There shall be a County Historian, who shall be appointed by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature.  He shall be directly responsible to, and serve at the pleasure of, the County Executive.  He shall have all the powers and perform all the duties now or hereafter conferred or imposed upon him by law, and perform such other and related duties required by the County Executive or County Legislature.

This is the first update of the Dutchess County Charter and Code in over twenty years.

This volume accurately represents the text of the Charter and Code as originally enacted and from time to time amended.  Since there were several versions of these laws in circulation, the first priority was to determine the correct text as set by the Dutchess County Legislature.  I think we have accomplished this.  There are sections that will require Legislative action to more accurately reference State Agencies as they are presently named and to bring the text into conformance with what actually exists.  This involves very little in the way of substantive change and my office will be preparing proposed amendments in the form of local laws to be submitted to the Legislature for action.

This update was long overdue, but were it not for the dedicated efforts of certain people, would never have been accomplished.  My thanks to County Esecutive William R. Steinhuas and his staff for their support and assistance in this effort.  My thanks also to Legislative Clerk, Patricia Hohmann and her staff for providing the resource materials that made this all possible.  My special thanks to Senior Assistant County Attorney Carol A. Bogle for her tireless efforts in tracing all the local law enactments from the beginning to present to insure the accuracy of the text.  My thanks also to my secretary Catherine Avallone, who assisted with the preparation of the final document.

November 6, 2000
Ian G. MacDonald
County Attorney