By a 13-10 vote, the Ulster County Legislature has approved the appointment of former legislator Eve Walter, an epidemiologist, as county health director following a lengthy, often tense discussion. All eight Republican legislators voted against Walter’s appointment during the October 15 meeting, joined by two Democrats, Joe Donaldson of Kingston and Joe Maloney of Saugerties.
Maloney accused fellow Democrats of being part of a cabal in service to the county executive and the Democratic Party.
“And now here we are — big surprise — slapping all of our constituents right in the face like we always do — and we don’t care,” Maloney said. “All these people are gone, the people in my caucus that used to stand up and do something against the executive that had any backbone whatsoever. They’re gone and we got a club up here, the Democratic Club, and it’s a good club. We get together off-site all the time, secret little meetings at coffee shops.”
Other Democrats bristled at Maloney’s accusations, saying that Walter was the best candidate for the job even if she wasn’t a medical doctor as previous county health directors had been.
“Many doctors go through their training and really have almost no exposure to public health,” said legislator Kathy Nolan. “If we want as a county to have a specialized person who is going to give us the expertise we need, if we needed a surgeon, we would get a surgeon. To deal with public-health issues, you can either have a physician who has done all that extra work and has some experience — which is wonderful if you can get that. Or you could have a master’s level or even a Ph.D.-level person with a specialty in public health. That is exactly what this candidate, Eve Walter, brings to this position, a doctoral level of specialization in public health plus vast experience.”
In a press release, the county executive agreed. “Eve Walter is the perfect choice as our new director of public health, and I am happy to welcome her to this important position,” wrote Jen Metzger. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in public health, as well as an unwavering commitment to the health and wellness of our communities across Ulster County.”
Walter’s resume
Walter holds a doctorate in epidemiology and has 25 years of public-health experience. She is the director of research and evaluation at AllianceChicago and an associate professor of research at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine. During her career, Walter has worked with the Centers for Disease Control, the National Association of Community Health Centers, the National Institute of Health, and academic and community partners. She has also consulted for the state Office of Addiction Services and written over 30 academic papers.
Walter is also a former Democratic legislator who left nearly a year and a half ago due to increased job responsibilities.
As required by state law, Walter’s appointment to the position was approved by state health commissioner Dr. James V. McDonald.
Opponents felt the role should be served by a physician.
“I think the county health commissioner should have to be a medical doctor,” said Republican Herb Litts. The appointment was a symbolic move away from professionals in professional roles countywide, he said. “There’s a reason teachers are licensed, hairdressers are licensed, and electricians are licensed.”
In March of this year, Metzger had announced the retirement of health commissioner Carol Smith after nearly two consecutive six-year terms as health commissioner. On September 13, Metzger had appointed Walter as Smith’s replacement, pending confirmation by the legislature.
The political picture
For the GOP caucus, the issue goes back further. In May 2023, Metzger and former legislature chair Tracey Bartels, citing difficulties in finding doctors who would take on the role of health commissioner, had sought the removal of the licensed-physician provision from the county charter. That removal was approved by the legislature in May of this year.
Though supporting Walter’s appointment, Democrat Eric Stewart said he’d spoken to another candidate who felt it had been a fait accompli. “Decades ago, before we changed to our current form of government, Ulster County had a terrible reputation for corruption, with county government seen as serving as an employment agency for friends and relatives of those in power,” Stewart said. “Thankfully, the county has cleaned up its act, and that reputation no longer holds. But this decision by the [county] executive feeds into all those negative stereotypes.”
Deputy minority leader Craig Lopez said he had initially planned to support Walter’s appointment, but as the discussion continued began to question whether the Democrats would have supported a Republican candidate they felt had been fast-tracked for a position.
“This doesn’t really pass the smell test for me,” Lopez said. “I was contacted by a number of constituents — probably more than I have in quite some time — that it’s these types of predetermined deals that turn them off to government, and they really hold politicians in very low regard.”
Following Smith’s resignation, Lopez continued, “there were a handful of us that knew exactly what direction this was going in. And for those who deny that are either not in the know of what’s going on or being willful will fully ignorant to the process.”
Lopez put in a good word for Joe Maloney. “People often dismiss my colleague, legislator Maloney, as a conspiracy theorist when it comes to exactly what has transpired here,” he said. “But what’s going on, this type of cronyism is actually happening in real time under our noses. And there is it’s unfortunate that we have a number of colleagues who choose to turn their cheeks.”
Walter will earn $137,000 a year as health director, compared to Smith’s annual salary of $183,511. As Walter is not a doctor, the county will hire a consulting physician when necessary, such as during the administration of immunizations. That estimated cost is $45,000 per year.
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