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February 9, 2020 - In This Issue:
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A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:
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As a part of my Clearer Bolder Better platform that I rolled out during my State of the City address, I announced this week my intention to hire two new key positions in my administration, which I believe will be central to conquering some of our City's biggest challenges, including housing.
There is no doubt that we are in a housing crisis, and we are at a pivotal moment here in the City of Kingston. We have to be proactive in our efforts to protect and support our residents who are at-risk of or struggling with housing insecurity. I believe that means hiring dedicated staff with the expertise to expand the availability of safe, affordable and equitable housing for all.
I also proposed a plan to integrate Parks and Recreation with the Department of Public Works. T
here are a variety of core service areas offered by each department that intersect, and many large scale projects in the pipeline that will benefit from improved communication and collective planning. We are in the midst of our city's largest investment in municipal infrastructure and parks in a generation. We have an opportunity to break down silos and work together to get the bring these major projects to fruition for our community.
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Mondays with the Mayor: Black History Month Kingston
This week on "Mondays with the Mayor" on Radio Kingston, Mayor Noble spoke with Recreation Leader, Andrew Williams, about Kingston Parks & Recreation's upcoming Black History Month events. Click here to listen to their conversation.
Events will take place nightly from 6-8pm on February 19, 20 and 21 at the Rondout Neighborhood Center.
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Majority Leader's State of the City Speech
Common Council Majority Leader Reynolds Scott-Childress (Alderman, Ward 3) gave his State of the City address at Tuesday's Council meeting. You can see the entire speech and view the Council meeting here.
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Roadwork Update: I-587 Roundabout Roadwork Begins
Over the next two weeks, work zone signing and variable message boards will be installed to notify residents and motorists of the work zone.
Next week, the monument and flags will be removed and stored, and tree removal will begin. Between 9:00am and 4:00pm, brief traffic stoppages for less than five minutes may occur. Additional site work, including overhead sign removal and lighting, will continue with little to no impact to traffic.
NYSDOT recently unveiled a new
public service announcement and social media campaign focused on the importance of driving responsibly in work zones. The video highlights the importance of paying attention in work zones and obeying New York State's "Move Over" laws.
Motorists are reminded that fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual's driver license.
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Mayor Noble Proposes Two Key Positions for his
Administration
Mayor Noble has set forth a clear and ambitious agenda for tackling local housing issues in 2020, including adopting the Emergency Tenant Protection Act and additional tenant safeguards, supporting anti-displacement efforts through participation in the NYS Attorney General's new Learning Network program, and implementing regulations for short-term rentals. To support and advance this work, Mayor Noble is proposing to establish a Director of Housing Initiatives, who will guide the City's housing efforts, research and draft policy and proposed legislation, and work closely with local housing organizations. The position will also serve as the Executive Director of the Kingston City Land Bank.
Mayor Noble is also proposing the creation of a Director of Intergovernmental Affairs position, who will be responsible for a wide array of projects and initiatives that are outside the boundaries of any one department, and often require collaboration with other agencies. This position will assist the Mayor's office in guiding key projects forward and will serve as a bridge between the City administration, the Common Council, County and State Government, along with community nonprofits and private business partners.
The Common Council is expected to review the Mayor's proposal at its February Finance Committee meeting. The establishment of the proposed positions will not impact the 2020 City Budget. If approved by the Council, Mayor Noble expects to fill both positions in the second quarter of the year.
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Proposed Leadership Integration at Public Works and Parks & Recreation Departments
Mayor Steve Noble has announced an ambitious plan to improve service delivery and reduce redundancies through the proposed integration of leadership teams of the Departments of Public Works and Parks and Recreation.
Under the proposal, Department of Public Works Superintendent Ed Norman will oversee both DPW and Parks and Recreation. A new Deputy Superintendent of Environmental Services will be established who will work alongside the existing Deputy Superintendent and oversee Parks maintenance, recreation programming, environmental education and sustainability programs, and the sanitation division. The Deputy Superintendent position will require a Civil Service examination. A Recreation Director will be appointed off an eligible Civil Service list to supervise and lead new and existing recreation programs and services.
The partnership will not result in any layoffs or changes to existing CSEA contracts, and will not affect the 2020 Budget or interrupt any current or planned work within the departments.
Mayor Noble will present his proposal to the Common Council Laws & Rules Committee at their February meeting. If approved by the Common Council, the reconfiguration of the departments will begin in April.
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Kingston Point Climate-Adaptive Design Project Open House
Please join us at City Hall for an Open House style presentation of the Kingston Point Park Climate-adaptive Design Project. Come hear more about the efforts to protect the park from rising water levels and extreme weather.
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Call for Boards & Commissions
We are currently looking for engaged residents from diverse backgrounds who are interested in serving their community on a board or commission. Current openings include:
Tree Commission
Community Development
Advisory
Board
Human Rights Commission
Planning Board
Kingston City Land Bank
Heritage Area Commission
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.
The online application can be
found here
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Kingston 311
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.
This system is a valuable resource to submit service requests for streetlight replacement, roadwork, City signage, traffic calming measures and other concerns. Issues with snow removal and reporting of vehicles and sidewalks not in accordance with the Snow Emergency restrictions can also be submitted via Kingston 311.
Photos can also be attached to illustrate service orders. Dial 311 from any phone within City limits to reach us.
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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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