Ulster County panel approves 60‑day extension for UCRRA contract, adds temporary $10 million bonding option for reuse center

The Ulster County Legislature’s Ways and Means Committee on March 13 approved a 60‑day extension of the county’s contract with the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency and added a temporary, single‑purpose increase in bonding authority to allow up to $10 million for purchase of a reuse innovation center.

Supporters said the short extension is intended to give negotiators time to finish a new, long‑term contract and to allow the agency to bid on or purchase a facility the agency has been pursuing. “They want to be able to extend the contract long enough to get the new contract done, and they want to, in that same time period, be able to possibly make a bid or make an offer on the reuse innovation center,” said Legislator Nolan Collins during committee discussion.

The change amends the existing contract only for the specified 60‑day period and for one specific use; in all other respects the contract remains in effect, committee members were told. A committee speaker identified as the UCRRA director said the current contract dates to 1992 and was amended in 2015 to add a $500,000 bonding cap; prior to 2015 the agency had significantly larger bonding authority tied to earlier county bonds. “The actual contract goes back to 1992,” the director said. “It was amended back in 2015 to add the $500,000 cap.”

Several legislators opposed the measure on institutional‑process grounds, saying the county legislature historically has overseen and appointed the agency’s board and should have greater involvement in negotiating a new contract. One legislator said negotiations were taking place primarily through the county attorney and executive offices with little direct legislative input. “It just seems to me … it’s bizarre to me that the policy‑making body isn't involved in this contract, which is more policy than day‑to‑day operations,” the legislator said.

Other members said the extension and the single‑purpose bonding increase are narrowly tailored, temporary and appropriate to allow the agency to complete a time‑sensitive purchase. “That exemption goes away after 2 months, and that exemption can only be used for 1 thing. It's not a blanket increase in the bonding authority,” one sponsor said.

After debate the committee voted to approve the extension and the temporary bonding change; the chair announced the vote included three opposing votes. The committee record marks the action as an extension of the existing contract for 60 days with a one‑time, one‑purpose bonding authorization of up to $10 million for the reuse innovation center; no other changes to the contract were made by the committee at that time.

The committee discussion also included a description of the negotiation history: a multi‑month legislative committee previously reviewed the contract and prepared a report and priorities that committee members said should inform a proposed new agreement. Several legislators asked for clearer, earlier legislative involvement in final negotiations on the new contract.

The committee did not take a separate vote on a new, long‑term contract; members were told that any final new contract would be brought back for legislative approval.