Mayor's Message

Henry Street Safe Routes to School Project Has Begun

ARPA Nonprofit Services Grant Program Launched

ARPA Arts & Culture Internship Program - Deadline Extended

Gun Buyback Event on April 29

Youth Art Exhibition at City Hall Opening April 29

Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show

City of Kingston Job & Board/Commission Opportunities

Roadwork Update for Week of April 24

Mayor's Message:

Dear Friends -

With this beautiful weather comes the beginning of many upcoming roadwork projects. This week, we're excited that the Henry Street project has begun.

Henry Street is a well-traveled route that runs through the heart of Midtown and is especially important to younger students headed to and from school at George Washington Elementary. This project will create a safe environment for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers - the whole roadway will be paved, and is part of my larger efforts to create a safe City for all residents.

We've also begun our paving season! Starting this week with a section of the Empire State Trail, formerly North St, and next week paving North Street from Delaware to the Hutton Brickyards gate. Stay tuned to our Roadwork Updates for more on paving plans throughout the season.

-Steve

Henry Street Safe Routes to School Project Begins

Construction on the Henry Street Safe Routes to School Project has officially begun. The Henry project will improve safety for pedestrians, including ADA accessibility and includes sidewalk reconstruction, curb installation, drainage improvements, a raised intersection at the intersection of Henry and Wall Streets, signage, striping, paving, and more. On-street parking will remain intact for both sides and a bicycle shelter will be installed at George Washington for students and public use.

The project is expected to be completed by October 2023. More information at https://engagekingston.com/henrystreet. 

The Henry Street Safe Routes to School Project is yet another step in Mayor Noble’s ongoing efforts to create a safe, walkable and bikeable City. The City recently released a draft of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan, a strategy document that builds upon completed projects that include safety features such as improved intersections, signals and sidewalks. Completed projects include the Broadway Streetscape Project, Broadway Grand Intersection Improvements Project, the Franklin Street Complete Streets Project, and the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan Intersection Project, among many others. Current or upcoming road safety projects include the ADA curb ramp replacements across the City, Safe and Accessible Flatbush & Foxhall, the Uptown Transportation Improvements Projects, and many more to come. Under Mayor Noble’s administration, the Kingston Point Rail Trail Phase 1 (Phase 2 is under design) and the Midtown Linear Park have been created, both of which provide off-street paths and connections for walking and biking. The Kingston Greenline is a network of urban trails, complete streets, improved sidewalks, bike lanes, and linear parks in Kingston.

ARPA Funded 'Right to Counsel' Program

The City of Kingston has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from qualified law firms to provide housing-related legal services for tenants.

The City of Kingston is seeking proposals from qualified attorneys and law firms to assist in a Right to Counsel Program to provide advice, brief service, and full legal representation to income-qualifying residents in the City of Kingston regarding housing issues. The City of Kingston has allocated $500,000 of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to support the Right to Counsel Program.     

To qualify for the Right to Counsel program, Kingston tenants must have an annual income at or below 120% percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). At least 50% of all clients served during the contract period will serve households at an annual income at or below 100% AMI. The Legal Provider will provide tenants with the information, resources, services, advice, and representation they need to exercise their housing rights with matters including but not limited to potential eviction proceedings, habitability claims for repairs, claims under the Emergency Tenant Protection Act, and discrimination proceedings.

RFP proposals are due June 9, 2023. The RFP can be found here.

ARPA Nonprofit Services Grant Launched

The City of Kingston has launched the ARPA Nonprofit Services Grant Program, intended to mitigate the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 public health emergency on Kingston’s nonprofit organizations.

Kingston has allocated $1.2 million of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to support the Nonprofit Services Grant Program. Grants of up to $25,000 each will assist Kingston-based nonprofit organizations and/or nonprofit organizations that serve City of Kingston residents.

To be eligible, organizations must be a nonprofit in Kingston or provide services to city residents; must be registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or not-for-profit in New York and must have been operating prior to October 1, 2021.

“We are so thrilled to support our local nonprofits in Kingston, which provided vital resources to the community during the pandemic and throughout the most difficult times,” said Mayor Noble. “We owe much of our City’s resilience to these organizations and we recognize that they were severely stressed by the pandemic’s lasting effects. We hope this funding will help to keep our nonprofits doing their invaluable work in our community well into the future.” 

The deadline for applications is Friday, May 26, 2023. Awards will be announced on Monday, June 19, 2023.

For guidelines, eligibility, application, and much more information, visit www.engagekingston.com/arpa-nonprofit-grant-program. 

ARPA Arts & Culture Internship Grant - Deadline Extended

The City of Kingston’s ARPA Arts & Culture Internship Grant Program has been extended to April 28, 2023. The program will support both nonprofit organizations and for-profit businesses that contribute to the creative economy that experienced losses due to the pandemic.

Per the City of Kingston’s Economic Recovery Plan, the Arts & Culture Internship Grant Program will use ARPA funding to aid the creative economy by encouraging young people to develop an interest in, and the skills needed, to participate in the arts industry.



Creative industries can include advertising, architecture, arts and crafts, fine arts, design, fashion, film/video, photography, music, performing arts, publishing, computer games, TV/radio, and more. The creative economy can include trade, labor, and production aspects of the arts. More program info can be found at https://engagekingston.com/arpa-arts-culture-internship-program.

Gun Buyback Event on April 29

New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office, in collaboration with the Kingston Police Department and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, will host a gun buyback event on Saturday, April 29, 2023, from 10:00am to 1:00pm at the American Legion Post in Kingston.

Guns must be unloaded and placed in a plastic bag, paper bag, or box. Firearms can be transported in a car, if unloaded and placed in the trunk and properly contained in a bag or a box. Licensed gun dealers, and active or retired law enforcement officers are not eligible for this program. No ID will be required. The Gun Buyback is an Amnesty program, and no questions are asked of the person dropping off the firearm.

Previously held events like the Kingston Police Department’s Groceries for Guns program in 2021 have been hugely successful. KPD collected 20 pellet guns, 26 handguns, 22 rifles, 11 shotguns, and one musket in exchange for Hannaford gift cards. At a previous Attorney General sponsored Gun Buyback event in 2022, 60 firearms were turned in to law enforcement.

Youth Art Exhibition Opening Reception on April 29

The City of Kingston will host a youth art exhibition, Art Out Loud, in the City Hall ground floor gallery space, from April 29 to September 21, 2023.

The Art Out Loud exhibition spotlights the artistry of Kingston’s young creatives with a visual arts exhibition by the D.R.A.W, the Kingston High School Art Club, and My Kingston Kids’ Photography NOW! programs.

An opening reception for the Art Out Loud youth art exhibition will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2023, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm at City Hall. The opening reception will include performances, including the Boys and Girls Club youth choir, Club Harmony; the Center for Creative Education’s Energy Dance Troupe, and spoken word poetry by Harambee Kingston Youth Program members. The event is free and open to the public, with refreshments and opportunities to register for the participating youth organizations’ summer programs.

 

The Art Out Loud visual arts exhibition will be on view until September 21, during City Hall business hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. For further information, visit www.kingston-ny.gov/exhibitions

$22M RAISE Grant Application for Waterfront

The City of Kingston has applied for a $22 million RAISE Discretionary Grant from the Federal government to enhance and protect the Kingston Waterfront.

The RAISE application included several projects that total $27 million in investments to the infrastructure at the Rondout Creek to create a safer transportation network in Kingston’s Waterfront. New sidewalk and bicycle paths will provide connections to and from the historic business districts, will complete branches of the Kingston Greenline and the Empire State Trail (EST), and will connect to the 520-acre Sojourner Truth State Park. The project will address current and anticipated tidal flooding from the Rondout Creek and Hudson River by elevating roadways.

The projects are part of the City of Kingston’s Weaving the Waterfront initiative, and include five major components that will complete vital connections between Kingston’s neighborhoods and natural landscapes and upgrade with ADA-accessible infrastructure:

1. Kingston Point Rail Trail Phase 2

Phase 2 will include paving a 10-to-12-foot-wide ADA-compliant path for pedestrians and bicyclists. The new path will begin where Phase 1 ends at Garraghan Drive and traverse over an old bridge, pass behind the Trolley Museum, and end at a small trailhead on East Strand Street. Phase 2 includes fencing, interpretation of historical places, and the construction of a small building to exhibit 9/11 artifacts in the Museum’s collection. Kingston Point Rail Trail Phase 2 designs are complete. Grant to be used for construction.

2. East Strand and North Street Complete Streets

The project’s second component includes the development of ADA-compliant sidewalks, a multi-use path or bike lanes, Complete Streets amenities, and flood resilience measures for 1.2 miles along the roads parallel to the Rondout Creek -- Rondout Landing, East Strand Street and North Street. Complete Streets will be implemented from the end of Broadway in the Waterfront Business District to the intersection of North Street and Delaware Avenue near Kingston Point Park. Green infrastructure and a canopy of urban street trees on Rondout Landing and East Strand will provide shade, stormwater capture, and species biodiversity. Two sections of East Strand that experience flooding during spring tides will be raised and rebuilt. Grant to be used for preliminary design, final design and construction.

3. Kingston Point Rail Trail Phase 3 – Trolley Trail

This component begins at the intersection of East Strand and North Street, traveling east along the Trolley Trail causeway currently enjoyed by pedestrians and seasonal trolley tour patrons. An elevated 10-foot-wide, 0.72-mile climate-resilient boardwalk is proposed along the causeway adjacent to the trolley tracks. The boardwalk will traverse the length of the causeway before turning north to provide an accessible route up through Rotary Park, where the trolley route ends at a replica trolley station at the mouth of Rondout Creek. Shoreline stabilization of the causeway, utilizing living shoreline approaches, and historic/archaeological mitigation will be required to enhance biodiversity and protect the rich pre-historic legacy of the area. Designs are complete. Grant to be used for construction.

