Referred to: The Laws and Rules, Governmental Services Committee (Chairman

Richard Parete and Legislators Archer, Donaldson, Roberts, and Ronk)

Legislators Belfiglio, Fabiano, Gerentine, Litts, Lopez, Maio, Maloney, Roberts,

Ronk, and Wawro offer the following:

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature is the legislative, appropriating and

policy-determining body of the County; and

 WHEREAS, the Legislature is comprised of 23 duly elected legislators; and

 WHEREAS, the Legislature conducts its business by passing resolutions; and

 WHEREAS, it is important for resolutions to be vetted before reaching the

floor for a vote by the full legislative body; and

 WHEREAS, the vetting of resolutions is done through the committee process

whereby the resolution is considered by each committee that has jurisdiction over the

subject of the resolution; and

 WHEREAS, serving on a committee is integral to being a county legislator

and the legislative process; and

 WHEREAS, as each legislator should serve on at least one committee; and

 WHEREAS, Section C-17(B) of the Ulster County Charter and Section A-2-

12(B) of the Administrative Code state, “The Chairman shall appoint members of the

County Legislature to serve on such committees as are provided by the rules of such

Legislature.”; and

 WHEREAS, Rule 5 (A) of the Legislature’s Rules of Order states, “All

members of Standing Committees of the Legislature shall be appointed by the

permanent Chairperson within twenty (20) days after his/her election or appointment,

and the list of Committees shall be filed with the Clerk of the Legislature and printed

in the County Directory.”; and

 WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon each legislator to abide by the appointments

made by the Chairperson of Legislature under Rule 5(A); now, therefore be it,

 RESOLVED, that Rule 5 of the Rules of Order of the Ulster County

Legislature, entitled “Standing and Special Committees of the Legislature and

Calendaring of the Legislative Sessions”, is amended to add the following provisions: 

- Page 2 -

Resolution No. 54.1 June 17, 2014

Amending The Rules Of Order To Require Participation On

Standing Committees

F. Every legislator shall serve on at least one Standing Committee of the Ulster

County Legislature. No Legislator shall be required to serve on more than three

Standing Committees of the Ulster County Legislature.

G. In making appointments to each Standing Committee:

(a) Within seven (7) days after the Legislature’s Annual Organizational

Meeting, every Legislator shall inform the appropriate Majority or Minority Leader

and the newly appointed Chairperson, in writing, his/her five Committees of interest

in rank order of preference.

(b) Within seven (7) days after the Legislature’s Annual Organizational

Meeting, the Chairperson shall inform the appropriate Majority and Minority Leader

of the whole number of seats available on each standing committee for each caucus.

(c) The Majority and Minority Leaders will meet with the newly appointed

Chairperson to present the Legislator requests and provide insight to the Chairperson

regarding each Legislator’s knowledge, experience, expertise and interests.

(d) The Chairperson of the Legislature shall consider each legislator’s

knowledge, experience, expertise, and interests, and will assign each legislator at

least one of their requested Committees and other assignments will be at the

discretion of the Chairperson.

H. Legislators may be excused from serving on Standing Committees only upon

written notification to the Chairperson of the Legislature which may be granted due

to a conflict of interest, illness, family obligations, or any other reason as deemed

sufficient by the Chairman. In a circumstance where a Legislator only serves on one

Standing Committee and excusal from service on said Committee is granted for any

reason absent an illness, the Chairperson shall appoint the Legislator to another

Committee to be determined at the discretion of the Chairperson.

and, be it further

 RESOLVED, that these changes to the Rules of Order of the Ulster County

Legislature shall take effect upon an affirmative vote of this body subsequent to two

consecutive readings,

and move its adoption. 

- Page 3 -

Resolution No. 54.1 June 17, 2014

Amending The Rules Of Order To Require Participation On

Standing Committees

FIRST READING: April 15, 2014

SECOND READING: May 20, 2014

 ADOPTED AS AMENDED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

 AYES: 21 NOES: 1

 (Noes: Legislator Donaldson)

 (Absent: Legislator Roberts)

Defeated in Committee: Laws and Rules, Governmental Services as amended on

March 17, 2014

Petition to Discharge Successfully Executed: March 18, 2014

Referred back to Laws and Rules, Governmental Services Committee on May 20,

2014

Passed Committee: Laws and Rules, Governmental Services Committee as amended

on June 16, 2014

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE

Legislator Wishnick motioned, seconded by Legislator Provenzano, to add the words

“for each caucus” to the end of section G (b) as indicated above in bold font.

 MOTION ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

 AYES: 22 NOES: 0

 (Absent: Legislator Roberts) 

- Page 4 -

Resolution No. 54.1 June 17, 2014

Amending The Rules Of Order To Require Participation On

Standing Committees

STATE OF NEW YORK

 ss:

COUNTY OF ULSTER

This is to certify that I, the undersigned Clerk of the Legislature of the County of Ulster have compared the

foregoing resolution with the original resolution now on file in the office of said clerk, and which was adopted by said

Legislature on the 17th Day of June, 2014, and that the same is a true and correct transcript of said resolution and of the

whole thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the County of Ulster this 20th Day of June in

the year Two Thousand and Fourteen.

|s| Victoria A. Fabella

Victoria A. Fabella, Clerk

Ulster County Legislature