By Mark Reynolds
Taylor Bruck is seeking the Democratic Nomination for the position of Ulster County Clerk and is hoping to win a 4 year term in the fall elections. Since August of 2024 Bruck has been serving as the Acting County Clerk upon the retirement of long-time clerk Nina Postupak.
In his bio Bruck states that before college he became interested in county government because his mother worked at the Senate House State Historic Site in Kingston. He said during this time he became fascinated with historical documents, in records and record-keeping.
After taking the Civil Service test and scoring well, he was hired by Postupak in October 2016, starting out as the County Archivist. Later he moved up to Deputy County Clerk for Records Management in December 2022.
“I was fortunate to learn from my mentor, Nina Postupack. She taught me what it truly means to be a public servant – to listen, to meet people where they are and to put the needs of the community first. I will always be grateful to her and the trust she placed in me,” he said.
Bruck said old records are interesting because they tell important stories that need to be preserved.
“I really have a passion for local history specifically, but old records in general, and here at the clerk’s office we have some of the oldest records in the state dating back to 1658,” he said. “Without them you don’t have a clear sense of how we got to where we are today. I think they are very, very important and I think they need to be utilized, protected and stored correctly.”
Bruck went to the Business School at SUNY New Paltz, earning a degree in Finance and Marketing.
Bruck finds working in the Clerk’s office very fulfilling.
“Now I get to manage all of the old and contemporary records, all of the deeds and mortgages and maps,” he said. “We’re constantly trying to show folks that these documents provide a wealth of stories and narratives that we just love to share.”
Bruck describes the County Clerk’s office, “as the interface between the public and the government and trying to make the government work better and easier for everybody. It’s a great challenge but a fun kind of puzzle to solve.”
Bruck highlighted his goals if elected: to create a government for working families by extending DMV hours of operation; Supporting the Green Light Law with forms printed in multiple languages and hiring a bilingual staff at the DMV.
Bruck wants to launch a digitization initiative to make the Clerk’s records available on-line; Implementing advanced technology for efficient records management, prioritizing the digitization of the most requested records and ensuring seamless online access. He also wants to enhance DMV Services and the Recording and Filing processes with state-of-the-art, user-friendly systems designed to reduce wait times and paperwork.
Bruck promises to promote a more inclusive historical narrative by highlighting the stories of marginalized communities through archival records; collaborating with Homeland Security to offer specialized programming that assists local migrants on their path to naturalization and establishing a hub for community engagement to deepen residents’ connection to Ulster County’s history and encourage active participation in preserving and celebrating local heritage at the Persen House Museum.
Bruck concluded by saying, “It has been a great honor to serve as Acting-Ulster County Clerk. I hope that I have shown you my deep commitment to this office, public service, and that I have earned your support.”
Ulster County Democratic Chair Barbara Graves-Poller has called a meeting of the Ulster County Democratic Committee to endorse candidates for public office. It is scheduled for 1pm on Sunday, February 16 in the Council Chambers on the 2nd floor at the Kingston City Hall, 420 Broadway, Kingston. Snow Date is Saturday February 22 at 1pm at the same location.
The Committee will endorse candidates for a number of County positions; Clerk, Comptroller, Family Court Judge, County Legislator, Judicial Delegates/Alternatives for the Third Judicial District and for a Committee to Fill Vacancies.