February 28, 2020 - In This Issue:
A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:

Dear Friends,

On Friday, City Hall hosted a roundtable on Governor Cuomo's proposed $3 billion Restore Mother Nature Bond Act. NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Erik Kulleseid led a discussion about the Governor's ambitious proposal and heard from many of our local environmental organizations on the best way to allocate the state's resources.   

It was a productive conversation and I want to thank Governor Cuomo for his vision for the protecting and preserving our state's precious natural resources. I stand supportive of the Mother Nature Bond Act and I encourage all of our local representatives to support as well. We are so excited for the possibility of a state park right here in Kingston! 
 
-Steve
Join a City of Kingston Boards or Commission!  

The City of Kingston is looking for engaged residents from diverse backgrounds who are interested in serving their community on a board or c ommission

We are currently accepting application for the  Kingston City Land Bank board until Saturday, February 29.   We also have an opening on the Police Commission , which we will be looking to fill soon. 

All individuals who are interested in volunteering on a Board or Commission, please complete a brief application online


2019 Annual Reports for City Departments to Be Released

Over the next few weeks, the City will be releasing annual reports from several of the major departments, starting with the  Department of Public Works. DPW's 2019 Annual Report details  many accomplishments including the completion of the Jacob's Valley Storm Sewer Improvement project, the transition to dual-stream recycling, responding to 12 winter storms, paving 27 streets , and more.

In 2019, DPW leadership began working more closely with the City's Engineering Department to move City projects forward by better utilizing shared resources. The result of this collaboration has been increased communication, better preparation for emergency repairs, and ultimately a savings to the taxpayers.

In early 2020, DPW and the Office of Sustainability have overseen the LED Streetlight conversion, which began in January and is more than 80% completed. Nearly all of the cobra-head streetlights across the City have already been retrofitted with LED. The next phase, retrofitting the remaining decorative lights, is scheduled to begin in late April.
 
Additional projects slated for 2020 include milling and paving 15 streets, utilizing 7,000 tons of blacktop, and implementing a pavement management system. Major infrastructure projects will include updates to Wilbur Avenue storm water system, Roosevelt Avenue storm water drainage system, and Greenkill Ave. sewer lines.
 

Public Safety Forum on March 4

The Common Council's Public Safety/General Government Committee will be holding a public forum/speaking on the recent gun violence and community safety in Kingston. Mayor Steve Noble, Kingston Police Chief Egidio Tinti, and District Attorney Dave Clegg will be in attendance to listen and discuss community safety. 
 
The Public Safety Forum will take place on March 4, 2020 at 6:30pm at City Hall in Council Chambers. RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/186503335909248/
Kingston Women's Bike Festival on March 8

The 2nd Annual Kingston Women's Bike Festival is a day of free and fun workshops and presentations for women who are new to cycling  The festival line-up includes a special presentation from Courtney Williams, known as the Brown Bike Girl, complimentary lunch, raffles, and child care with an RSVP. Spanish interpretation will be available. 

The Kingston Women's Bike Festival will be held March 8 from 10:00am-4:00pm at the Everette Hodge Community Center.  Reservations are required: http://bit.ly/KWBikeFest  

Pine Street Burial Ground Youth Design Team Presentation

This week on his radio show, Mayor Noble spoke with students from the Pine Street African Burial Ground Youth Design Team (listen to their conversation here). The youth-led design team was funded with the City of Kingston's 2019 Participatory Budgeting Project allocation for Midtown, and supported by the YMCA Farm Project, Harambee and Kingston Land Trust. 

The group of teens has been learning a lot and working hard to re-imagine what the African burial ground land could be. The Design Team will be giving a community presentation on Tuesday, March 10 at the Ulster County Restorative Justice Center. All are welcome, and encouraged to attend to see what these resourceful and energetic teens have come up with! 

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. 
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: