Latest Covid-19 Information |
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Open House for Franklin Street Complete Streets Project |
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Mayor Announces Changes to the Office of Grants Management |
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Concert Tonight in Gallo Park |
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Art Walk Two-Day Event This Weekend |
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Touch a Truck Event on October 2 |
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Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show |
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A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:
Dear Friends,
On September 21, the library board election will be held from 10am to 8pm at the Kingston Library (55 Franklin St.). All registered voters living in the City of Kingston are eligible to cast a ballot. You can read the candidates' statements and see the budget breakdown here. I encourage everyone to participate!
As I'm sure you're aware, Broadway is looking great, but the work is not yet complete. I urge everyone to continue to use caution when navigating the new roadway.
-Steve
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COVID-19 Information
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As of Friday, September 17, there are 573 active Covid-19 cases in Ulster County, 96 in Kingston, and there have been 276 deaths across the County. More local resources at Ulster County Covid-19 Information
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The Emergency Rental Assistance Program is now accepting applications. Details here.
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The Excluded Workers Fund will provide a one-time payment to workers who lost income between March 27, 2020 and April 1, 2021 but are excluded from state Unemployment Insurance (UI) and federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). Applications are open at dol.ny.gov/EWFApply.
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Franklin Street Complete Streets Project Open House |
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The City of Kingston will host an Open House for the Franklin Street Complete Streets Project on October 6 to seek public input on the preliminary streetscape designs for improvements.
The Franklin Street Complete Streets Project will improve upon the existing pedestrian and cyclist accessibility and will enhance the overall visual qualities of the street. In order to improve the safety of this corridor for all travelers, the City will construct new sidewalks, ADA-accessible ramps, bicycle infrastructure and crosswalks, and plant new street trees along the entire length of Franklin.
The in-person open-house style meeting will be held Wednesday, October 6, 2021 from 5:00-7:00pm outdoors at the Everette Hodge Community Center located at 21 Franklin Street. The rain date is Thursday, October 7, 2021 from 5:00-7:00pm outdoors at the Hodge Center. In the event of inclement weather for both dates, a virtual public open house will be held on October 7 at 5:00pm.
Additional information, including a survey and opportunity to provide written comments, can be found at Engage Kingston.
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Mayor Announces Changes to Office of Grants Management |
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Kristen Wilson will depart from her role as the City’s Director of Grants Management. She has been an employee of the City of Kingston since 2016 when the Mayor first established the Office of Grants Management.
Wilson will depart in October to take a position with RUPCO as its Assistant Vice President of Community Development. She will be succeeded by the City’s current Grants Manager, Ruth Ann Devitt-Frank.
“Over the past five years, Kristen has helped to transform the way the City funds and manages municipal projects, with an emphasis on strategically leveraging grant opportunities, rather than overburdening our local taxpayers,” said Mayor Noble.
“While Kristen and our project managers have worked day and night to help secure tens of millions of dollars to support critical infrastructure upgrades, transportation projects, parks improvements, and waterfront access, I believe Kristen’s greatest contribution to our city has been her effort to modernize our grant management processes and build internal capacity to advance our ambitious agenda,” Mayor Noble continued. “Kristen has broken down bureaucratic silos and instead built a coalition of project leaders across City departments and with State agencies to get the job done. She has provided extensive training and technical support, which has allowed our team to be able to meet the public’s growing needs, including making the largest investment in the City’s infrastructure in a generation, particularly in Midtown.”
Since 2016, the City has secured over $44 million in grant funding. Notable projects completed or advanced during Wilson’s tenure include construction of the Kingston Point Rail Trail Phase I, the Broadway Streetscape and Broadway Grand Intersection Projects. In addition, the design of a bulkhead on the Rondout Creek in front of the Hudson River Maritime Museum was completed, and designs of the Kingston Point Rail Trail Phases 2 & 3, Henry Street, and the Uptown Transportation Improvements Project are well underway. Wilson has also secured funds and guided project management for other projects such as Franklin Street, the Safe and Accessible Flatbush and Foxhall Project, the Wayfinding Plan, and mandated upgrades to the City’s wastewater treatment plant, among others.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to help the City chart a new path forward to a more just and equitable future. I’m especially proud of the progress we have made, in partnership with the Ulster County Transportation Council and New York State, to create an accessible transportation system, based upon objective data, local planning and engineering studies, and direct community engagement. It is certainly bittersweet to leave, particularly as more of these long-term transportation projects come to fruition, but I am heartened that the City remains steadfast in its commitment to building a better, safer transportation network for all. Many of the grants we have secured for public health, housing, the waterfront, the environment, and the arts will leave a lasting, positive impact on the City for years to come. I know that my colleagues, who embody the very definition of public service, will skillfully carry these projects forward. Of the many memorable moments I have had at City Hall, I will cherish most the time I spent with my co-workers. I want to thank the Common Council for supporting many of the projects and initiatives we brought forward and Mayor Noble, who trusted and supported me to be a part of his team to help move our city forward.”
“Ruth Ann has worked tirelessly to broaden our grant portfolio, expand our public outreach, and advance a wide variety of municipal projects,” said Mayor Noble. “I am confident that she will be an excellent Director of Grants Management and look forward to working closely with her in the coming years as we continue on our road to recovery from the pandemic.”
Since joining the City in 2019 as Grants Manager, Devitt-Frank has been primarily responsible for grant research, writing and communications, overseeing the full life-cycle for specific awards, and assisting project managers across departments to help ensure funders’ requirements are met. She has also overseen a number of municipal projects such as the Dietz Stadium & Andretta Pool Improvements, developed the City’s public engagement site EngageKingston.com, and is currently helping to implement new grants management software that will support proper compliance with City procedures and funders’ regulations.
Devitt-Frank brings extensive experience and expertise. Prior to her position with the City, she was Development Director at the Bardavon 1869 Opera House for 8 years. She was Director of Special Events at New York City Ballet; managed philanthropic projects at Warner Media, Inc.; and was a writer and fundraising event consultant with the New York Public Library, Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, and Sanky Communications. She began her career in fundraising and communications at the Greater New York March of Dimes. Devitt-Frank has been a resident of the City of Kingston since 2010 and has been active in the community as one of the original founders of the Kingston Arts Commission and through volunteer work with the Midtown Arts District.
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Jazz Concert in Gallo Park Tonight
Tonight, renowned drummer Rob Garcia will bring his jazz quartet to T.R. Gallo Park for an evening of music on the Rondout. The free show starts at 7:00p.m.
The Rob Garcia 4 has performed at Smalls Jazz Club in New York City, Ronnie Scott’s in London, the Toronto Jazz Festival and the Ottawa International Jazz Festival. On Friday, September 17, this ensemble will share its artistry in an inspiring setting that celebrates the region’s natural beauty.
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Arts Mid-Hudson's Art Walk This Weekend
Art Walk Kingston is a celebration of the arts and the local community happening this weekend, September 18-19 from 12pm-5:00pm.
Over the course of two days, visitors and local residents are invited to explore three distinct areas of the City of Kingston and immerse themselves in a range of art and events. Paintings, photographs, drawings and sculptures are just some of the mediums that will be on display at home studios and galleries across the city. The weekend will offer a broad range of art and activities for everyone.
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Roadwork Update
Preparation for paving on Navara Street and Linderman Avenue from Washington Avenue to Twin Ponds Drive will begin on Wednesday, September 22. Paving is scheduled to commence on September 29, 2021 and be completed by October 1, weather permitting. During this time, there may be detours and changes to the traffic pattern.
Broadway Streetscape: striping and painting is not yet complete, including the green paint which will form the bike lane. All traffic signals are not yet operational, and bike lane signals have not yet been installed. Once the bike lane signals are activated, the bike lane will open for cyclists.
Broadway/Grand Intersection: Prince Street will reopen on Monday, September 20, and Grand Street will close to through traffic. Grand Street will temporarily become a dead end with detours in place.
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Touch a Truck Event on October 2 |
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The Friends of Forsyth Nature Center are partnering with the City of Kingston to host a Touch A Truck event on October 2 from 10:00am-4:00pm at the Forsyth Park & Nature Center.
Touch a Truck is a family friendly event where children of all ages can climb on and explore 20+ trucks, beep horns, and learn about the important work that happens in our community and the important people that do that work, such as bus drivers, construction workers, and emergency services.
This event is taking the place of the annual Fall Festival, and is a fundraiser for the Friends of Forsyth Nature Center.
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Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show |
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Mayor Noble's weekly radio show is back on Tuesdays at 5:00pm. It's the Mayor! airs live on Radio Kingston and the City of Kingston Facebook page.
Click below to hear Mayor Noble's interview with Office of Grants Management Director Kristen Wilson discussing the Broadway Streetscape project.
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Sent on behalf of:
Mayor Steven T. Noble
845.334.3902
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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