KingstonCitizens.org Hosts Public Educational Forum and Discussion on City Administrator and City Manager Forms of Government on Tuesday, March 25th.

by

City_Manager

KingstonCitizens.org will host a public educational forum and discussion on “City Administrator and City Manager Forms of Government” on Tuesday, March 25th at the Kingston Public Library 55 Franklin Street, in Kingston NY from 6:00pm – 8:00pm.  Panel guests include Meredith Robson, City Administrator of the City of Beacon, NY and Chuck Strome, City Manager of New Rochelle, NY. 

Kingston, NY –  For the past twenty years, the city of Kingston, NY has what is known as a ‘Strong Mayor’ form of government, where a mayor is elected into office based on popular vote to manage the city’s $36+ million dollar budget, departments, committees, commissions and an aging citywide infrastructure.

KingstonCitizens.org is pleased to present a public educational forum and discussion on two alternative forms of government titled “City Administrator and City Manager Forms of Government” on Tuesday, March 25th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm at the Kingston Public Library located at 55 Franklin Street in Kingston, NY. All are welcome to attend.

Guest panelists include Meredith Robson, City Administrator of the City of Beacon and Chuck Strome, City Manager of New Rochelle, NY to discuss their roles and relationships with the public and elected officials.

The evening will be co-moderated by Rebecca Martin, founder of KingstonCitizens.org and former Executive Director of the Kingston Land Trust and Jennifer Schwartz Berky, Principal at Hone Strategic, LLC and the former Deputy Director of Planning at Ulster County.

For more information, contact Rebecca Martin at: re********@*******nk.net

###
Our Panelists

Meredith Robson, City of Beacon Administrator:   Meredith Robson has served in a variety of governmental positions for over 26 years.  She has served in all levels of government, except County government, and her career has spanned three states.  She is currently the City Administrator for the City of Beacon. Ms. Robson has been very active in professional associations throughout her career, including serving on the New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials Executive Committee and in her current roles as President of the New York City/County Management Association and Northeast Regional Vice President for the International City/County Management Association. Ms. Robson is an ICMA Credentialed Manager and has a Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.  She has participated in numerous professional development programs, including the following leadership training opportunities:  Wallkill Valley Community Leadership Alliance, Leadership Greater Waterbury and Pace University Land Use Leadership Alliance Training Program.

Chuck Strome, New Rochelle, NY City Manager:  On November 12, 2002, the City Council unanimously approved the appointment of Charles B. “Chuck” Strome, III as City Manager. Mr. Strome served as Acting City Manager since March 2002 and as Deputy City Manager since 1995. Prior to that, he served as Director of Emergency Services from 1989 through 1992, and then became Assistant City Manager / City Coordinator. 

Mr. Strome has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communications from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, and a Masters of Public Administration-Government from Pace University. 

Before joining government, Mr. Strome held positions at Hudson Westchester Radio where he was News Director, Vice President, and Program Director. 

Mr. Strome is a member of the International City Managers’ Association, and former president of the New York State City / County Managers Association. He is also past President, Vice President, and Secretary of the Municipal Administrators Association of Metropolitan New York.

Our Moderators

About KingstonCitizens.org: KingstonCitizens.org is a non-partisan, citizen-run organization focused on relevant and current issues about Kingston, N.Y and working to foster transparent communication by encouraging growing citizen participation.  The founder of KC.org and evening co-moderator Rebecca Martin is a world renowned and critically acclaimed musician who has 25 years of experience as a manager, community organizer and activist.

About Jennifer Schwartz Berky, Principal at Hone Strategic, LLC:  Berky, the evening’s co-moderator, has over 25 twenty years of experience in the fields of architecture, conservation, economic development, and urban planning in the non-profit, government, academic and private sectors. Prior to launching Hone Strategic, she served as Deputy Director of Ulster County Planning for over seven years, where she was the lead researcher and liaison to the Ulster County Charter Commission. Before moving to Ulster County, she worked in Washington, DC at the World Bank and Urban Institute, at the University of Rome (Italy) and as a project manager of design and construction for New York City’s major cultural institutions. Berky has lived for extended periods in Argentina, Chile, France, Israel, Italy, and Spain. She earned a B.A. in Art History from SUNY Stony Brook and Masters’ degrees in Urban Planning (M.Phil.) and Real Estate Development (M.S.) at Columbia University, where she is also currently completing a Ph.D. in Urban Planning on the subject of environmental economics.

