Board of Directors, Meetings & Minutes

Board Meetings

The Agency’s Board Meetings are open to the public. Regular Board Meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of the month at 6:00 pm. This is subject to change by the Board. Meetings are usually held at the Main Office at 999 Flatbush Rd, Kingston, NY 12401. Please see below for the next scheduled meeting.

UCRRA’s Videoconferencing Rules Pursuant to Public Officers Law Section 103-a

Next Meeting:

November 21, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting

November 21 @ 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm

A Zero Waste Committee Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 21, 2024, at 5:00 PM. *For more information please click on the event title.*

Board Meeting Archive:

Click here to view past Board Meeting events.

Board of Directors

The purpose of the Board of Directors is to advise, govern, oversee policies and direction, and assist with the leadership of the Agency to support its mission. UCRRA’s Board is comprised of community leaders from various backgrounds who have been appointed by the Ulster County Legislature. Each member serves a three-year term and continues to hold office until a successor is appointed.

Regis Obijiski

Chair and Treasurer
robi@ucrra.org

Term: January 30, 2024-December 31, 2026

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Regis Obijiski has lived in Ulster County for 37 years. He is retired. His career in human services included: executive director of a regional agency serving people with developmental disabilities, workforce transformation director for a NYS government, teacher, franciscan catholic priest, counselor, and frontline supervisor with at-risk adolescents in NYC. Volunteer activities include several board officer positions; research, team-writing, public speaking for several workforce credentials and organization culture development; executive coaching and board development for nonprofit corporations; mentoring; municipal committees; chairing county reapportionment commission; non-partisan citizen advocacy in government.

James Gordon

Vice-Chair
jgor@ucrra.org

Term: February 9, 2022 – December 31, 2024

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James Gordon spent two decades covering solid waste and other environmental and public health issues in New York State and the Hudson Valley for an array of local and state media outlets. He returned to college and received his MA in Gerontology in 2014. He is also a Hospice volunteer.

He is married and lives in Ulster County with his wife.

Andrew Ghiorse

Board Member
aghi@ucrra.org

Term: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2025

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Andrew Ghiorse has lived in Ulster County for 40 years with his wife and two children. He has a degree in Liberal Arts from Fairleigh Dickinson University in NJ and B.A. in Political Science from SUNY New Paltz.

Mr. Ghiorse served as the Recycling Coordinator for the Town of Shawangunk from 1988-1991, was on the UCRRA Board from 1999-2003, and was employed at UCRRA as the Recycling/Compliance Officer from 2004-2005.

Mr. Ghiorse has been retired since 2014.

David Gilmour

Board Member
dgil@ucrra.org

Term: August 15, 2023-December 31, 2024

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Mr. Gilmour has worked in the field of planning, environmental health, and engineering for coming on 35 years. David is a 20-year resident of New Paltz.

Donna Egan

Board Member
dega@ucrra.org

Term: January 1, 2023, – December 31, 2025

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Donna Egan, MS, CSP, CHMM, CSHM, is a lifelong resident of Ulster County. Professionally, Ms. Egan has 33 years of experience managing environmental/health/safety programs in both the private and public sectors.

Karen Veronica Sheard (DeFio), Esq.

Board Secretary & Agency Counsel

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Karen Veronica Sheard (DeFio) serves as Agency Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Directors. Ms. Sheard joined the UCRRA team with 25 years of legal experience (combination of private practice and in-house counsel). She graduated from Kingston High School in 1990 and SUNY New Paltz in 1994 (BA, Political Science). Ms. Sheard worked for the New York State Senate as a Legislative Assistant and Committee Clerk before attending Albany Law School. She graduated from law school in 1998 and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1999. Ms. Sheard is admitted to U.S. District and U.S. Bankruptcy Courts in the Northern, Southern and Western Districts of New York. She is also admitted to the United States Supreme Court.

Past Minutes & Recordings

2024

January 19, 2024-Special Meeting-meeting CANCELED due to no quorum
January 22, 2024-Special Meeting-there was no recording of this meeting:
January 25, 2024-Annual Organizational Meeting recording:
January 25, 2024-Regular Board Meeting recording:
January 29, 2024-Special Board Meeting recording:
February 13, 2024-Governance Committee Meeting-meeting CANCELED due to weather
February 29, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting recording:
February 29, 2024-Regular Board Meeting recording:
March 11, 2024-Governance Committee Meeting recording:
March 18, 2024-Governance Committee Meeting recording:
March 18, 2024-Finance Committee Meeting recording:
March 21, 2024-Audit Committee Meeting recording:
March 28, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting recording:
March 28, 2024-Regular Board Meeting recording:
April 15, 2024-Finance Committee Meeting recording:
April 25, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting recording:
April 25, 2024-Regular Board Meeting recording:
May 7, 2024-Governance Committee Meeting recording:
May 23, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting recording:
May 23, 2024-Regular Board Meeting Meeting recording:
June 3, 2024-Special Meeting recording:
June 17, 2024-Finance Committee Meeting-CANCELED due to no quorum
June 27, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting recording:
June 27, 2024-Regular Board Meeting recording:
July 22, 2024-Finance Committee Meeting recording:
July 25, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting recording:

Video

July 25, 2024-Regular Board Meeting recording:

August 12, 2024-Fiance Committee Meeting recording:
August 19, 2024-Finance Committee Meeting recording:
August 22, 2024-Budget Workshop recording:
August 22, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting recording:
August 22, 2024-Regular Board Meeting recording:
September 26, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting–CANCELED per Chair Egan
September 26, 2024-Public Hearing recording Part 1 & Part 2:
September 26, 2024-Regular Board Meeting recording:
October 10, 2024-Finance Committee Meeting recording:
October 24, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting–CANCELLED per Chair Egan
October 24, 2024-Regular Board Meeting recording:
November 21, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting recording-
November 21, 2024-Regular Board Meeting recording:
November 21, 2024-Special Meeting to discuss Capital Plan recording:
December 19, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting recording:
December 19, 2024-Regular Board Meeting recording:

2023

January 26, 2023-Annual Organizational Meeting:
January 26, 2023-Regular Board Meeting:

Recording of both Annual Organizational Meeting & Regular Board Meeting

February 6, 2023 Recording of the Audit Committee Meeting recording:
February 23, 2023, Recording-Regular Board Meeting:
March 23, 2023, Recording-Audit Committee Meeting:
March 23, 2023, Recording-Regular Board Meeting:
April 27, 2023 Recording-Regular Board Meeting:
April 27, 2023, Recording of the votes coming out of Executive Session & Adjournment of Regular Board Meeting
May 2, 2023 Special Meeting:
May 10, 2023 Special Meeting:
May 25, 2023, Recording of Regular Board Meeting:
June 22, 2023, Recording of Regular Board Meeting: CANCELED
July 27, 2023, Recording of Regular Board Meeting:
August 22, 2023, Recording of Regular Board Meeting:
September 21, 2023, Recording of Public Hearing:
September 21, 2023, Recording of the Special Meeting:
September 28, 2023, Recording of Regular Board Meeting:
October 10, 2023, Recording of Finance Committee Meeting:
October 30, 2023, Recording of Regular Board Meeting:
November 1, 2023, Recording of Audit Committee Meeting:
November 14, 2023, Recording of Governance Committee Meeting:
November 30, 2023 Governance Committee Meeting: CANCELLED
November 30, 2023, Recording of Regular Board Meeting:
December 28, 2023, Recording of Regular Board Meeting:

2022

January 24, 2022-Annual Organizational Meeting:
January 24, 2022-Regular Board Meeting:

January 24, 2022 Recording of the Annual Org. Meeting (10:25-22:08) and Regular Bd. Meeting (28:30-1:06:43; executive session breakout 1:06:44-2:31:00; end of meeting 2:31:00-2:34:49)

February 28, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting (Recording is only the first 1/2 of the meeting):
March 24, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting:
March 29, 2022 Recording of the Audit Committee Meeting:
April 12, 2022 Recording of the Special Board Meeting:
April 28, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting:
May 26, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting:
June 16, 2022 Recording of the Zero Waste Committee Meeting:
June 23, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting:
July 28, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting:
August 19, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting:
August 25, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting:
September 8, 2022 Recording of the Special Board Meeting/Budget Workshop:
September 22, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting:
October 13, 2022 Recording of the Public Hearing:
October 27, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting:

Recording from WastAway’s Presentation

November 17, 2022 Recording of the Governance Committee Meeting:
November 17, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting:
December 14, 2022 Recording of the Regular Board Meeting:

2021

January 25, 2021 – Annual Organizational Meeting: | video
January 25, 2021 – Regular Board Meeting: | video
February 22, 2021 – Regular Board Meeting: | video
March 15, 2021 – Special Board Meeting: | audio
March 29, 2021 – Regular Board Meeting: | video
April 26, 2021 – Regular Board Meeting: | audio
May 10, 2021 – Zero Waste Committee Meeting: | audio
May 24, 2021 – Regular Board Meeting: | video
June 14, 2021 – Governance Committee Meeting: | audio
June 28, 2021 – Regular Board Meeting: | video
July 20, 2021 – Governance Committee Meeting: | audio
July 26, 2021 -Regular Board Meeting: | audio
August 23, 2o21 – Regular Board Meeting: | audio
October 4, 2021 – Public Hearing RE: 2021 Budget & Regular Board Meeting: Public Hearing / Regular Board Meeting pdf| audio
October 25, 2021 – Regular Board Meeting: | audio
November 22, 2021 – Regular Board Meeting: | audio
December 3, 2021 – Audit Committee Meeting: | audio
December 6, 2021 – Governance Committee Meeting: | audio
December 27, 2021-Regular Board Meeting: /video

2020

January 27, 2020 – Annual Organizational Meeting: | audio
January 27, 2020 – Regular Board Meeting: | audio
February 24, 2020 – Annual Organizational Meeting: | audio
February 24, 2020 – Regular Board Meeting: | audio
April 27, 2020 – Regular Board Meeting: | video
June 2, 2020 – Regular Board Meeting: | audio
June 29, 2020 – Regular Board Meeting: | video
July 28, 2020 – Regular Board Meeting: | audio
August 18, 2020 – Zero Waste Committee Meeting: | audio
August 24, 2020 – Regular Board Meeting: | audio
August 31, 2020 – Special Board Meeting: | audio
September 10, 2020 – Special Board Meeting: | video
October 5, 2020 – Public Hearing RE: 2021 Draft Budget: | audio
October 5, 2020 – Regular Board Meeting: | audio
October 26, 2020 – Regular Board Meeting: | audio
November 30, 2020 – Regular Board Meeting: | video
December 30, 2020 – Regular Board Meeting: | video

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

Board of Directors, Meetings & Minutes

Board Meetings

November 21, 2024-Zero Waste Committee Meeting

November 21 @ 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Board of Directors

Regis Obijiski

Read Bio

James Gordon

Read Bio

Andrew Ghiorse

Read Bio

David Gilmour

Read Bio

Donna Egan

Read Bio

Karen Veronica Sheard (DeFio), Esq.

Read Bio

Past Minutes & Recordings

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

HOURS

HOURS