No, UCRRA is not a County Department. The UCRRA is a solid waste authority public benefit corporation. Public authorities are corporate instruments of the State created by the State Legislature to further public interests. These entities develop, operate and maintain some of New York ‘s most critical infrastructure including roads, bridges and schools. Public authorities have various levels of autonomy from the State based on the powers, as well as constraints, built into their legislative mandate. Some public authorities are completely self-supporting and operate entirely outside the public budget process. UCRRA is financially self-sustaining and is not funded by any tax payer dollars.
Unlike traditional State agencies, many authorities conduct business outside of the typical oversight and accountability requirements for operations including, but not limited to, employment practices, contracts and procurement procedures, and financial reporting. Each public authority is governed by a board of directors appointed by elected officials for varying terms of office. The Ulster County Legislature approves appointments of the UCRRA Board of Directors.