Ulster County News

FROM: ULSTER COUNTY PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

DATE: October 15, 2004 

At the October 14, 2004 Session of the Ulster County Legislature, legislators passed a resolution enacting the large parcel law. "By passing this resolution the county was able to put equity into the tax levy throughout Ulster County," stated Richard A. Gerentine, Chairman of the Ulster County Legislature. A 2002 change in New York tax code allows for large industrial or commercial properties that make up more than 5 percent of a town’s total assessment, or are valued at more than $5 million, to be separated from the municipality. The towns of Hurley, Olive and Wawarsing meet the criteria for designated properties which may be subject to this tax code for the purposes of levying taxes.

In other legislative business, legislators passed a resolution authorizing the issuance of $634,500 in serial bonds to pay for the acquisition of the Ellenville Hospital. The hospital will be operated by the Kingston Hospital Health Care Corp. The Ellenville Hospital will lease the facility from the county, with lease payments coming from the county’s $600,000 loan. "We are saving a medical facility that if it would have closed, it never would have opened again as a medical facility." stated Chairman Gerentine.

Chairman Gerentine called upon Legislator Robert Aiello, Chairman of the Personnel/Human Services Committee, to present Certificates of Recognition to Legislators McAfee, Noonan, Dart and Donaldson in recognition and appreciation of ten years of service as dedicated public officials for Ulster County.

Chairman Gerentine then called upon Legislator Alice Tipp, Chairman of the General Services/Community Services Committee, to present to Victoria Langling, Project Chair of "Donations of Dignity," Stacy Kraft, Assistant Public Health Coordinator, Doug Rockwell, Corps Sergeant Major of the Salvation Army, Nora Snyder, Rosendale Food Pantry, and Lou Vogel, Atonement Food Pantry, a Proclamation designating "Make a Difference Days" in Ulster County.

The next meeting of the Ulster County Legislature will be held on Wednesday, November 10, 2004, 7:00 P.M. in the Legislative Chambers, Sixth Floor, Ulster County Office Building, 244 Fair Street, Kingston, New York.