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May 1, 2020 - In This Issue:
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A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:
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We are keeping updated on Coronavirus and doing our best to share this information widely.
What you need to know today:
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We have 167 confirmed cases in Kingston as of today, with a total of 1,358 cases in Ulster County and 37 deaths reported. The County
now tracks recovered cases as well, which is currently 535.
- Half of Americans report that their mental health has been affected by the pandemic. NYS is offering many resources for those suffering with stress and mental health issues via a 24-hour hotline: 844-997-2121.
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Family of Woodstock, Inc.'s Child Care Connections will be administering the CARES Child Care Scholarships in Ulster County under the guidance of the NYS Office of Children and Family Services. Individuals who meet the definition of an essential employee and have child care needs must register online at www.familyofwoodstockinc.org/ccc
As always, we are asking
everyone
to abide by the guidelines of staying home if you are sick, distancing yourself from others even if you are well, and washing hands and surfaces often. For the sake of yourself and your community, stay safe and take good care.
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Mask Giveaway for Kingston Seniors
Thanks to an additional shipment of cotton face masks from Governor Cuomo and Ulster County, the City of Kingston will be giving away another 400 packs of five masks
this Saturday, May 2 from 10-11:00am to seniors ages 55+. City staff will be located In front of the Rondout Neighborhood Center at 103 Broadway near the intersection of Spring Street/Garraghan Drive.
Masks will be given to seniors in the City of Kingston in order to better serve the most vulnerable in our community. Anyone over the age of 55 can pick up a mask by walking or driving. Drivers should roll down their passenger side windows so that staff can toss the package of masks into your passenger seat to ensure no-contact delivery. Please only send one person per household to the distribution as each kit contains 5 reusable and washable cloth masks.
If there are remaining masks
after Saturday's senior giveaway, we will announce a pick up location for another distribution next week.
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Deadline Extended for Emergency CDBG Fund Applications
The City of Kingston has extended the deadline for applications for the CDBG-CV funds. The City received over $440,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding to aid in COVID-19 recovery. An FAQ has now been added to the website to aid organizations in applying.
Through the provisions of the recent Federal CARES Act, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development has allocated the City of Kingston an additional $440,426 of CDBG-CV funding to support the needs of residents during and in the wake of this pandemic. Due to the emergency nature of the current situation, the City is not required to conduct its traditional application process to allocate these funds, and instead is asking for proposals for projects, programs or services that will help our community fight this pandemic and recover quickly. In order to speed up the process of distributing funds to documented not-for-profit organizations, the City is calling for letters of intent. Letters must explain how the funds will be used in direct response to the COVID-19 health emergency and any damages, injuries or challenges caused by it. The recovery efforts proposed must take place within the municipal boundary of the City of Kingston and the beneficiaries of proposed activities must primarily be low- to moderate-income residents of the City.
Letters of intent should be submitted to the Office of Economic & Community Development Director Brenna Robinson via email to brobinson@kingston-ny.gov no later than 4:30 PM on Wednesday, May 6, 2020.
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Mayor Noble's Daily Update
Mayor Noble is live on the City of Kingston's Facebook page and at Radio Kingston each weekday at 5:00pm. Submit your questions for the Mayor on Facebook and he will try to address all related questions and concerns. Then tune in to hear the day's news and updates.
Click below to hear Thursday's update.
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American Red Cross Virtual Family Assistance Center
The American Red Cross across the regions of New York State have developed a program in response to COVID-19 to support individuals and families who have lost family members to death as a result of COVID-19. The program will link crisis counselors with families to provide emotional and spiritual support, as well as targeted short-term casework to assist with navigating through the challenging processes they might be faced with as a result of the death. This might include challenges with moving the family member's body through the hospital, nursing home, medical examiner and funeral home systems in this time when those systems may be overwhelmed and their processes may be different than they normally are. They may also include linkage to legal resources for estate, custody, immigration or other issues related to the death.
The following links to an online intake form can be submitted by a family member, a friend who thinks someone needs help, or an agency on behalf of the family. For those without access to the needed online technology, the phone number will link the caller to an intake person who will assist with the initial steps for getting assistance.
The program is expected to operate for as long as families will benefit from the service or through the month of September.
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Second Half Tax Payments are Due
A reminder that the 2020 second-half property tax payments were due Thursday, April 30.
On April 3,
Mayor Noble contacted Governor Cuomo's office
to request a property tax deadline extension without penalty until May 21, 2020.
The City received no response from the Governor's office, so unfortunately our residents will have to submit their second-half tax payments.
Taxpayers have the option to pay via electronic check (ACH) without a fee on the City's website, as well as by check payable to: City of Kingston, CPO Box 1516, Kingston, NY, 12402. Due to COVID-19 guidelines, City Hall is currently closed to the public, but payments can be put in the drop box outside. Online payments are processed at:
www.kingston-ny.gov/payments
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Mobile Testing Site Running in Midtown Kingston
The new mobile testing site in Midtown Kingston opened on Monday and has already administered 500 tests just this week.
