POUGHKEEPSIE – The Dutchess County Legislature has re-elected Gregg Pulver as their chairman for 2021 and he is already looking to modernize the lawmaking body.
The Republican legislator noted voters last fall approved a referendum creating an independent reapportionment commission and said incumbents should not influence the drawing of the new district map.
“Reapportionment, term limits and ethics reforms mean that we operate under the trifecta of good government, and further restructuring of the legislature may be up for discussion this year as downsizing and other changes would provide a more streamlined and efficient government for the people,” he told his colleagues in his acceptance speech.
This is Pulver’s fourth term as head of the legislature. The 25 legislators elect a chairman in January of each year.
Pulver, who represents Pine Plains, Stanford, North East, and Milan, is a farmer by trade and works in his hometown of Pine Plains. He was first elected to the legislature in 2014.
Referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said their job as legislators “has certainly evolved the past year as we became grocery shoppers for the elderly, public health advocates as we aided constituents and businesses and even drive-by graduation and birthday coordinators to brighten spirits. We have the strength to continue on, and we must.”
The Democrats did not present a nominee of their own for the position, although a few voiced their opposition to Pulver. Randall Johnson, a Democrat representing the City of Poughkeepsie was the only member of the minority to vote in favor of Pulver’s re-election.
