Covid Update: Masks & Tests Available, Pop-up Vaccination Site in Midtown |
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Mayor Noble Signs Good Cause Eviction Legislation |
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Kingston Awarded Grant for Six New EV Charging Stations |
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Black History Month Kingston Events |
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City of Kingston Job Opportunities |
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Distinguished Artists Awards Nominations Now Open |
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A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:
Dear Friends,
It appears we are on the downward trajectory from the omicron spike, which is great news. Today, we have just under 4,000 active cases in Ulster County, which is down from 7,500 last week. We're moving in the right direction, and to help, we have masks and test kits available for Kingston residents at City Hall during business hours.
We are watching the snow forecast, which is currently predicting 1-3 inches. We're currently not declaring a Snow Emergency, but we will let everyone know as soon as possible if that changes.
-Steve
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Covid Update
As of today, there are 3,883 active Covid cases in UIster County, 648 in Kingston. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 355 deaths across the county.
KN95 Masks (two per person) and at-home rapid Covid test kits are available at City Hall during business hours (Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm) while supplies last.
This Sunday, January 30, from 10:00am to 2:00pm, a vaccination pod will be held in Midtown Kingston at the Center for Creative Education at Cedar Street. Appointments are recommended and can be scheduled here; walk-ins will be accepted as long as supplies last. The YWCA of Ulster County is co-sponsoring this vaccination site and will provide Spanish language assistance.
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Mayor Noble Signs Good Cause Eviction Legislation |
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Good Cause Eviction gives every tenant in Kingston the right to a lease renewal, and protects against predatory rent increases and unfair evictions. The legislation stops landlords from removing tenants without an order from a judge, who would decide if an eviction is for a good cause. “Good causes” include failure to pay reasonable rent, violating terms of the lease, causing a nuisance, or is in violation of the law.
“I want to thank the Common Council and our community partners who have stood with us through this process. We know there may be some legal challenges to this legislation, but we are doing everything in our power to protect our tenants, and make sure no one in Kingston is displaced who wants to remain here,” said Mayor Noble. “It’s my firm belief that every single person deserves a safe place to live, and it’s my hope that this legislation will help ensure all community members continue to have housing in the City of Kingston. We join a number of other communities who have passed Good Cause legislation, but I believe it’s imperative that New York State also take up this type of legislation so that all communities have these protections in place.”
Mayor Noble, working with RUPCO, recently announced a Landlord Assistance program, which provides direct financial assistance to landlords to offer additional affordable housing units and to make improvements to existing affordable units.
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City of Kingston Awarded Grant for 6 New EV Charging Ports |
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The City of Kingston has received $73,637 from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program for six Level 2 electric vehicle charging ports.
To help address climate change and support building healthier communities, Governor Kathy Hochul announced $2.7 million awarded to local governments to purchase electric vehicles and install zero-emission charging/fueling stations for public use.
With the funding, the City of Kingston will install three new EV charging stations with two ports each at Block Park, North Front Street and at the City’s Building Safety Office on Garraghan Drive.
In the summer of 2018, the City installed three new public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in three municipal lots: Cornell St, Dock Street, and Lower Broadway. In 2019, a new EV Charging Station was installed in a city municipal lot at the Building Safety Department's lot off of Garraghan Drive. Additionally, a new EV Charging Station will be installed as part of the DRI investment upgrades at Dietz Stadium and in the Prince Street lot, in 2022.
As of January 2022, the existing Kingston EV Charging Stations have saved 37,499 kg of GHG emissions, cumulatively.
Governor Hochul also announced an incentive program for New Yorkers to save up to $2,000 on the purchase of an electric vehicle through the Drive Clean Rebate program.
For more information on City of Kingston transportation initiatives, click here. Visit EngageKingston for more on the Climate Action Plan 2030.
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Black History Month Kingston Events |
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The fifth annual Black History Month Kingston will launch next week with events that span the month of February. BHMK will include participation from a variety of organizations, churches and businesses including lectures and workshops, along with a special Sojourner Truth Life Community Ride, performances, dances, virtual business mixers and more.
During this month, African-American contributions are highlighted along with strategies of growth, awareness and celebration. Most Black History Month Kingston programming will be held virtually through various online platforms.
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City of Kingston Job Opportunities |
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The City of Kingston is hiring! Mayor Noble added 20+ new positions to the 2022 Budget and we're now hiring across many departments:
New York State Police are also looking for qualified candidates. Information about the New York State Police, including duties and special assignments, academy training, and the online application, visit www.joinstatepolice.ny.gov.
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Kingston Distinguished Artists Award Nominations Open |
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Nominations for the third City of Kingston Distinguished Artist Award are now open!
The Distinguished Artist Award was established in 2018 to acknowledge the achievements of local artists and creative thinkers across all disciplines, including music, theatre, dance, literary, visual, or media arts. Nominees for the Distinguished Artist Awards must be a resident of Kingston for a minimum of two years and have demonstrated a commitment to the local creative community. Finalists and recipients will be chosen based upon the level of their artistry, commitment to the art form, commitment to the community, and recognition in the field locally, nationally or internationally. The Distinguished Artist Award was presented to artists Peter Wetzler and Julie Hedrick in 2018 and to musician Lara Hope in 2020.
Awardees are selected by a panel of their peers, and will be honored in a ceremony held at City Hall this spring. The award recipient should be willing to serve for two years and perform two public community projects such as a performance, lecture, exhibition, reading, or workshop. A small stipend will be provided to the awardee.
The online nomination form is available here. All nominations must be submitted by Sunday, February 27, 2022.
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2020 Kingston Distinguished Artist Award Recipient Lara Hope |
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Mayor Noble's Weekly Radio Show |
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Mayor Noble hosts a weekly radio show on Tuesdays at 5:00pm which airs live on Radio Kingston and the City of Kingston Facebook page.
This week Mayor Noble speaks with City of Kingston Director of Housing Initiatives Bartek Stardoj about Good Cause Eviction, tiny homes project and more. Click below to hear their conversation.
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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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Sent on behalf of:
Mayor Steven T. Noble
845.334.3902
mayor@kingston-ny.gov
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:
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