Mayor's Message

Mayor Noble Delivers 2025 Budget Address

Burning of Kingston This Weekend

Ulster County Arts & Culture Plan Presentation

Midtown Thriving Survey Open Until November 3

Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show

Weekly Roadwork/Infrastructure Update

City of Kingston Board & Commission Opportunities

Mayor's Message:

Dear Friends -

Today, I delivered my 2025 Budget Address. After I took office in 2016, tax rates steadily declined for eight years. Last year, due to rising inflation, we had a slight increase in our tax rate in order to cover increased costs on everything from the chlorine for the community pool to the asphalt used to pave our City streets. This ensured that all essential services were maintained and infrastructure improvements moved forward.  

To continue to invest in our vital infrastructure, maintain City services, support staff contract and benefit increases, rises in insurance premiums and deductibles, and operation of the City’s paramedic service, my 2025 Recommended Budget includes a tax rate increase of 8.9%. This still puts our tax rate below the 2016 level when I took office.

This 2025 Proposed Budget represents the first time it has been necessary to raise taxes above the tax cap in nine years.  

-Steve

Mayor Delivers 2025 Budget Address

On Friday, October 18, Mayor Noble delivered his 2025 Proposed Budget address at City Hall.

A few of the key points include: 

• Zero layoffs  
• Tax levy increases, after 9 years below the tax cap  
• Amount to be raised by taxes is increased by 8.9% to $19,561,045 
• Homestead rate at $9.87 (per thousand)  
• Non-homestead at $15.10 (per thousand) 
• Low Fiscal Stress Score (3.3 out of 100)  
• Investment in retention of employees  
• Investment in equipment across departments to maintain infrastructure  
• Sewer Rate set at $7.82 

This budget will continue providing excellent City services, including the operation of paramedic service for our residents. When private ambulance companies left us stranded and vulnerable, our Kingston Fire Department stepped up and are now operating ALS and BLS ambulance service for our community. We are able to not only hire the best EMTs, we can ensure the utmost care for our residents without paying exorbitant fees to a national corporation. This budget also invests in our City staff, those who work hard to deliver your vital services, while keeping overall costs down to prevent overburdening our taxpayers.  

Click below to watch my 2025 Proposed Budget Address.

Burning of Kingston This Weekend

This weekend is the 2024 Burning of Kingston: Voices Lost in the Fire with an array of event including  live battle reenactments, historic tours, musical performances, a grand ball, presentations and discussions, a commemorative 5k run from Uptown Kingston to historic Hurley, and more. Programming will provide historical context for Kingston’s defeat by the British and the plight of its refugees, what life was like for indigenous peoples, women, enslaved people, and American militia and British soldiers and mercenaries.

On Saturday, three events will highlight the African American experience, starting with Stories From Ghana Before the Slave Trade at 3:00pm. At 4:00pm, a film Black Patriots: Heroes of the American Revolution will be screened. And at 6:00pm, Plights of Slaves During the Burning of Kingston will include jazzoetry and and music.

On Sunday, the weekend will wrap up with a special finale concert, Chamber Music of the Revolutionary War Period featuring Bard Conservatory musicians at Saint James Church at 3:00pm.

All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. For the full schedule, please visit www.burningofkingston.com.

Ulster County State of Arts & Culture Presentation

Ulster County will host a virtual State of Culture presentation on October 24 at 6:00pm highlighting key findings and next steps in the development of the County’s first-ever Arts and Culture Plan.

This report marks the culmination of six months of intensive data collection from town halls, individual and group interviews, online gatherings, and a countywide survey that reached diverse groups across the region.

The State of Culture event will provide the public with an opportunity to engage with the report’s findings, which offer a snapshot of the current landscape of arts and culture in Ulster County. It will also detail the next steps in the planning process as the County prepares to move forward with developing actionable strategies for sustaining and enhancing the region’s vibrant cultural ecosystem.

Registration at State of Culture Registration Link. The report will be made available on the County's Participate Ulster - Arts & Culture Plan website.

Midtown Thriving Engagement Opportunities

A public survey for the City of Kingston’s Midtown Thriving initiative is now open here!  The survey is available in Spanish and English and is open until November 3. Help determine the future of your neighborhood by sharing your experiences, hopes, dreams, concerns, and challenges. 

There are several ways to get involved:

• Join a Community Conversation with Midtown-based arts organizations at Unicorn Bar on October 23 from 5:00-7:00pm
• Attend an Open Table at Tilda’s Kitchen on October 29, two group conversations at 12 noon & 6:00pm
• Walking Tour of potential Midtown redevelopment sites on November 16 10:00am-11:30am, starting at Tilda’s Kitchen 

The City of Kingston and Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress created Midtown Thriving: A Community Vision to Revitalize Vacant Properties, an initiative to create a community plan for the redevelopment of vacant and abandoned properties within a 270-acre area running along the Broadway corridor. 

The final plan will be submitted to the State to complete the BOA nomination. Designation as a BOA by the State will give development in the area priority and preference for State programs, eligibility for pre-development funding, and it will unlock additional brownfield cleanup program tax credits for property owners and developers.



More information at https://engagekingston.com/midtown-thriving. 

Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show

Mayor Noble's weekly radio show, "It's the Mayor" airs on Tuesdays at 5:00pm on Radio Kingston.

This week, Mayor Noble spoke with Taylor Bruck and Kitt Potter about this weekend's special Burning of Kingston event. Click below to hear their conversation.

Weekly Roadwork/Infrastructure Update

Paving—the final round of 2024 paving will be Saint James Street from Green Street to 38 Saint James and Smith Avenue from Garden Street to Albany Avenue. Milling on St. James is scheduled to begin on Monday, milling Tuesday on Smith Ave. Paving is expected to being on St. James on Wednesday and Smith Ave on Thursday, with paving expected to be completed by Friday, October 25, weather depending. 

Central Hudson– service replacements will continue on South Pine Street with expected lane and/or road closures. Main installation will continue on South Pine Street with possible lane closures and/or road closures.    

ADA Curb ramps – construction will continue along Maiden Lane from Green Street to Clinton Avenue.

This project includes 58 new ADA Ramps along Cornell St, Smith Ave, Maiden Ln, and St James Street, and is anticipated to be completed in November.

Prospect Street sewer project– sewer and storm installation are continuing between Liberty and St. James. Prospect Street remains closed except for local traffic. Curb and sidewalk restoration may start in this section next week.

Clinton Avenue Intersection Improvements– sidewalk and curb work continuing. One-way operation of Clinton Ave will continue. Work is continuing for underground electrical for street lights and traffic signals.

There will be No Parking in front of 300 Wall Street on Monday for the removal of the canopy in front of the LGBTQ+ Center. 

Post Office Park— concrete amenities including a bench and art pedestals will be poured in the coming weeks. After that, soil, mulch, trees, perennials, and shrubs will be planted. 

Kingston Point Rail Trail – NYSDOT has closed the pedestrian bridge over 9W on the Kingston Point Rail trail for painting. A detour is in place through October 25. 



Weekly roadwork updates will be posted on the City website here.

Sidewalk Installation on Clinton Avenue

City of Kingston Commission & Board Opportunities

The City of Kingston has over 25 boards & commissions, and we're always looking for volunteers to serve the community.

The following currently have openings:



• Zoning Board of Appeals
• Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission 
• Live Well Kingston Commission
• Complete Streets Advisory Council
• Conservation Advisory Council



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-related 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/