Reapportionment panel works to f ill remaining seats

KINGSTON, N.Y. » The four already appointed members of the Ulster County Commission on Reapportionment appear to be well on their way to selecting the three additional members to round out what is required by the county charter to be a seven-member board that will redraw legislative district lines.

During a closed-door meeting Tuesday, the four members were able to winnow down the list of 65 potential other members, provided by County Executive Pat Ryan, to roughly 20 candidates, according to Senior Legislative Aide Fawn Tantillo.

Commission members were expected to meet again Wednesday, and Thursday if necessary, in order to meet the Jan. 15 deadline set in the charter for the commission to be constituted.

The commission is charged with using 2020 U.S. Census data to redraw the county’s legislative district lines to reflect population shifts within the county.

Under the charter, Republicans and Democrats each appoint two members to the commission, and those four members choose three additional members.

County Legislature Majority Leader Jonathan Heppner appointed Andy Monk of Kingston and Scott Minkoff of New Paltz. Minority Leader Ken Ronk appointed Sarah Destefano of Boiceville and Travis Rask of Kingston.

Those four must choose three others from the pool of potential candidates provided by Ryan. Under the charter, commission members must unanimously select three additional members who must represent the geographic and demographic diversity of the county.

Once the commission is fully appointed, Ryan must convene a meeting of the body to give the commission its charge.

The commission must adopt a final redistricting plan for the Ulster County Legislature no later than July 20, 2022. The new legislative districts will be in place for the November 2023 election.