Referred to: The Committee of the Whole (Legislators Clinton, Collins, Corcoran, Criswell, Donaldson, Gavaris, Greene, Hansut, Harmon, Hewitt, Kitchen, Kovacs, Levine, Litts, Lopez, Maloney, McCullough, Nolan, Roberts, Sperry, Stewart, Uchitelle, and Walls)

Legislators Peter Criswell and Abe Uchitelle offer the following:

WHEREAS, Section 154 of County Law of the State of New York provides that the Ulster County Legislature may create standing committees for the purpose of aiding and assisting the Legislature in the transaction of its business; and

            WHEREAS, the aforementioned State Law requires that “any local law or resolution creating any such committee shall specify the powers, duties and number of its members”; and

            WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the County of Ulster to formally create standing committees for the purpose of aiding and assisting the Ulster County Legislature in the transaction of its business; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that all standing committees for the year 2024 are hereby set forth as follows and described below:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, ARTS & AGRICULTURE

To set legislative policy and review contracts for all aspects of Ulster County Department of Economic Development, Ulster County Department of Planning, Office of Employment and Training, Ulster County Community College, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District, Arts, Tourism and Libraries. Responsible for issues pertaining to: Ulster County Industrial Development Agency, Ulster County Planning Board, Revolving Loan Fund Committee, Shovel Ready Committee. To foster relations and communications with the Ulster County Economic Alliance and local Chambers of Commerce. To establish policy relating to agriculture and farmland preservation.

ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

To set policy and review contracts pertaining to the Department of the Environment, Environmental Management Council, Fish and Wildlife Management Board, and Forest Practice Board, including the protection of waterways and the County’s recycling efforts. To set policy and review contracts pertaining to but not limited to the activities of the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY

To set policy and review contracts pertaining to the following County Departments and Divisions: Ulster County Sheriff and the Law Enforcement Center, Public Defender, District Attorney, Probation, Restorative Justice, Emergency Management/ Emergency Communications, Arson Task Force, Fire Coordinator, EMS Coordinator, STOP DWI, Consumer Fraud Bureau, Weights and Measures, and Safety Office.

LAWS, RULES, AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES

To set policy and review contracts pertaining to the following County Departments and Divisions: Board of Elections, County Clerk, County Attorney, Human Rights, Insurance and Board of Ethics. To oversee legislative policy and legislative proposed revisions to the Ulster County Charter and the Administrative Code. To review and maintain the Rules of the Legislature and to review and approve all local laws for legal sufficiency only, unless Laws and Rules, Government Services is the committee of original jurisdiction. To approve all late resolutions, considering lateness and content prior to submittal to the full Legislature. To approve resolutions required to be referred to it under the Rules of the Legislature.

HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND HOUSING

To set policy for and review contracts pertaining to the following County Departments and Divisions: Health, Mental Health, Social Services, Community Action, Office for the Aging, Youth Bureau, and Veterans Affairs. To set policy relating to housing issues including but not limited to temporary, emergency, affordable, workforce, and senior housing.

PUBLIC WORKS, CAPITAL PROJECTS AND TRANSPORTATION

To set policy for and review contracts pertaining to the following County Departments and Divisions: Public Works (including Parks, Highways, and Buildings and Grounds), Transportation (including Fleet Management and Ulster County Area Transit), trails, the Electrical Licensing Board, and all Capital Projects. 

WAYS AND MEANS

To recommend the Legislature’s position on all budgetary and financial matters of the County. To review contracts pertaining to the following departments: Comptroller, Finance, Innovation Division, Personnel, Purchasing, Information Services and Real Property Tax Services. To approve all resolutions with financial impacts to the County, excluding those financial impacts limited solely to legislative advertising expenses;

and, be it further

RESOLVED, that each of the standing committees set forth herein and above shall consist of five to eight members; and, be it further

            RESOLVED, that nothing herein shall be deemed to authorize the delegation of any of the powers, duties or responsibilities of the County Legislature or any officer thereof except as otherwise expressly authorized by law,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                       NOES:    

Passed Committee: Committee of the Whole on ____________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE