Republican Kevin Byrne was sworn in as the new Putnam County executive.

Dutchess County Executive and Rep.-elect Marc Molinaro administered the ceremony at Carmel High School.

“You are exactly where you are meant to be. You possess the right intellect, the right experiences, the right passion and compassion to lead this community over the next few years,” Molinaro said to Byrne.

Byrne, a former state Assembly member, ran unopposed for county executive after incumbent MaryEllen Odell maxed out her term.

"Trust that on Jan. 1, 2023, Putnam County will have an exec that shows up ready to work,” Byrne said. “As your county executive, our mission and our goal is to deliver a responsible, affordable, accountable government that serves us all and continues to put the people of Putnam County first."

He said he is looking forward to bringing the Putnam County government and its public communications into the modern age, enhancing efficiencies and streamlining services.

Byrne said at the top of his agenda is “to open up county government and make it more transparent and accessible to the average citizen and identify cost savings to eliminate governments' need to raise property taxes."

Byrne also plans to focus on creating safe roads and bridges, a functioning 911 call center, and better services for seniors and military vets.