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A Message from Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger
Happy New Year! 2024 kicked off with the swearing-in of the Legislature, including eight new members, and the election of the new Legislative Leadership. I look forward to a productive and collaborative year with my legislative colleagues, new and old!
With MLK Day coming up next week, we wanted to take this opportunity to share some of our work to promote a more diverse and inclusive County government. We'll also share the latest on our continued efforts to hold Central Hudson accountable, among other news and events, so have a read!
Wishing you a happy, healthy New Year,
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Recent News & Events
Ulster County Legislature Welcomes New Leadership & New Members
Photo taken by Victoria Fabella, Clerk of the Legislature
In a great show of bipartisan support, the Ulster County Legislature unanimously elected Legislator Peter J. Criswell as Chair of the Legislature, with Legislator Megan Sperry serving as Vice-Chair. The party caucuses also elected their leadership: The Democratic Caucus elected Legislator Abe Uchitelle as Majority Leader and Aaron Levine as Deputy Majority Leader, and the Republican Caucus elected Legislator Kevin Roberts as Minority Leader and Legislator Craig Lopez as Deputy Minority Leader.
More than a third of the Legislature are newly elected members, including:
- Debra Clinton, D-16 District (Town of Gardiner, Town of Shawangunk)
- Jeff Collins, D-23 District (Town of Hurley, Town of Woodstock)
- Joe Donaldson, D-8 District (Town of Esopus)
- Limina Grace Harmon, D-20 District (New Paltz)
- Eric J. Kitchen, R-4 District (Town of Kingston, Town of Ulster)
- Jason J. Kovacs, R-3 District (Town of Saugerties, Town of Ulster)
- Greg McCoullough, D-6 District (City of Kingston)
- Richard T. Walls, R-13 District (Town of Shawangunk)
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Ulster County Employees Engage in “Leading Inclusively” Training
Photo of James Childs
Spearheaded by Ulster County Chief Diversity Esi Lewis, the County has initiated a new required training program for management in the County's 27 departments, called “Leading Inclusively.'' Designed and led by James Childs, a consultant in the areas of diversity and inclusion and leadership development, the program includes workshops facilitated by Childs that guide staff through exercises to address implicit bias in the workplace and learn strategies to identify, understand, and overcome it. The workshops also help develop the skills and practices to recruit, hire, and maintain a diverse workforce.
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ThinkDIFFERENTLY Moves Forward
Ulster County is creating a new program called ThinkDIFFERENTLY to promote understanding, acceptance, and support for individuals with disabilities, and to encourage the community and local businesses to make facilities and services more accessible. Chief Diversity Officer Esi Lewis is overseeing the new program, which begins with an inventory of programs and services and the development of a web page to provide the community with a comprehensive, one-stop list of available resources.
Legislators Gina Hansut and Megan Sperry sponsored the resolution creating the program, which was passed by the Legislature in November and is modeled on a similar program in Dutchess County.
Expanding Pre-Vocational Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities
County Executive Metzger and County Clerk Nina Postupack are working together with ARC Mid-Hudson to provide pre-vocational opportunities to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the County Clerk's Office. ARC Mid-Hudson, which seeks to "empower people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities to achieve and experience the highest quality of life," will provide supervised support to individuals who will assist the Clerk's Office with records digitization. ARC Mid-Hudson partnered successfully with SUNY Ulster on a similar project, and the County Executive looks forward to identifying additional opportunities in other County departments.
Central Hudson's Proposed Rate Increase to Be Litigated in Public View
In a rare move, the NYS Public Service Commission (PSC) will pursue a litigated track in Central Hudson's rate case rather than allowing Central Hudson to negotiate a settlement on a new rate plan behind closed doors with the Department of Public Service and other parties.
In a letter to the PSC, County Executive Metzger urged the move to provide a fairer and more transparent decision-making process and called for a rejection of Central Hudson's request for a double-digit rate hike. The Commission set an evidentiary hearing for Wednesday, January 24 at 10:00 am, which can be viewed on the Department of Public Service website at dps.ny.gov.
Read the full story and the letter here.
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Kwanzaa Celebrations Across Ulster County
Ulster County communities celebrated Kwanzaa the week of December 26, with a number of events around the County. Pictured here are celebrations hosted by the AJ Williams-Myers African Roots Library in Kingston and the Dr. Margaret Wade-Lewis Black History Cultural Center at the Redeemer Lutheran Church in New Paltz.
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Lower Esopus Stream Management Plan Draft Open for Public Comment (Until Jan. 15)
A draft of the Stream Management Plan for the Lower Esopus Creek has been published, thanks to recent community participation at our public workshop. The draft plan is guided by a vision for a clean and vibrant creek to safely enjoy, and it contains specific projects and plans to prevent flooding, improve water quality, protect biodiversity, and enhance recreational enjoyment.
Please take some time to review the draft and share your thoughts with us! Public comment will remain open until January 15.
Employment Services at the Restorative Justice Center
Take our community survey to help the County Office of Employment and Training plan a calendar of events and workshops for the Restorative Justice and Community Empowerment Center in 2024.
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5th Annual Ulster County Human Trafficking Informational Forum
In recognition of January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month, County Executive Jen Metzger and the Interagency Council on Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking invite you to attend the 5th Annual Ulster County Human Trafficking Informational Forum on January 10. The program will be virtual, open to the public, and free of charge.
📅 Wednesday, January 10
🕕 10 AM - 12 PM
📍 Virtual*
This year’s event will feature the survivor story of Jasmine Grace, who will share her lived experience of sex trafficking and addiction to illustrate the intersectionality of human trafficking with domestic violence and other forms of abuse.
*Registration is required to attend. If you have any questions, please contact Beth LaValle at blav@co.ulster.ny.us or (845) 334-5221.
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National Day of Racial Healing
On January 16, Ulster County will celebrate the National Day of Racial Healing. Please join us at the Restorative Justice Center at 733 Broadway from 4-7 PM to learn about the National Day of Racial Healing and related services provided by the County.
📅 Tuesday, January 16
🕕 4 - 7 PM
📍 Restorative Justice Center, 733 Broadway, Kingston, NY
The Chief Diversity Officer, Human Rights Department, Department of Mental Health, and Ulster County YWCA will be on-site. At 5:30 PM, a Restorative Justice Circle will be facilitated by Family of Woodstock.
For questions and RSVP, contact Kim Mapes at (845) 802-7966 or Kmap@co.ulster.ny.us.
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Weekly Events & Activities at the Trudy Resnick Farber Building
Great news! There are now weekly events and activities being held for seniors, youth, and veterans at the Trudy Resnick Farber Building in Ellenville from Monday through Friday.
Having Trouble Paying for Prescriptions?
Finances can be tight following the holiday season, which can make it even more difficult to pay for prescriptions. If you can’t afford your medications, talk to your doctor about cheaper alternatives, ask your pharmacist about generic options, and look into federal, state, or drug industry programs for assistance.
Many pharmaceutical companies have Patient Assistance Programs, and you can get information about a number of the larger programs at GoodRx, or by searching "Patient Assistance Program" online with the name of the manufacturer of your medication. State and federal resources include the Medicare Pharmaceutical Assistance Program Directory (you can search by medication) and NYS Rx Assistance Programs.
This information is being provided for the benefit of Ulster Residents, these programs are not operated or controlled by the County of Ulster.
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Job Openings in Ulster County
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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