KINGSTON – Taylor Bruck calls the day in August that he became Acting Ulster County Clerk bittersweet.
Bruck, only 34 years old, replaced his mentor Nina Postupack, an Ulster County legend. Less than two months later, Postupack died at the age of 67 after a two-year battle with cancer.
“It was more bitter than sweet,” Bruck, a Democrat, said. “Nina’s passing was extremely heartbreaking. We were praying for a little more time with Nina and it has been a little overwhelming. It’s an honor to follow Nina because she was an ideal public servant.”
In some counties, aspiring politicians use the County Clerk position as a springboard for other elected offices. However, like Postupack and Al Spada before her, Bruck wants to make a career out of being Ulster County’s Clerk.
Spada, Bruck’s great uncle, served as Ulster County Clerk from 1967-2006. Postupack followed Spada and her retirement ended a 45-year career in public service in Ulster County. Bruck began his Ulster County career with the Clerk’s Office in October 2016 as the County Archivist after taking a civil service test, moving up to Deputy County Clerk for Records Management in December 2022.
Postupack began preparing Bruck to succeed her and he will be up for election in November of 2025. He has already received endorsements from Congressman Pat Ryan, Senator Michelle Hinchey, and Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. Bruck is a Kingston native and his family’s roots in the City go back to the 1890s. He also serves as the City of Kingston’s Historian.
Bruck’s transition to Acting County Clerk has been seamless and he looks forward to building on Postupack’s initiatives, which included “Passport Nights” at town halls, “Mobile Government” participation with other county departments, extended hours at the DMV and presentations to educate seniors about the services available to them.
“It would mean the world to me if I could finish my career as County Clerk,” Bruck said. “I don’t have any other career ambitions and I didn’t take the job for power. The job is simple: It is to help people when they come into the DMV and the County Clerk’s Office without any of the bloated bureaucracy. That’s what I’m passionate about and I look forward to working hard and doing it for a long time.”