KINGSTON – Ulster County Executive Patrick Ryan has vetoed a county legislature resolution adopted by one vote on November 19 that would have prevented appointees of countywide elected officials from holding office in local municipalities.
He maintained the lawmakers approved the measure as a “political vendetta” against one specific individual “rather than good public policy.”
New Paltz Town Councilman Daniel Torrez is also an appointee of Ryan in the county executive’s office and adoption of the law “looks like it’s engaged in the petty politics of personal vendetta rather than good government,” said County Legislator Lynn Eckert. She said the “deciding vote on this piece of legislation was cast by someone who was in a position to retaliate against this individual in county government. That employee had been instrumental in bringing to light sexual harassment allegations against this particular legislator.” That lawmaker is Hector Rodriguez, who Eckert said under the circumstances “should have recused himself from the vote.”
