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A Message from Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger
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Dear Friends,
With Earth Week coming up, we’re spotlighting the great work of the County’s Environmental Department, and we’ve got a few upcoming events to highlight. On Wednesday (Earth Day), at 1 PM, we’re cutting the ribbon on a new public electric-vehicle charging hub at the County’s Trudy Center in Ellenville, which includes the first rapid chargers in this area of the County. On the same day, at 11 AM, I’m participating in an online teach-in by New Yorkers for Clean Power to talk about the actions Ulster County is taking to reduce climate-damaging emissions while improving affordability for our residents. I hope you can join us! And on Saturday, April 25, I’ll be joining Judith Enck, President of Beyond Plastics and former EPA Regional Administrator, for a conversation about her new book, “The Problem with Plastic,” at the Orpheum Theatre in Saugerties.
There also are LOTS of Earth Week events planned in communities around the county, so look for a local event near you and enjoy!
Read on for news about the Kingston ADU Expo, our "I Voted" sticker contest, the Ulster County Department of Health's "Move A Mile" initiative, and more.
All my best,
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Recent News & Events
Regional County Leaders Discuss Big Issues at Pattern for Progress Breakfast
Last week, County Executive Metzger joined Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress for their annual breakfast conversation with County leaders on regional hot topics, from strengthening EMS to affordable housing to the Governor's proposed changes to SEQRA. Thank you to Pattern for Progress for holding another terrific event, and congratulations to Alexandra Obremski on her appointment as Pattern’s new President and CEO.
Ulster County “I Voted” Sticker Contest Now Open!
 Ulster County’s world-famous “I Voted” Sticker Contest is now open for 2026! Artists ages 9 to 18 are invited to submit their designs! Designs must include the words “I Voted” and will be shrunk down to a 2-inch diameter circle, but otherwise are up to you! You can use any medium, physical or digital, and can submit as a photo, JPEG, or PDF. Send your artwork to elections@ulstercountyny.gov before June 30.
The Board of Elections Commissioners and a panel of artists and educators from the Arts and Culture Advisory Council will select five finalists, and the public will vote on a winner this summer. The winning design will be the official “I Voted” sticker for Ulster County in the general election this November!
For more info call (845) 334-5470 or visit voteulster.com. We’re so excited to see this year’s submissions!
First-Ever ADU Expo a Great Success!
 We had a great turnout last Friday for the first-ever ADU Expo at the Andy Murphy Center in Kingston — a "one-stop shop" for everything you need to know about building an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) on your property. The day-long expo brought together an impressive group of builders, architects, designers, lenders, and housing experts under one roof for presentations and one-on-one conversations. The County was thrilled to partner with the City of Kingston and Kingston's Housing Task Force on this initiative.
ADUs are one of the most practical and community‑friendly tools we have to expand rental housing, and ADUs also support homeowners by generating rental income to help pay the bills or by providing housing for a family member or caregiver.
The County, in partnership with RUPCO, offers grants to homeowners of up to $112,500 to build an ADU on their property, provided they agree to keep the rent affordable to residents with an income no greater than 80% of area median income for 10 years. To learn more about this opportunity, and everything you need to know to build an ADU, visit https://ulstercountyny.gov/ADU.
Department of Health Unveils “Move-a-Mile” Route
 Last week our Department of Health unveiled the new 'Move-a-Mile' route — a one-mile walk (or run or skate) along the County's O&W Connector Trail off of Washington Avenue in Kingston, with inspiring and informative signs along the way, thanks to a grant for the NYS Department of Health! 'Move a Mile' is part of the Movement is Medicine initiative, a preventive health campaign launched by Public Health Director Eve Walter to encourage our residents to be active — the lowest-cost way to stay healthy!
Spring is here, and a great time to get out on the trail!
Thank You to Our 911 Dispatchers
 This National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, we honor all Ulster County Department of Emergency Services 911 Dispatchers!
Day or night, across every shift, they are the calm voices behind the scenes, connecting those in need with police, fire, and medical help. They work tirelessly, guiding callers through life-saving moments every day. They’ve helped deliver babies, coached CPR, and kept people calm through some of the worst moments of their lives, all while dispatching the right help as quickly as possible.
Thank you to our 911 dispatchers for everything you do, every single day.
Reimagining SUNY Ulster Committee Brainstorms with the Public
 County Executive Metzger launched the Reimagining SUNY Ulster Committee with the College to generate fresh thinking about needs and opportunities for the physical campus and ensure that we are developing a capital plan that wisely stewards taxpayer dollars and positions the College to serve as a vibrant community asset for generations to come. She kicked off last week's meeting, where the committee and members of the public brainstormed ideas for the College together.
We’d love to hear YOUR ideas, as well! Visit our Participate Page for this initiative and share your thoughts!
“Meet Me in Marlborough” Brings Together Business Owners in Southern Ulster
 County Executive Metzger recently joined County Legislators Amy Dooley, Dominick Marino, and Laura Donovan to connect with local business owners at Stoutridge Winery & Distillery in Marlboro. The Highland Business Alliance, Esopus Business Alliance, and Meet Me in Marlborough come together twice a year for a "mega-mixer" of business networking and to enjoy an evening together. Our small businesses and farms are truly the backbone of our economy.
Thank you to all the organizers, and to Stoutridge owners Kim and Stephen for hosting and showing off their amazing facilities! If you haven’t been to this gem in Marlboro, check it out!
Connecting with Local Sheep Farmers (and Sheep) at Willow Pond Farm
 There’s nothing quite like cuddling a lamb in Spring! County Executive Metzger recently visited Willow Pond Farm in Gardiner, along with Ulster County Agricultural Services Coordinator Deborah DeWan, Assistant Deputy Amberly Jane Campbell, and Amberly’s daughter, Ripley. Holding newborn lambs and seeing the care that goes into every part of this farm operation was truly a highlight.
Willow Pond Farm is the only sheep dairy in the Hudson Valley, and one of just about 100 in the entire country. (It’s also woman-owned, and especially fitting to visit during the International Year of the Woman Farmer!) Carrie Wasser and her husband Brent have built a thriving, regenerative farm on land that had been in Carrie’s family. From pasture-raised sheep and rotational grazing to regenerative farming practices, their work is a wonderful example of the kind of animal husbandry and land stewardship practices that can be found in our county.
We thank Carrie and Brent for welcoming us to their farm! For more information, visit the farm website at https://www.willowpondsheep.com.
Celebrating Fred Schaeffer for Years of Dedication to the Walkway Over the Hudson
Last weekend, County Executive Metzger joined State Senator Michelle Hinchey, Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino, Ulster County Legislator Dominick Marino, and many ‘Walkway over the Hudson’ enthusiasts, supporters, and volunteers to celebrate Fred Schaeffer, whose vision and determination over many years helped transform an abandoned railroad bridge into the iconic linear park that it is today. He imagined a public space in the sky, a place where people could walk, bike, gather, and experience the Hudson River in a way few ever had — and he rolled up his sleeves and committed himself to making it real. Fred inspires us to dream big.
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Welcome back to the County Spotlight. In honor of Earth Week, we’re highlighting the work of the Ulster County Department of Environment (DOE). This small-but-mighty seven-person team, led by Director Andy Bicking, works to address environmental challenges by bridging the gap between environmental policy and practice. They’re working to make sure Ulster County is a thriving place to live today, tomorrow, and long into the future.
 Coordinating to Protect Our Water
Many organizations, municipalities, and individuals are committed to protecting and stewarding the beautiful natural resources that shape our communities in Ulster County. The DOE helps coordinate and support them.
For example, DOE works with organizations dedicated to keeping our beautiful waterways healthy and clean — the Hudson, Esopus, Rondout, Wallkill, and all the creeks and streams in between. DOE’s Watersheds Coordinator Ella Cattabiani supports local groups by connecting them with funding opportunities, technical resources, and each other, helping them carry out watershed plans. At the same time, Stormwater Coordinator Misha Kuznetsov leads the County’s Stormwater Management Plan, coordinating with municipalities to protect our waterways from runoff pollutants.
We are seeing more precipitation and major storm events as a result of climate change, and DOE helps municipalities protect floodplains by mitigating and managing flooding risks. In the Ashokan Watershed in the Catskills, for example, DOE partners with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County (with funding from the NYC DEP) to address flood risks from several different angles. Through this partnership, Senior Environmental Planner Heidi Emrich helps municipalities with grant applications, technical assistance for analyzing floodplains, education around flooding, public infrastructure improvements that reduce the severity of flooding, and more.
By mitigating flood risks in partnership with towns and organizations, DOE is helping keep people safe and encouraging sustainable growth in our communities.
 Advancing Local Climate Solutions
DOE spearheads the County’s Climate Action Planning. The Government Operations Climate Action Plan seeks to reduce the County’s emissions from facilities and operations by 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2050. Senior Resource Technician Michelle Gluck puts together reports tracking our progress, which also helps secure our recertification as a “Climate Smart Community” (and State grant funds!)
Beyond reducing the County government’s contributions to climate change, DOE is also working on a countywide Community Climate Action Plan, led by DOE Deputy Director Evelyn Ellis. This planning is community driven, with surveys and community meetings in 2024. Based on this public input, the Plan will identify cost-effective actions to reduce emissions across sectors like construction and infrastructure, transportation, waste, and energy.
Improving energy efficiency and utilizing renewable and clean energy technologies not only makes good climate sense – it makes good economic sense. The County government has seen over a million dollars in operational savings to taxpayers from investments to date in energy efficiency, solar, and electrification of public transit and the county fleet – savings that are only growing with today’s sky-rocketing oil and gas prices.
So Much More
That’s just a fraction of what DOE does. Among other things, Environmental Outreach Manager Brendan Walsh leads community-based projects like the Green the Scene waste diversion grant program for fairs and festivals, the soon-to-launch Countywide network of air quality sensors with the Hudson Valley Community Air Network, and more.
Good environmental work is easy to take for granted — Watershed Coordinator Ella Cattabiani points out that “we're experiencing all of the improvements that the previous generations gave us. In many places in the County, you can dip your toes in the water and have a lovely day out, where that wasn’t the reality for generations before us. Work had to be done to make that happen.” The important work DOE does might become invisible down the line, so let’s take a moment to thank them for what they do to benefit us and future generations in Ulster County.
 Learn More & Get Involved
Want to contribute to environmental work in your community? Get involved with the municipal environmental commission or conservation board in your area, or find the nearest group working to protect your watershed!
You can learn more about the DOE at https://ulstercountyny.gov/environment and about their recent progress in our 2025 Executive Departments Annual Report. The DOE will have lots of big news in the coming months, so make sure you’re tuned into County social media (our Instagram and Facebook) and this newsletter for updates!
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Breaking the Cycle with Antwan Wakely
On Wednesday, April 29, youth mentor and pastor Antwan Wakely will be sharing his story at the Restorative Justice & Community Empowerment Center. He'll discuss how he used to be in and out of prison, caught up in a cycle of recidivism, and how he broke that cycle. Please join us for this powerful conversation.
To RSVP, please contact Kim Mapes, Youth and Family Engagement Coordinator at kmap@ulstercountyny.gov or (845) 802-7966.
📅 Wednesday, April 29
🕕 6 — 7:30 PM
📍 Restorative Justice Center, 733 Broadway, Kingston
Stop the Guesswork on Recycling with the Office for the Aging & UCRRA
Join the Ulster County Office for the Aging and the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency for a workshop on the real facts of recycling. You’ll learn why all plastics aren’t recyclable, what to do with your pizza boxes, and pro tips to waste less and recycle rights. Plus, you can test your skills with a round of Recycling BINGO! There will be prizes for everyone!
RSVP by April 17 by calling the OFA at (845) 340-3456.
📅 Friday, April 24
🕕 1 — 2:30 PM
📍 Ulster County Senior Hub, 5 Development Ct, Kingston
NAMI Mid-Hudson Hosting “Ending the Silence” Conversations on Mental Health
 NAMI Mid-Hudson is partnering with the Ulster County Department of Mental Health and County Executive’s Office to host two upcoming “Ending the Silence” events, discussing the warning signs of serious mental health conditions and suicide and how to address them.
📅 Tuesday, Apr. 28
🕐 6:30 — 8:30 PM
📍 Wallkill Public Library Town Hall Community Room, 14 Central Ave, Wallkill
🎟️ Register here
📅 Wednesday, Apr. 29
🕐 6:30 — 8:30 PM
📍 Stone Ridge Library, 3700 Main St, Stone Ridge
🎟️ Register here
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UCAT is Looking for Drivers!
UCAT is looking for full & part-time drivers! If you have a Class B commercial driver's license, apply to be a driver! Starting pay is $25.32/hr, with a stable schedule. Full-time drivers also receive benefits like health insurance and a retirement plan!
Don't have a CDL? UCAT bus driver trainees can get paid to get their CDLs!
Learn more and apply for jobs with UCAT at ucat.ulstercountyny.gov/careers.
Ulster County is Seeking Social Services Attorneys
Ulster County is hiring! The Ulster County Department of Social Services is looking for attorneys. Apply for this job and more at https://ulster-portal.mycivilservice.com.
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Job Openings in Ulster County
Ulster County is Hiring! Consider a career in public service and earn a living by making a difference. Visit the civil service portal and apply today to join our team.
The Ulster County Government strictly adheres to the principles of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act and Americans with Disability Act.
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