Marbletown Supervisor Rich Parete will helm the county Department of Public Works and step down from his town post. County Executive Jen Metzger announced Parete’s appointment to the commissioner post on Friday.

“Rich brings exactly the kind of leadership experience and skillset needed for this position,” Metzger said in a press release. “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.”

DPW is one of county government’s largest departments, with 203 full‑time employees, a $41.2 million adopted operating budget and 10 substations that maintain county infrastructure including roads, bridges and public facilities. He will succeed Brendan Masterson, who was suspended without pay on Sept. 17 and fired eight days later.

"I am honored to be appointed commissioner of public works for Ulster County, and I want to thank County Executive Jen Metzger for her confidence and trust in me,” Parete stated. “I look forward to working with the county executive, the county legislature and the dedicated Public Works team to continue improving our roads, bridges and public facilities while serving the people of Ulster County."

Parete, a former county legislator who served eight terms in the earlier part of the millennium, has been town supervisor in Marbletown since 2018. According to Metzger’s release, he “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.”

Parete starts work on Nov. 18. When he will formally resign the supervisor post was not stated. Metzger’s release lauded his administration: “Since 2018, Parete 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 New York City Watershed.”

Parete’s confirmation vote before the county legislature for full commissioner is scheduled for December. Praise from legislature Chair Peter Criswell (D-Kingston) was also included in the release. “[Parete] knows how DPW works from the inside out, and he knows how to build strong working relationships with everyone from frontline staff to the legislature to the executive's office,” Criswell stated. “He's an excellent choice, and the legislature looks forward to working with him."