Referred to: The Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture Committee (Chairwoman Sperry and Legislators Clinton, Corcoran, Hewitt, Litts, Stewart and Walls), The Health, Human Services and Housing Committee (Chairman Uchitelle and Legislators Collins, Corcoran, Harmon, Kitchen, Lopez, and McCollough), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Chair of Legislature, Peter Criswell, offers the following:

WHEREAS, it has been over 30 years since Ulster County has conducted a  water supply study, with the last being done in 1989; and

WHEREAS, a sewer study was last done in the 1970’s, and all existing studies are well beyond useful life given technology and regulatory changes; and

WHEREAS, government has a responsibility to ensure that all people can enjoy their basic human right to quality, available, acceptable, accessible, and affordable water

WHEREAS, water and sewer infrastructure investments stimulate the economy, attract businesses, and allow for tourist movement by facilitating conditions that are more conducive to business activity and tourism; and

WHEREAS, water and sewer systems are major capital assets to the communities where they exist, with many systems suffering from maintenance issues, particularly the parts below ground, and communities are often hard pressed to fund improvements; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature passed Resolution No. 96 of 2022 amending and funding capital project number 604 in the amount of five million dollars ($5,000,000) to create a program to partner with Ulster County municipalities and match up to 33% of water and sewer projects with a maximum contribution of $500,000.00 per project; and

WHEREAS, the program was incredibly successful, contracting with thirteen (13) municipalities for a total value of water and sewer infrastructure investments exceeding $17 million; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County has remained committed to continuing to collect data where possible, with the intent of creating detailed mapping of all water and sewer districts, funded as part of ongoing GIS efforts; and

WHEREAS, an updated countywide intermunicipal water and sewer feasibility study can provide a technical examination of the municipal water and wastewater facilities across Ulster County; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature intends for such study to assess existing infrastructure and its potential capacity to support planned growth, identify limitations to system expansion, and document stated needs of communities without public water and sewer services; and

WHEREAS, the countywide intermunicipal water and sewer feasibility study shall serve as a snapshot of existing infrastructure, facilities and needs, and be a useful tool for communities as they developed plans for individual and intermunicipal improvements; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to § C-47 of the Ulster County Charter, the Director of Planning shall perform such other and related duties as required by the County Executive or County Legislature; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to § C-74 B. (4) of the Ulster County Charter, the Ulster County Purchasing Director shall perform such other and related duties as shall be required and delegated by the County Executive or County Legislature; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Director of Purchasing, in conjunction with the Director of Planning, shall within sixty (60) days of adoption of this Resolution, issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) on behalf of Ulster County to seek a vendor who shall develop a comprehensive countywide intermunicipal water and sewer feasibility study; and, be it further 

RESOLVED, that prior to the RFP document being public, the Chair of the Legislature, or designee, shall have opportunity to provide input on the document; and, be it further

RESOLVED, the Chair of the Legislature, and designees as determined by the Chair, shall serve as a members of the RFP evaluation committee; and, be it further  

RESOLVED, that no section of this resolution shall be interpreted as augmenting the existing legislative process for expenditures; and, be it further

RESOLVED, upon conclusion of the RFP process, all necessary information pertaining to any contract for services to conduct a countywide intermunicipal water and sewer feasibility study shall be presented to the Ulster County Legislature with sufficient time to include funding for such in the 2025 Ulster County Budget,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                       NOES:    

Passed Committee: Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture on _____________.

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

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on _____________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

TBD