ELLENVILLE – Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger announced several new initiatives she plans to undertake as she delivered her first state of the county address to an audience in Ellenville Wednesday evening.
The Democratic former state senator said she chose Ellenville because, while it is socio-economically depressed, it is on the upswing.
Metzger outlined the areas her administration will tackle in the months ahead.
“Housing that people can afford, opportunities for a green economy, leading with fairness, tackling mental health and addiction challenges, supporting local businesses, and reaching underserved areas of the county,” she said.
Metzger said the county’s fund balance of $84 million with $20 million more in sales tax than anticipated, places Ulster in “a very strong fiscal position.”
(video: Mid-Hudson News Network)
Among her newly introduced initiatives are:
- Creating a county housing trust
- Creating a county land bank
- Creating a green economy workforce center
- Creating a carpenters’ apprenticeship program for former jail inmates and parolees
- Mental health in schools program
- An opioids street outreach program
- Instituting a second round of small business grants
- Expanding tourism promotion
- Developing a craft cannabis industry
- Serving the entire county with broadband access
- Creating a new emergency medical services division
