Referred to: The Energy, Environment and Sustainability Committee (Chairman Hewitt and Legislators Donaldson, Greene, Litts, Nolan, Stewart, and Walls), The Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation Committee (Chair Nolan and Legislators Donaldson, Kovacs, Litts, and McCollough), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Chair of the Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation Committee, Kathy Nolan, and Deputy Chair Herbert Litts, III 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 2024 Ulster County Capital Improvement Program includes DPW-Solar Array Siting Project to maximize the use of solar arrays on County property and fund various forms of solar technology, including rooftop and carport array systems, in the amount of $450,000.00; and

WHEREAS, the Trudy Resnick Farber Building is located at 50 Center Street in the Village of Ellenville; and

          WHEREAS, the Solar Array Siting Capital Project is a multi-year program that aims to maximize the use of solar arrays on county property. Solar arrays come in many different forms and uses, such as covered carports; stand-along ground-mounted; rooftop; and side-mounted to a building, to name a few design options; and

WHEREAS, this project is an example of the Department of Public Works commitment to support the County’s ongoing efforts to combat climate change, including community-wide greenhouse gas emissions targets and the adoption of the Ulster County Climate Action Plan; and

WHEREAS, Pursuant to Resolution No. 416 of 2019, it is the policy of the County of Ulster to perform a feasibility study on County owned buildings to support solar arrays; and

WHEREAS, Department of Public Works commissioned a structural analysis and a feasibility study to determine the viability of a rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system and said studies determined a rooftop solar array is feasible on the Trudy Resnick Farber building; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Public Works understands and recognizes climate change poses an increasing threat to the environment and is exacerbated by burning fossil fuels; and

          WHEREAS, the goal of the Solar Array Siting Capital Project is to develop onsite renewable solar energy to meet existing and future electricity demands and individual project locations will be established as specific projects are planned and created, and        

          WHEREAS, funding will be used for engineering and construction services to design and construct a solar array at the Trudy Resnick Farber building in the Village of Ellenville; and

          WHEREAS, the Commissioner of Public Works requests that Capital Project

No. 705 be established and funded in the amount of $275,000; and

          RESOLVED, that Capital Project No. 705 for the Trudy Resnick Farber Building Solar Array Project be established as follows:

                                                  CREATE                                   AMOUNT

Capital Project No. 705                 Trudy Resnick Farber Building      $275,000.00  

                                                      Solar Array Project

and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the 2024 Ulster County Budgets are hereby amended as follows:

INCREASE                               AMOUNT

AA.9900.9900-3700.9990            Appropriated Fund Balance          $275,000.00 

(Rev. #)

AA.9901.4600-9000.9025            Interfund Transfers to Capital          $275,000.00

(App. #),      

and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the 2024 Ulster County Capital Fund budget is hereby further amended as follows:

                                                  INCREASE                               AMOUNT                                  

HH.1997.0705-4300.4505             Professional Services                   $25,000.00

(App. #)                                        

HH.1997.0705-2300.2550             Construction Services                  $250,000.00

(App. #)                                        

HH.1997.0705-3520.5031            Interfund Transfers In                  $275,000.00

(Rev. #),      

and moves its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                       NOES:             

Passed Committee: Energy, Environment and Sustainability on ________________.

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

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ________________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$275,000.00 – CAPITAL FUND APPROPRIATIONS

$275,000.00 – 2024 APPROPRIATED FUND BALANCE