FIRST, SIGN OUR PETITION
Let Republicans Richard A. Parete and Legislators Fabiano and Ronk know in advance
that you do not support a ban on memorializing resolutions.
SIGN our Petition
WHAT
Ulster County Legislature Meeting
WHERE
Legislature Chambers, 6th Floor, Ulster County Office Building, 244 Fair Street, Kingston, NY 12401.
VIEW our event on Facebook
WHEN
Sign-up to speak and secure a seat at the council meeting 6:45pm
Wednesday, February 15th, 2017
7:00pm
WHY
Lend your voice to STOP the Ulster County Legislature from banning memorializing resolutions
County Legislature Chairman Ken Ronk, R-Wallkill, said he has agreed to co-sponsor a resolution (#32 of 2017) introduced by Legislator Richard Parete to change the body’s rules by banning any resolution in which legislators aren’t taking action on issues directly under their control. Parete has repeatedly referred to these as a “waste of time.”
Such a ban is rare in legislative bodies. Memorializing resolutions state a legislative body’s position on an issue that may be outside its purview without taking direct action. However, they represent a significant opportunity for regional leadership and intergovernmental relationships.
In the past few years, the Ulster County Legislature has passed three memorializing resolutions on the proposed Pilgrim Pipeline and one on the proposed anchorages of crude oil on the Hudson River. In the last year, the legislature has been unanimous in its support of these statements, which add to the voice of an entire region that stands against these potentially hazardous projects.
Citing the recent use of memorializing resolutions as a “mockery” by the democrats, Chairman Ronk pointed to Legislator Jonathan Heppner’s (D-Woodstock) resolution opposing the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as having not being relevant to county business. With approximately 20,000 residents now relying on the ACA for their healthcare coverage and the potential loss of $3 million in federal Medicaid funding, this is certainly the business of Ulster County.
Furthermore, do we want to lose the ability to take a stand on things that could severely impact our environment, such as pipelines and anchorages, without adding to the voices in the region who oppose them?
This event will be filmed and brought to you by KingstonCitizens.org thanks to Clark Richters and Kingston News
SUGGESTED MESSAGE
Click on the image at the top of this page, print and bring with you to hold up during testimony.
As always, we encourage citizens to compose their own personal testimony. Please keep it to three minutes or less, and consider including the following language:
“I support Ulster County’s voice by opposing Resolution No. 32 (February 15, 2017) “Amending The Rules of Order To Prohibit Memorializing Resolutions”.
For more background, please VIEW
Resolution Language supported by presented by Richard A. Parete and Legislators Fabiano and Ronk
Can’t be in attendance? Make your voice heard.
SIGN OUR PETITION
How do I sign up to get a seat on the 15th? Sorry, don’t know how to do this. Thank you.
Hi Catherine! We recommend arriving a little early (6:45pm) to get a seat and to sign up to speak of you decide you want to do so. I can’t say what the turnout will be like, but you could certainly make it 6:30pm to be sure. We’ll see you there! Thanks for your support.