April 1, 2020 - In This Issue:
A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:

Dear Friends,

We are keeping updated on Coronavirus and doing our best to share this information widely.  What you need to know today:
  • We have 22 confirmed cases in Kingston as of today, and we expect that number to grow as more tests are conducted. To date, Ulster County has had three Coronavirus-related deaths. 
  • We cannot stress enough how important it is to follow isolation protocol. The Governor has called for NO GATHERINGS OF ANY SIZE OR FOR ANY REASON. We must all follow this advice to flatten the curve. 
  • We have had an overwhelming response for the Kingston Emergency Food Hotline. So much, in fact, that we need more healthy volunteers who are willing to deliver meals to those in need.  Volunteers are asked the following questions:
      • Have you come within 6 feet of anyone who has expressed mild, moderate or severe symptoms of COVID-19 (dry cough, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing or fever over 100 degrees) in the last 3 days?
     
      • Have you experienced mild, moderate or severe symptoms of COVID-19 (dry cough, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing or fever over 100 degrees) in the last 14 days?

  • Just today, over 1,300 prepared meals were delivered to those in the Kingston City School District through the Emergency Food Hotline, and hundreds more received  groceries to last at least a week. If you would like to donate to help us continue to provide these meals, please consider giving to the YMCA of Kingston,  People's Place or Family of Woodstock. We appreciate any contribution! 
     
  • We we understand that a lot of people are using wipes to disinfect their homes and bathrooms, but please don't flush them. Wipes don't biodegrade and can clog up the City's sewer system.
  • 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.
  • We would also love to hear from folks in the community who witness small (or large!) acts of kindness. Reach out to the Mayor's office: [email protected]
As always, th e County's COVID-19 phone service is available from 9:00am to 7:00pm everyday: 845-443-8888. 

-Steve
Kingston Counts: 2020 Census

Today - April 1 - is Census Day. You may have received some U.S. Census information in your mailbox already. I urge you to take the time, while most of us are already working from home, to fill out the 2020 Census, which is now more important than ever. 

The results of this once-a-decade count determine the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives. They are also used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.  Over the next decade, lawmakers will use 2020 Census data to make critical decisions. The results will show where communities need new schools, new clinics, new roads, and more services for families, older adults, and children.

The results will also inform how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding are allocated to more than 100 programs, including Medicaid, Head Start, block grants for community mental health services, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. 

Please fill out the census online, by phone or by mail, so we can make sure Kingston Counts! 
"Kingston Recovers" Resources for Residents and Businesses

The City of Kingston continues to update the Kingston Recovers webpage, which provides resources for local businesses in this time of crisis and uncertainty.  

We have also created a page for residents, Kingston Resident Recovers, with information about unemployment insurance, mortgage relief, stimulus checks, home repair loans and more. 

We will update both pages as more resources become available.
Upcoming Common Council Meetings Will be Online

Going forward, the members of the Common Council will be meeting remotely for the safety of all and to curb the spread of the Coronavirus. 

On Monday, April 6, the Special Finance and Audit committee meeting will be streamed live online via GoToMeeting at 6:00pm, followed by the Laws and Rules committee at 6:45pm, and the Caucus meeting at 7:00pm. 

On Tuesday, April 7, the regular Common Council meeting will be held remotely and available to the public via GoToMeeting at 7:30pm. 

The public will be able to submit comments prior to Council meetings by emailing the City Clerk, Elisa Tinti, at [email protected] or mailing comments to City Hall at 420 Broadway. There is also a dropbox at the side door of City Hall where comments addressed to the Common Council can be delivered. The deadline for submitting comments is 10:00am the day of the meeting. 

As a reminder, City Hall and all City of Kingston administration buildings are closed to the public at this time.  
Kingston Emergency Food Hotline

The City of Kingston, in conjunction with many community groups and dedicated volunteers, has launched a food security hotline. Anyone in need of food within the Kingston City School District can call 888-316-0879 at any time and will be entered into a growing database to receive prepared food or grocery delivery. City staff and a host of volunteers from Rise Up Kingston and other organizations will be operating the hotline in both English and Spanish.
 
Home-delivered meals are being prepared by local restaurants through Ulster County's Project Resilience , with an additional 600 meals prepared for home delivery by Family of Woodstock staff at the Everette Hodge Community Center . Once a family or individual calls the hotline, local volunteer teams based at the YMCA of Kingston will begin to deliver all these meals to residents in the City of Kingston and the Kingston City School District area within a few days.
 
Through the Kingston Emergency Food Collaborative program, People's Place Pantry is distributing hundreds of bags of groceries, which equates to between 1,800-4,150 meals every day. Families or individuals requesting groceries can get deliveries up to twice a month. The People's Place Community Cafe remains open and continues to serve approximately 150 takeout meals per day.
 
This home delivery program is a volunteer and collaborative effort of the following organizations:
City of Kingston 
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County
Family of Woodstock
Hudson Valley Farm Hub
Hudson Valley Seed
Kingston City School District
Kingston Food Coop
Kingston YMCA Farm Project
People's Place
Radio Kingston
Rise Up Kingston
Salvation Army
UlsterCorps
Ulster County
Ulster County Department of Health and Mental Health
Ulster County Community Action
YMCA of Kingston and Ulster
 Volunteers picking up groceries at People's Place for delivery
Map of Ulser County Positive COVID-19 Cases

The second Ulster County mobile testing site opened this week in Ellenville, in addition to the testing site in the Town of Ulster.  If you feel you need testing, you must first speak with your primary care provider to receive a prescription or order for the COVID-19 test. At that point, you will receive a number to call for an appointment. If you show up to one of the mobile testing sites without an appointment, you will be turned away.

As the test results come in, the Ulster County Executive's Office has created a website that is updated daily with all the County's positive COVID-19 cases, broken down into each town/city. The map and many of the County's Coronavirus resources are be found at:  covid19.ulstercountyny.gov/


 
CLICK HERE to view the map in real time. 
City of Kingston Parks Remain Open - Use Safely! 

Parks and trails remain open for the public to enjoy. We encourage getting out and getting some fresh air during this time, but it's important to follow some safety precautions, even outdoors. 

The sign below is a helpful guide, and has been posted at all City of Kingston parks.

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. 
Sent on behalf of:
Mayor Steven T. Noble
845.334.3902
[email protected]

The purpose of this newsletter is to share important information, project updates, pictures and news from the City of Kingston. For more detailed information, visit: