October 1, 2017 - In This Issue:
A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:
Dear Friends,

This week's issue includes information about an exciting opportunity available through our Residential Rehabilitation Program. I encourage each of you to learn more about this program administered by our Office of Economic and Community Development and to find out if you are eligible. 

Also in this issue, we have a preview of one of the most exciting weekends of the year in Kingston! I hope you will join me and thousands of residents and visitors as we celebrate major festivals happening throughout our city, including the O+ Festival scheduled October 6th-8th, the 15th Annual Forsyth Nature Center on Sunday, October 8th and the Ulster County Italian Festival, also on Sunday, October 8th. 

-Steve
Hasbrouck-Delaware Parklet

The City of Kingston and Kingston Land Trust were pleased to host a public event on Tuesday, in which we shared the proposed design of the Hasbrouck-Delaware Parklet. 

The Hasbrouck-Delaware Parklet is a project funded by the Hudson River Valley Greenway and the HUD Community Development Block Program. The parklet project includes restoration of sidewalks at the intersection of Hasbrouck and Delaware Avenues and the re-envisioning of a small greenspace located on the western end of the Delaware tunnel. The greenspace will feature a stairway down to the future Kingston Point Rail Trail and beautiful landscaping with sculptures.

The Hasbrouck-Delaware Parklet is part of the Kingston Greenline, which is an initiative of the Kingston Land Trust, in partnership with the City of Kingston and Ulster County. To learn more about the Kingston Greenline, visit: https://www.kingston-ny.gov/kingstongreenline 



City of Kingston Engineering Technician Alan Adin and Kingston Land Trust Executive Director Julia Farr responding to questions from the public.


Mayor Steve Noble introduces the project. Special thanks to Veronica Martinez  for interpreting the remarks from the Mayor and other speakers.


Participants learning about the project, before visiting the various work stations for more information.


Kristen Wilson, Grants Manager in the City's Office of Economic and Community Development, responding to questions.


Learn more about the Hasbrouck-Delaware Parklet Project at: 
https://kingston-ny.gov/hdparklet. The design documents can be viewed by clicking the links in the last row of the table on the page.

After reviewing the design documents, please consider providing comments on the design  by filling out this form by 4:30 pm on October 13th, 2017.

Comprehensive Plan Zoning Sub-Committee 
Public Forum  


Thank you to everyone who attended Thursday's public forum, with the focus of the discussion on  Consolidation and Reformatting of Residential Districts and Bulk Standards . Please s ave the date for the  October Comprehensive Plan Zoning Sub-Committee Public Forum , scheduled for Tuesday, October 17th at 6:00pm at City Hall. The presentation and discussion for the October event will focus on the roles of the Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission, the Heritage Area Commission, and the Planning Board.
Pay Stations to go live in six municipal lots on Tuesday, October 10th
 
Pay stations that have been installed in six municipal lots throughout the City of Kingston are scheduled to be activated on Tuesday, October 10th. Beginning on this date, a fee of 75 cents per hour will be in effect Monday-Saturday, 9:00am-6:00pm at the following locations: all 3 North Front St. lots; the Cornell St. lot; the Prince St. lot; and the Dock St. lot. Users who have purchased and received a 2017 parking permit are not required to pay the hourly fee.
 
The pay stations will accept coins, credit cards (2 hour minimum, no service charge incurred by user) and mobile app payments through Parkeon's Whoosh! app (2 hour minimum, 35 cent transaction fee charged to user.) The pay stations allow users to "pay by plate." Users will be instructed to input their license plate numbers into the pay station. While users will receive a printed receipt after their transaction, they do not have to return to their cars or display any proof of payment on their dashboard. The City's parking enforcement staff will be able to verify the vehicle has been paid by looking up the license plate. If a user has purchased a parking permit, that permit must be displayed on the vehicle's dashboard.
 
Frequent users of these parking lots are encouraged to purchase a 2017 parking permit. These permits, which are currently for sale for $10, will be valid through December 31, 2017. Permits ensure a discounted rate, but do not guarantee parking availability.
 
Permits can be purchased in two ways:
 
1) Online by visiting www.kingston-ny.gov/parking and following the instructions. Major credit cards are accepted for payment.
 
2) By mail by either downloading the PDF application at www.kingston-ny.gov/parking or picking up a paper application in person at City Hall at 420 Broadway in Kingston. Applicants are responsible for mailing their completed applications and check or money order directly to the processing center. 

 
Upcoming Paving Work

The following streets are scheduled to be paved in the coming weeks:
  • Browning Terrace                           
  • Crown Street, from North Front St. to Green St.
  • Main Street, from Wall St. to Washington Ave.
  • Conway Place                   
  • Hewitt Place                      
  • Schryver Court                 
  • Furnace Street, from Franklin St. to Henry St.
In addition, curb ramps will be installed at the following locations: 

Street
Cross Street
# of Curb Ramps
Crown Street
North Front Street
1
Crown Street
John Street
8
Furnace Street
Franklin Street
4
Furnace Street
Van Buren Street
2
Hewitt Place
Conway Place
2
Main Street
Washington Avenue
6
Main Street
Wall Street
2
Pearl Street
Washington Avenue
2
Pearl Street
Green Street
4
Browning Terrace
Miller's Lane
2
Derrenbacher Street
Foxhall Avenue
2
Fort Street
Garden Street
2

Please note that some tree trimming and other site preparation work may be required prior to paving. 
 
HOME REPAIRS ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE

The City of Kingston has Community Development Block Grant funding available to assist low or moderate income, single family homeowners make repairs to their homes. The Residential Rehabilitation Program aims to make communities better by improving the housing stock, making essential repairs, and correcting basic structural deficiencies that present health and safety hazards.

"The Residential Rehabilitation Program is a key component of our efforts to assist local families in accessing and maintaining safe, quality housing," said Mayor Steve Noble. "I encourage homeowners in need of this assistance to contact our Office of Economic and Community Development immediately to identify whether they are eligible for this program."

Up to $25,000 in rehabilitation funding will be provided to eligible homeowners in the form of a 10 year, forgivable, interest-free loan. Homeowners do not have to pay back the loan, provided they remain within their home for 10 years following the rehabilitation project. Eligible households will have income at or below 80% of the area median income, which is currently $62,800 for a family of four and adjusted based on the actual number of household occupants. Eligible properties must be located within the City of Kingston limits and the property must be the homeowner's primary residence.

Items which may be addressed during rehabilitation include: correcting code violations; radon mitigation; asbestos and lead paint hazards mitigation; porches; window replacement; water heaters; water and sewer connections; accessibility improvements; repairs to or replacement of roofs or heating systems; and other eligible repairs.

The City is also looking for fully insured contractors to perform the construction work for these projects. Contractors must complete a contractor`s qualification form and meet basic criteria to be placed on the City`s bid list for residential rehab projects.

Interested City of Kingston property owners and contractors should contact Steve Knox at the Office of Economic and Community Development for more information at (845) 334-3928 or [email protected]. Applications may be obtained at the Office of Economic and Community Development in City Hall, located at 420 Broadway, or online by  clicking here.

8th Annual O+ Festival
October 6th-8th



Founded in 2010 in Kingston, NY by a small group of artists-activists, doctors and a dentist, O+ is now a national nonprofit working in cities around the country.

15th Annual Forsyth Nature Center Fall Festival
Sunday, October 8th



The 15th Annual Forsyth Nature Center Fall Festival will take place on October 8th, 2017 from 10am-4pm. 

There will be a variety of games and crafts for children including Peacock Pop, Funny Farm Hunt, Udder Putter, Sand Art, Spin Art, Pumpkin Painting and many more. Hayrides, bouncy houses, Homespun Merry-Go-Round, Little Brays of Sunshine miniature donkeys, and Wild Mountain Birds of Prey will also be present. 

The event and all entertainment is free, but tickets for games and crafts are available for purchase. Free activities include face painting, corn maze, leaf crowns, and pine cone bird feeders. 

A great entertainment lineup is planned for this year's event, including:

MAIN STAGE
10am-10:15am            Welcome: Mayor, Chair Charles Seymour, MCee Jimmy Buff
10:15-10:45am            Jerry Mitnick
11:00-11:40am             Payne's Grey Sky
12pm-1pm                    Arm of the Sea Theater
1:00pm-1:40pm            The Fabulous Fiddlers
2:00pm-2:40pm            The Fabulous Hackers
3:00pm-3:40pm            Deb Martin
3:40pm-4pm                 Raffle and 50/50 Drawings
 
CHILDREN'S STAGE
11:000am-12:00pm       Karen Pillsworth Story Telling
12noon - 12:30pm        MHVFCU Bernstein Bears
12:30pm - 1:00pm        Hudson Valley Youth Chorale
1:00pm - 2:00pm          Stephanie Morgan Story Telling
2:00pm - 2:40pm          Bruce Wistance bluegrass music                                   
 
Joe Beez will be offering great food items including burgers and hot dogs, sausage and peppers, french fries and the famous "Prodigy" sandwich, as well as vegetarian options.  La Ruta Del Sol will also be serving Latin American favorites including rice and beans and empanadas.

The fall festival will also host the annual bake sale booth with cookies, cupcakes, pies, cakes, candies, breads and many more tasty treats.  Anyone willing to donate a bake sale item can bring them the day of the festival or contact the FNC at [email protected]  or 845-339-3053 to arrange for pickup or drop off. 

The fall festival is the primary fundraiser of the Friends of Forsyth Nature Center and all money raised directly benefits the facility and programming.  Over the past 15 years, the annual fall festivals have raised over $125,000.  This money has been used for many of the facility upgrades including fencing, buildings for the animals, a permeable paver walkway to replace the blacktop, an expansion of the facility including a pond, gazebo, greenhouse, and turtle exhibit, signage, landscaping, and many energy efficient upgrades including solar panels and new windows.The event is sponsored by the City of Kingston Parks and Recreation Department and the Friends of Forsyth Nature Center. 
Ulster County Italian Festival
Sunday, October 8th



The Ulster County Italian American Foundation is the Annual Italian Festival on the Kingston Waterfront Sunday October 8th, 2017 from 11:00am until 7:00pm. At this free admission Festival, there will be a large variety of Italian foods, beverages, products, music and family fun!

Employment Opportunities and Exam Announcements

The City of Kingston recently posted a number of civil service exam announcements and job vacancies. 

View these announcements and stay up to date on employment opportunities by visiting:  www.kingston-ny.gov/employment

Upcoming Municipal Meetings

Monday, October 2nd
Finance and Audit Committee- Special Meeting
6:30pm
City Hall, Conference Room #1

Common Council Caucus
7:00pm
City Hall, Conference Room #1

Tuesday, October 3rd
Common Council Meeting
7:30pm
City Hall, Common Council Chambers

Wednesday, October 4th
Police Commission
4:00pm
City Hall, Conference Room #1

Thursday, October 5th
Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission
6:30pm
City Hall, Conference Room #1

Friday, October 6th 
No meetings scheduled at this time.

To stay up to date on all municipal meetings each month, check out our monthly calendar here. Most meeting agendas and minutes can be found here.
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
[email protected]

The purpose of this newsletter is to share important information, project updates, pictures and news from the City of Kingston. For more detailed information, visit: