Mayor's Message

City of Kingston Black History Event on February 29

Rondout Neighborhood Center Black History Week Honorees

Cholangiocarcinoma Day Proclamation

HomeShare Public Interest Survey

City of Kingston Seeks Rent Guidelines Board Member

Construction of Post Office Park Has Begun

Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show

City of Kingston Job Opportunities

Mayor's Message:

Dear Friends -

There has been a lot of information circulating online recently about lead at the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center and I wanted to give an update.

A video on social media regarding the existence of lead in the paint at the Neighborhood Center. This is an unfortunately common problem as 75% of all buildings built before 1978 contain lead. It is also something we have been aware of for some time (an extensive survey of the lead in the building was done in 2021, and confirmed the existence of lead on the walls specifically).

Despite the existence of lead in the building, I want to be as clear as possible that our staff would never put children in harm’s way. Trained professionals with lead abatement certification routinely sanitize the areas where children congregate and play. Children are not exposed to lead paint chips or lead dust as they are fully supervised 100% of the time during any of our programming. As a parent, I assure you I would never jeopardize the health or safety of children. My own son, my whole family in fact, frequently visit the Andy Murphy Center whether it be for work or recreation. Thankfully, lead existing in a building does not mean everyone in that building is at risk, especially in a scenario like this one where we are fully aware of the problematic areas.

As we work to improve the building in future capital projects, we will continue to remediate any lead we discover or any other hazardous material that is found. When we recently revamped the kitchen, a full lead abatement was completed because construction causes lead dust to develop. We plan for continued renovations at the AMNC, which are part of the City’s Parks and Recreation Capital Plan. We will continue to follow all good housekeeping recommendations from the County and State when it comes to managing and containing risks associated with lead paint.

-Steve

Black History Month Event at City Hall

A special Black History Month event, in partnership with Ulster County, the A.J. Williams-Meyers African Roots Center, and the Bard Conservatory, “Honoring the Dream: From Our Ancestors to Us” will be held on Thursday, February 29, at 6:00pm in Council Chambers at City Hall.

This special event will feature the Bard Conservatory Jazz Ensemble performing compositions from the civil rights era, and a talk by renowned civil rights attorney Michael Sussman. Anthony Dandridge, SUNY New Paltz Black History Professor and Executive Director of the A.J. Williams-Myers African Roots Center, will lead an honors ceremony in memory of national and local trailblazers. The program is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

“We are proud to host this special event at City Hall, and to honor those who have left a legacy of greatness as a part of Black History Month in Kingston,” said Mayor Steve Noble. “I want to thank the Department of Arts & Cultural Affairs and our partners, as we gather to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans and Black Kingstonians. We hope you will join us for this special conclusion of the month’s festivities.”

Michael Sussman, member of the Bar of the State of New York, US District Courts in Southern, Northern and Eastern Districts of New York and Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, has been fighting for social and individual justice for more than 40 years. He has argued about 300 cases in the federal Circuit Courts, the vast majority in the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and served as lead counsel in more than 1,000 civil rights, school segregation, housing discrimination, and complex criminal cases. He has received numerous awards from the Attorney General for Outstanding Service to the Department of Justice.

Anthony Dandridge is a Visiting Lecturer in the second oldest Black Studies department in America at SUNY New Paltz and the Executive Director of A.J. Williams-Meyers African Root Center. An Afrocentrist who prioritizes the importance of cultural lenses when engaging phenomena, he has been teaching college courses on Race, Racism and Contemplative Practices for 20 years. He is a founding member of the Black Lives Matter at School Collective at SUNY New Paltz, a Co-Chair of the SUNY Black Faculty and Staff Collective, a New Paltz Faculty Sustainability Fellow, a core member of the New Paltz Eddy, a steering group member for The Sojourner Truth Library Antiracist Campus Read, and a proud and active member of the Union of University Professionals where he has presented on Unions and Racism on several occasions.

The Jazz at Bard College division is committed to teaching jazz as an integral part of the African musical diaspora and, historically, as a place where European, African, and Native American musical and cultural practices flowed together. It also regards jazz music as a technologically inclusive art form that should not be frozen in time, ever evolving, while becoming increasingly socially and culturally diverse.

More at https://www.facebook.com/events/412447174574278.

Rondout Center Black History Week Honorees

The Kingston Parks & Recreation Department will host its annual Black History Week with several days of events at the Rondout Neighborhood Center.

Starting on Tuesday, February 20, with a Soul Food Night and celebration of Black Entrepreneurs, where local business owners A.C. Martin of 1 N Only Cakes/Di Sweet Spot, Chone Johnson of Caring Connectors, and Jalani Lion of Dark Arts Tattoo will be honored.

On Wednesday, a movie night with Space Jam: A New Legacy, and a Carnival Night on Thursday. All events are 6-8pm. Everyone is welcome! 

Cholangiocarcinoma Day Proclamation

February 15, 2025 is World Cholangiocarcinoma Day, and in honor of Kingston resident Donna Martin who is bravely battling this rare disease and is tireless in her advocacy to bring awareness, Mayor Noble declares today Cholangiocarcinoma Day in Kingston. Read Mayor Noble's proclamation:

HomeShare Public Interest Survey

The City of Kingston’s Department of Housing Initiatives is working in partnership with Family of Woodstock, HomeShare Woodstock, and the Kingston Housing Task Force to gauge public interest for a home share program in Kingston.



Family of Woodstock created a home sharing program, HomeShare Woodstock, and is looking at the potential to expand the program into Kingston. The City of Kingston has launched a public interest survey that will be open until March 8, 2024. The survey can be found at https://forms.gle/h6r7nHe2tbBkfC7x7.

Printed copies are also available at City Hall, Family of Woodstock at 31 Albany Ave, and the Kingston Library. A survey in Spanish is available at https://forms.gle/yNeqNoCGEuZQdeAA7.

Home sharing is a mutually beneficial way to address the affordable housing crisis. By connecting homeowners who have extra space with renters, home sharing is one proven way to help both groups who are burdened by housing costs. With a solid “match,” home sharing helps homeowners gain extra income and receive help with tasks while providing an affordable rental for someone in the community.

HomeShare Woodstock is the state's first free home sharing program outside New York City. As part of Family of Woodstock, HomeShare Woodstock is currently serving towns in the northern part of Ulster County. As of February 2024, HomeShare Woodstock has seven successful matches benefitting eighteen people. HomeShare Woodstock works hard to make successful matches and follows them, helping with any issues that may come up. HomeShare Woodstock has consulted with dozens of the more than sixty programs in the United States to create its model, and is now helping other communities explore home sharing.

There are over 60 home sharing programs throughout the United States. Home sharing programs help people to remain in their homes and to age in place and provides for the home seeker housing that is affordable and that values their skills. Home sharing offers the proven benefits of living with others that include increased peace of mind, better health, feelings of safety and security, less anxiety, and greater happiness.

City Seeks Resident for Rent Guidelines Board

The City of Kingston is seeking residents to serve on Kingston’s Rent Guidelines Board.

On July 28, 2022, the City of Kingston declared a housing emergency and formally opted into the Emergency Tenant Protection Act (ETPA), and in doing so, is required to maintain a Rent Guidelines Board. The Rent Guidelines Board is made up of two tenant representatives, two property owner representatives, and five members of the public. There is currently one vacancy for a member of the public​​.

The Rent Guidelines Board meets annually and as needed to set guidelines for rent adjustments. The Division of Housing and Community Renewal assists the Board in making its annual determination.

Applicants must have at least five years of experience in finance, economics, or housing. Board members must be residents of the City of Kingston. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 8, 2024.

The application is at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/rentguidelinesboard.

For more information on the eligibility requirements for the Board, click here. 

Post Office Park Construction Has Begun

Mayor Noble is pleased to announce that construction for the creation of Post Office Park has begun.

The City of Kingston is implementing Phase 1 of a landscape plan for the two greenspaces at Broadway, Grand Street and Prince Street, newly named Post Office Park. The construction includes sidewalks, paths, trees, shrubs, perennials, game tables, benches, bicycle racks, stone elements referencing the former Kingston Post Office, and interpretive/wayfinding signage. The contractor, OCS Industries, Inc., has mobilized equipment to the site and erected safety fencing. As part of the project, five diseased trees have been removed, with 28 trees to be planted as part of the project.

Construction is expected to be completed by December 2024. The project is funded by a Community Development Block Grant and American Rescue Plan Act funding.

More info and regular updates will be at engagekingston.com/post-office-park.

The Broadway Grand Street Intersection Improvements project realigned and improved safety at a formerly dangerous intersection with funding from the NYSDOT Multi-Modal Program. Working with GPI, the engineering consultants for the Broadway Streetscape Project, the City redesigned the intersection to reduce traveler confusion, crashes, and near-misses. Pedestrians and bicyclists traveling on the Empire State Trail, use this intersection to connect to Prince Street to continue along the trail route. To accommodate the realignment, an abandoned Planet Wings building was demolished, leaving the greenspaces.

KaN Landscape Design, a women-owned, Kingston-based landscape design firm, was contracted to develop landscape design plans in August 2022. KaN has worked on many local projects including the Y Park, the YMCA playground, and the African Burial Ground. KaN partnered with the YMCA Youth Farm Project, Place Corps, and DRAW for community engagement outreach to inform the final design.



Last year, the City of Kingston put out an open call for name ideas and, of the 62 community suggestions, the Recreation Commission was asked to narrow to 10 choices. A public poll was open from October 27 to December 1, 2023. With 26% of the vote, Post Office Park was the top voted name.

Mayor Noble's Tuesday Radio Show

Mayor Noble's weekly radio show is back! "It's the Mayor" airs on Tuesdays at 5pm on Radio Kingston. This week, Mayor Noble spoke with Emily Flynn, Director of Health & Wellness and Marsha Sebro, Project Manager about the many current projects of the Health & Wellness team and Live Well Kingston commission. Click below to listen to their conversation!

City of Kingston Job & Board Opportunities

The Kingston Parks and Recreation Department is now accepting applications for a number of seasonal positions:

-Summer Camp Counselor

-Summer Camp Director

-Tennis Instructor

-Pool Attendant

-Lifeguard

-Park Ranger

-Seasonal Laborer

-Recreation Assistant

Pay rates range from approximately $15-$24/hour based on the position, applicant education background and prior experience. For

detailed listings of each position, and to download the seasonal staff

application, please visit https://kingston-ny.gov/recvacancies

Upcoming Civil Service Exams include:

Head Custodian on March 23, 2024

Project Manager on April 13, 2024

The following civil service examinations will be given on a continual recruitment basis. Exams will be given every six months and names will be interfiled on the eligible lists.

Office Assistant

Office Assistant I

Typist

The Police Office Physical Agility Exam is now being offered on a continuous recruitment basis.

Police Officer Physical Agility Examination

More information available at https://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 there are openings on:

• Zoning Board of Appeals
• Kingston Housing Authority
• Complete Streets Advisory Council
• Conservation Advisory Council

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/