Mayor's Message

2026 Adopted Budget Signed by Mayor

Free 2-Hour Holiday Parking Starts December 5

Made in Kingston on December 4

City Hall Exhibition Opening Reception on December 6

Public Meeting for Flatbush/Foxhall Project on December 9

Snowflake Festival on December 5

The Cornell Holiday Spectacular on December 12

City Hall Blood Drive on December 16

Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show

City of Kingston Board & Commission and Job Opportunities

Mayor's Message:

Dear Friends -

Hope everyone stayed safe in the snow this week! If you did not receive a Snow Emergency text/call, make sure to register here.

Tonight, the City's Health & Wellness Department is hosting a public meeting regarding the Food System draft. The meeting will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall at 6:00pm. On-site child entertainment is available as well as live Spanish interpretation.

Also, the Kingston Water Department has sent notification letters to customers whose service lines have been identified as lead or unknown material. These letters are required to be sent out annually to all customers who fall within these categories. This letter provides information from the Department of Health and EPA regarding the effects of lead and ways to reduce exposure.

In the City of Kingston, the entire length of the water service line belongs to the property owner, however the City has applied for potential grant funding to assist homeowners with service line replacement. We'll keep you updated.

I hope you will kick off your holiday season with one of the many upcoming community events!

-Steve

Mayor Signs 2026 Adopted Budget

Today, Mayor Noble signed the 2026 Adopted Budget, which was approved by the Common Council on Tuesday night. The total adopted 2026 General Fund budget is $63,383,672.

Mayor Noble said, “From 2016 to 2024, tax rates steadily declined with no growth to our tax levy. During those eight years, we were able to make major investments in infrastructure, implement forward-thinking sustainability efforts, and pay down existing debt. The financial stressors and employee benefit increases we experienced in 2025 have not lessened, and unfortunately, sales tax-- a major source of revenue for the City of Kingston-- has flattened. To continue to invest in our critical infrastructure, maintain City services, support staff contract and benefit increases, accommodate exponential rises in insurance premiums and deductibles, and continue operation of the City’s new ambulance service, there will be a tax increase.”

A few of the 2026 Budget key points include:

• 0 layoffs of current staff  
• Overall Spending increases by 5.9%
• Amount to be raised by taxes is increased by 9.87% to $21,496,726.  
• Homestead rate at $10.77 (per thousand)  
• Non-homestead at $16.76 (per thousand) 
• Low Fiscal Stress Score (6.7 out of 100)  
• Funding set aside to settle all three union contracts
• Prior investment in equipment across departments eases Capital Plan costs in 2026
• Sewer Rate set at $8.19 

“The 2026 budget reflects the financial pressures the City is facing. This budget will continue to provide excellent City services, including the continued operation of our own ambulance service. The budget invests in a new fire station and supports the staff who deliver these vital services. We tried to minimize costs as much as possible, wherever possible. As we planned our capital projects and spending for the next year, we worked diligently to prevent overburdening our taxpayers.”

Mayor Noble’s Budget Address presentation and more are available at https://kingston-ny.gov/budget2026.  

Free 2-Hour Holiday Parking

The City of Kingston will offer free 2-hour holiday parking from Friday, December 5 through January 1, 2026. Parking in municipal lots and at meters will be free for up to two hours.

During this time, City parking staff will focus on meter repair and routine maintenance but will issue safety violations such as blocking fire hydrants, parking in handicap spots, double parking, and expired inspections. Vehicle owners must observe all traffic and parking rules and park in legal spots. Regular enforcement of parking meters will resume on Friday, January 2, 2026.

The 2026 parking permits for the City’s municipal lots are now available for sale and renewal at https://kingstonny.rmcpay.com/. Permits are electronically linked to license plate(s), there are no physical tags. Households will be allowed to assign up to two vehicles to each 2026 parking permit purchased. Only one vehicle will be able to use the permit at a time. If both vehicles need to be parked simultaneously, separate permits will need to be purchased.

More information at https://kingston-ny.gov/Parking, or by contacting the Parking office at 845-334-3933 or parkingviolations@kingston-ny.gov. 

Made in Kingston on December 4

The 13th annual Made in Kingston returns to the Kingston YMCA on Thursday, December 4 from 3:00–8:00pm. The festive hometown market celebrates Kingston’s creative economy with a variety of handcrafted goods, fabricated or manufactured in the city—from ceramics, textiles, and jewelry to art prints, woodwork, custom candles, and baked goods.

Local makers, entrepreneurs and organizations will offer thoughtful, small-batch gifts and design-forward goods—perfect for holiday shopping that supports your neighbors and the spirit of community craftsmanship.

City Hall Exhibition Opening Reception on December 6

An exhibition entitled, 250 Years of America’s Voices, Stories, and Histories will be on display from December 6, 2025, through September 2026 at the Ground Floor Gallery of City Hall and will feature the work of 25 local artists.

The opening reception will be held on Saturday, December 6 from 1:30pm-6:30pm. The event will feature performances by the Hardwoods Irish Fiddle Trio, the Key of Q, Evan Pritchard, the Samuel Mutter Chamber Ensemble, Former Ulster County Poet Laureate Kate Hymes, Alessandra, Grammy Winner Steve Gorn, and will close with a preview of Vanaver Caravan’s new choreographic work, “America In Motion.” The event will also feature a virtual reality experience courtesy of My Kingston Kids. The reception is free and open to the public.

This project is made possible with funds from the New York State Legislature and administered by Arts Mid-Hudson. Full event schedule and more information at www.kingston-ny.gov/exhibitions.

Public Meeting for Flatbush/Foxhall Project on December 9

The City of Kingston will host a public information meeting for the Safe and Accessible Flatbush and Foxhall Avenues project on Tuesday, December 9 from 5:00-7:00pm at City Hall.

The public information meeting will be an open house held in Council Chambers at City Hall from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. The Safe and Accessible Flatbush and Foxhall Avenues project will expand and improve pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure to connect the Colonial Gardens Apartments and residential streets in Midtown to surrounding business districts.

The project area currently has intermittent sidewalks and railroad crossings that are hazardous for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Approx. two miles of sidewalks will be built, and painted crosswalks with ADA-compliant curb ramps will be installed. The City will work with CSX at the two railroad crossings in the project area to improve safety for all users. Accommodation for bicycles will be added along both avenues, connecting to other infrastructure projects, including the Empire State Trail and the Kingston Greenline, which is a network of trails, complete streets, and linear parks that winds throughout the City.

Info at https://engagekingston.com/safe-and-accessible-flatbush-and-foxhall

2025 Snowflake Festival on December 5

The 2025 Snowflake Festival will be held on Friday, December 5 in Uptown Kingston! The celebration from 6:00-8:00pm turns Uptown Kingston into a truly magical place for all.

This year, there is much more parking available. Ulster County is providing free, continuous shuttle service from downtown-midtown-uptown! Also continuous shuttle service from local parking areas like Kingston Plaza, Ulster Savings Bank, Dietz Stadium. A full line-up of events can be found here.

The Cornell Winter Party on December 12

The Christmas Spectacular at The Cornell, a festive community celebration on Kingston’s waterfront, will be held on Friday, December 12 at 6:00pm.

The free community event includes: Holiday on the Ice show, Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving by firetruck, live Christmas carolers, and a tree lighting ceremony. For more details and reservations, visit www.thecornellkingston.com

City Hall Blood Drive on December 16

Kingston City Hall will host Red Cross for a blood drive on December 16, 2025 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. The blood drive will be held in Council Chambers at City Hall. To register, please visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS to reserve your time slot.

Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show

On this week's "It's the Mayor" on Radio Kingston, Mayor Noble spoke with members of the Snowflake Festival committee. Click below to hear their conversation!

City of Kingston Job and Board/Commision Opportunities

The City of Kingston is hiring! The following positions are currently open:

• Assistant Corporation Counsel
• Heavy Motor Equipment Operator
• Skilled Laborer

For more information on civil service exams and job opportunities, please visit https://kingston-ny.gov/employment

The following civil service exams are scheduled:

• Fire Fighter exam, on January 10, 2026 (deadline: 12/11)
• Principal Account Clerk on January 10, 2026 (deadline: 12/11)

The City has over 25 boards & commissions, and we're always looking for volunteers to serve the community. The following currently have openings:

• Historic Landmark Preservation Commission
• Ethics Board (Republican or non enrolled)
• Conservation Advisory Council
• Zoning Board of Appeals
• Ulster County Planning Board

Find the application at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KingstonBoards.

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. Photos can be attached to illustrate service orders.



This system is a valuable resource to submit municipal service requests. Examples include:

• Streetlight replacement
• City signage, including overgrowth blocking traffic signs
• Snow removal, reporting parking violations, and other snow issues
• Parks & playground repairs
• Report graffiti or vandalism
• Trail issues

Dial 311 from any phone within City limits to reach us, use the app or visit www.kingston-ny.gov/311/