Mayor's Message

City of Kingston 2022 Annual Report

ARPA Small Business Grants Launched!

Two Midtown Parking Lots Free 4-Hour Parking

Kingston Fire Department Offers Babysitting Course

Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show

Mayor's Message:

Dear Friends -

During my recent State of the City address, I talked about many of the City of Kingston’s accomplishments from 2022, and our goals for 2023, but in a 20-minute speech, I can’t possibly mention all the great work our staff does. I’m pleased to release our 2022 annual report, which highlights the accomplishments from each department and the work they do on a daily basis. I'm proud of our City employees, and I thank them for all their hard work.

One of the initiatives mentioned in the State of the City speech was the Small Business Grant program, which will award $1 million of our American Rescue Plan funding directly to our local businesses. We are thrilled to get this program launched. Details below!

-Steve

City of Kingston 2022 Annual Report

Mayor Noble is pleased to release the City of Kingston’s 2022 Annual Report. 

The 2022 Annual Report is a comprehensive report for each City Department’s accomplishments, along with goals for the next year. Some of the many accomplishments highlighted in the 2022 Annual Report include:

• 2022 Assessment Roll, without non-reappraisal reassessment
• Over 2,200 Building Safety permits issued
• Over 200 Kingston ID cards issued by the City Clerk’s Office
• Civil Service Office held 14 State Examinations
• Community Development reallocated unspent CDBG funds to eligible programs and initiatives
• Comptroller’s Office assisted in the successful development and adoption of the 2023 City budget which included a $50,000 tax decrease
• Corporation Counsel secured favorable court rulings in 10 lawsuits, and obtained $1.4 million settlement in Washington Avenue Tunnel litigation
• Engineering Department completed Broadway Streetscape, Broadway/Grand St Intersection re-alignment, Franklin Street Complete Street Project, Midtown Parking Lots Green Infrastructure Project, roof replacements on Volunteer Fireman’s Museum and 20 Broadway, Elmendorf St. Bridge replacement, City Hall Tower and Interior rehabilitation, and Wilbur Avenue paving
• Kingston Fire Department responded to 5,182 calls for services
• Grants Office oversaw a portfolio of approximately 52 grant projects, funded by $56 million in awards
• Health & Wellness began managing the Mobile Mental Health grant and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan
• Housing Department completed a rental vacancy study that allowed the City of Kingston to declare a housing emergency and opt into the Emergency Tenant Protection Act, thus allowing for rent stabilization in Kingston. Housing office completed three drafts of rezoning plan, and launched a free landlord-tenant housing mediation program with the Dispute Resolution Center
• Parks Dept. built the Van Buren shade structure, Kingston Point Park playground, and began interior renovation of the Andretta Pool facility
• Sustainability launched the Kingston Community Energy CCA Project, installed a new solar rooftop at the AMNC and was awarded $1.8 million to reduce the usage of fossil fuels.
• Kingston Police Department responded to over 18,658 requests for service, and made over 890 arrests
• DPW responded to eight snow events and storms
• Wastewater Treatment Plant broke ground on $10M outfall project

The 2022 Annual Report can be found here. 

City of Kingston Launches ARPA Small Business Grant Program

The City of Kingston has launched the ARPA Small Business Grant Program, which is made possible with funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

The City has allocated $1,000,000 of its $17.3 million ARPA award to aid local businesses within City limits in responding to the negative economic impacts of COVID-19. Grant awards of up to $10,000 each will help businesses keep their doors open, protect local jobs threatened by the pandemic, support community recovery, and increase resiliency. 

Eligible Kingston businesses may apply for cash assistance to help mitigate the impacts of revenue reductions associated with the pandemic. The City anticipates awarding approximately 100 small businesses a one-time cash grant of up to $10,000. The grant application, which can be found here, is due no later than 4:00pm on Friday, March 17, 2023.

To be eligible for an award, a business must:

• Be a for-profit business based within City of Kingston limits
• Have 50 or fewer employees
• Be registered to do business in the State of New York unless the business is a sole proprietorship
• Be registered as a DBA If the sole proprietorship does business under a name other than the owner’s 
• Be independently owned and operated and not be dominant in its field of operation
• Have been operating in the City of Kingston prior to October 1, 2021. 
• Not be facing any pending litigation or legal action
• Not have any business owners, including all managing members and/or officers, who have been convicted of financial crimes within the past three years
• Not have received alternate federal, state, or local grant funding to cover the same costs and/or uses included in the application
• Not be suspended or debarred from the use of federal funds
• Not be a franchise, unless the franchise is not a subsidiary of a larger corporation

Further details and the application are available at Engage Kingston. 

Two Midtown Parking Lots Free 4-Hour Parking

Two Midtown parking lots, the Cornell Street parking lot and the lot adjacent to the former Sea Deli at 658 Broadway, will offer free 4-hour parking. Street parking along the section of Broadway in Midtown from St James Street to Prince Street/Pine Grove will remain free for two hours, as previously announced with the completion of the Broadway Streetscape Project.

“Now that the construction is finished on the Midtown parking lots, it was important that these lots better align with the rules and regulations of the newly completed Broadway Streetscape, which included removing parking meters in the project area. Going forward, street parking on Broadway in Midtown from St James Street to Prince Street will be free for two hours, while the Cornell Street and Sea Deli parking lots will be free for up to four hours. I hope this helps make your shopping and dining at our Midtown establishments easier and more convenient,” said Mayor Noble.

Those that plan to park for more than four hours or overnight should retain a parking permit. Anyone who has purchased a 2023 parking permit intending to use it at the Cornell Street parking lot and does not need to park more than 4 hours in that lot, may submit a refund request. Written refund requests must be received by the Parking Violations office in City Hall no later than February 28, 2023, to qualify for reimbursement. Contact the Parking office at 845-334-3933 or [email protected].

The recent Midtown Parking Lots Improvements Project renovated three Midtown parking lots with green infrastructure and new paving. The Prince Street parking lot (by Monkey Joe) will remain metered.  

Kingston Fire Dept Offers Babysitting Course

The Kingston Fire Department will be offering another Child and Babysitting Safety course soon. The course is designed for teenagers to learn everything they need to know for safe and successful babysitting. Participants will learn about what its like to be a babysitter, how to care for a child, staying safe, and tips for starting your own babysitting business.

To find out more information and to sign up reach out to the Kingston Fire Department CPR hotline at 845-481-7312.

Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show

Mayor Noble hosts a weekly radio show on Tuesdays at 5:00pm which airs live on Radio Kingston and the City of Kingston Facebook page.

Last week, Mayor Noble spoke with Kingston Police Chief Egidio Tinti about the Police Department's community policing efforts and more. Click below to hear their conversation.