The Midtown site is located at 27 Grand Street, and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Unlike the other mobile testing sites, no doctor's order or prescription is necessary. No health insurance is required for testing. Call 845-303-2730 to schedule an appointment.
We thank the County Executive for recognizing the need to serve our Kingston community and especially those who might have barriers to accessing healthcare.
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City of Kingston Hires Director of Housing Initiatives
The City of Kingston has hired a Director of Housing Initiatives, Michael Gilliard, who will start on Monday, May 4.
The Director of Housing Initiatives will guide the City's myriad housing efforts, research and draft policy and proposed legislation for consideration by the Common Council, and work closely with local housing organizations. The position will also serve as the Executive Director of the Kingston City Land Bank. The salary is $65,000 a year and is supported by grant funding.
The Director of Housing Initiatives was established as part of Mayor Noble's ambitious agenda for tackling local housing issues in partnership with the Common Council and community stakeholders. In Mayor Noble's State of the City address in January 2020, he outlined housing justice initiatives including adopting the Emergency Tenant Protection Act and additional tenant safeguards, supporting anti-displacement efforts through participation in the NYS Attorney General's new Learning Network program, and implementing regulations for short-term rentals. Due to the unprecedented and unforeseen burdens caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, these efforts are more vital now that just a few months ago.
"I welcome Michael to the City of Kingston team and look forward to collaborating on creative solutions to some of the biggest issues we're facing," said Mayor Noble. "Now more than ever, we will need to be diligent in our efforts to make sure every single person in our community has access to safe, clean housing that is affordable."
Kingston resident Michael Gilliard has over 15 years of experience developing housing and mixed-use projects along the Eastern Seaboard, including in the Hudson Valley. In senior executive roles with non-profit and for-profit developers, he has worked extensively with municipalities, housing and community organizations. Gilliard has successfully led the production of thousands of new and adaptive-reuse affordable and market-rate homes. He and his wife Erin enjoy hiking the Hudson Valley, urban farming and continuing to contribute to the wonderful Kingston community.
"I am humbled and honored to continue this important work in direct service to the City and all of its residents," said Michael Gilliard.
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Mayor Pushes Back on UCRRA's Proposed New Fees
Mayor Steven T. Noble issues a statement directed at the current Board of the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency (UCRRA) after receiving communication apprising him of a recently adopted resolution of the Board which affects the City. Mayor Noble was made aware via phone call from UCRRA Executive Director Tim Rose that on Monday the UCRRA Board adopted a resolution negatively impacting both the collection process and the City's budget. The resolution adopted a new, increased fee for cardboard collection without any notification or request for comment by the City of Kingston officials or residents. This is in clear conflict with the procedures outlined in Local Law Number 4, Section 6, promulgating Rules and Regulations of the Agency.
Statement from Mayor Noble: "The Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency, since its initial efforts to dissolve its single stream recycling initiative has continued to turn its back on the residents of the City of Kingston. The City of Kingston is the Agency's largest individual municipal customer and has seemingly done everything it can to make recycling in our municipality harder and more expensive.
We recognize that the recycling market has changed and may not be the money maker that it once was, but we have paid and continue to pay our fair share in refuse costs -- $105 a ton, which is up from the $73 dollars a ton in 2012. Those additional dollars have been put into an agency slush fund instead of being invested in upgrading recycling operations.
Since 2010, the Agency has allowed the City of Kingston to pick up residential mixed paper, including cardboard, or "hard mix."
The Agency's decision this week to charge for "hard mix" is the latest unscrupulous tactic in mismanaging and gouging our community on recycling fees. The Agency is proposing to charge almost $50 a ton for our mixed paper material. Currently, the City is not charged for its recycling, and in fact, UCRRA gets paid almost $50 a ton for the cardboard collected from Kingston businesses and keeps 100% of those funds.
Now, in the midst of a pandemic, when there has been a marked increase in online purchasing, and as a result more cardboard, the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency wants to penalize the City of Kingston. These penalties will effect families who are essential front line workers, those who have been laid off, and all those who are working to make ends meet, by charging additional fees simply because they have been ordering online out of necessity."
Today, Mayor Noble calls on the Board of the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency to immediately rescind this poorly conceived resolution before it takes effect on June 1st and to pledge to stop taking advantage of the City of Kingston for its best efforts to responsibly manage solid waste.
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Kingston 311
The
Kingston 311 app, website and phone
system allow residents to quickly and easily report issues and submit service requests. The Kingston 311
app, available for
Android
&
iPhones
, is a fast and simple way to connect to City officials in non-emergency situations.
This system is a valuable resource to submit service requests for streetlight replacement, roadwork, City signage, traffic calming measures and other concerns. Issues with snow removal and reporting of vehicles and sidewalks not in accordance with the Snow Emergency restrictions can also be submitted via Kingston 311.
Photos can also be attached to illustrate service orders. Dial 311 from any phone within City limits to reach us.
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