Years ago, I had the privilege to work for Ev Mann of the Center for Creative Education. At that time, their headquarters were in Stone Ridge, NY. Coming up from New York City as a musician with a background in Production Management, it was my good fortune to have seen their ad for someone like me to assist the Administrative Director, Mary Farel.
Those couple of years were two of the most fulfilling in my professional life.
Although Ev has had close ties working with the children and schools in the city of Kingston, he moved his operation from Stone Ridge into Midtown back in 2005/2006 where he continues to bring music, culture, dance and drums to the youth and families in our area.
On Friday night (4/30) The Center for Creative Education in partnership with Active Voice and Participant Media bring a FREE screening of the ever important film FOOD INC to UPAC in the city of Kingston. Click on this LINK to see the flyer for this event.
On the ground, we are witnessing alarming numbers in childhood obesity – yet at the same time, 1 in 8 children will go hungry each and every day.
It’s critical that as a community, we work to change our daily habits. In Kingston, every one of our schools (and I believe there are 14) will have some form of garden in them. That’s a huge accomplishment that has taken place in just two years time.
Gardens are the buzz word in Kingston. Let’s continue to nurture them and encourage our children to get growing at home and at school. Take your family and visit a local farm, and pick something fresh off the vine to taste.
The children from the GW Montessori Program in their garden!GW Montessori Public School gets its garden on!
Kudos to Valerie Hannum and the The George Washington Montessori School. Of all of the percolating ideas and efforts in the city of Kingston, Hannum and her program to us is in the ‘pinch me’ category. How lucky that she has landed here.
With only approximately 200 public Montessori schools in the US and Canada, to have one in our community and particularly in the heart of Midtown is no small thing. Soon, ours will accommodate grades K-5. Generally, a Montessori eductation is costly making it impossible for most families to pursue. Here, the program is covered by grant money and ultimately, as a public school by our taxes. Imagine that. Paying school tax and actually using the schools.
Of course, we realize that there are some parents who feel the program isn’t suited for their child. But the GW Montessori School is a great option to have. To force a mandated public education on every young mind is not a healthy approach.
A special thanks to Gerard Gretzinger, Robert Pritchard, and all of the GW Supporters who recognized a good thing. Most of all, to the staff and teachers (some who have served the community as educators for decades and who come out of retirement to teach in this new way) that have taken between 1200 – 1800 hours of study to become certified Montessori teachers.
Reach out to Valerie Hannum (845/338-1978) and ask for a tour of the school to see for yourself. Perhaps one day, more of our public schools will have the same approach.
Ward 7 Alderman and Majority Leader Bill Reynolds. Below is his state of the city report read on April 6th, 2010. If you have any thoughts or feedback, please use the Ward 7 Yahoo! Group that Alderman Reynolds is a member of.
Public service is an honor for anyone privileged enough to have been chosen by the voters to represent them. The aldermen here tonight together in this great room with Alderman-at-Large Noble and officials who work in an appointed capacity have lately been particularly honored by the public to serve, because we were elected in the midst of what many are calling the Great Recession. The voters chose us to do the hard work for them, and to do the best we can on their behalf.
That is why I am here to tell the people of Kingston that – we hear you. We understand your fears and concerns. And we will continue to listen to you because we who sit at these desks every month to make new laws and pass budgets don’t have all the answers. We need your help and your input to make Kingston a better place.
Times have been tough, for sure, and they will continue to be difficult for the remainder of the year. We are committed to keeping a sharp eye on the bottom line and to make the best use of taxpayer dollars – and we are prepared to make the tough decisions required to keep living and doing business in Kingston as affordable as possible. We are walking a tightrope for sure – but as long as we remain steady and as long as we keep our heads up, we will make it through this recession.
So, let’s focus on the challenges we face:
We need to rectify the safety net inequity that Kingston shoulders.
We need to continue to hold the line on property taxes and ensure that taxpayers are being assessed equitably. Bearing that in mind, we urge the school district to do the same – a 12 percent school tax increase is unsustainable.
On the heels of the ongoing success of the URGENT task force, we signal our support for the new block-by-block sweep program designed to clean up bad influences that pollute and destroy homes and neighborhoods.
We need to focus on getting our act together now, ahead of an economic upturn, by re-focusing on the basics: cleaning up the city, cracking down on crime and blight, and cutting back on a cost structure that’s outgrown our ability to pay for it.
We must continue to focus on the inequity of our “homestead/non-homestead” tax policy, which is steadily eroding the city’s commercial tax base and private-sector job market. That being said, the immediate source of distress for many taxpayers has been the property revaluation process that was first conducted in 2008. While serious flaws and inequities were apparent in the results produced so far, this is a problem that can and will be corrected with a new revaluation. Speaking of inequities, we had to learn quite by accident that Kingston was paying social services costs for people not living in Kingston. And, while we look forward to the mayor working together with the county administration to be sure the city is reimbursed for lost taxpayer dollars, we remain committed to auditing future claims, and will work together with the city and county comptroller as this process unfolds.
This is terribly important, given the cost – $1.2 million in safety net spending this year, up from $400,000 seven years ago. Not only do we take in the county’s disadvantaged, we take on the entire local portion of the bill.
We remain committed to sustaining an infrastructure that up until recently seemed to be crumbling every week. And, though we have allocated substantial sums to guard against infrastructure decay, we will continue to be sure our infrastructure meets our basic needs.
Bankruptcy is not an option for Kingston, for a whole host of reasons not the least of which such a move would require state legislative action and, quite frankly, you have to be bankrupt after all to declare bankruptcy. Kingston is still well below its tax and bonding limit, although by no means are we in a position to brag about such a thing. But to declare bankruptcy, as I have said publicly, would be equal to raising the white flag.
That said, the financial situation we face remains serious. Correcting it will depend on how we approach labor contract negotiations. And while we are pleased two out of three of our unions provided give backs for the 2010 year, we may still need to work with them to be sure we’ll be able to provide required services to the people while holding the line on taxes as we work to assemble a 2011 budget. The mayor has indicated he will include members of the Common Council in discussions and negotiations with the three unions. That’s the right approach.
Some of the things we could look for would include new flexibility in the way departments are staffed and job responsibilities defined, with a particular emphasis on putting more police officers on the street at critical times each day, and cross-training more firefighters to act as building-code enforcement teams during otherwise idle periods. We will need to look at realistic contributions by employees toward their health-care plans, recognizing that we must work together to reduce costs. We just received word, for example, that the premium increase for the Empire Plan for 2011 may be more than 13 percent.
This is not a happy or uplifting speech, I know, but there are times that require us to set aside happy talk and speak to stark reality. That also means making the hard decisions. When you say you want to cut costs, you have to mean what you say and follow through on your words. Cutting costs isn’t easy and it isn’t painless. You have to back up your words with action, otherwise the things you say and the promises you make will sound hollow and broken.
That isn’t to say I’m not optimistic about this city’s future. I have always and remain very optimistic that Kingston will one day reach its full potential. When the cost cutting is over, we will need not only to streamline government but aggressively market this city so we can continue to brag about it being one of the top art destinations in the country, as not only one of the more affordable places to live in the region, but a place where several types of architecture: beginning with stone houses, through all the great design eras – all exist in one place. We need to continue to show the world what sets Kingston apart from so many other places in the region.
We will work together with a vibrant group of citizens organizations such as the nascent Kingston Digital Corridor, KingstonCitizens.org, Friends of Historic Kingston, the Business Association of Kingston, ASK, the Neighborhood Watch group, and KURA just to name a few. We were happy to listen to and work together with our business groups in establishing the Main Street Manager, embodied by Nancy Donskoj who has done an excellent job showcasing our city’s assets and opportunities.
I am convinced that with the right combination of marketing and a more sensible tax structure we’ll be able to move this economy forward. We have some way to go for sure, but Kingston has been through tough times before. We’ll get through the Great Recession and be stronger and smarter when it’s over.
We have created a two part posting to share both the majority and minority leaders state of the city reports for citizens who were not present this evening.
We’ll begin with minority leader and Ward 1 Adlerman Andi Turco-Levin (R). This was her state of the city address presented on Tuesday, April 6th 2010. If you have any thoughts or feedback, please visit the Ward 1 Yahoo! Group where Alderman Turco-Levin is a member.
Thanks.
– Rebecca Martin
Minority Leader’s Report 2010 Efficiency and Planning
Mr. President, my fellow Council Members, and to all of you here tonight, we want to thank you for this opportunity to share our hopes, visions, and recommendations on how we can move our City forward.
Let’s also take a moment to recognize the hard work of our police and firefighters who keep us safe, to the volunteers of this City who keep our kids off the streets and out of harm’s way from gang violence and drug dealers and also to the private citizens who work to unite our communities. A heart felt Thank You.
As you know, we are currently forging through very difficult times, not only from an economic point of view but from a quality of life standpoint. What I hope to outline here tonight is a way for us to recognize how we got here, what we can do to prevent us from continuing in the same direction, and what we can do in order to steer our City towards growth and economic stability. As with any journey, a roadmap is the key for success. It outlines boundaries, and allows you to navigate a course to reach your final destination. We have no roadmap. The fact that Kingston has not had a complete comprehensive plan done since the 1980’s is evidence. From one side we wish to welcome development, yet we get mired down with variables leading to lengthy delays, then ultimately leaving us with nothing as the end result.
From the former uptown parking garage to the scarred waterfront once with promise of the Noah Hotel, now a vacant lot collecting graffiti and trash. Had a long range plan been in place for the City of Kingston some of those hurdles may have been avoided and the outcome much different from what we have today including more super sized drug store chains.
Getting through difficult issues on a day to day basis is not working.
This approach is not successful in life, and it doesn’t work in government either. Shortsighted planning has no benefit, especially for the future of our City and what we leave to the next generation of our children who we hope can stay here, earn a living and raise their families too. It affects every aspect of our City’s well being.
It seems obvious that many of our City’s woes stem from the erosion of our tax base, lack of well paying jobs and the steady decline with quality of life benefits. To turn this trend around I believe the first line of defense would be to ask that a long range planning committee be formed in order for us to identify what is needed to create a 25 – 30 year plan on how our City grows into the next generation. In it we can explore how we grow our business zones, protect historic districts and quaint neighborhoods, all while keeping a healthy balance, and an eye on environmental responsibility. One of the things that people love the most about our City is our heritage, yet we do nothing to protect it, in fact it seems that even the provisions in place are not enforced. Not only is this an important task to insure our City’s character, it is an untapped source of revenue which will strengthen our financial footing as well. Perhaps the Economic & Finance Committee should form a task force designed to look at our City’s Codes and Laws and update them to reflect today’s living standards, incorporating ways to create revenue at the same time. A simple permit fee to remove a shade tree could create funding for much needed sidewalk rehabilitation. As it is now, the $250 fine when a tree is removed without a permit is not enforced…you do the math. Simply enforcing our codes can provide a revenue stream which can help restore many of the services to our residents which seem to dissipate on a daily basis.
Part of this plan needs to include public safety for pedestrians and bicyclists which will also encourage less motor vehicle traffic in our urban areas. This is just one of the many issues that come to mind so let’s move on to the next topic.
Fiscal Crisis:
Efficiency (and Planning) will be what pulls us through. The current union contracts are crippling our City where ALL parties need to rethink everything from the ground up. This may not happen until contracts are open at the end of next year, but it MUST happen. Looking at how things are done now and how things should be done efficiently in the future, which include the merging of services has to be our plan in order to sustain the City without the unlawful burden on the taxpayers. We ask that union leaders understand the challenges that we face with the budget process in the upcoming months. The unity of working together is the only solution that will keep us stable. Cooperation from every component will make the difference between survival and bankruptcy.
Other departments also need to be realigned in order to reflect tomorrow’s government model. Economic Development needs do more than secure grant money. Instead let’s come up with an outline on how to encourage small business with tax incentives and perhaps outline areas that could benefit from programs that attract these small businesses. Let’s give them a reason to come here.
The last issue that we need to address is crime, quality of life, and the confidence our residents have in us to provide it for them. Our police department works hard fighting to keep our streets safe and gang activity at bay, not an easy task. The City needs to stay on solid ground in order for us to turn this trend around and take back our neighborhoods. Fighting crime is important, just as important is engaging our young people early and giving them something to do instead of getting into trouble. Continually cutting programs that offer these options for them is backwards thinking. Funding police, very important, but we also need to take steps in prevention and this is where the cuts from the Recreation Dept. become the issue. These programs provide a safe place for them to grow, play and learn. Cuts from this department show in the deterioration of our City Parks, their Programs, and the mental well being for all our residents young and old.
There are great things coming with new faces on our Common Council, looking at things with a new perspective for change and expecting accountability. I also want to compliment the Mayor & the City’s Comptroller for uncovering overages in what we spend in Safety Net funding. This action can save us millions of dollars in the future. By working together without party lines getting in the way of progress and compromise we can hopefully turn a corner and see positive change. We also need do a better job of letting the community know what is happening in City Government. Let’s encourage the flow of information by setting up a Kingston311.com information website. It’s based on NYC’s information hotline where residents can ask questions on things ranging from City Codes to Recycling Schedules. We don’t have the funding for a hotline, but a website with vital information would be a welcome resource for our Citizens without much cost and could even become a source of income in the future.
In summary, we need to look at the Big Picture from top to bottom and re-think how things are done with a long range plan. Without it we have nothing, no public safety, no funding for police and fire, no infrastructure, no technology, no youth programs, no business…All of these components lay the foundation for economic stability ending our financial crisis. Planning and Efficiency is our mantra. If done right we will see a stronger community with less spending, more revenue which ultimately leads to lower taxes. We will have a City which offers quality of life for its residents, economic strength for our businesses, and a solid and affordable education for our children.
We look forward to working with all members of the Council and Administration towards this goal. The city of Kingston is the Jewel of the Hudson. Let’s put some polish on her and make her shine.
With the abrupt change made this week to the recycling schedule (that is now bi-weekly) we grew deeply concerned. Not because we think weekly pick-ups are ‘the way to go’. But because the change was made without any effort to inform or educate the public. As it is, through the hard work of Julie and Steve Noble and Jeanne Edwards, Kingston was sort of on the up and up on improving it’s recycling numbers. That might be history unless something is done and soon.
Sure, not every municipality offers recycling to their residents. That may even be where we are heading. The fact of the matter is, Kingston has offered it as a service and we have come to expect it. If more people now feel inconvenienced and decide to trash their plastics and all, we are not only heading in the wrong direction but we are also encouraging a whopper of an expense in the long run.
Why? At this time, Kingston pays UCRRA (Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency) $71 a ton to then ship our garbage up the river some 250 miles. That’s what makes it so expensive. Weigh that against the national average, which is around $42.08 per ton.
Landfills are close to capacity. Perhaps not this year or next, but in the very near future our garbage may be shipped even further away. Now does that make any sense?
So please, hold onto your recycling until your new scheduled pick-up day. Give your bottles and cans an extra wash out to prepare them to sit for a week longer. That only takes a few seconds of your time. If you simply can’t wait, delivering your recyclables, yard waste and brush to the transfer station is free.
Encourage your Alderman to help solve this problem through good discussion and solid examples by looking outside of Kingston to see what might be useful to us.
Thanks to Michael Murphy, Executive Director of the Community Development department in Kingston for being helpful and responding quickly to provide the information below.
On the consultant side, we were told that currently the only outside consultant used is one that audits his department and is covered by the budgeted administrative costs (as noted below).
If you have any further questions, in addition to being in touch with Michael directly, you can also contact Ward 7 Alderman Bill Reynolds who chairs the Community Development committee. You can find all of Bill’s current information by visiting the Ward 7 Yahoo Group
There is apparently a meeting for the Community Development Committee on April 7th to vote on the grant items that were listed in the paper this week. Although it is not yet on the calendar, please check the city of Kingston’s website municipal calendar for April to learn more.
– Rebecca Martin
“I am the Director of Community Development and oversee the CDBG money for the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. The department consist of 3 individuals including myself.
The Office of Community Development funds many needed organizations throughout the Midtown Area which directly benefits over 700-800 youths as well as needy Adults. Every year the office tries to spread out the money to as many organizations and projects as possible. These programs and projects do not run by themselves, they have to be administered, as required by the Federal Government. Our office has 3 full time individuals and the administrative cost pays for salary and benefits. In addition, our office has to pay for our own supplies, office furniture, office equipment(Computers,etc.)and auditor fees out of the administrative part of the grant. The grant requires a full audit by an independent CPA firm.
Does it strike anyone funny that from an $815,000 grant for Midtown projects, $163,000 is going towards administration costs? We’re assuming that is what it costs to provide Michael Murphy and his staff their yearly salary. That’s a pretty hefty amount if you ask us.
Along the way, there has been mention of additional outside consultants hired by the office. If so, how many throughout the year and how much does it cost taxpayers?
We’d like to understand better what this department does year round for the amount of money they are being paid and think it’s important to look into for the administrative costs used by grant money alone.
* Addendum: This thought process was inspired by today’s article in the Daily Freeman. You can read it HERE
When it comes to good ideas there is certainly never a lack of them. The problem is always finding ways to funnel and collect this information so it can make an impact.
With that in mind, we decided to reach out to the citizens of Kingston to learn what it is that they think the city should pursue in the way of building a local economy.
I’d like to keep this going so to hear from more of you. If you’d like to participate, answer the question below and include your name, occupation and community affiliation (s). Send it to us at: info@kingstoncitizens.org
Thanks.
– Rebecca Martin
What kind of industry or small business venture would you like to see in the city of Kingston? What incentives could the city of Kingston offer to attract it, and what obstacles are currently in the way?
“In 1987 the entire state was in a recession and Martin Marietta, the community’s major employer, had laid off several thousand employees. There were nearly a million square feet of vacant retail space and downtown vacancies were approaching thirty percent. Kicked off the project in 1989 with the idea that “economic gardening” was a better approach for Littleton (and perhaps for Kingston too!) than “economic hunting”. Simply grow our own jobs through entrepreneurial activity instead of recruiting them. They have developed a model that WORKS…and at least 14 other communities have used that model successfully. We can too.”
“A supermarket located right off 9W would draw drive-up as well as neighborhood business. Something less obvious but important would be a place to mail things combined with photocopying and such (The US Post Office is cutting back at the moment which is why I think it would have to be a Mailboxes Inc type thing). Restaurants alone will never be enough, not even for a seasonal/weekend economy. If we want small businesses to operate in the Rondout, we need to give them the basic resources to do so. This includes businesses in commercial spaces as well as cottage industries out of nearby homes. Cottage industries may not seem like much, but in an era when it’s hard to attract medium-to-large businesses, a patchwork of smaller businesses may be what sustains us. Rondout isn’t the only neighborhood in Kingston, but what’s good for Rondout is good for Kingston. And more resources downtown means less traffic jams along Broadway.”
“Kingston could distinguish itself by developing a green building materials and products cluster, with appropriate manufacturing and assembly as well as distribution, sales and marketing, installation and support. Green building is a vast, fast-moving industry. From structural materials to windows to paints to roofing to lighting to landscaping materials, the industry is developing new technologies with reduced carbon footprints, less toxic emissions, greater materials and water efficiency and use of recycled materials, and lower impacts on the surrounding site. LEED, the primary industry standard, also gives points for sourcing supplies within a 500 mile radius of a job site. As New York and the Hudson Valley strengthen their commitment to green building codes within the state’s energy and climate action plans, opportunities to supply the construction and renovation industries will grow. Kingston has a solid cluster of relevant businesses already, including lighting, appliance, electronics and masonry supply outlets, solar installers, and a flagship publication, New York House. It has a local commitment to the “green corridor” along Broadway, where bike racks will soon be installed on every block. It also has complementary clusters in arts and the digital/ creative economy. Green alternatives in building move into the marketplace when consumers find them not only practical but beautiful. The potential for marrying green building with artistic and creative applications from furniture and interior design to landscape architecture, could give Kingston an enormous advantage in developing a green building cluster.”
“Years ago, George Allen suggested an architectural collete, maybe part of SUNY, based in Kingston. We really do have a great inventory of American architecture, a little weak on the contemporary but that’s within easy reach”.
Paul Joffe Entrepreneur, Selling and Renovating, slowly.
– Read Paul’s article “Tourism In Kingston” from 2008.
“Kingston needs to make residency a 6 month process to avoid new residents who can not support themselves without local taxpayer assistance for six months. Kingston needs to hire a lobbyist in albany to advocate and promote itself. Crime is a quality of life deal-breaker, a dis-incentive to investment and settlement, and will lead to a spiral that can not be turned around. The city police are a valuable resource led by a competent, responsible chief and one of the best investments that can be made in the short term with the limited funds available. contracts with other city employees must be re-negotiated however possible. those who contribute their time and enthusiasm towards the improvement of the city should be recognized and given jobs. where salary is not available, real power to make change is often a sufficient substitute. those who agree on 90% should not spend any of their time arguing about the other ten. in a crisis only clear basic changes can be made, energy should go to consensus. by law, the subject and time of all meetings must be made public and easily available well in advance (1 week or more). those who schedule unannounced public meetings should be fined substantially. the subject of public meetings must be determined a week in advance and not be changed within a week of the meeting. notices must be unavoidable so that even the busiest citizen is informed. that means all forms of media must be notified and all public meetings should be scheduled such that working people are able to attend. the object is to have the greatest number of attendees under strict parliamentary rules limiting speaking time and relevancy to the subject of the meeting.”
Andrea Perrino Student
“We need to extend Technology jobs and consulting jobs into the Hudson Valley/Kingston area and get away from Retail/Medical industry. SUNY NP has a program and contest in the Business program on Business Plans (I’m currently working on one). They have great ideas”.
“We recently lost to the town of ulster a food packaging company. That, and others like solar manufacturing. I don’t know what the city did in the way of offering either business incentives to be in Kingston or why we might have lost. Some years ago, a random thing, a business man was telling me about his considerations for Midtown. He said, to my surprise, it was hard for people to find the place, hard to give directions. We need better signage in the city inside and out! The idea about a KIngston Corridor struck me about then, and I’ve been poking at it for some years, rather ineffectively. I brought the idea and some drawings to the city a long time ago, but there were no ears. That seems to be changing now. We have kingstoncitizens.org which is making a huge difference as there is someone observing and encouraging.
Some public celebration of new business: I know of none. This city does nothing, no welcome, no publicity, no thanks. I would think having the mayor or a city committee, meeting and greeting new business and getting that in the paper would help a lot to show we are friendly. What we see, surely, is that we are not. For instance, there is no guidance on the web site for new business out reach. One lady who recently bought a house from the city and has repaired and improved it gloriously had reached out to me to help her get through delays that threatened her ability to close the deal.
“A historic preservation program associated with the college, perhaps to offer some sort of degree at the end. Somewhere in the mix, the City of Kingston could work with targeted neighborhoods to restore the blocks of vintage Queen Anne architecture (like Downs or Elmendorf Sts for example) There is grant money for historic preservation in some places. Perhaps the program would draw young people looking to learn about historic preservation (which is a growing industry) to live in Kingston while studying. We need to recognize how important this is to the future of the historic neighborhoods of Kingston. This city has a gold mine of potential preservation projects.”
Barbara Sarah and Jennifer Schwartz-Berky Mother/Daughter Barbara is founder of the Oncology Support Program at Benedictine Hospital and the director of Third Opinion. Jennifer is Deputy Director, Ulster County Planning Board and Visiting Lecturer in Environmental and Urban Studies at Bard College.
“Kingston should create “cultural districts,” which is something that over 100 cities across the US have done in the last decade. Many of these communities have successfully positioned the arts at the center of their revitalization strategies. A number of well-documented studies demonstrate a very high return on local governments’ investments in such a strategy. This “place-based” policy typically involves tax credits and other incentives for artists and arts-related businesses to support their work and the improvement of spaces within specific mixed-use areas of the city that are targeted for revitalization. According to a study by the Americans for the Arts, “Cultural districts boost urban revitalization in many ways: beautify and animate cities, provide employment, attract residents and tourists to the city, complement adjacent businesses, enhance property values, expand the tax base, attract well-educated employees, and contribute to creative, innovative environment.” The New York State Department of Labor reports that Ulster County has nearly twice the number of artists (1.9 times the average) of any place in the country, which is high even compared to our neighboring counties (which average 1.3 times the average). Kingston is the perfect candidate for a successful cultural districts strategy.”
Arthur Zaczkiewicz Freelance Writer and Editor and Garden Committee Co-chair, Kingston Land Trust
“Bicycle (repairs and rentals) and Fishing Tackle shop in the Rondout. During the warmer months, bikes and fishing is the merchandising focus while snowshoes and snowboards are sold and rented during the winter. A recent Sea Grant Study revealed that the number one natured-based activity for tourists and residents of Kingston, Beacon and Cold Spring was bicycling. The number one water recreation activity was fishing. And the number one cultural activity was visiting the waterfront to dine and shop.
Urban Organic and Hyrdoponic Farming Industry. Take the old Kings’ Inn and convert it to a hyrdoponic farm, which sells vegetables year-round to the community. Can employ between 10 and 15 people, perhaps in a co-op profit sharing model. The roof can be modified with solar panels to help offset the energy costs.
Redevelopment Initiative of Existing Commercial and Industrial Space. Here, new businesses would be encouraged to participate in this program with tax abatements and other incentives. They would relocate into existing buildings in Kingston that are refurbished by Kingston-based contractors who hire local helpers who may have been under or unemployed. This helps local contractors as well as local people while making use of preexisting buildings (green) instead of building new, which is not green or sustainable. Tax breaks would be big enough to discourage new construction.
Incentives: City-awarded tax abatements and tax breaks — especially for small businesses or start ups.
If you’re like me, then you can hardly wait for the 1st of the month to pick-up your new edition of the Chronogram. They are truly one of the best publications in the Hudson Valley – and have set up shop in the city of Kingston. Not only are they are a great publication, but they are the first to step forward to support any initiative that is arts related or in helping any number of organizations who are making a big difference in the lives of many all throughout the Hudson Valley.
Join me now in congratulating them on being nominated for an Utne Independent Press Award.
A big shout out to Jason, Amara, Brian and the entire staff for their dedication in reporting on real issues and by helping to put Kingston on the map. I’m one of your many fans.
Let’s celebrate!
– Rebecca Martin
Contact: Brian K. Mahoney, (845) 334-8600×103, bmahoney@chronogram.com
Chronogram magazine nominated for Utne Independent Press Award
Kingston, New York
3/24/10
Chronogram magazine has been recognized by Utne Reader for editorial
excellence for 2009 in the Health and Wellness category. In the past year,
Chronogram has covered health and wellness topics as diverse as: the
efficacy of the swine flu vaccine, women’s reproductive health, a two-part
investigation into Lyme Disease diagnoses and treatments, mentoring for
young women and young men, lifelong learning, debunking myths about calcium
supplements, and thriving and surviving through serious illness.
Chronogram is in good company with the other nominees. The 21st Annual
Independent Press Awards nominees include The New Republic, Orion,
Mother Jones, Columbia Journalism Review, The Believer, Audubon, The
Chronicle of Higher Education, and 30 other titles. The finalists were
chosen from a pool of 1,300 independent publications. The winners will be
announced on April 25 at the Magazine Publishers of America-Independent
Magazine Advisory Group (IMAG) conference in Washington, D.C.
The Utne Independent Press Awards recognize the excellence and vitality of
alternative and independent publishing. Nominees in 10 categories represent
the best in independent political, social/cultural, arts, science/tech,
health/wellness, environmental, international and spiritual coverage, as
well as best writing, and general excellence.
Utne Reader’s editors select nominee publications through an extensive
reading process and careful, yearlong examination, rather than via a
competition with entry forms and fees. In this way, the magazine honors the
efforts of small, sometimes unnoticed publications that provide innovative,
thought-provoking perspectives often ignored or overlooked by mass media.
Chronogram Editorial Director Brian K. Mahoney believes that the
nomination just goes to show that the magazine has been on the right track
for the past 16 years. “We’re thrilled to be honored in this way,” he says.
“This nomination reinforces our conviction that quality editorial—putting
real information into the hands of readers—is an end in itself. And while
our mission is to nuture and support the creative and cultural life of the
Hudson Valley, there’s no question that the material we’re producing
transcends the region. Readers, no matter where they live, are hungry for
honest, insightful editorial. It has always been our goal to provide that.
And kudos to our Lorrie Klosterman, our health and wellness editor.
Lorrie’s engaging and insightful writing and editing has elevated our coverage to
national prominence.”
Luminary Publishing, founded in 1993, is a multimedia company headquartered
at 314 Wall Street in Kingston. Its flagship publication, _Chronogram_, is
distributed free every month at 750 locations across the Hudson Valley.
Luminary Publishing’s mission is to nourish and support the creative and
cultural life of the Hudson Valley.
For years, we have been perplexed as to why City Hall could not get the heating and cooling system working properly. In the summer months, the A/C blows full on creating an overly dramatic icy environment whether it’s a heat wave or not. In late summer/early fall when the heat kicks in, the windows are opened to allow for it to escape…and that’s because it’s an 80 degree day.
Let’s face it. It’s costing citizens an extraordinary amount all year long – and it’s simply a wasteful and careless way for our money to be spent.
In today’s freeman, there was an article showing movement to aid this problem. (“Kingston CIty Hall Awaits Heat/Air Repair”) What was missing, was more information to help citizens understand why something had to be done. Was there an energy audit? Over what amount of time would the expense be repaid in energy savings, and how much more would citizens save over time once the initial expense was recouped? We’re pretty confident it’s a bundle.
We have requested copies of this important documentation and will be posting it as soon as it arrives. It will be helpful to understand the big picture here. We can’t afford to let this opportunity pass us. If what is currently being proposed isn’t the answer, then we have to work towards one.
It’s empowering to learn more on the Council-Manager form of government. Below was taken from the ICMA’s website. Visit this LINK to get resources and to learn more on the subject.
Certainly, if this is too radical for some then we should at least begin a discussion on term limits (see: Rotation in office) on all elected positions in Kingston right away.
It’s up to the citizens now to move towards a government that works. What do you want to do that is productive and helpful?
I suggest we begin at the core right here at home.
– Rebecca Martin
The collection of articles, statistics, and other information—grouped below as ICMA’s Council-Manager Form Resource Packet—will assist you in helping residents, elected officials, and business leaders within your community gain a better understanding of the value that professional management brings to our cities and towns.
ICMA’s origins lie in the council-manager form of local government, which combines the strong political leadership of elected officials (in the form of a council, board, or other governing body) with the strong professional experience of an appointed local government manager or administrator. Under this form, power is concentrated in the elected council, which hires a professional administrator to implement its policies. These highly-trained, experienced individuals serve at the pleasure of the elected governing body and have responsibility for preparing the budget, directing day-to-day operations, hiring and firing personnel, and serving as the council’s chief policy advisor.
Although ICMA actively promotes the council-manager form as the preferred structure, the organization also supports professional management in all forms of local government.
We invite you to use these materials as part of your council-manager form adoption and retention efforts. Click on the link to the packet components and you will be taken to ICMA’s Resource Center, where you will find a description of the material and one or more downloads. In addition to the materials contained in the Council-Manager Form Resource packet, scroll further down this page for a list of other resources, or contact Jared Dailey, assistant program manager, at jdailey@icma.org, for more information on form-of-government issues.
Launching an educational or promotional effort in support of the council-manager form can be difficult, but we hope you find these materials useful. Thank you for helping ICMA advocate the value of professional local government management and good luck with your efforts
There are many components to discuss on the subject such as residents doing more of it themselves (by mulching leaves and composting bigger pieces of yard waste) and mandatory leaf bagging (a source of controversial discussion).
But whether it’s left curbside, bagged, bundled – whatever – the fact remains that the city is scrambling to find a place for yard waste, as we no longer have a place for it as we have in the past. So what to do?
Take a look at the City of Palo Alto, CA’s model. Interesting indeed. (Taken from the KingstonCitizens.org facebook page. Thanks Brad Will)
Is the city of Kingston ready for a slightly different form of government?
We have been doing some research and would like to share and open a discussion on the ‘Weak’ Mayor/City Council/City Manager option. In this LINK, please scroll down to read one definition of “Weak Mayor/Council” and “Council/Manager. We invite you to do a little research on your own and report back here. With everything seemingly on the table these days, we figure – why not? Having a highly qualified city manager on board might be a very welcome change.
This is the third of three pieces to help residents get to know their incoming Alderman with insight on those helping to shape our neighborhoods and common council in 2010.
Get active!
– RM
Arthur Zackziewicz: What do you see as the top, long-term challenges facing the City of Kingston?
Hayes Clement: An unsustainable tax burden – on both homeowners and businesses. We’ve got to fundamentally reorient the mindset of local governments – city, school and county — from their current holy grail, keeping your annual tax increase as small as possible, to one that actually plots a path toward reducing your taxes, as difficult as that is in New York State.
City Hall, for one, has made real progress on the budget front this past year, but still more discipline, creativity and tough decisions are going to be required to bring spending into line with the simple economic realities of where we stand today: a declining population, shrinking household income levels and very shaky employment and housing markets. Old news? Not if you were a stranger to Kingston and had been ordered to describe the city using only our annual budget as your guide. Some of our expenses, particularly in the realm of employee benefits and pensions (fully $11 million of a $35 million annual budget), are truly sobering. And that’s before you even get to the “real” money – the equivalent tabs for public schools and county government. At the end of the day, when potential newcomers consider the total tax burden attached to setting up home or shop in Kingston, the results of the exercise too often shout “no way” – especially for prospective business investors.
Our “homestead/non-homestead” tax policy, which taxes commercial properties at significantly higher rates than homes, is in dire need of rethinking. It is steadily eroding the city’s commercial tax base and private-sector job market – literally emptying entire blocks of storefronts — and practically begs business owners to consider greener pastures, an especially dangerous gambit when that greener pasture might be found just a few hundred feet down Albany Avenue in the Town of Ulster.
The immediate source of distress for many tax payers remains, of course, the citywide property revaluation conducted by the city and GAR Associates several years ago. While serious flaws and inequities are apparent in the results produced so far, I consider this a near-term, not long-term, problem and one that has to be fixed, also in the near-term, in favor of over-assessed property owners.
A disproportionate share of poverty and its related problems. For years, we’ve all heard or read the complaint that indigent families in need of public assistance are routinely “dumped” in Ulster County by other less charitable (and less law-abiding) communities, from as far away as Pennsylvania. Based on my own conversations with veteran social-service and law-enforcement professionals in the area, I think the accusation is a credible one — certainly credible enough to warrant a full investigation by County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach and local Department of Social Services officials. If an investigation yields substantive evidence of the illegal practice, the county should forward the matter to the state Attorney General or other officials for help in halting the practice and seeking financial redress. If an investigation yields nothing, a finding to that effect might at least help dispel a pervasive local suspicion.
One thing is indisputable, though, in terms of poverty’s migration: Once here, the great majority of Ulster County “safety net” recipients settle in Kingston, for obvious reasons (public transportation, proximity to service agencies, etc.) but with serious financial consequences for Kingston tax payers. Alone among 62 counties in New York State, Ulster County requires that the home city or township of a safety-net recipient bear half the cost of those benefits, with the state providing the other half. In every other county, the funding formula splits the cost 50-50 between the state and the county, regardless of the recipient’s city of residence. The consequences of this for Kingston start with a sizable and growing financial burden — $1.2 million in safety net spending this year, up from $400,000 seven years ago — that by every right should be spread county-wide but, instead, is borne solely by Kingston tax payers. Not only do we take in the county’s disadvantaged, we take on the entire local portion of the bill, solo, for meeting that challenge. For Kingston at this stage, the money, the jobs and the sheer tally of local lives all caught up in the safety net are of such a scale that “poverty” is not just a local problem anymore, it’s a local industry, too . . . . and a growing one. Many of its enterprises are well-respected and successful; its “executive ranks” include some of the best and brightest leaders in Kingston; and most of its clients are deserving and law-abiding neighbors, no doubt. But none of that obliges Kingston to politely ignore the obvious: “Poverty, the industry” also reaches deep into the city’s real-estate market, driving demand for subdivided houses, changing the character of entire neighborhoods, and often undermining public safety, quality of life and, ultimately, our ability to attract other new residents and businesses. In the wake of recent and disturbing street crimes, the plainly visible deterioration of more Kingston neighborhoods, and Ulster County’s continued refusal to do the right thing and cover its safety net obligations, it’s time for Kingston to take a compassionate but clear-headed new look at local poverty, and confront a delicate but urgent question: How big a burden can one struggling city be expected to bear on behalf of other communities, and at what cost to its own quality of life and its own future?
An aging infrastructure. It’s awful to contemplate, but today’s woes might pale in comparison to the fiscal challenges coming at us in the next decade, with millions of dollars in capital improvements required to make over crumbling streets and sidewalks and, more ominously, rebuild much of our century-old sewer system. Getting through it all, at the lowest possible cost, will require, for starters, that the mayor and Common Council maintain both our strong municipal bond rating and the credibility with lenders that comes from setting conservative annual spending plans and sticking to them.
Embarrassingly low standards – when it comes to so many aspects of our shared civic life: the quality of services we demand for our tax dollars, the caliber of behavior we’re willing to tolerate on public streets, the general appearance and cleanliness of entire blocks and neighborhoods, to name but a few. I’m always struck by an insight you often hear from plugged-in Kingstonians, the very people you would call the city’s boosters. It goes like this: “Sure that’s a problem here, but we’re in far better shape on that score than Newburgh.” (or Poughkeepsie, or Middletown – take your pick) It’s a response that’s accurate for just about any problem being discussed, no doubt, and let’s hope it remains so. But if “not-as-bad-as-over-THERE” is going to be our benchmark for survival, let alone success, we’re all in deep trouble.
Upstate New York has enormous challenges on many fronts, but Kingston has unique assets that set it far apart from other cities in the region. We lose sight of this all too quickly, especially in an economic climate that serves up setbacks and disappointments on a weekly basis. It’s a mistake. The best-laid plans for more prosperous times are usually laid well ahead of their arrival. We need to focus on getting our act together now, ahead of an economic upturn, by re-focusing on the basics: cleaning up the city, cracking down on crime and blight, and cutting back on a cost structure that’s outgrown our ability to pay for it. If we do this, and steadily raise our expectations to better match our gifts, we can lay the foundation for a safer, more affordable and more attractive Kingston that can very logically become the gotta-visit, the gotta-move-to community in the Hudson Valley, a Kingston that legitimately plays in the same league as a Savannah, Ga., or a Burlington, Vt., or an Asheville, N.C. – take your pick — when it comes to luring new investment, not a Kingston that measures itself by the yardstick of Newburgh.
AZ: Despite the challenges, Kingston is often described as a “vibrant city” that has much potential. Do you agree? What are some of the city’s most promising opportunities?
HC: Of the many opportunities open to Kingston, I think a few stand out as particularly plausible over the next 2-3 years:
• We can make better strategic use of UPAC as the potential economic anchor for Midtown, ensuring that its doors remain open and able to deliver 1,200 regular concert-goers to new and existing restaurants and bars throughout the calendar year. Redevelopment of the adjacent King’s Inn site as a large mixed-use live/work loft-style complex for artists, musicians and production technologists would bring a healthy new sense of life and activity to the area and help drive awareness of an already significant, but hidden, professional music scene in Kingston.
• We can leverage the experience and hard work of the KingstonDigitalCorridor.org initiative in other fields of potential economic growth, using local entrepreneurs to sell Kingston peer to peer within their industries. One example: a targeted, grass-roots effort aimed at luring select art-supply manufacturers and working artists from Brooklyn or other locales, drawing on the embedded experience and customer traffic of R&F Paints, Bailey Ceramics and the Shirt Factory.
• We can devise a “green” strategy that focuses on job creation. Ongoing efforts by City Hall and the Conservation Advisory Council continue to help reduce our collective impact on the environment. That’s great. But we should give equal priority to devising a front-and-center role for Kingston in the region’s Solar Energy Consortium, both as a pilot site for solar installations on public buildings and, better yet, as a target locale for consortium-backed startups, via tax breaks and other incentives. What better way to demonstrate the urban applications for solar power or the benefits of recycling on a mammoth scale than through the conversion of empty commercial buildings into manufacturing sites for solar technology?
• We can finally develop a new comprehensive plan for Kingston, one that untangles, updates and spells out zoning laws, zoning overlays, historic designations and reasonable design standards for Midtown and Uptown, much as we’ve recently done for Downtown. This is essential not only to protect the heritage, charm and integrity of our neighborhoods (the biggest and best currency we’ve got when it comes to economic development!) but also to attract new investment. The developers who reject Kingston as a place to invest don’t do so because we’re overly fussy about historic preservation; they by-pass Kingston because our planning process is perceived as non-transparent, unpredictable and ad hoc. Making it less so will only help preserve our heritage and grow our tax base.
• We can radically improve the first impression we make with visitors — by easily extending the popular U.S. 209 rail trail from Hurley all the way into Uptown, and further remaking the Washington Avenue corridor with open green space and proper landscaping in place of abandoned gas stations. (Our own civic pride could use the visual boost, too.)
AZ: Some residents have expressed a need for Kingston to file for bankruptcy as a way to get some fiscal breathing room and allow contracts to be renegotiated. Do you support such a move? Why or why not?
HC: Bankruptcy is probably not an option for Kingston, practically speaking, since taking that route would require approval by the state legislature and only after our “taxing capacity” was exhausted. By the predictable logic of Albany, Kingston’s municipal tax levy is still well below what we could legally force property owners to cough up in order to remain solvent, so until taxes are raised to Mt. Everest levels and we’re scrounging for the last nickels and dimes beneath homeowners’ sofa cushions, don’t count on Albany to entertain the notion of a Kingston bankruptcy.
And I’m fine with that. I didn’t seek a seat on the Common Council in order to help preside at a municipal bankruptcy. And I think every member of the Council would consider that particular outcome a singular mark of failure on his or her resume.
That said, the financial situation we face is extraordinarily serious. Correcting it will depend, in large part, on how we approach the renegotiation of union contracts for police, fire and DPW and City Hall professionals set to expire at the end of 2011. The mayor has indicated he plans to include members of the Common Council in various stages of discussion and negotiation with the three unions, and I think that’s the right approach, particularly since contract wage and benefits agreements for city employees and retirees represent fully 75% of the city’s $35 million annual budget. Whatever terms finally emerge from the negotiation process, it won’t qualify as a success overall, in my book, unless several key “wins” are achieved for tax payers:
• New flexibility on the part of both union members and management in the way departments are manned and job responsibilities are defined, with a particular emphasis on putting more police officers on the street at critical times each day, and cross-training more firefighters to act as building-code enforcement teams during otherwise idle periods.
• Realistic contributions by employees toward their health-care plans
• Salary and pension schedules, going forward, that recognize and respect hard – often hazardous – work performed by professionals, but also bear some semblance to the realities of the typical Kingston tax payer who’s struggling to foot the bill.
AZ: Residents have expressed publicly and privately that your election into office reflects a need for new thinking and new perspectives in city government. Do you agree with this? If yes, how do you implement some of that fresh perspective?
HC: * I certainly like to think my election signals openness to new approaches on the part of voters. I’m sure my two other fellow freshmen on the Council agree. Delivering on that promise will depend, in large part, on our powers of resistance – namely the ability to resist giving in to conventional wisdom and the accepted pattern of how things are, once we’ve been on the Council a few more months. Complacency, or even abundant patience, are not what you want in a Council member these days.
AZ: Could you list three of the best reasons to live and work in Kingston?
HC: Small businesses that give great service, break the generic cookie-cutter mold and prove, despite all the challenges, that Kingston can attract and sustain entrepreneurs. My list of favorites includes Eng’s, Seven21 Media, Oxclove, Signature Fitness, Fleisher’s, Tonner Doll, Madden’s Wine & Spirits, Savonna’s, Monkey Joe’s, Stone Soup, Smith Printing and BestPlaces2Move.com.
* Our proximity to the Hudson River, the Catskills and New York City – for my money, perhaps the three most extraordinary features of the North American landscape.
* The quality and variety of our amazing – and reasonably priced — housing stock. Where else but in Kingston could you visit one street, Fair, and in the space of a 10-minute walk observe at least one example of every single significant period in American architecture, starting in the late 1600s with a stone meeting house and proceeding through all the great design eras — Gothic, Greek Revival, Victorian, Italianate, Colonial Revival, Tudor, and other more obscure styles – all the way to a 1960s ranch house?
When I learned that the Kingston Library was offering a tour of it’s facility on Tuesday, March 9th at 6:00pm by Margie Menard (the Director herself), I simply couldn’t wait to share the news.
Margie took a moment to answer a few of our questions. We hope that some of you can make the tour tomorrow night and that even more of you will consider becoming a member if you are not one already.
Kingston, NY Public Library. Become a member! Rebecca Martin: How long have you worked at the Kingston Library?
Margie Menard: I started working at Kingston Library as the Reference Librarian in November of 2004. I was later promoted to Assistant Director and took my current position as Director in April 2008
RM: Could you give us an overview of your programs in 2010?
MM: We have some really terrific programs lined up for 2010. We will be continuing some of our longstanding, popular programs as well as adding some new programs. Continuing programs include our literary discussion group which meets on the 4th Monday of every month at noon. This group discusses a broad range of literature from classics to contemporary novels and poetry. We also have an extremely popular Classics in Religion discussion group that meets Wednesday mornings. For one hour each week, local religious leaders make selections for reading aloud and discussion. Over the years, this group has studied across a broad range of faith traditions and spiritual practices. Also on Wednesdays in the evening, a devoted group of Bridge players meet for cards and fellowship in our community room. For young children we have twice weekly story hours on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings which include stories, crafts and music. Kingston Library will also continue to host the monthly Super Saturdays programs for families which have included puppetry, science demonstrations, live animal shows, music, dance, magic and story telling. The library also plans a broad range of activities for kids to keep them engaged in reading over the summer as part of our Summer Reading Program. This year we will be continuing and expanding on our summer program for teens that was begun last year thanks in part to a generous grant from Ulster Savings Bank. In addition, we have occasional programs throughout the year for all ages that in the past have included gardening, readings by local authors, kayaking, financial planning, meditation, music, local history and more. There is also much to enjoy in rotating exhibits of artwork and information on the library’s walls and in display cases.
RM: What do you feel is the greatest challenge in providing this community service?
MM: One of our greatest challenges is getting the word out to people that the library is probably so much more than they think it is. Often, people stop visiting the library when they leave school and don’t realize that we have something to offer everyone, at every stage in their lives. In addition to outstanding books and dozens of magazine and newspaper subscriptions, we have graphic novels and comics, popular music CDs, current feature films on DVD, audio books on tape and CD as well as downloadable books that can be downloaded to your iPod or MP3 players. The library provides dozens of public internet computers and free wifi access. We also provide a broad range of online resources that can be used from any internet accessible computer in your home or office. These resources include homework support and early literacy resources for kids, language learning instruction for those wishing to learn languages from Arabic to Vietnamese and English as a second language instruction, job finding resources, test prep for civil service and academic tests like the SAT and GED. The library is also just a great place to meet your neighbors and see what’s going on in the community. Community groups are invited to make use of our meeting spaces and we have had groups ranging from local service agencies and neighborhood groups to 4H clubs and crafters meet here.
RM: The tour of the facility is a great idea! What do you hope participants will walk away with and will you continue to give tours of the Library?
MM: I hope that as many people as possible come to tour our building. The idea is to give participants a complete picture of the library from children’s and adult services to administrative activities and the physical plant. Even those of us who use the library aren’t always aware of everything that goes into providing this invaluable community resource. Kingston residents have a long history of supporting their library. I’d like to give people an opportunity to see the whole library from a new perspective so they can feel proud of this remarkable resource that their tax dollars support. We will continue to do tours of the facility as long as people are interested in learning more about it.
RM: Can you name one really special aspect of Kingston’s library that perhaps most people wouldn’t know?
MM: One of the most special aspects of Kingston Library is that it’s function is to serve the residents of Kingston and it’s resources are available to everyone–no exceptions. We want the library to be a meaningful part of of our community and we want everyone to know that no matter what point you’re at in life, the library has something to offer you. Whether you’re looking for education, information or recreation, you can find it at the library. Come sign up for a library card and discover what special things the library has to offer you.
RM: What’s the best way for a person to be in touch if they wish to volunteer?
MM: The best way for someone to be in touch if they want to volunteer at the library is to come in and use the resources, see what’s happening, chat with the staff and see where they would like to participate. Join the Friends of Kingston Library and become part of a great group of smart, friendly, interesting people dedicated to serving their community by supporting their library. FOKL will be having their annual meeting starting at 7:00 on Tuesday March 9th at the library. Come at 6:00 for refreshments and a tour. We are also looking for dedicated people interested in serving on the Kingston Library Board of Trustees. Library trustees are a bridge between the library and the community and serving in this capacity can make a significant contribution to the community. Join us at a board meeting on the third Thursday of the month at 7:00 at the library. There are opportunities from high tech to low tech, with ages from children to seniors, working directly with people to behind the scenes support work. Come in and see what’s happening!
