To the Editorial Team: How many women must die before Ulster County moves forward with the life-saving domestic violence protocols contained in Resolution 347, passed unanimously by the Ulster County Legislature on August 18?

This effective system, used in many counties in New York State, was brought to the attention of the county administration by the Ulster County Democratic Women, Ulster’s oldest women’s political club, which worked with the Highland, Lloyd and Marlborough County Legislator Dominick Marino to develop Resolution 347. New York State also has similar pending legislation.

Since March 2026 there have been three deaths attributed to domestic violence and one involving the sexual assault of a neighbor, according to local media reports: Nicole Perez, 29 (Ellenville), Elena Bonjolo, 88 (Saugerties) who was first raped, Melinda “Mindy” Brugger, 54 (Plattekill), and Brianna Wittl, 33 (Esopus).

And yet Ulster County’s female executive has announced no new public plan, budget, or timeline to prevent future tragedies although she did announce a policy for her own county employees in April.

Ulster County has no coordinated domestic violence policy, no support to train all law enforcement in how to respond to a “domestic,” no capacity to assist victims and no follow-through on state and federal grants that could pay for an effective program. Some of our Hudson Valley neighbors have raked in as much as $10 million to deal with the issue.

Family of Woodstock could have brought this program to the county but has failed to do so. Here’s how this failure manifests: In most towns, cops have no proper tools or training to make a judgment about whether a life is at risk when there is a domestic violence complaint.

Under the current system, a woman who is — heaven forbid — sexually violated must travel over an hour to Westchester Medical Center for a forensic examination required by law for evidence to prosecute her rapist.

So, on the worst day of her life, a woman living in Ulster County cannot get help near her home because there is no forensic unit and nurse in residence at any hospital in Ulster County.

As past president of the UCDW, and a 20-year resident of New Paltz, this initiative began on my watch. My UCDW successor, Lyndsey Wells, has presented it to relevant branches of County government. Only the Legislature has acted.

The County Executive’s Office has given no meaningful response to the Democratic Women’s initiative although a new non-profit has secured experienced, expert professionals to help raise funds for a hospital unit with a forensic nurse, and provide expensive grant writing to bring in millions to pay for community services. They also stand ready to provide expert guidance to the county to get the program up and running — at no cost.

It is highly unusual for a political club to create a non-profit to deal with a social issue. But this crisis demands that citizens act when government does not.

The current Ulster County Legislature took a significant first step. Bravo. Now county government must move quickly and effectively to make the critically needed changes.

I also call on state legislature representatives Sarahana Shrestha and Michelle Hinchey to work with the new non-profit initiative and help bring New York State leverage to improve the lives of women and families at risk in Ulster County.

The UCDW independently knocked doors and wrote postcards to get this generation of women elected, which was our longtime mission. We mobilized to help them.

What stings is the betrayal when elected women do not bring effective change to government that improves the safety and security of all women in the community.

Jane Freiman Schanberg

New Paltz