New county executive in Ulster

Deputy Ulster County Executive Johanna Contreras was sworn in today as county executive, filling the seat vacated by Pat Ryan who was elected to Congress in a special election. Ryan formally submitted his resignation just before the swearing-in ceremony for Contreras at the Ulster County Office Building in Kingston.

It is expected that Ryan will be sworn in as a member of Congress next week by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Ryan defeated Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro in the special election to fill the balance of Antonio Delgado”™s term. Delgado resigned his seat in Congress to become New York”™s lieutenant governor after Kathy Hochul moved up from lieutenant governor to governor when Andrew Cuomo resigned.

In a message to Ulster County residents, Contreras said, “As county executive, I will deliver a county government that is lean, effective, smart, and fully accountable to the people. I will continue to provide a single, strong clear voice that represents your interests across all levels of government. I will continue to reach out to businesses and help them grow. I will continue to work to protect our county taxpayers, while striving to provide the exceptional level of services that our residents expect and deserve.”

In addition to service as deputy county executive, Contreras has other government experience including working at the New York City Mayor”™s Office of Management and Budget where she led the Education Task Force overseeing the budgets of the New York City Department of Education, City University of New York, and School Construction Authority.

Contreras holds a Master”™s Degree in Urban Policy Analysis from the Milano School of Policy, Management, and Environment at The New School. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Contreras lives in Kingston with her husband and two children..