Year in Review: 2022

Posted December 29, 2022

 

KINGSTON, N.Y. - 2022 was an eventful year in Ulster County. In the past year, County government has made progress on key initiatives and remained steadfast in our commitment to serve the residents of Ulster County.  In 2022, we continued into our third year of managing the impacts of the COVID-19 virus as the pandemic turned endemic.  We turned over ownership of the former IBM property in the Town of Ulster, and welcomed the cannabis industry to the region with the groundbreaking of Cresco Labs in Ellenville. We demolished our former county jail to make way for affordable housing, triggered an investigation by the state into Central Hudson’s billing practices, and commemorated Juneteenth as a County holiday for the first time. We coordinated with federal and state agencies in response to three major climate-related weather events: an ice storm, a tornado and a wildfire. We bid farewell to our second county executive, and we will welcome our first elected female county executive on January 1st, 2023. Here are some of the highlights from the year:

7000+ TONS of asbestos-containing debris at iPark 87 (aka Tech City) removed by National Resources with support from Ulster County and EPA

50,000 SQUARE FOOT renovation of a building to house medical cannabis operations in Ellenville/Wawarsing begun by Cresco Labs, a project that is expected to create 50 jobs.

  •  Plans for Phase 2 of the project, a $200 million investment to build 380,000 square feet and create 375 full-time jobs were approved by the local planning board in 2022

4300 PUBLIC COMMENTS submitted on the State’s special investigation into Central Hudson’s billing practices, triggered by former Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan

$1 MILLION provided in direct financial assistance to 34 small businesses through the Ulster County Cares program. Businesses assisted by the program included sectors such as childcare, food and beverage, retail, human services, transportation and the arts. As a direct result of the funding, at least 25 jobs were created or retained in Ulster County.

  • 32% of businesses identified as minority-owned
  • 50% of businesses identified as women-owned
  • 56% of businesses identified as LMI owners (low-to-moderate income) and 44% have LMI employees

$28 MILLION in federal COVID relief funds allocated by the Ulster County Legislature in partnership with the County Executive’s Office, supporting projects including:

  • 18 Ulster County initiatives
  • 50 nonprofits awarded with $1.5 million for direct support for vulnerable populations
  • $4.6 Million to support 12 municipal infrastructure projects 
  • $2 Million to purchase building for the establishment of a Crisis Stabilization Center
  • $700,000 to purchase the former Elizabeth Manor to create a County-owned emergency shelter
  • $1 Million to assist small businesses recover from the pandemic. 
  • $2 Million to invest in our main streets and anchor businesses. 
  • $2 Million to partner with our municipalities and invest in parks throughout the County. 

10,000 COVID VACCINES administered by our Department of Health.

3,292 NARCAN KITS distributed through HEALing Communities Initiative

190 INCIDENTS of Naloxone administration by EMS 

1070.18 SQUARE MILES covered by Mobile County Government, delivering direct access to critical government services.

3 ELECTRIC BUSES added to the County’s fleet and on the road. 

100% FARE FREE RIDES for ALL riders using UCAT. 

50 BUSINESSES added to UGREEN (Ulster County Green Economy Network) since launching in mid-2022

3 HISTORIC CELEBRATIONS of Black history: 

  • 1st time the County Office Building was lit up in honor of Black History Month
  • 1st official celebration of Juneteenth by Ulster County
  • Establishment of Sojourner Truth Day

1 VISITING HARRIET TUBMAN SCULPTURE exhibited as part of a national tour at the Ulster County Office Building.

2 SCHOLARSHIPS awarded to local youth, to cover two years of college at SUNY Ulster, through our Vax-to-School program

243,000 VOTES in a viral online poll for the winning “I Voted” sticker designed by Ulster County youth, Hudson Rowan.

44% of all VISITATION to the Catskills was within Ulster County.

20 ARTIST SUBMISSIONS to the COVID Commemoration Commission.

2 NEW TASK FORCES convened to improve public safety: the EMS Task Force and the Task Force for Preventing and Responding to Domestic Terrorism.

4+ WARMING CENTERS activated and administered by staff, volunteers, community organizations and first responders after a record ice storm caused 67,000 power outages throughout Ulster County.

8 DAYS of wildfire at Napanoch Point in Minnewaska State Park successfully contained by more than 200 Ulster County fire fighters, DEC forest rangers, Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, and firefighters from Quebec.

57.3 ACRES approved for purchase in the Town of New Paltz to site a Government Operations Center and Emergency Management facility.

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