4. Rotary Park & Kingston Point Park Pedestrian Connections/ Raising of Delaware Avenue

This component will complete the Empire State Trail/Hudson River Brickyards Trail connections through Rotary Park and Kingston Point Park with a safe, accessible path. A new network of sidewalks and multi-use paths along Delaware Avenue will create a linear connection that fills a critical gap in the Empire State Trail. Delaware Avenue between North Street and Rotary Park will be raised to address flooding, which will provide at least 30 years of access to the parks. Complete Streets will also be implemented to improve pedestrian and bicycle access and ADA-compliance. Grant funds to be used for design and construction.

5. North Street Complete Streets

North of Delaware Avenue, Complete Streets will extend along North Street. Adjacent to the Hutton Brickyards, a 10-to-12-foot paved pathway will connect to the Hudson River Brickyard Trail, completing the Empire State Trail/Kingston Greenline. This path will provide multi-modal access to the Sojourner Truth State Park. Grant funds will be used for design and construction.

Three new electrical vehicle charging stations will be installed at key locations, adding to an expanding citywide network of stations.

In addition to the proposed Weaving the Waterfront projects, there has been over $58 million in recent investments in the Waterfront area, including:

• Wurts Street Bridge, one of the only steel-suspension bridges left in Upstate New York, and in Empire State Trail street signs and bicycle sharrows along the Waterfront (NYS DOT: $50 million)
• Waterfront shoreline stabilization planning and design; $780,000 into the Hudson River Brickyard Trail and $654,500 for Kingston Point Park Improvements Phase 2 (NYS DOS: $260,000)
• Kingston Point Rail Trail Phase 1; $300,000 into Kingston Point Park Improvements Phase 1; and into planning for the Sojourner Truth State Park (NYS OPRHP: $1.1 million)
• ADA improvements at Kingston Point Park; preliminary design for Climate Adaptive Redesign of Kingston Point Beach; a new accessible fishing dock on the Rondout Creek; the Sea Level Rise Implementation Learning Group and Resilience Task Force; a Natural Resources Inventory; and Open Space Plan for the City of Kingston (NYS DEC: $300,000)  
• Community Preservation Plan creation and construction of a public kayak launch system/dock with full handicapped accessibility on the Rondout Creek (EPF: $100,000)
• $10.8 million into the City’s Waste Water Treatment Plant Improvements Project
• Kingston Lighthouse restoration and TR Gallo Park on the Rondout Creek (FEMA: $1 million)
• Shoreline stabilization study (Army Corps of Engineers: $100,000)

The RAISE grants will be announced no later than June 28, 2023.

Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show

Mayor Noble's weekly radio show airs on Tuesdays at 5pm on Radio Kingston and the City of Kingston Facebook page.

Last week, Mayor Noble talked with Kingston Police Chief Egidio Tinti about KDP's upcoming events and initiatives. Click below to hear their conversation.

City of Kingston Job & Board/Commission Opportunities

The City of Kingston Parks & Recreation Department has several seasonal jobs for the summer: Summer Camp Director, Summer Camp Counselor, Lifeguard, Pool Attendant, Tennis Instructor, Park Ranger, and Laborer. Call 845-481-7330 for more information.

The City of Kingston has the following full-time job openings, including: Motor Equipment Mechanic, Motor Equipment Operator, and Fire Inspector.

Upcoming Civil Service exams:

Office Assistant - June 3, 2023

Office Assistant - Promotional - June 3, 2023

Assessment Data Collector - June 10, 2023

Deputy Assessor- June 10, 2023

Personnel Clerk- June 10, 2023

Water Treatment Laboratory Technician - June 24, 2023

More information about job openings and exams is available at kingston-ny.gov/employment.

The City of Kingston has over 25 boards & commissions, and we're always looking for volunteers to serve the community. Currently we have an opening on the Conservation Advisory Council.

Application link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KingstonBoards.

Roadwork Update: Week of April 24

Central Hudson: Gas service replacements will occur on John St(between Clinton and Wall) and also on Fair St (between N. Front and Main St). Blacktop restorations can also be expected at the same locations. 

Construction on Franklin Street from Wall Street to Broadway to complete the Franklin Street Complete Streets project. Remaining work is anticipated to be completed by April 28, 2023.

Midtown Parking Lots: final landscaping and restoration will happen next week.

No Parking Zone on Franklin St.

'Sound the Alarm' Smoke Detector Installation

Last weekend, the Red Cross, Mayor Noble, and community partners made 72 Kingston homes safer by installing 215 smoke alarms. Thanks to Chief Rea and the Kingston Fire Department and all the Red Cross volunteers who helped install smoke detectors and raise awareness about fire safety!