Michael P. Hein (born July 20, 1965) is an American politician who served as the 1st County Executive of Ulster County, serving until February 10, 2019 after having first been elected on November 4, 2008. Prior to the creation of this position, the 2008 ratification by referendum of the Ulster County Charter, he was the Ulster County Administrator. Early life, education and career Hein was reared by his parents on their farm in Esopus, New York and attended school in New Paltz. In 1987, he received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a special emphasis in Management from Eckerd College. Political career Hein became the deputy treasurer of Ulster County in 2003, and was appointed as county administrator in 2006. The duties of that position have since been shifted to the purview of the county executive, a position which came into being in 2006 due to the passage of the first county charter. Hein was elected to the position and assumed office in January 2009. Hein cut spending by $6 million, through attrition and privatization, and provided a 0% tax increase for 2011 He has also promoted tourism initiatives in the county. Clash with New York City officials In the fall of 2010, the New York City Department of Environment Protection began releasing turbid water from the Ashokan Reservoir via a waste channel which feeds into Ulster County's Esopus Creek. The Esopus Creek became contaminated with turbid water causing major problems to local farmers and residents as well as potentially damaging the aquatic ecosystem. This action by the agency which oversees the watershed feeding New York City's drinking water drew the attention of environmental groups and Ulster County residents, as well as that of County Executive Hein and many other local leaders. On Tuesday January 12, 2010, after 97 days of contaminated releases into the Esopus Creek, County Executive Hein announced Ulster County's intentions to file a lawsuit against New York City DEP. After enlisting the help of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Attorney General's office, Hein brought an end to these releases and forced New York City DEP to pay for an independent damage assessment in order to evaluate the impact of their actions. Catskill Mountain Railroad In October 2013, Hein included in his budget an amount totaling $642,000 that was to be earned by taking up tracks in