There was a tribute to city clerk Kathy Janeczek (who passed last year quite suddenly) this week on the lawns of Kingston’s City Hall. If there was ever one deserving of such a thing, it is most certainly she.
I had the opportunity to work with her in breaking ground for the Victory Garden at City Hall in 2009 – and it was a great pleasure to do so.
While reading about the ceremony in the Freeman, I learned that the Mayor wished to recommend to the council to move $50,000 away from the Carnegie Library renovation this year in order to create (in addition to the City Hall tribute) a stage/screen in the Rondout for films, plays and the like in her honor.
What an odd thing to find in the midst of a memorial read.
I think this is important for citizens of Kingston to pay close attention to, as I’m not sure this is such a good idea.
Why? Overall, there is a lack of long term planning and proper follow through on any given project in the city of Kingston. As a matter of fact, though this idea might have been kicking around City Hall, I have never heard it mentioned anywhere until just the other day.
Moving funds now in the tune of $50,000 away from a project long underway with much support from the community and otherwise doesn’t make much sense in what appears to be an instant. Especially given the current budget crisis. I have my doubts that that money could be replaced. Who knows what next year is going to bring?
…and the Carnegie Library restoration project needs to occur for our children and in providing an opportunity to protect our rich history.
Though I didn’t know Kathy well, what I suspect by her endeavors and her heart is that she would prefer the Carnegie Library restoration over a small stage for films. Especially in these tough economic times where there are no guarantees from year to year now on the resource front.
We’ll pursue this further, and we encourage you to do the same. Speak to your Alderman to get relevant details and voice your opinion because that’s really all we are hoping to inspire in this post. If we all take a moment to move meaningfully forward, than we’re going to be in far better shape in the long run. Every decision is an important one, and the council is there to represent you.
Here is a LINK to the Daily Freeman article.
– Rebecca Martin