Patricia Doxsey is reporting for the Daily Freeman Kingston resident and business owner Patrice Courtney Strong has declared her candidacy for Ulster County executive. Strong is the latest Democrat and the first woman to aspire to the post being vacated by Democrat Michael Hein. She is an environmental consultant and the owner of Courtney Strong Inc. In the early 1990s, she worked as a district coordinator for state Assemblymember Kevin Cahill. Strong made the official announcement Jan. 13, during an event at Artbar Gallery in Midtown Kingston. She intends to seek both the Democratic and Working Families lines on the ballot in the upcoming special election. Strong, who lost her bid for the 43rd state Senate seat to Republican George Amedore in November, and fellow Democrat Pat Ryan of Gardiner, are currently the only declared candidates for county executive. Ulster County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach, also a Democrat, and former county Legislature Chairman Ken Ronk, a Republican, have said they are considering a run. Kingston Mayor Steve Noble and Kerhonkson resident Gareth Rhodes, both Democrats, considered getting into the race but have since said they will not. Hein has been named by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to be the next commissioner of the state Office of Temporary and Disability Services. His appointment could be confirmed as early as this week. Once Hein leaves his job as county executive, a special election to replace him must be held within 90 days. The job will once again be on the ballot in November, because 2019 is a county executive election year. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.