Mayor's Message

Save the Date: Mayor Noble's 2024 Budget Address

Burning of Kingston Includes New, Inclusive Programming

Italian Festival Returns on Sunday

2023 O+ Festival This Weekend

Mayor Launches Kingston Community Solar

Three Kingston City Land Bank Homes for Sale

Roadwork Update for the Week of October 9

City of Kingston Job Opportunities

Mayor's Message:

Dear Friends -

We are thrilled to launch the Kingston Community Energy initiative. By making it easier for our residents to save money and support clean energy at the same time, we are taking positive steps for both our environment and our local economy. On the City level, our goal is to ensure that every resident has access to affordable, sustainable energy.

We have over 500 spots available, but because space is limited, I encourage Kingston residents to take advantage of this innovative program before subscriptions are filled.

I also hope you'll save the date for my upcoming Budget Address on October 18. The event is open to the public, and with the help of Radio Kingston, will be livestreamed.



-Steve

Save the Date: 2024 Budget Address

Mayor Noble will deliver his annual budget address on Wednesday, October 18 at 2:00pm in Council Chambers at City Hall. The public is welcome to attend.

Burning of Kingston Programming Includes Wartime Slave Life

The 2023 Burning of Kingston will feature a special program, Jazz Vespers: The Plight of Slaves During the Revolutionary War on Saturday, October 14 at 5:30pm at Old Dutch Church.

Jazz Vespers: The Plight of Slaves During the Revolutionary War will feature the CDS Jazz Ensemble with Christopher Dean Sullivan on bass, Chief Baba Neil Clarke on percussion, and Neil Alexander on piano. The program will include readings from Ulster County’s first-ever Poet Laureate Kate Hymes, Reverend Evelyn Clarke reading The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton, and Old Dutch Church Minister Rob Sweeney reading his original work, Up from the Ashes.

“We are honored to bring more inclusive programming to this year’s Burning of Kingston event,” said Mayor Noble. “This wonderful event acknowledges the pervasiveness of slavery during the Revolutionary War through song and poetry. Through this artistic expression, we can look at the Burning of Kingston through the eyes of all those who experienced it. I believe this is an important spotlight on these historical events.”

The free program is open to the public. For the full Burning of Kingston schedule, visit www.burningofkingston.com. 

2023 Italian Festival on Sunday

The 2023 Ulster County Italian Festival will be held on Sunday, October 8, 2023! Join the festivities at the Rondout Waterfront for great food, live music, street performers, vendors, fun activities for the kids, and more.

Find the festival schedule at ucitalianamericanfoundation.org/events/festival/

2023 O+ Festival This Weekend

The 2023 O+ Festival returns to the streets of Kingston on October 6-8th, 2023 with three days of music, art, wellness, and celebration.

As part of this year's festival, Live Well Kingston will host a Walk & Talk About Food As Medicine on Saturday at 11am. Starting at 36 St James, the group will walk approximately 1 mile/30 minutes, led by Heal Well and doctors from the Institute for Family Health. The first 10 participants will receive free bags of farm fresh produce. Find out more here.

For the full schedule, visit https://opositivefestival.org/kingston/.

Mayor Launches Kingston Community Solar

Mayor Noble is pleased to announce the launch of Kingston Community Solar, with open enrollment for eligible City of Kingston residents. 

The program connects residents to a local solar farm, reducing their electricity costs through solar credits on their utility bills. The program, which is open to low-to-moderate income (LMI) and State-designated disadvantaged community (DAC) households, can result in an up to 15% savings on participants’ monthly electricity bills. Over 6,000 households in the City of Kingston, or 67% of the total households, are eligible to participate and encouraged to enroll in the program. Residents will be subscribed on a first come first served basis. Space is limited to approximately 550 households.

The Kingston Community Solar program will connect residents to the Moores Hill Community Solar Project, a 3,750 KW solar farm in New Windsor, NY, currently being constructed by Lodestar Energy. Community solar credits will be applied directly to participants’ Central Hudson utility bills each month to offset their usage charges. Savings will begin in 2024, once the solar project is operational, and will continue for 20 years.

Residents interested in benefiting from clean, renewable energy and saving up to 15% on their electricity bills can visit the Kingston Community Solar website to find detailed information and an online enrollment form. A mailer will be sent to approximately 6,000 eligible households within the next two weeks.

The City of Kingston will host two public information meetings:

October 12, 2023

Kingston Library

55 Franklin Street

6:00-7:30pm

October 18, 2023

Virtual Information Session

6:30-7:30pm

Register here: http://bit.ly/kingstonsolar

Under the leadership of Mayor Noble, Kingston has implemented many strategies and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, setting energy use reduction goals, and committing to 100% clean energy through the Kingston Climate Action Plan and 100% Renewable Energy Transition Roadmap. Kingston Community Energy has the potential to greatly reduce the City’s carbon footprint. The program serves as a model for how local governments can make renewable energy accessible to all, benefiting residents and fostering economic development within the community.

By participating in Kingston Community Solar, residents are helping their city to earn grants and recognition through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Clean Energy Communities program, further strengthening Kingston’s environmental leadership. Kingston is a Silver-Certified Climate Smart Community and was the first city in New York to earn the NYSERDA Clean Energy Community designation. 

More information on the Kingston Community Solar, including eligibility and registration can be found at: www.kinsgstoncommunityenergy.org/solar. 

Three Kingston City Land Bank Homes for Sale

The Kingston City Land Bank currently has three affordable homes for sale. Qualified buyers can register for the opportunity to purchase one of these fully-renovated homes: 169 Hurley Ave, 29 Rogers St, and 124 Franklin Ave at kclb.org/homes.

An information session will be held on October 24, sign up at kclb.org/homes.

Roadwork Next Week

Central Hudson: Service replacements will continue on W. Chestnut St, New Street, Levan St, Brewster St and Staples St.

Central Hudson’s Uptown paving/restoration work will begin on or around October 16, 2023, weather depending. Streets being paved will be closed to traffic. The tentative schedule is:

Day 1: Crown St from Green to John

Day 2: Crown St from John to N. Front

Day 3: John St from Green to Crown

Day 4: John St from Crown to Wall

Day 5: John St from Wall to Fair

Day 6: John St from Fair to Clinton

Day 7: Fair St from Pearl to Main

Day 8: Fair St from Main to John

Day 9: Fair St from John to N. Front

Day 10: Clinton Ave from Main to Pearl

TBD: Main Street

Work will be done daily, weather dependent, from 7:30am to 5:00pm. Most days work will be completed before 5pm and roads will be re-opened. No Parking signs on affected streets will be posted 24 hours in advance.

Henry Street Safe Routes to School Project: crews will continue repairing storm and sewer connections at Prospect St and Henry St. Bluestone sidewalk installation continues along the north side of Henry Street near Pine Street. The road from Wall Street to Clinton Avenue is being prepared for milling and paving, anticipated to begin the week of October 16, 2023. The ramps at the intersection of Henry Street and Pine Street are now installed and awaiting topsoil and seed.

Citywide ADA curb ramps: 67 ramps have been installed to date. Ramp construction will continue next week on Walnut St from Lindsley Ave to Gill St. with restoration on E. Union St from Abruyn St. to Lindsley Ave.

Wurts Street Bridge: paint touch up continues, steel repairs and work on the pedestrian pole foundations. Excavate for sidewalk on the north side, and electrical conduit installation to continue. Steel repair walkway on top and work on south tower foundations. Noise will continue to be loud on occasion while steel repairs are performed.

Dietz Stadium: as a reminder, the entire Dietz Stadium site is a construction zone and is closed to all public access. 



Regular roadwork updates can be found here.

ADA Curb installation at Abruyn and Walnut this week

City of Kingston Job & Board Opportunities

The City of Kingston is hiring! Current openings include:



• Kingston Water Department Laborer
• Motor Equipment Operator.

Job descriptions and more details are available at https://kingston-ny.gov/Employment.

Upcoming Civil Service Exams include:

Engineering Technician on December 2, 2023

Office Assistant on December 2, 2023

Office Assistant I on December 2, 2023

The Community Development Advisory Board is currently looking for members of the public to serve. We need your voice to be a part of the process of allocating our annual federal Community Development Block Grant funding. Help determine how this over $700,000 economic infusion gets invested in your community!

Members of the Community Development Advisory Board will also help shape the next five years by helping to create the City of Kingston's Five-Year Consolidated Plan. Learn more here, or contact the Community Development office at City Hall.

Being a part of this board is a great way to serve your community. Please apply here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KingstonBoards.