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Residents oppose Basin Road bridge plan; Axon contracts draw a lone No vote
Summary
Public commenters told the Ulster County Legislature they oppose the proposed Basin Road bridge/CMRR work and objected to two contracts with Axon Enterprise. Resolution No. 569 (BESS opposition) was defeated in committee and several bridge/CMRR resolutions were withdrawn by sponsors.
Public comment at the Dec. 16 Ulster County Legislature meeting recorded opposition to the Basin Road bridge/County‑maintained rail right‑of‑way (CMRR) work and objections to two contracts with Axon Enterprise.
During the general public comment period, Larry Roth, Matthew Lundy and Harrison Baldof were recorded as speaking in opposition to Resolution No. 451 (the Basin Road bridge/CMRR item). The minutes also record that multiple citizen emails were received opposing Resolution No. 451. The agenda list shows Resolution No. 451 was later withdrawn by its sponsor, as recorded in the meeting minutes.
Alexandria Wojcik spoke during public comment opposing Resolutions Nos. 591 and 592, which authorize contracts with Axon Enterprise for the Office of the Public Defender and the District Attorney. Both Axon contracts were approved by the Legislature; the minutes record a single No vote by Legislator McCollough on each contract (votes recorded as 17 Ayes, 1 No). The minutes do not include verbatim remarks from the public commenters or detailed debate explaining the No vote.
Separately, Resolution No. 569 (opposing construction and operation of a battery energy storage system proposed by Terra‑Gen on the former John A. Coleman Catholic High School property) is recorded as having been defeated in committee prior to the full meeting.
The minutes reflect these public objections in the record but show that the contested resolutions/contracts were handled differently: some items were withdrawn by sponsors or defeated in committee, while the Axon contracts were adopted despite public objection.
Next steps: The minutes do not record formal follow‑up responses from the Legislature to the public commenters; the record notes the withdrawal of certain resolutions and the passage of the Axon contracts. Further county proceedings (appeals, committee follow‑up or contract implementation) would be the next venue for interested residents to pursue concerns.
