KINGSTON – The honeymoon between Ulster County Executive Patrick Ryan and the county legislature may be over.
He is calling on lawmakers to approve his 2020 county budget as he proposed it. His comments are responding to a series of proposals by “a faction” of the legislature seeking to “strip critical funding and services meant to protect the environment, support economic development efforts, and promote diversity in the county workforce,” according to a statement from Ryan’s office.
The county executive said his budget was shaped by “extensive public input” including town hall meetings in every community in the county.
“It’s crystal clear that these proposals are out of step and out of touch with the values, needs, and concerns of our residents,” Ryan said.
He said he learned from those sessions that residents “want us to protect our environment, they want smart and proven economic development strategies, and they want a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community they are tasked to serve.”
His budget has the support of Kingston City Mayor Steven Noble.
One proposed amendment would remove the chief diversity officer from the budget. Tyrone Wilson, founder and executive director of Harambee, supports the new post. “As someone who works every day to promote and celebrate our heritage, I believe that we need a county government that reflects our diverse cultures,” he said. “Without a position dedicated to recruiting people who have been historically underrepresented in our workforce, we will not see this type of change.”
