Molinaro Presents
2018 State of the County Address
Poughkeepsie… Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro presented his 2018 State of the County Address this evening at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park to residents, business and nonprofit leaders, as well as local and state officials. With the County’s fiscal condition secure, including four consecutive years of property tax levy reductions and a commitment to continued property tax relief, the County Executive’s annual message focused on the County’s efforts to provide opportunities to unite as one community with a shared sense of purpose to improve and build a better tomorrow.
“The State of Dutchess County is not the time I have spent speaking with you,” County Executive Molinaro told the nearly 600 people in attendance. “The state of our county is you – it’s us. It is our dreams and labors, the steps we take, decisions we make, problems we solve and challenges we overcome, together.”
Among the initiatives highlighted in County Executive Molinaro’s State of the County Address:
- Continued “ThinkDIFFERENTLY” initiatives including the launch of a new website offering simple navigation through the comprehensive array of services available – connecting families to resources, events, information and each other.
- Parks Master Plan survey, to help create a roadmap for ensuring a balance of recreational facilities, amenities and programs throughout the County, now and into the future, with a special emphasis on creating universal access at all County park facilities, buildings, playgrounds and trails.
- “Breaking Through” to address the opioid epidemic with services and support including: increasing the availability of Recovery Coaches – individuals who have turned the demons of addiction into the purpose of personal growth and societal change by helping others walk the long road to recovery; expanding Medication Assisted Treatment options at the Stabilization Center and working with primary care providers throughout the County; and bringing the BEAT model, which pairs police officers trained in crisis intervention with mental health professionals to proactively engage those in need of support and divert them from the criminal justice system, into other jurisdictions
- Addressing behavioral health needs, including expanding and improving the Behavioral Health Campus at 230 North Road; and continuation of Second Step school education program, which focuses on teaching empathy and communication skills, bullying prevention, problem-solving and substance abuse prevention and is in conjunction with the Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officers and the Department of Behavioral and Community Health.
- “Dutchess Reads,” an initiative focusing on early reading, literacy for those seeking jobs, and English as a Second Language in partnership with local libraries and literacy advocates aims to bring literacy programs proven successful in various parts of the County to other, underserved communities and support programs offered countywide.
- Improving facilities to meet the needs of Dutchess County seniors, including announcing the location for the new Office for the Aging Senior Center on Route 9 in the City of Poughkeepsie, the relocated Northern Dutchess Senior Center at the Red Hook Community Center, and expanding the hours of several Friendship Centers around the County to five days per week.
The County Executive highlighted the work of the Th!nk Dutchess Alliance for Business, supporting more than $2.8 billion in major investments for projects under construction or planning stages throughout Dutchess County, in every sector from data to healthcare, tourism to agriculture.
County Executive Molinaro also focused on acknowledging the more than 16,000 veterans living in Dutchess County by proclaiming 2018 the ‘Year of the Veteran,’ the ongoing work of the Commission on Human Rights, and the continuation of the Path to Promise initiative which continues into its second phase this year with the assessment of youth services throughout Dutchess County and the creation of an innovative action plan to ensure every child has equal access to assets that will lead to his or her success.
“We are the heirs to this county’s rich history; stewards of its land and resources; caretakers of its monuments and achievements; we are its hope for a prosperous future; and we are the State of our County – may we find purpose in its making,” concluded County Executive Molinaro.
County Executive Molinaro’s full 2018 State of the County Address is available online at www.dutchessny.gov. Residents will have the opportunity to participate in conversations about the 2018 State of the County at several town hall forums over the next several weeks:
- New Hamburg Fire Station, 15 Channingville Road, New Hamburg on March 15th at 6pm
- Roosevelt Fire Station No. 3, 830 Violet Avenue, Hyde Park on March 22nd at 6pm
- Washington Town Hall, 10 Reservoir Road, Millbrook on March 28th at 6pm