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

Roberts and Legislators Belfiglio, Donaldson, Lopez, Loughran, R. Parete and

Rodriguez)

Legislator Richard A. Parete and Legislators Fabiano and Ronk offer the following:

WHEREAS, Monthly Legislative Session is conducted to consider and act on

legislation that has a direct and significant impact on our County; and

WHEREAS, the Monthly Legislative Session agendas are often lengthy and

contain essential business that often generates meaningful debate and requires

substantial time; and

WHEREAS, Memorializing Resolutions can take an extraordinary amount of

time to debate on the floor; and

WHEREAS, in order to reduce the amount of time spent on the consideration

of Memorializing Resolutions debate on the floor of the Ulster County Legislature on

said resolutions was prohibited pursuant to Resolution No. 251 dated June 21, 2016;

and

WHEREAS, discussion of Memorializing Resolutions continues to consume

substantial amounts of time during Standing Committee meetings taking away from

valuable time which should be dedicated to the deliberation of Resolutions pertaining

to county business; and

WHEREAS, it has long been the policy of the Ulster County Legislature to

encourage the maximum public participation and input through Public Comment

Periods before all Legislative meetings; and

WHEREAS, prohibiting Memorializing Resolutions does not preclude

Legislators from contacting state and federal representatives through phone calls,

emails, letters and petitions; and

WHEREAS, on many occasions, a member of the Ulster County Legislature

has offered a letter expressing support or opposition of an issue and provided the

opportunity for fellow Legislators to sign on to said letter; and

 WHEREAS, support/opposition letters and other methods of addressing

issues of a memorializing nature can have the same, if not a stronger, effect as a

Reg

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Ulster County Legislature to further amend

Rule 3 of the Rules of Order of the Ulster County Legislature to prohibit

memorializing resolutions; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that Rule 3. Resolutions, Local Laws, Rules For Procedure for

Presentation and Consideration, Section C. Procedure for the submission and

consideration of Resolutions in Committee, subsection (c) Memorializing

Resolutions, is hereby amended to read as follows:

(c). Memorializing Resolutions. Any resolution which memorializes the New York

State Legislature, Congress of the United States, or any other body to take an action

which will not require a home rule message, shall be prohibited. submitted and

considered in Committee in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Rules

of Order. When presented for consideration at a Monthly or Special Meeting of the

Legislature, Memorializing Resolutions shall not be debatable. Memorializing

Resolutions shall, however, be amendable, may be referred to a Standing Committee

of the Legislature, or may be withdrawn prior to a vote by the Legislative body.;

and, be it further

RESOLVED, that pursuant to Rule 2, entitled “AMENDMENT OF RULES,”

of the Rules of Order of the Ulster County Legislature, this resolution and the

amendment proposed herein shall be read at two consecutive meetings of the Ulster

County Legislature, and, be it further

RESOLVED, that this rule change shall take effect upon an affirmative vote

of this body subsequent to two consecutive readings,

and moves its adoption.

FIRST READING: March 22, 2017

SECOND READING: 

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES: NOES:

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

March 13, 2017

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE