Metzger announced the new program to kick off her speech at SUNY Ulster. The Democrat says it would apply to more than 1,400 employees — mothers and fathers — looking to take time to bond with a newborn or a newly adopted child.
"This will be our own program, better than the state's, because it pays a full salary for up to 12 weeks," she adds.
Metzger says she hopes the program will help the county better attract and retain employees, as it renegotiates contracts with its five unions. She says the county is also looking at potential wage increases, as it awaits the results of a pay study.
Multiple county legislators are already on board. Legislature Chairman Peter Criswell, a fellow a Democrat, says they still need to figure out a few details, including funding for the program, but he’s excited for it. Republican Legislator Thomas Corcoran, Jr., says it’s a “fantastic” idea.
"We’ve got great employees at the county right now," adds Corcoran. "They need to be paid, and they need to stay with us.”
Overall, Corcoran and Criswell say they were happy with Metzger’s speech, which also updated the county’s progress on multiple affordable housing projects, climate initiatives, agriculture and mental health programs. Metzger says nearly 500 units of county-supported affordable housing are in the works, with move-in dates for some projects, like Silver Gardens senior housing in Highland, planned for as early as November 1.
“We currently have about 490 individuals and families in emergency housing as I speak," Metzger adds. "While we still have much work to do, we are making real progress in creating the affordable housing we need.”
Metzger says the county’s Housing Action Fund, created in 2023, is supporting the construction of nearly 120 homes and apartments in New Paltz, Hurley, Saugerties, and Kingston. The county’s Plus One Home Program has awarded grants to more than 50 homeowners looking to build accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, in their backyards, on the condition that they keep the rent affordable.
Metzger says Marbletown is working on revising its zoning to become more ADU-friendly. Corcoran says Marlborough may be next.
“As a building inspector down in Marlborough, I’m writing that plan right now for Marlborough," he notes. "And hopefully within the next handful of months, we’ll have that offered as an amendment down here, as a resolution for the zoning codebook.”
On climate, Metzger says the county plans to install more EV charging stations, expand culverts to prevent flooding, replace at-risk bridges, and start construction on a new climate-smart emergency communications center in New Paltz, with help from a $2 million NYSERDA grant.
Metzger says they’re also making progress on electrifying public transit: the county just installed 480 solar panels on the roof of UCAT to charge electric buses.
"Last year, for the first time ever, we hit the half-million rider mark," Metzger announces. "We are thrilled that more people are riding the bus than ever, and we remain committed to keeping this service free.”
Metzger also used her speech to announce a new Revolving Loan Fund capitalized at $500,000 to support farmers in the county.
This spring, she expects to cut the ribbon on a new crisis center at the Ulster County Center for Well-Being in Kingston. The county also plans to open a new mental health clinic for children as young as 5, and it has set aside $250,000 to build recovery housing.
“Through the collective work of our Mental Health Department, the ORACLE program, and our community partners, we have seen a major reduction in the numbers of overdoses and related fatalities in the past year — by 33 percent and 45 percent, respectively," says Metzger. "That's huge."
Some county programs hinge on funding from the federal government. The Trump Administration set off panic at the local level when it suddenly announced a temporary pause on all federal grants and loans last month. The White House has said the pause was meant to review whether any of the funds conflict with President Trump’s executive orders, but it ultimately rescinded the order after several attorneys general sued. Metzger says Ulster County receives roughly $60 million in federal funding.
Criswell says he and Metzger are being cautiously optimistic as they look to the future.
“She and I have been in conversation many times about making sure we’re able to sustain all the services that we have for our residents here," says Criswell. "And if we need to think about adjustments, we’ll have to look at that. But we’re in kind of a ‘watch and wait mode’ right now.”
