November 23, 2016 - In This Issue:
A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:
Dear Friends,

As you may have noticed, my weekly message has not been able to get to you over the past two weeks. We experienced a few technical difficulties in the system we use, but it seems that these issues have been resolved. I want to thank our IT Department who worked to get this important communication tool back up and running!

During the newsletter's absence, a number of individuals contacted my office to find out when it would return. I am happy to see that this newsletter has become a resource for our community members and that our readership continues to grow. I look forward to continuing to update you on a weekly basis regarding concerns, challenges and opportunities in the City of Kingston.

Wishing you all a safe and joyous Thanksgiving holiday!

-Steve  

p.s. If there are specific items or topics that you would like to see featured in this newsletter, please e-mail me at newsletter@kingston-ny.gov and I will work to include that information in future issues.
City of Kingston Launches  2017 Visitors Guide Project

The City of Kingston, in partnership with ColorPage, is pleased to launch the development of the 2017 Visitors Guide. As with the 2016 Visitors Guide, Mayor Steve Noble is requesting the assistance of local residents and businesses to help the City create the original content of the guide.

This year's guide seeks to build upon the success of the popular 2016 guide, which also featured community-sourced images. In addition to pictures, the City is also seeking short stories/quotes that demonstrate the unique, diverse and interesting reasons why individuals have made Kingston home for themselves and/or businesses.

The City has created an online form for users to upload pictures and stories to be considered for this year's Visitor's Guide. All photographs and quotes submitted will be credited in the guide. The City is especially looking for photographs of festivals, block parties, community celebrations, outdoor dining and food markets, sports and active living, weddings in Kingston, historical points of interest, art and musical performances, and other glimpses into life in the City of Kingston.

To submit photographs and quotes, visit: www.kingston-ny.gov/VisitorsGuide

Submissions will be accepted until Friday, December 9th. The Visitors Guide is supported by ads purchased by local businesses and is created at no cost to the City of Kingston. The guide will be distributed in print and online in early 2017.

For more information about the 2017 Visitors Guide:
Calling All Artists and Industrial Designers

The City of Kingston, Live Well Kingston  and O+ Festival invite artists and industrial designers to design an artistic bike rack (which will be replicated) for the newly designed Cornell Street as part of the Kingston Connectivity Project. 



The  KINGSTO+N Bike Rack Design Competition  seeks to add a new element of distinctive public art to Kingston streets and provide an opportunity for the community to think creatively and imaginatively about public streetscapes.

Each design will be reviewed for aesthetics, site appropriateness, and feasibility for fabrication and installation. Each rack should exhibit the artist's own original creative intent. Bike rack designs must meet the following criteria: 
  • Must be capable of securing at least two standard bicycles - each of which is two feet wide by six feet long - upright by their frames using standard bike locks, including a U-lock. 
  • Fit in a maximum footprint of 60" long X 12" wide. 
  • Provide a minimum of two points of contact - at least 6" apart - for each bike, e.g. touch each bike on two wheels or one wheel and the frame for stability. The points of contact should be at least 32" above ground.  
  • Rack tubes should be no larger than 2" to accommodate the use of smaller U-locks.
  • Be boltable to the cement ground by a surface flange mount in a way that will prevent the racks from being removed from the location. 
  • Include no sharp edges or other potential safety hazards. Rack must not create a trip hazard for pedestrians.
  • A bicycle should not have to be lifted off the ground in order to be secured to the rack. Racks that would be easy to climb are not encouraged. It is important to consider the 'friendliness' of the rack to the bike (i.e. holding the bike upright, hazard free, etc.). 
  • Use of the bike rack should be intuitive and not require written instructions.
  • Racks should be able to be fabricated using durable materials suitable for outdoor installation with little or no maintenance. Designers should approach this project as a permanent installation with a minimum 10-year life expectancy. 
  • Designs should be appropriate for public display. Inappropriate or vulgar designs will not be considered 
Learn more and submit your proposal here

Designs are due Jan. 17. This competition was made possible by a grant through the American Planning Association - New York Metro Chapter as part of the Plan4Health program (http://plan4health.us/). The grant supported Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County to coordinate the Live Well Kingston Coalition. Partners in the bike rack competition include: the City of Kingston, Bike Friendly Kingston, the Kingston Complete Streets Advisory Council, and the Kingston Land Trust Kingston Greenline Committee.
Holiday Schedule 

In observance of the holiday, City Hall will be closed on Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th.

Trash pick up that is normally scheduled for Thursdays will instead be picked up on Friday this week.


Here's a preview of next week's meeting calendar:

Monday, November 28th
Ethics Board
5:30pm
City Hall, Conference Room #2

Special Finance Committee Meeting
6:00pm
City Hall, Conference Room #1

Tuesday, November 29th
Land Bank
2:00pm
City Hall, Conference Room #1

Wednesday, November 30th
Age Well, a Focus Team of Live Well Kingston
1:00pm
City Hall, Conference Room #1

Thursday, December 1st
Parks and Recreation Commission
5:00pm
Andy Murphy Midtown Center (467 Broadway)

Historic Landmarks Preservation Commission
6:30pm
City Hall, Conference Room #1

Most agendas and minutes for municipal meetings can be found here. We are currently working to centralize all agendas and minutes and have them posted earlier, so please continue to check back often. 

To stay up to date on all municipal meetings each month, check out our monthly calendar here.
Kingston Professional Firefighters Association, Local 461
Sponsors Annual Tree Lighting this Friday
The Kingston Professional Firefighters Association, Local 461, will sponsor Kingston's annual holiday tree lighting this Friday, November 25th, from 6:00pm until 8:00pm at Academy Green. Join Santa and his friends for an evening of FREE fun with local entertainment, refreshments, and a gift card raffle. This event will be held snow or shine. 
Mayor Noble to talk about parking at Special Business Alliance of Kingston meeting

Mayor Steve Noble has requested a special meeting of the Business Alliance of Kingston to discuss proposed changes to Kingston's parking management system and fees. The facilitated discussion, which will be held on Thursday, December 1st at 10:00am at Frank Guido's Little Italy, will include:
  • A summary of the parking issues and challenges and how the City can respond
  • An overview of the proposed changes for 2017
  • A review of the options available for residents and employees in need of parking on a regular basis (reduced cost, long term parking options)
  • Questions and Answers
  • Timeline and next steps
Mayor Noble is aware of how important parking is to the economic vitality of our business districts. Attendance and participation of local business owners in this discussion is greatly appreciated.

Frank Guido's Little Italy has generously offered to provide a complimentary breakfast. 

Please let the Business Alliance of Kingston if you can make it by registering here.

Note: While the above meeting will focus on parking as it relates the business community, additional community meetings will be announced soon to discuss parking as it relates to residents.
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
mayor@kingston-ny.gov

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: