Ulster County amends training agreement to set term, add payment for unfilled seats

The Ulster County Ways and Means Committee on Feb. 12 amended and approved a contract with an external host to run a 15-student emergency-services training cohort.

Legislator Peters moved the amendment to set an explicit term and termination clause for the agreement: effective Jan. 1, 2026, through Aug. 31, 2027, with renewals allowed only by mutual written agreement subject to legislative approval. The amendment also adds a host responsibility provision (B8) requiring the host to pay a per-unfilled-seat amount for any fall 2026 or spring 2027 15-student cohort; the transcript records the amount as "$7,70." Deputy Executive Papuana told the committee the host representative, Sunni Copskill, had not yet signed off on final contract language in counsel but had verbally agreed to the change.

Legislator Pierce said the change aimed to limit county exposure if cohorts did not run and urged a clawback or explicit caps so the county would not pay excessively for empty seats. "My biggest concern is a $7,0007 $7,70 fee for an empty seat... I really advocated for a clawback clause," Pierce said. Papuana responded that staff had been told there is a waiting list for the program and that the amendment was intended to ensure continuity of access while preserving an opportunity for legislative review.

The committee approved the resolution as amended by voice vote. Committee staff recorded a follow-up task to secure final counsel approval from the host organization before contract execution and noted any future changes that increase the county's financial commitment would require a return to the legislature for amendment.