POUGHKEEPSIE — Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino has announced the upcoming retirement of longtime County employee Stephen “Steve” Oscarlece, the Commissioner for the Office of Central and Information Services (OCIS). Mr. Oscarlece will officially retire in December after more than 23 years of dedicated service to Dutchess County Government.
County Executive Sue Serino said, “Steve Oscarlece has been a driving force behind Dutchess County’s technological success. His leadership, strategic vision, and commitment to excellence have ensured our systems are secure, innovative, and efficient. Under his guidance, Dutchess County has earned national recognition for our technology use, and our residents, businesses, and employees have benefited from smarter services and significant taxpayer savings. We are deeply grateful for his many contributions and wish him nothing but the best in this well‑earned next chapter.”
Mr. Oscarlece joined Dutchess County Government in 2003, when he began as a Systems Analyst. He has advanced through the department serving in various roles including Project Leader and Applications Manager. In 2016, he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner before being appointed Commissioner in 2024. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, Mr. Oscarlece worked for many years in the private sector before joining Dutchess County Government, working locally for Info-Matic Inc and Richmor Aviation.
As OCIS Commissioner, Mr. Oscarlece led a department integral to the efficient operation of County government. OCIS provides centralized technology, telecommunications, purchasing, printing, mail services, contract administration, and inventory control to County departments and municipal partners.
Throughout his tenure, Mr. Oscarlece designed, developed, and implemented numerous applications that support County operations and improve service delivery. These include the County’s financial management system and consolidated public safety solutions that enhance coordination and reduce response times. Under his leadership, Dutchess County has earned repeated national top‑ten rankings for digital innovation from the Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties.
OCIS’ Geographic Information System (GIS) offerings also expanded significantly during Mr. Oscarlece’s leadership. The award‑winning Parcel Access application now provides detailed data for more than 110,000 parcels, and the newly developed Agricultural District Viewer streamlines application processes and increases transparency. Combined, the County’s GIS applications and open data portal received more than 107 million webpage hits over the past year.
Mr. Oscarlece has also been a champion for cybersecurity and responsible use of emerging technologies. In collaboration with Marist University, he helped lead Dutchess County’s annual Technology Summit, equipping local governments and organizations with the latest insights on cyber threats and artificial intelligence. His work includes supporting the County’s pilot of AI-powered call assistance tool, EVA, a tool that helps staff process SNAP applications more efficiently. He also serves on County Executive Serino’s AI Task Force, which has developed comprehensive guidelines for ethical, transparent, and secure AI use.
His leadership strengthened the County’s resilience through robust disaster recovery plans, enhanced security assessments, advanced threat detection, and improved network redundancy, to ensure County government operations can continue in an emergency and to prevent cyber fraud.
Additionally, both OCIS divisions work closely with local agencies and municipalities to provide shared service opportunities including bulk office supply purchasing, shared contracts for copiers, purchasing and contract administration, surplus furniture and equipment sharing. OCIS supports eight local websites including the Town of Wappinger, Arlington Fire District and the City of Beacon. These shared service initiatives help reduce costs for local municipalities and save taxpayer dollars.
Mr. Oscarlece said, “I’m grateful for County Executive Serino’s confidence in me; it has been an honor to lead such an accomplished team at OCIS. Their innovation and dedication have driven major advancements for Dutchess County, and I know they will continue building on that success and delivering exceptional service to our community.”
Mr. Oscarlece, who resides in the Town of Poughkeepsie with his wife, Gail, plans to enjoy time with family and friends. He also looks forward to continuing community service in his hometown through involvement local town government.
Recruitment for OCIS Commissioner is currently underway with the full job description and online application available at dutchessny.gov/jobs.
