessary to enable the office to more effectively meet its needs, serve the public, and protect the safety of the community and staff; and

          WHEREAS, the District Attorney’s Office core staff is now located in three locations (275 Wall Street, 273 Wall Street, and 280 Boulevard) as a result of changes to the Ulster County Courthouse necessitated by the addition of a Supreme Court Justice’s chambers that were finalized after the submission and approval of the 2023 Ulster County Budget; and

WHEREAS, the District Attorney’s Office core staff regularly conducts meetings with victims, civilian witnesses, and other members of the public in highly sensitive and stressful situations requiring high levels of security; and

WHEREAS, the new location of the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office located at 273 Wall Street does not currently have an assigned security officer and will require one in order to ensure the safety of staff; and

WHEREAS, additionally, the District Attorney recognizes the need for a dedicated investigator to the accident reconstruction, especially due to the increased number of pedestrian and bicycle fatalities in Ulster County; and

          WHEREAS, a revision of the status of the part-time investigator to full-time benefitted status is necessary to ensure the position’s compensation is commensurate with the increased hours required of the role due both to the move of the office and the investigations in which the investigator will be engaged; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office will increase the salary for position number 1165-1440 to $56,838.60 for the 2023 Budget year; and

WHEREAS, the change in the budget for 2023 will be potentially offset by newly accessible New York State funding, which is expected to nearly fund the District Attorney’s Discovery Unit for the 2023 Budget year; and

          WHEREAS, though the annual increase to Regular Pay under this new salary structure is $29,231, because the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office continues to have multiple unfilled positions year to date; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend the 2023 County Budget to adjust the salary lines for the affected positions; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the 2023 Ulster County Budget is hereby amended as follows:

                                                  INCREASE

POSITION #                              TITLE                                       AMOUNT

11651440                                   DA Investigator                          $ 56,839.00*

(PL#)                                          (Change to Full-Time Benefitted)

*Annual Salary                          

Annual Benefits $28,806

(F/T Salary to Year End 2/20/2023 - $49,188)

(Benefits to Year End 2/20/2023 - $24,929)

INCREASE                               AMOUNT  

AA.1165.1031.1300.1300            Regular Pay                                $ 49,188.00

(App.#)

AA.1165.1031-8000.8000            Retirement                                  $   6,788.00

(App.#)

AA.1165.1031-8010.8010            Social Security                            $   1,935.00

(App.#)

AA.1165.1031-8020.8035            Health Insurance                         $ 14,378.00

(App.#)

                                                  DECREASE

AA.1165.1031.1400.1400            Part-Time Pay                             $ 23,891.00

(App.#)

AA.0917.3205                            Fund Balance, Unassigned           $ 48,398.00,

and move its adoption.

        ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

        AYES:                     NOES:    

Passed Committee: Law Enforcement and Public Safety on _______________.

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on _______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$48,398.00 – Additional 2023 Appropriation Dollars

$48,398.00 – REDUCTION UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE