The first-term Republican spoke from Red Hook High School amid a backdrop of student performances. Serino says there are a lot of projects left over from the past two administrations — William O’Neil and Marc Molinaro, who now represents New York’s 19th Congressional District — and she’s still deciding which are ready to move forward.
To that end, Serino says her administration created an Office of Community Engagement to collect residents’ thoughts and concerns. Her office also plans to host traveling office hours and roundtables in municipalities across the county.
“Because when government is accessible, people are more eager to share their issues and keep you informed of the challenges that they’re facing," she adds.
As to her priorities, Serino took time to highlight affordability, public safety, homelessness, mental health, food security, and youth programming.
Serino says fundraising is still underway for a new Youth Opportunity Union building in Poughkeepsie, which is estimated to cost roughly $70 million. The county is hiring a grant writer to help all of its departments apply for state, federal, and nonprofit funds — but in the meantime, Serino encourages programs to collaborate “without walls.” She also says the county is launching an internship program to get high school and college students involved in local government, and Dutchess Community College is considering adding a new “auto maintenance” track to its Mechatronics Lab in Fishkill.
All three, she hopes, will help Dutchess youth get a leg up and, hopefully, stay local when they settle down.
“When I think about our children and our grandchildren...my goal is to make Dutchess County a place where they want and can afford to live – not one they want to leave," says Serino.
Fishkill has caught the eye of a few major businesses in recent years. The California-based semiconductor designer Advanced Micro Devices set up shop in the town last year. Serino says chip manufacturer Onsemi is currently applying for federal CHIPS & Science Act funds to expand its operations, and automaker Stellantis is in the process of building a half-million-square-foot logistics center in East Fishkill.
On public safety, Serino announced the expansion of Poughkeepsie’s Youth Police Initiative, a week-long program aimed at rebuilding trust between young people and law enforcement. Serino says the program will come to the Dover School District in May, and potentially the town of Poughkeepsie this fall.
“This has been one of my favorite programs," notes Serino. "And having attended many graduation ceremonies, I know it’s a program that works. Over 70 students have completed the week-long session, and their voices are being represented."
Serino especially touted the county’s partnership with Hudson River Housing, which plans to open a new transitional housing facility for young adults in Poughkeepsie this spring. “Pat’s Place” is expected to house 12 people between the ages of 18 and 25 who are at risk of homelessness.
As state lawmakers grapple with how to address the state’s housing crisis in the next state budget, Serino says she recently had a “productive meeting” with Governor Kathy Hochul about how to increase housing in Dutchess. Serino says she will continue to support the county’s Housing Trust Fund, which pulls from the local hotel occupancy tax to fund housing projects — but she notes any growth will require municipalities to update their sewer and water infrastructure, and that will likely require help at the state level.
"It’s not always the sexy thing to talk about, but without it, our communities can’t expand and meet the needs of our growing area," she explains.
Also in need of shoring up, according to Serino, is the county’s EMS network. She says a shortage of volunteers has led to increased ambulance response times, especially in more rural communities. Serino says her office is looking at agencies to supplement ambulance services, but as with many of the night’s topics, she plans to meet with municipalities to get their thoughts.
"By working together, I know we can do so much more," she concludes.
You can read and watch the full address here.
