POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino has selected Jennifer Cocozza to serve as Dutchess County Commissioner of Planning & Development. Cocozza has over three decades of experience in land use planning, public administration, and community development, including serving as Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Planning & Development since 2014.
The Commissioner of Planning & Development helps guide policy development and manage operations across community, transportation, municipal government, and special programs planning. The role includes advising the County and the County’s Planning Board on key planning issues; coordinating interagency efforts at county and regional levels; meeting with public officials, developers, and investors; and managing critical departmental functions.
On selecting Cocozza, Serino said: “Jennifer’s deep experience and long-standing commitment to our county make her an outstanding choice to continue leading the team at Planning. Over the years, she has modernized our systems and helped strengthen the partnerships that help our communities thrive. Her leadership, creativity, and steady hand make her the ideal person to serve as Commissioner, and we will all benefit from her dedication and collaborative spirit.”
Cocozza replaces Eoin Wrafter, who served as Commissioner of Planning & Development for 12 years before being named Serino’s Senior Assistant County Executive. “I have had the pleasure of serving alongside Jennifer for more than a decade, and there is no one more qualified to lead the department than she is. Her institutional knowledge of local planning, development, and transportation issues and solutions is unparalleled, as is her desire to help every municipality in Dutchess County thrive.”
Cocozza began her career with Dutchess County Government in 1996 as an intern, working with New York State Department of Transportation officials to develop the Local Highway Inventory. In 1998, she joined the Department full-time as a Junior Planner, then advancing to Planner, Senior Planner, and Senior Transportation Planner before being named Deputy Commissioner.
In her role as Deputy, she has overseen complex daily operations across multiple divisions of the department. Her leadership has helped shape annual programs, guided two major organizational reviews and ensured efficient, transparent administration of a $12 million annual budget. Ms. Cocozza’s tenure is marked by achievements that have modernized county planning functions and improved municipal coordination, including launching the county’s Referrals and Major Projects (RAMP) electronic portal to streamline municipalities’ required planning and zoning application submissions and negotiating intermunicipal agreements that eliminated unnecessary referrals, according to county officials.
As Commissioner, Cocozza oversees the Department of Planning & Development and its mission to help maintain and enhance the County’s quality of life. The Department is responsible for countywide planning, planning assistance to local governments, and comprehensive mapping and geographic information systems (GIS) data. The Department of Planning & Development also provides administrative oversight and support to the Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC), Solid Waste Management, and the Traffic Safety and STOP-DWI programs, as well as several community agencies that provide a wide range of programs for the County’s residents, businesses, and visitors.
Ms. Cocozza said, “I’m grateful to County Executive Sue Serino for the opportunity to continue serving Dutchess County. Our team has accomplished an incredible amount together, and I’m excited to help guide our efforts forward with the same commitment to collaboration, innovation, and community that has shaped my career so far.”
The Dutchess County Legislature unanimously confirmed Ms. Cocozza as Commissioner at its September board meeting last week.
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