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April 5, 2019 - In This Issue:
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A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:
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Dear Friends -
A big thank you to everyone who has helped out and complied with the changes in recycling! We have successfully completed the
first week in our transition to dual-stream recycling in the City of Kingston.
By now, every residence should have received a new recycling tote with yellow lid. If you have not received your new tote for paper/cardboard, please let us know at [email protected]. Paper and cardboard will be picked up next week in the yellow-lidded tote on your regular trash day. More details on the coming weeks included below.
We thought you might also like to know what the Department of Public Works does when they are not picking up refuse and recycling and clearing the roads of snow. The answer is - a lot. This week we released DPW's Annual Report for 2018. I hope you'll take a look and then thank your friendly building, bus, sewer, sanitation and other DPW worker next time you see them. They keep our beautiful City running each and every day.
I am pleased to announce that applications are now open for groups and organizations to get funding for youth programming in the Rondout Waterfront area. The funds come directly from the 2018 Participatory Budgeting Project. My office will be kicking off the 2019 Participatory Budgeting very soon.
A reminder that City Hall has a new exhibition of works by artists inspired by the late Kingston composer, Pauline Oliveros. The opening reception is tomorrow, Saturday, April 6, and will feature sonic art and performances. This event coincides with First Saturday and some nice spring weather. Hope to see you there!
-Steve
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City of Kingston Dual-Stream Recycling News
By now, ev
eryone should have received their yellow-lidded tote for paper and cardboard, and should have separated out any paper or cardboard from your existing tote. The first pick-up for paper and cardboard in the yellow-lid tote will be next week (April 8-12) on your regular trash day. If you have not received your yellow-lid tote, please email your address to [email protected].
The yellow-lid tote is for the following items only:
Cardboard (flattened)
Newspaper and inserts
Brown paper bags
Paper egg cartons
Office paper and file folders
Telephone books
Junk mail
Magazines and catalogs
Books (hardcovers must be removed)
Cereal/tissue boxes
Not Accepted:
Wax or plastic-coated paper (frozen food boxes, disposable coffee cups, etc.)
Pizza boxes
Wet or food-contaminated paper
Paper streamers/tissue paper
Tissues/napkins/paper towels
Also not accepted in the Yellow-lid Tote:
Bottles
Cans
Jars
Any plastic, metal or glass containers or items
Trash of any sort
Food of any sort
The week of April 15, please bring your existing tote to the curb, even if it's not full, so that DPW
can removing its black or blue lid, and affix with a new blue lid. The new lid will be stamped with an illustration of the acceptable items to be recycled in that tote.
Week of April 8 Paper/cardboard picked up in tote with yellow lid.
Week of April 15 Glass, plastic & metal in existing tote, and DPW to swap lid.
Week of April 22 Paper/cardboard picked up in tote with yellow lid.
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Applications Now Open for Rondout Participatory Budgeting Youth Programming Funds
When the surveys were completed for the first-ever Participatory Budgeting Project, the Rondout district had voted to allot its $15,000 for youth programming in the area. The City is now taking applications for funding from groups and organizations for youth programming and events.
Applications are online at the City's website, and must be returned to the Office of Economic and Community Development at City Hall by Wednesday, May 1 at 3:00pm. There will be a community engagement meeting for comments and public input on Thursday, May 9 at 7:00pm at City Hall. The applications will then be presented to the Community Development Advisory Board, who will award the grant for projects specifically geared toward youth-based programs in the Rondout area.
Participatory Budgeting is a process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. For the pilot project, $15,000 was set aside for improvements or projects in each business district (Uptown, Midtown and Downtown/Rondout), for a total investment of $45,000. These funds were generated by revenue from off-street parking fees. The Mayor has set aside $20,000 for each district in the 2019 budget for another round of Participatory Budgeting, which will be announced soon!
