September 27, 2019 - In This Issue:
A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:

Dear Friends,

If you missed our Community Budget Forum earlier this week, you can see Comptroller John Tuey's  presentation  here. It's very informative in showing where your taxes go and how much your City services cost. For example, the average household pays $50 a month for combined police and fire services, and approximately $25 a month for all DPW services. If you have any feedback about the 2020 budget, please email info@kingston-ny.gov until Friday, October 5.

We are excited about the upcoming Burning of Kingston. This week  we announced  the schedule and we hope you'll find there's something for everyone. We are appreciative of our partnerships old and new - from the Senate House's Autumn Festival, where we can see what life was like in 1777, to the important addition of new voices like Harambee and the Kingston Land Trust. Together, I believe this will be a fun and meaningful event. 

-Steve
 Burning of Kingston Schedule of Events
 
The 2019 Burning of Kingston commemorative event schedule has been released!

Friday, October 18
6:30pm        Introduction by Paul O'Neill, U.C. Commissioner of Jurors 
7:00pm        Screening of Burning of Kingston Documentary at Old Dutch Church
7:30pm        The Great Debate Committee of Safety Meeting reenactment 
                    at Old Dutch Church
 
Saturday, October 19           
11:00am-4:00pm         Exhibit at the Friends of Historic Kingston gallery at Fred J.                                      Johnston House
11:00am-3:00pm         The 18th Century Autumn Festival at the Senate House
12:30pm                      Harambee Speaker and Special Exhibit at the Matthewis                                          Persen House
2:00pm                        The Volunteer Firemen's Museum Bucket Brigade
3:00pm                        Burning Memories: John Jay, Kingston, and the Legacies of                                      the American Revolution lecture by Robb K. Haberman at                                        Old Dutch Church
7:00pm                        Theatre on the Road's Living History Cemetery Tour 
8:00pm                        Colonial Grand Ball at the Old Dutch Church, Bethany Hall
 
The Senate House's Autumn Festival includes reenactment of 18th century camp life such as demonstrations of apple cider pressing, meat smoking, hearthside cooking, dipping candles, making dried apple wreaths and cornhusk dolls. 
 
New this year: Harambee and the Kingston Land Trust will host a special exhibit at the Persen House, with a talk on Saturday discussing enslaved persons during the Revolutionary War and in Kingston during the burning. There will be a choir sining African hymns and  a march to the Pine St. African Burial Ground for a ceremony.
 
Volunteer opportunities: If you would like to be  a costumed reenactor for  the Committee of Safety Meeting on Friday, October 18, or are interested in being an event volunteer, please contact Summer Smith at 845-334-3945 or ssmith@kingston-ny.gov . Limited costumes are available to borrow! 

Visit www.burningofkingston.com or www.kingston-ny.gov/burningofkingston for more information and other ways to get involved.

 2019 Participatory Budgeting Projects Announced!
 
The 2019 Participatory Budgeting Project Survey results are in. The online survey, which was open from August 9-September 6, had nearly 600 total respondents who voted for their preferred projects to receive $20,000 in funding. The projects with the most votes for each district are:
 
Uptown:
  1. Provide free breakfast/lunch program for youth when schools are closed:
    $4,500 to People's Place
  2. Plant trees and follow up with regular maintenance and tree pruning:
    $15,500 to work with the Tree Commission for planting street trees in Uptown
  Midtown:
  1. Pine St. African Burial Ground youth development program for design/community engagement: $20,000 to be awarded to the Kingston Land Trust for implementation 
Downtown:
  1. Fund youth programs, community events, education and wellness centers: $20,000 to be distributed through the Office of Community Development
City staff have reviewed the top-voted projects for cost estimates and determined a plan for implementation: For Uptown, $4,500 will go to People's Place to supplement its Bag Summer Hunger, Bag Holiday Hunger and Thanksgiving Feast programs. The remaining $15,500 will go to the Tree Commission for planting street trees in Uptown along with maintenance and regular pruning, as needed. 

For Midtown, the entire allotment will go to the Kingston Land Trust for implementing the Pine St. Burial Ground youth development program for design and community engagement. 

For Downtown, the entire allotment will be distributed to youth programs via the City of Kingston's Office of Community Development. The process for applying for funds will be announced soon.

 Youth Programs Funded Via the 2018 Participatory Budgeting Project
City Hall Art Exhibition Opening on October 5
 
Please join us to celebrate the next City Hall gallery art exhibition titled Sanctuary. The opening reception will be held on Saturday, October 5 from 3:00-5:00pm. 

Sanctuary is a group exhibition curated by the City of Kingston's  Distinguished Artist,  Julie Hedrick along with Janet Hicks & Laurie DeChiara. Local artists were invited to submit work that explores the theme of sanctuaries. Each artist was asked to respond to the prompt; what does 'sanctuary' mean to you? 

Sanctuary will be on display until December 20 during regular City Hall hours. 

Foxhall Paving Projects
 
Paving was completed this week on Foxhall Avenue ( from Flatbush to Stephan Street), Grand Street (from Smith to Foxhall) and Cornell Street (from Foxhall to Progress). DPW and their crews did a great job! 

The remainder of Foxhall will be restored and paved this season, if weather permits. Check out www.kingston-ny.gov/paving for more details. 

Alderman Patrick O'Reilly's Planting Project 
 

Alderman Patrick O'Reilly recently helped transform a triangle of land at  Delaware Ave in Ward 7 with beautiful n ative plantings. Along with  volunteers Gary Tomczk and Richard Schiafo, Patrick has adopted the plot, with permission to work from the N.Y.S DOT. Thank you Patrick and friends for making this spot beautiful for all travelers in Kingston - the bees are already loving it! 
Kingston Happenings
The City of Kingston often receives requests to share upcoming events happening in our community. Our partners at 
KingstonHappenings.org  do an excellent job of centralizing this community information. So while our website is the best resource to gain information about City of Kingston sponsored events and important municipal information, Kingston Happenings can give you a greater preview of community events. Check them out today!
Sent on behalf of:
Mayor Steven T. Noble
845.334.3902
mayor@kingston-ny.gov

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