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

Chairwoman of the Economic Development, Planning, Education, Employment, Arts and Agriculture Committee, Megan Sperry, 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 Economic Development; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Department of Economic Development identified microenterprise funding assistance as an eligible activity under the New York State Community Development Block Grant (NYS CDBG) Business Expansion and Startup (BEST) Program and prepared a draft application requesting $300,000.00 in funding to assist in the establishment of the Entrepreneur Employment Grant Program; and

WHEREAS, the program proposes to provide financial assistance to for-profit businesses with 5 or fewer employees that are either owned by a qualified low- to moderate-income (LMI) individual(s) or that will create at least one (1) fulltime equivalent job taken by or made available to LMI households, and with a goal to allocate 50% of grant funds to startups; and

WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature conducted the necessary public outreach for the application, including a public hearing with proper public notice, to receive comments on the proposed application, after which a New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) Application for small business assistance with a focus on LMI households was submitted; and

WHEREAS, Ulster County has received notice that it has been awarded $300,000.00 in funding for Project #1160ME572-25 from HCR (CFDA #14.228) in accordance with its grant application; and

WHEREAS, in order to accept and appropriate this funding it is necessary to amend the 2025 Ulster County Budget; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the County Executive is hereby authorized to execute an agreement (NYS Contract #1160ME572-25) and any related amendments with the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation in the amount of $300,000.00, in the form as filed with the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature or as modified with the approval of the County Attorney; and, be it further

 RESOLVED, that the County Director of Economic Development is hereby authorized to act as certifying officer including the filing of any certifications necessary for the purposes of implementing this award; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the 2025 Ulster County Budget is hereby amended as follows:

INCREASE                                                 AMOUNT

BB.8668.3751-4600.4660  Misc. Contractual Expense, Other             $300,000.00

(App.#)

BB.8668.3751-3400.4989  Federal Aid Other Home And                   $300,000.00

(Rev. #)                                   Community Services        

and moves its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                       NOES:             

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

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ________________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$300,000.00 – INCREASE TO 2025 SPECIAL REVENUE FUND APPROPRIATIONS

$300,000.00 –  INCREASE TO 2025 FEDERAL REVENUE DOLLARS PASS THROUGH NYS HOUSING TRUST FUND CORPORATION