Ways and Means postpones SUNY Ulster budget vote after dispute over historical personnel figures

Chair Chris Kriswell and committee members debated Resolution 300, the county’s contribution to SUNY Ulster’s 2026–27 operating budget, before deciding to postpone final action until next month.

Legislator Lisa Gman, the amendment sponsor, told the committee she and county staff had worked with the college to craft amended whereas language intended to add transparency without changing the college’s maintenance‑of‑effort contribution, which Gman said remains $7.6 million. Gman said the amendment would keep tuition flat for students and require quarterly and annual financial reports to the county.

The postponement stemmed from a disputed historical ‘‘out‑of‑budget’’ personnel number. Gman said the county executive’s team and the college disagree about whether personnel costs exceeded approved budgets by a specific dollar amount in recent years; the county executive cited a figure of about $433,000 in past over‑expenditures while the college disputed that calculation and said vacancy savings and other measures made their budgets effectively neutral.

‘‘I’ve spent hours looking at both of the numbers that both parties have provided and unfortunately it’s not clear,’’ Gman said. She urged the college and the county executive to meet and reconcile their accounting so the committee can return with language both sides accept.

Several members urged caution about inserting contested figures into whereas clauses. Legislator Nolan asked whether the committee could pass the resolved funding and leave the disputed whereas language for later; Gman and others said sponsors could reject such amendments and that attempting to force the matter would likely fail or create more delay.

A number of colleagues said they supported funding the college and did not want to deny SUNY Ulster the maintenance‑of‑effort payment, but they also emphasized the importance of accuracy in published legislative language. Legislator Kovac noted procedural rules that allow a committee to pass an amended resolution in the sponsor’s absence, but that the sponsor can subsequently accept or reject the amendment.

The committee voted to postpone the resolution to the July meeting so the county executive, her deputies and the college’s president and board of trustees can attempt to reconcile the disagreement. The postponement preserves the committee’s ability to deliver the college’s funding once the discrepancy is settled.

Next steps: the sponsor asked that county and college staff meet as soon as possible to either agree on a reconciled number or agree to omit the disputed dollar amount from the whereas clauses so the funding resolve can proceed.