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Government is up and mobile again in Ulster County, after a program that brings services to residents went on hiatus due to the pandemic.

It was a normal Thursday at the Town of New Paltz Community Center. Senior citizens gather weekly for lunch, but this week, it was transformed into a one-stop shop for residents looking to connect with Ulster County government services.

"Mobile county government is us making sure that people don’t have to come to us. We wanna come to you," said Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan.

Ulster County's Mobile County Government program brings county services like the Office of the Aging, Veterans Services, the DMV and the Office of Employment and Training to all corners of the county, which is about the size of the state of Rhode island.

In April, it visited Milton; earlier this month, they were in Shandaken; and Thursday, they were in New Paltz.

Sharon Williams was there to represent the county’s Office of Employment and Training. Residents can come to her if they need a job, and she’ll connect them with local employers who are hiring.

"They're so grateful that we are coming to them, and I think it's important that government meet the constituents where they are," said Williams, the office's director.

For many residents like Kathy Rivera of New Paltz, finding transportation to Kingston, where county offices are located, can be difficult.

"I do not drive a car, so I always depend on somebody else. I have taken buses to Kingston or Poughkeepsie, but I think it’s a good idea about bringing information to where seniors meet," said Rivera.

She came to the center for the weekly senior lunch, but left with a whole lot more after stopping by the table for the Office of the Aging. It connects residents 60 and over with everything from home-delivered meals to housing and rides to the grocery store.

Mike Jerkowski of the county’s Veterans Services Agency said with so many remote areas in Ulster County​, having the government come to where veterans live is vital.

"It's huge because we're located in Kingston, and, yea, that is where a lot of veterans live, of course. Obviously, it’s a big county. There's veterans all over, so some of them might not know that we exist," said Jerkowski, a veterans service officer.

A veteran himself, he knows how important it is for veterans to connect with services in their community. Through the mobile county government, he’s able to bring those services to them.

"You're not alone. I know it can feel that way sometimes. I felt that way. All of us have in one way or another. Just call us anytime you're in need," Jerkowski said.