April 5, 2017 - In This Issue:
A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:
Dear Friends,
I had the opportunity last week to present my 2017-2018 Community Development Block Grant funding recommendations to the Community Development Committee of the Common Council. As I stated in my letter to the Committee last month, I appreciate the remarkable services provided by each of our not for profit and community agencies. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources available to fully fund these important programs and services. In an effort to support our most at-risk children, I recommended that we focus our limited funding on youth and family services. I want to thank the members of the Community Development Committee for discussing these issues with me and for endorsing the majority of my recommendations. This amended funding package was ultimately approved by the full Common Council at last night's meeting.

While I am very pleased that we will be able to achieve a great deal in the areas of home ownership and maintenance, public facilities improvements, and program services, there is also more work to be done to preserve our essential youth development programming. In an effort to ensure that many of the community-based youth services were funded, the request by the Parks and Recreation Department was cut significantly. The Department's request included scholarships to our Summer Parks Program for up to 90 youth from our Rondout Neighborhood and Everette Hodge Community Centers, as well as our boxing program at the Andy Murphy Midtown Neighborhood Center. I remain committed to these programs and look forward to working with the Common Council and all of our community members to identify strategies to continue these important youth programs without CDBG funding. 

-Steve 

p.s. To view the 2017-2018 funding requests and recommendations worksheet, including the final allocations approved by the Common Council, click here. Learn more about the Community Development Block Grant here. 

Save the Date
8TH ANNUAL KINGSTON CLEAN SWEEP SATURDAY, MAY 6th
    
The Eighth Annual Kingston Clean Sweep will take place on Saturday, May 6, 2017 from 9:00 am to noon.  Volunteers will pick up litter lying along the "Kingston Corridor" from the railroad crossing on Washington Avenue through the uptown business district, down Broadway to the Rondout waterfront, as well as on some side streets.  The Kingston Clean Sweep is sponsored by the Friends of Historic Kingston with support from the City of Kingston and numerous other business, service and civic organizations, schools, churches and individual volunteers.  This year, the event coincides with the City of Kingston - "Clean up the Parks" program. 
     
Each group or individual is assigned a section of the "Sweep Corridor" and is supplied with trash bags and plastic gloves donated by local businesses.  Volunteers are asked to bring their own rakes and brooms.  Filled bags are placed on the curb and picked up by the City of Kingston Department of Public Works immediately following the event.
 
Some of the participating organizations for this year's Clean Sweep include the Friends of Historic Kingston, Junior League of Kingston, Kingston High School, Kingston Rotary, Kingston Uptown Business Association, Ulster Garden Club, Young Ulster Professionals, Rondout Rowing Club and Ward Four. 
 
Last year, approximately 250 volunteers from students to senior citizens picked up almost 4,000 pounds of trash and 11 cubic yards of pounds of litter, yard waste and metal materials. Any group or individual who wishes to volunteer can contact Friends of Historic Kingston at (845) 339-0720, or email abrett1@verizon.net. Check out the Facebook event here.
Need a job? Check out the Young Adult Job Fair!

For more information, including event sponsorship details, visit www.bardavon.org or contact Megan Weiss-Rowe at 845-334-3964 or at mweiss@kingston-ny.gov 
Summer Parks Program Registration Now Open
Summer Park Seasonal Employment Opportunities

Applications are now being accepted for Summer 2017. If you are interested in working for the City Parks & Recreation Summer Park Program, please  click here to complete the application for summer employment. The deadline to apply is April 15th.  

More employment opportunities and exam announcements can be found at:
Funding Opportunity


Ulster County Cultural Services & Promotion Fund
 
The Ulster County Cultural Services & Promotion Fund (UCCSPF) is a funding resource dedicated to maintaining the artistic and cultural assets of Ulster County as well as the promotion of the County through arts and cultural activities which add to the economy and quality of life. Financial resources for this program have been made available by the Ulster County Legislature.
 
Established nonprofits working in all arts disciplines are eligible and encouraged to apply for funding. UCCSPF awards range from $2,500 -$9,500 and can be used for various activities, including administrative or programmatic capacity building and institutional advancement projects. This program has been administered by Arts Mid-Hudson since its inception in 2008.

Funds will support capacity building as well as programmatic support. Nonprofit arts organizations, as well as fiscally-sponsored arts events that meet the criteria in the full guidelines are eligible to apply.
 
Appointments for individualized feedback on potential initiatives will also be available.
 
New applicants are required to attend the speak one-on-one with AMH staff if they did not attend an information session. If unable to attend, please contact Arts Mid-Hudson at  454-3222.
 
The complete guidelines and application materials are available on our website:
 
Deadline: April 12, 2017

Upcoming Municipal Meetings

Thursday, April 6th
Parks and Recreation Commission
5:00pm
Rondout Neighborhood Center

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

Friday, April 7th
No meetings scheduled at this time

Next Week Preview:

Monday, April 10th
Planning Board
6:00pm
City Hall

Tuesday, April 11th
No meetings scheduled at this time

Wednesday, April 12th
Electrical Examiners Board
3:00pm
Central Fire Station 

Water Board
5:00pm
Water Department Offices

Human Rights Commission
6:00pm
City Hall, Conference Room #2

Finance and Audit Committee
6:30pm
City Hall, Conference Room #1

Thursday, April 13th
Arts Commission
4:30pm
City Hall, Conference Room #1

Friday, April 14th
Holiday- City Hall Closed


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
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: