Ulster County Appoints Rick Parete
New Public Works Commissioner
KINGSTON, NY—Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger announced on Oct. 23 the appointment of Rich Parete as Commissioner of the Ulster County Department of Public Works.
Mr. Parete, who has served for nine years as Supervisor of the Town of Marbletown, will step down from that position to assume the position of Acting Commissioner on Nov. 18, pending legislative approval. The confirmation vote for full commissioner is scheduled for December, consistent with legislative rules requiring executive appointments to “age” for 30 days.
Mr. Parete has decades of leadership, management, and operational experience in both public and private sectors. He served eight terms in the Ulster County Legislature beginning in 2002, where he led investigations into irregularities related to the construction of the Ulster County Jail and championed transparency and efficiency in County projects. During his tenure, he chaired multiple key committees, including Energy and Environment; Audit; Laws and Rules; Law Enforcement and Public Safety; and Labor Relations and Negotiation.
Since 2018, he has served as Marbletown Town Supervisor, providing fiscal and managerial leadership of day-to-day operations, overseeing a $4.9-million municipal budget, and collaborating closely with elected officials, staff, and community members to expand and improve local services. He has also been a director—and now First Vice President — of the Catskill Watershed Corporation, which oversees environmental protection, economic development, and education programs throughout the West-of-Hudson NYC Watershed. He served as a field technician for Verizon Communications until his retirement in 2023.
Mr. Parete is a graduate of Rondout Valley High School and holds a Bachelor of Science in Retail Management and Marketing from Syracuse University. DPW is one of Ulster County’s largest departments, with 203 full‑time employees, a $41.2-million adopted operating budget, and 10 substations that maintain critical county infrastructure including roads, bridges and public facilities.
“Rich brings exactly the kind of leadership experience and skillset needed for this position,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “His years of fiscal and management experience as a municipal leader, deep knowledge of county government, and professional background in field operations make him an exceptional fit to manage a more than 200-strong workforce and ensure the safety and quality of our transportation infrastructure. I’m looking forward to our work together to meet the county’s critical infrastructure needs.”
Published: October 28, 2026.