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DPW Releases Annual Report for 2018
Mayor Steve Noble and the City of Kingston's Department of Public Works
Superintendent Edward Norman
have released the department's Annual Report for 2018. Every year, each of the nine divisions within the Department of Public Works: Admin, Safety, Street, Sewer Maintenance, Sanitation, Waste Water Treatment, Citibus, Fleet Maintenance, and Park Maintenance, work together to provide
a safe and healthful environment for all residents and visitors of our City. This year's report includes an overview of the many accomplishments in 2018, and outlines the Department's projects and goals for 2019.
"The City could not run without the hard work of the men and women of DPW," said Mayor Steve Noble. "I want to thank Ed Norman and Ryan Coon for joining our team in 2018, and leading this department in both large-scale projects and the day-to-day work. They have both done a tremendous job, as well as their entire team. I look forward to seeing what they can accomplish in the coming year."
In 2019, DPW has been facilitating the major transition from single-stream recycling to a dual-stream process across the City. The administrative office has begun addressing calls and work orders via the newly launched 311 system. By utilizing 311 and creating work orders in the QAlert System, the Department hopes to better serve concerns and issues. DPW staff can quickly enter a service request, have instant access to an internal knowledge base that enables staff to answer questions and log calls in seconds, view request data on a map, and send automated text, call, or email notifications to citizens when the issue is resolved.
"I want to thank the entire DPW staff for their tireless work last year and for their ongoing dedication," said DPW Superintendent Ed Norman. "These men and women face challenges in their difficult jobs nearly every day, and their commitment to serving and bettering the City of Kingston should be commended."
Other projects for 2019 include continuing the citywide LED Streetlight Conversion Project, the Greenkill Avenue and Jacob's Valley Storm and Sewer Replacement Projects, and multiple sanitary sewer main repairs to rehabilitate the aging sewer infrastructure and help prevent future infiltration of storm water, sand and debris from entering the treated sanitary system. Public Works anticipates paving approximately 15 streets in 2019. This will include milling and paving as well as ADA compliant corners.
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Mondays with the Mayor
On this week's radio show, "Mondays with the Mayor" on Radio Kingston, I was joined by Addie Farr, the City's Director of Arts and Cultural Affairs, and artists IONE and Lisa B. Kelley. We discussed the new exhibition at City Hall,
Pauline Oliveros: Still Listening in Kingston, which features works by artists who were inspired by Oliveros. The opening reception will be this Saturday, April 6 from 3-5pm at City Hall. There will be sonic art and performances -this one is not to be missed!
Pauline was a truly innovative artist as well as a proud member of the Kingston community. The open space of land at 615 Broadway has been dedicated the Deep Listening Plaza in her honor.
Radio Kingston just announced last week that they are now on FM! In addition to airing at
WKNY-AM 1490, the programming is now being simulcast at 107.9 FM. You can still listen to the show's archive, including this week's show, online here.
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O+ Festival Celebrated 10 Years in Kingston
The O+ Festival celebrated its 10-year anniversary this week, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Uptown Kingston. Representatives from the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Noble were there to congratulate the festival organizers.
The festival's annual gala is tomorrow, April 6 at the Senate Garage and will
feature a live and silent auction, food and drinks, and music and live performances.
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Jacob's Valley Storm Sewer Project Construction
The City has begun construction on the Jacob's Valley Storm Sewer Improvements project, which involves storm sewer pipeline replacement and lining of existing drainage pipes. This effort will reduce the flooding on Broadway under the CSX overpass, near the YMCA, and on Summer Street.
The work will primarily affect the following areas:
- South Sterling
- Summer street between South Sterling and Susan Streets
- Susan Street between Pine Grove Avenue and Summer Street
- Pine Grove Avenue between Broadway and Mary's Avenue.
- YMCA parking lot
The City will host a public meeting on April 24, 2019 at 5:30pm at the Kingston YMCA, located 507 Broadway, and held in the family room. City Engineers John Schultheis and Alan Adin will be discussing the project, and how the work will affect the neighborhood, traffic, bus routes and more.
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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!
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