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April 19, 2018 - In This Issue:
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A Message From Mayor Steve Noble:
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Dear Friends,
This week's issue includes a spotlight on the beautiful Distinguished Artists Awards Ceremony held last Friday evening. I want to thank the members of the Kingston Arts Commission, the Distinguished Artists Selection Committee and the Awards Committee for their collaborative efforts in making this a really special evening to acknowledge and honor long-time Kingston residents and artists Julie Hedrick and Peter Wetzler.
This week's issue also includes information about a number of exciting events coming up, including this Saturday's Kingston Earth Fair, the annual Kingston Clean Sweep on May 5th, and our Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade on May 28th.
Finally, I am excited to share with you our 2017 Annual Sustainability Report. As you will see, our community is continuing to be a leader in environmental sustainability and stewardship. While there is still a lot of work ahead of us, I am proud of all that we have accomplished so far together.
See you at Saturday's Earth Fair!
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City of Kingston 2017 Sustainability Report Released
Mayor Steve Noble is pleased to announce the release of the City of Kingston's 2017 Sustainability Report. This report provides an overview of active grants, educational programming and community outreach. In addition, the report describes advancements made in such key areas of focus as energy and renewables, land use, transportation, recycling and solid waste management, and adaptation and resiliency. Finally, the report includes information on City-sponsored boards and commissions and community collaborations.
Just a few of the key 2017 accomplishments cited in the report include:
- The City of Kingston became the first city in New York to be designated a Clean Energy Community.
- 4,713 community members participated in Environmental Education Programming
- Staff managed grant projects totaling $797,620.14 throughout the year
- The City of Kingston hosted the 2017 Conference on the Environment, a gathering of citizens, business owners, economic and environmental organization members and staff, local officials and staff, and members of municipal Conservation Councils and Boards and County Environmental Management Councils. The event featured 38 presenters, offering presentations on the Food Economy, Energy, Transportation, Flooding and Sea Level Rise, Land Trust/Municipal Collaborations, the Clean Energy Communities Program, Resiliency, Natural Resources Inventories and Sustainable Urbanism. 17 counties across the state were represented at this year's event with 140 attendees. Attendees heard from key environmental leaders including EPA Region 2 Regional Administrator Pete Lopez, NYS Assemblymember Steve Otis, Ulster County Executive Michael Hein, Mayor Steve Noble, and philanthropist/Emmy award-winning musician/NY Times best-selling author Peter Buffett.
- The City of Kingston purchased 2 alternate fuel vehicles for our fleet, bringing the end of 2017 total to 4. The City plans to purchase 3 more alternative fuel vehicles in 2018. Further, the City will begin to install public Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in select municipal lots in 2018.
- By instituting single stream recycling, the City of Kingston has increased our recycling rates, reducing landfill tipping fees and thousands of miles of truck transport emissions saved. In 2017, the city DPW collected 1,960 tons of recycled material, saving taxpayers over $165,000.
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6th Annual Kingston Earth Fair
Mayor Steve Noble is pleased to announce the 6th Annual Kingston Earth Fair (previously "Green Friday") to be held on Saturday, April 21st, 10:00am-4:00pm, at Forsyth Park. The Earth Fair is a sustainability fair, held entirely outdoors, for the Kingston community and the larger region. Admission is free and the event will be held rain or shine.
"Environmental stewardship begins at home," said Mayor Noble. "Our Earth Fair offers a variety of activities and demonstrations for attendees to explore the different ways they can protect our environment and often save money at the same time. We are fortunate to live in a community made up of individuals, organizations and businesses working to build a resilient and sustainable city. This event is yet another example of our community moving together in the right direction."
Event partners include the City of Kingston, the Climate Smart Kingston Commission, and New Yorkers for Clean Power.
Event sponsors include: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County; Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers; Ulster Federal Credit Union; Kingston Plaza; Herzog's; Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union; Ulster Savings Bank; and Kathleen Dittus, Esq. The event is also supported by: Jane's Ice Cream; Keegan Ales; FastSigns; Mother Earth's; and Catskill Mountainkeeper.
"We are so excited to be hosting this great event again, and this year the event has grown exponentially with an added focus on the home- energy efficiency, retrofits and restoration, historical preservation, housing rehab, and financing," said Julie Noble, City of Kingston Environmental Education and Sustainability Coordinator. "It is so important for the City of Kingston to come together around Earth Day and Arbor Day, to celebrate all of the incredible assets we have in our area and to build environmental stewardship in our community."
The Earth Fair will feature numerous activities, performances and demonstrations. Attendees will enjoy:
- Live music and entertainment
- Sustainable housing and energy efficiency demos and exhibitors
- 50+ Green Lifestyle Vendors and Exhibitors
- Free Nature Based Children's Activities
- Earth Day Exchange store- bring a gently used item from home, swap for a gently used item (see below for more information)
- Electronics collection and recycling, sponsored by the Ulster County Resource and Recovery Agency
- Rain barrels and home composters for sale
- Free Paper shredding by ProShred- bring your home/office paper for shredding- 3 grocery bags of documents per person limit
- Solar powered Homespun Merry Go Round
- Pop up Natural Play Space for Children
- Gentle Yoga with Yoga House
- Meditation Class with Micah
- Bike Traffic Safety and Learn to Ride Lessons for youth
- Electric Vehicles on display
- Bird Walk and Birdscaping Classes
- Arbor Day Dedication, Tree Planting and Children's Artwork
- Jack and Jane's Root Beer Floats
Event Schedule (Subject to Change)
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10:00-10:05
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Welcome: Betta Broad
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10:05-10:45
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Ami Madeleine
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11:00-11:20
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GW Elementary School Youth
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11:25-11:45
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Family Sing Along
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12:00-12:05
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Welcome: Mayor Noble
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12:05-12:45
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John DeNicolo with Ed Kenny
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1:00-1:45
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Vince Fisher
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1:45-2:15
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P.O.O.K.
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2:15-3:00
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Bill Melvin with Charlie Seymour and Vinny Nugent
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3:15-4:00
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Deborah Martin with Lauren Tully and Sharon Klein
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10:30-11:00
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Taking Flight Bird Walk
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11:15-11:45
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Birdscaping Your Backyard
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1:00-1:30
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Gentle Yoga with Mel
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For more information about this event, please contact Julie Noble at 845-481-7339 or at
JulieLNoble@kingston-ny.gov
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City of Kingston's First Annual
Distinguished Artist Awards Ceremony
a Success
Distinguished Artists Peter Wetzler and Julie Hedrick holding their award in front of Hedrick's work Green Rising Green
(Image provided by Tola Brennan)
Kingston's first Distinguished Artist Award was presented to a married couple, artist and poet Julie Hedrick and composer Peter Wetzler, in a ceremony at City Hall this past Friday, April 13. Mayor Steve Noble presented the award, which was initiated by the City's Arts Commission, to Hedrick and Wetzler at the event that filled the grand Common Council Chambers.
Kingston Arts Commission Chair Ward Mintz introduces the Distinguished Artists
(Image provided by Tola Brennan)
A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of a Simon Pearce bowl by Mayor Noble to the awardees, which was engraved in their honor. Other speakers included Kingston Arts Commission Chair Ward Mintz, and Awards Committee Chair, Commission member Susan Linn. The City's new Director of Arts and Cultural Affairs, Adrielle Farr, was also introduced to the guests at the ceremony.
Mayor Steve Noble addressing the crowd during the ceremony
(Image provided by Tola Brennan)
Peter Wetzler is an award-winning composer-musician-music director scoring for film, theatre and television. Julie Hedrick is a painter and poet. She is the recipient of a Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant and is represented by the
Nohra Haime Gallery in New York. Hedrick and Wetzler, who often collaborate on art projects, have lived and worked in a converted church in the Rondout neighborhood of Kingston since 1986.
The Distinguished Artist Award was made possible through a partnership with Mayor Steve Noble and the Kingston Arts Commission. The title of Distinguished Artist is awarded every two years to a local artist of note who has also shown dedication to enriching Kingston's cultural life. The selection committee for the Artist Award was comprised of five Kingston residents: Bryant "Drew" Andrews, Executive Director, Center for Creative Education; Ione, author, playwright/director and poet; Brian Mahoney, Editor, Chronogram Magazine; Isabel Nazario, Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Rutgers University; and Aaron Rezny, food and still life photographer.
The City of Kingston Arts Commission's mission is to strengthen the local economy by attracting and promoting artists, arts venues, and arts entrepreneurs; encouraging cultural tourism; creating opportunities for training and employment in a range of creative fields; and enhancing quality of life amenities that make Kingston a more attractive city in which to live. By so doing, the City of Kingston gains greater regional and national recognition.
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Upcoming Ward Meetings
Ward 5
Alderman Bill Carey has announced a Ward 5 meeting to be held on
Thursday, April 26th at 6:00pm in the Common Council Chambers of City Hall. Amee Peterson of the City of Kingston's Office of Economic and Community Development will be in attendance to provide information on a variety of initiatives currently underway.
Ward 3
Alderman Reynolds Scott-Childress has announced a Ward 3 meeting to be held on
Saturday, April 28th at 10:30am at the Hudson Valley Senior Residence, located at 80 Washington Avenue. In addition to a presentation from Amee Peterson from the Office of Economic and Community Development, the agenda will include an open discussion on topics of interest in the Ward.
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f there are particular issues or concerns that community members would like to speak about, individuals are encouraged to contact Alderman Scott-Childress prior to the meeting at ward3@kingston-ny.gov or at 845-616-3687.
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Kingston Clean Sweep
Saturday, May 5th
The Annual Kingston Clean Sweep will take place on Saturday, May 5, 9 a.m. 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 and in several city parks. 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.
Any group or individual who wishes to volunteer can contact Friends of Historic Kingston at (845) 339-0720, or email abrett1@verizon.net
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City of Kingston and Kingston Veterans Association to Host Annual Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade on Monday, May 28th
Parade registration now open!
Ceremony:
Time: 1:00pm
Location: Veterans' Park in front of City Hall, 420 Broadway
Parade Details:
Time: Line up at Noon; step off at 1:45pm
Location: Step off begins at Andrew St.
The City of Kingston and Kingston Veterans Association will host the annual Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade on Monday, May 28th. The ceremony will begin promptly at 1:00pm in Veterans' Park in front of City Hall, located at 420 Broadway. At 1:45pm, the Memorial Day Parade will step off from Andrew St. and proceed along Broadway towards Uptown Kingston.
Businesses and organizations interested in participating in the parade should contact: Parade Chairman Chuck Polacco at (845) 389-1560 or (845) 331-7722 or Kingston Veterans Association Chairman Bill Forte at (845) 339-1486. Parade registration is free.
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"Mondays with the Mayor" on
Radio Kingston
"Mondays with the Mayor," runs every Monday between 3:30 and 4:00pm on Radio Kingston (1490 AM or
RadioKingston.org
). Tune in on Monday, April 23rd for the next new episode!
Upcoming Shows
April 23th
Guests: Tawana Washington, City of Kingston Director of Human Rights and Kim Mapes, City of Kingston Human Rights Commission Chairperson
Discussion:Overview of the City of Kingston's Human Rights Commission
April 30th
Guests: KC Keegan-Twombly, Kingston Parks and Recreation and Anna Brett, Friends of Historic Kingston
Discussion: Kingston Clean Sweep and I Love My Park Day
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City of Kingston Parks and Recreation Department
Summer Parks Program Registration Now Open!
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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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