Referred to:  The Public Works, Capital Projects and Transportation Committee (Chairwoman Petit and Legislators Erner, Fabiano, Litts, and Nolan), and The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Cahill, Criswell, Roberts, and Ronk)

Legislator Phil Erner offers the following:

WHEREAS,in a democratic republic such as the United States of America the people ought to have equitable access to their government including the ability to attend public meetings; and

WHEREAS,the Ulster County Legislature conducts its official business in open public meetings where the public has a right to attend; and

WHEREAS, during the first two and a half years of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020-2022, in order to protect the public health, the Legislature held most of its meetings either by videoconference alone or in a hybrid method of in-person and videoconference; and

WHEREAS, during those times relative to previously when meetings took place only in-person, the Legislature witnessed increased public attendance, which shows either increased interest in or accessibility of the meetings, or both; and

WHEREAS, seven-and-one-half percent of Ulster County households have no car; and

WHEREAS, half of City of Kingston households have only one car; and

WHEREAS, all those households may depend upon public transportation for, among other purposes, in order to have access to government services and meetings; and

WHEREAS, those households ought to have equitable access to meetings of their elected representatives in the Legislature, as do those households having cars; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the Department of Public Transportation shall provide regular fixed-route and paratransit service such that the public may get to/from any County facility while open to the public and accessible by public transportation, with the last bus run departing no earlier than half-an-hour following the regularly scheduled nightly closure of such facility; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the Department of Public Transportation shall provide regular fixed-route and paratransit service such that the public may attend all Sessions of the Legislature, guaranteeing that the day’s last run on each regular fixed-route bus line in the municipality where the Session took place, as well as that any paratransit riders’ return trip, shall depart no earlier than half-an-hour following the end of the Session,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                       NOES:    

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

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ______________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

TBD