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Ulster County Legislature approves contracts and bond package; Axon contract draws caution from lawmaker
Summary
The Legislature approved multiple county contracts and five bond resolutions Dec. 16, 2025. Legislator Hewitt voiced long-running concern about large vendors but voted for an Axon body-camera contract; public commenters urged procurement reform and divestment.
The Ulster County Legislature on Dec. 16 approved a slate of contracts and five bond resolutions to fund transit shelters and Department of Public Works projects, while one lawmaker warned about reliance on large vendors.
Legislator Hewitt said he has been "a long-term no on Axon resolutions for a variety of reasons" but voted in favor of Resolution 591, a $216,688.80 contract shown in the record as entered into with Axon Enterprise Inc. for the office of the public defender. "I'm a yes because I support the technology and our law enforcement's ability to use body cameras," Hewitt said, adding broader concerns about market concentration and large corporate influence on public contracting.
The contract passed on the floor 17-1, with Legislator McCollum recorded as the lone no vote. The meeting record also shows Resolution 592, a $460,742.40 contract listed in the transcript as entered into by the county with "Exxon Enterprise Inc." for the District Attorney; that item likewise passed 17-1 with McCollum opposed. Multiple bond resolutions (605, 627, 630, 632, 634) authorizing capital expenditures for UCAT bus shelters and several DPW programs were adopted by unanimous voice votes, recorded 18-0.
Why it matters: The votes move forward capital improvements — including a $500,000 authorization for UCAT bus shelters — and operational contracts the county will implement in 2026. At the same time, public commenters and at least one legislator signaled a desire to review procurement approaches to avoid vendor concentration and consider longer-term divestment strategies.
Details and context: Hewitt framed his yes vote on Resolution 591 as a qualified approval: he supports the operational benefits of body-camera systems but said the county should be mindful of working with very large firms. Public commenter Alexander Wojcik later urged the county to consider divestment from companies like Axon, linking corporate mergers to broader political concerns; Wojcik also referenced a recent corporate deal and urged a multi-year strategy on procurement.
What happened next: The bond measures passed unanimously and will allow the county to move forward with purchasing and installing UCAT shelters and funding several DPW capital needs. The contracts will be executed by the relevant county offices as authorized by the adopted resolutions. The transcript shows no further on-the-record direction to pause contract execution pending a procurement review.
Ending: The Legislature completed its scheduled business and set its 2026 organizational meeting for Jan. 6, 2026; members adjourned after year-end remarks from Chair Criswell.
