KINGSTON – Before he attended West Point, Pat Ryan graduated from Kingston High School, and today he is one of the youngest county executives in New York State.
Late Thursday morning, lunch time for some high school students, Ryan gave his first State of the County address, and he did so in the Kingston High School auditorium, a room he knew as a student there two decades ago, to many students now a generation behind him
And his address was primarily focused on their needs and whether or if they will be able to live in the county or region during their prime working years.
“I think investing in the next generation not only benefits them, but also benefits every single person in the county,” said Ryan. “If we were going to build on the momentum we have, it will be powered by the next generation.”
With the help of $249,700 grant from the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), the county will help county residents with tuition assistance at SUNY Ulster training for green and renewable energy jobs.
Ryan has created new youth volunteer programs that help them engage with the public through helping the senior citizens, consideration of the fire service with the Ulster County Explorer program, and the Ulster County Youth Corps program that helps match Ulster County nonprofits with the needs and wants of youth volunteers.
Ryan also proposed an ambitious 1,000 Jobs in the 1,000 Day plan that helps young people and transiting adults find employment in the arts or green, agricultural or tech sectors.
“I specifically wanted to set both number of new careers we want to launch and the timeline,” he said “so we can hold ourselves accountable to that.”
Ryan is hopeful to try and lift the economic spirits in the Ellenville/Warwasing area, and he praised the Ellenville school district for helping the community there.
“Ellenville is key,” he said. “I think their school district is really picking up.”
Ryan said he’s confident about the proposals he forwarded in his address and that there will be follow-ups to ensure goals are met.
“Some of these are long term investments. I think that’s critical as government leaders we just don’t think year by year, fours by four years, but we lay out 20-year, generation-focused plans that will bear fruit down the road,” he said. “We will follow up on resourcing these to make sure they are a success.”
