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December 6, 2019 - In This Issue:
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A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:
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Dear Friends,
I hope everyone stayed safe and warm during our first snow storm of the season. The City issued more than 550 warning violations for parking during the three-day Snow Emergency. We issued warnings during this first snow, but non-compliant vehicles are very disruptive to our teams trying to plow the streets. Going forward, its imperative that the community works together to follow snow emergency parking restrictions so that the hard working folks at DPW can do their work keeping our streets clear and safe.
Please
help us spread the word on all the ways that residents can stay informed about snow emergencies and the procedures that help us ensure the safety of everyone.
- Sign up for phone call or text alerts at Swift 911
- Newsletter recipients automatically
receive
updates. Sign-up here.
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Snowflake Festival in Uptown Tonight
The annual Snowflake Festival will be held tonight, Friday, December 6 in Uptown Kingston from 6-8pm. The festivities will include
performers on stilts, hip-hop jugglers, flame-eaters, immense ice sculptures, holiday carolers, youth-group fiddlers, scavenger hunts, bicycle raffle awards, horse-drawn carriages and more. Numerous Uptown businesses will be decked-out for the holidays and offering complimentary treats and refreshments.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive on an antique firetruck to light up the Christmas Tree at North Front and Wall St. Then Santa and Mrs. Claus will
greet children
on the Senate House Grounds.
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City of Kingston Seeking Marina Operator for Rondout Riverfront
The City is currently accepting bids for the management of the marina and boat dock at T.R. Gallo Park. Those interested in partnering with the City of Kingston in operating a seasonal marina, should contact Brian Woltman at [email protected] or 845-334-3943.
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2020 Budget Unanimously Adopted
Mayor Steve Noble's 2020 Recommended Budget was unanimously adopted by Kingston's Common Council on Tuesday.
The total 2020 General Fund budget is $44,464,333.
Under the 2020 Adopted Budget, the tax levy will remain frozen at $17,650,940 with a 0% increase for the fifth year in a row. Tax rates continue to decline for the third consecutive year for homestead (from $9.73 to $9.04 per $1,000 of assessed value), and a steep tax rate drop for non-homestead, which will decrease from $15.59 to $14.24 per $1,000 of assessed value. Over $1,070,000 has been placed in contingency in preparation for potential non-recurring expenses, keeps all essential services intact with no eliminations of currently filled full-time positions, and adds or expands 12 full-time positions.
The Common Council voted to appropriate an additional $542,000 from the fund balance to purchase equipment and vehicles for various City departments rather than bonding, which will save future interest costs for taxpayers.
The 2020 Adopted Budget will support a variety of core service areas within the City of Kingston, including
Infrastructure,
Housing,
Public Safety,
Parks and Recreation and
Sustainability.
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Alderman-at-Large Jim Noble Retiring
James Noble, who has served as the Alderman-at-Large for the City of Kingston for 17 years and on the Common Council for 21 years, has retired. We celebrated Jim at his last Common Council meeting on December 3. The City of Kingston presented Jim with a certificate and a plaque in a very heartfelt send-off. We wish Jim a happy retirement and we hope to still see him around City Hall sometimes.
We also wish Bill Carey a fond farewell, as he served the Kingston community as Alderman of Ward 5 for eight years. Good luck to you both, you'll be missed!
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Call for Boards & Commissions
We encourage all individuals who are interested in serving on a Board, Commission and/or Committee, to please complete an application
online
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This information will be used in determining which individuals are best suited to serve on each Board, Commission and Committee, based on their qualifications, backgrounds, skills and interests. The purpose of this application process is to enable the City to recruit individuals who have a strong desire and ability to serve and to ensure that each Board, Commission and Committee reflects the rich diversity of our community. We are striving to build an inclusive process that seeks to attract applicants who embody the values and principles of our community and who are committed to serving in this important role with integrity, respect, compassion, and professionalism.
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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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