ULSTER COUNTY – The Ulster County Commission on Reapportionment (COR) has completed its final draft map for public comment and consideration. There are two upcoming forums for the COR to receive public input.
The final map can be reviewed by clicking here.
The first public meeting is on Monday, May 16th at 7:00 p.m. at the Modena Firehouse, located at 1953 Route 44/55 in Modena. The second meeting is Thursday, May 19th at 7:00 p.m. at the Saugerties Senior Center, Cantine Memorial Field, 207 Market Street, in Saugerties.
Ulster County Legislator Brian Cahill, representing portions of the Towns of Ulster and Kingston, disagrees with the plan. “During the last reapportionment in 2012, I advocated having the Town of Ulster represented by a County Legislator who would be entirely within the town boundaries. The reapportionment committee did not listen and split Ulster into two districts, neither of which is entirely within the town boundaries,” Cahill said, adding “With the current plan for 2022, Ulster will once again, be denied a sole representative.”
Under the current plan, according to Cahill, “Ulster is being chopped up into pieces which dilutes the representation and makes it very difficult to have a unified voice on Town of Ulster issues.”
Town of Hurley Supervisor Melinda McKnight submitted her comments to COR regarding the final map. McKnight is not in favor of splitting municipalities up. “If some towns remain whole and others are split, it seems to me that creates an unfair situation. Perhaps all towns should be split in the County Legislature to prevent this troubling situation of taxation without representation.”
The seven members of the COR were tasked with creating a map that has 23 legislative districts, with each district containing 7,815 residents, plus or minus five percent.
The approved map is required to be submitted to the Ulster County Board of Elections no later than July 20th.
