FERNDALE — Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Luis Alvarez urged collaboration via his 2017 State of the County speech on Thursday.

“Decades of stagnation, of spinning our wheels, of only hope, are finally giving way to real opportunity and prosperity,” he remarked inside the CVI Building's auditorium in Ferndale. “It is time we walk together to capitalize on these upcoming opportunities and to forge a better quality of life - a better future - for our citizens and the future generations that will call Sullivan County home.”

Alvarez highlighted the cooperation of his colleagues as an example.

“There are some ‘hot' moments in there,” he acknowledged of meetings involving the nine legislators. “We speak our piece, but we get things done ... and who benefits? The people of Sullivan County.”

Specific accomplishments he mentioned included:

• The ongoing rise in sales, mortgage and room tax revenues that have enabled the county to expand programs and add staff

• A 60 percent uptick between 2013 and 2016 in monies recovered from social services cases involving fraud

• Hosting the governor at last summer's Catskills Challenge

• The construction of the new county jail in Monticello

• An increase in felony convictions through the District Attorney's Office

• The proper vetting of pistol permit applicants, even though applications have spiked by 700 percent

• The Sullivan County Child Care Council will soon provide on-site infant care, thanks to a $250,000 grant

Specific initiatives included:

• Calling for legislators and labor leaders to hammer out fair, equitable pay increases for county employees

• Bringing a local business-minded visitors center to Exit 106 on Route 17, the entrance to the Montreign Casino and Adelaar Resort

• Using the Healthy Sullivan program to improve residents' health, raising the tobacco purchasing age to 21, and creating a Workplace Wellness Committee that will make healthy food available to all county employees

• Tackling the opioid abuse epidemic with more treatment, Drug Court diversion efforts, education and take-back receptacles for unwanted prescriptions

• Investing more in highway infrastructure, including support for the plan to triple-lane Route 17 from Harriman up to Monticello

• Cleaning up blighted properties through the just-formed Sullivan County Land Bank Corporation

• Spending more time and money on turning portions of the former New York, Ontario & Western Railway grade into a rail trail connected across the county

• Moving the Sullivan County Veterans Service Agency to more spacious quarters in the Government Center

Noting he's the first Hispanic-American Legislature chairman in New York State, Alvarez insisted the diversity of the county can be a key strength.

“The County Legislature joins me in seeking to walk together with our white neighbors, black neighbors, Latino neighbors, Asian neighbors, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, straight, gay and all other diversities of neighbors to continue to create a prosperous, caring community which is based upon tolerance and mutual respect,” he stated.

To that end, he encouraged constituents to come to meetings.

“We're there!” Alvarez emphasized. “Come, tell me what's on your mind. Share with us!”