 

MORE ON – Kingston: “Strong Mayor” or “City Manager” Form of Government?

by

council-manager

(This piece was originally printed in the Kingston Times in August of 2013 after a flurry of firings at Kingston City Hall in Kingston, NY.  This is an edited version).

###

“When you find that change is constant, will you shun complacency?” – J. Harris

As a kid, I grew up in a household of ‘activists.’  That’s what my parents were called anyway. It never occurred to me then, or now, that they were anything out of the ordinary. For is it activism or ones duty to shine the light on a problem that lies inside or out of the community?

In the mill town where I am from, my father was a family doctor and my mother a nurse. Together, the two cared for generations of people who one day began to show up at an alarming rate with both common and also extremely rare types of cancers. Wanting to understand this phenomenon led my parents to the discovery of a dioxin contamination that was produced by the mill. A by-product of the bleaching process in papermaking, it’s a severe carcinogen also found in the notorious Vietnam War defoliant Agent Orange. All day long, they put out a large pool of muddy dioxin-laced sludge right out in the open. Without good management regulations at that time, it was disposed of by being dumped into the rivers, buried on mountaintops and burned close by. The geography of the area made for a noxious smog that hung over the valley like an impending death sentence. But noone listened.

Years later, my hometown was dubbed “Cancer Valley”. You’d think it to be enough to wake even the staunchest of cynics. But it wasn’t. The industry scurried about to downplay the statistics and public officials obliged. “Those damn elitist activists.” they’d say with their heads buried in the sands.

How do you get away with such a thing?

The people’s needs are simple. They want a job to best utilize their skill set, a roof over their head, food on the table and a good education for their children. With jobs scarce in most rural places, a lack of alternatives allow for easy management of a problem like this. Vocal residents were diminished by threats from their large employer to pack up and leave.   Residents without options would resort to nostalgia.  “Our town will prosper as it always has”.  Even as it slowly bled to death.

Now thirty years later, the town that I knew is barely recognizable.  The population has aged out. Young families have moved away. Generations no longer generate.  It is necessary today for mill workers to be brought in to keep the mill in business with those who haven’t a connection to the history or the spirit that once was.  The wealthy are no longer professionals. They are those who have the means to gobble up foreclosed properties to use as Section 8 housing.

A cautionary tale.

I turned out to be an artist. Things that the average person fear are just a part of ordinary life for me – and so that “fearlessness” and then a knack for organizing make for one hell of a tool chest in these times.  Four years after moving into this adopted city of mine  (and today, I’m a Kingston resident now for 12 years – the longest I’ve lived anywhere else other than my home town) and shortly after becoming a mom, I became what they call a ‘community organizer’ or ‘activist’ I suppose – and what I found was a gaping hole between the people and city hall that was downright disconcerting. Over the years and with the help of many volunteers and good souls, close to 50 initiatives both large and small to help repair that disconnect were created and diligently worked upon that would serve the public for a long time to come. Those of you who have come along for the ride for the past 8 years know what I’m speaking of.

***

I’ve been dismayed by recent events in Kingston.  The decisions and reactions of our mayor have disappointed me, but it’s not something I haven’t already seen in one form or another in Kingston’s recent past.  On first blush, I find my inner dialogue focused on the politicians short comings. But the truth is, that our collective lack of knowledge and resignation in how local government works is where the problem lies.

Furthermore, the people’s collective acceptance of bad behavior from those working on their behalf is mystifying. With such low expectations, what chance is there to develop and attract a greater range of talent and professionalism in high office elected positions?

Starting from the top down, Kingston has what is known as a “strong mayor” form of government. That means that whoever is elected into office essentially has full administrative authority. The people are encouraged to vote ‘across the line’ (promoting lazy voters in my estimation) and your mayor ends up navigating a $36.8 million dollar budget, a population of about 24,000 people and an entire aging citywide infrastructure.

Here’s the thing.  He or she isn’t required to have any specific qualifications for a job like this because qualifications is unconstitutional for any elected official. Did you know that? In essence,  that means that anyone at all can be your mayor, whether they are experienced in city management or not.  Think about that for a moment and try not to panic.

The city charter currently allows ‘mayor’ to appoint department heads and membership to the city’s internal committees without much or in some cases any oversight.  They might choose to cast a net to hire the most qualified candidates locally, or enlist those whose merit lies mainly in having helped them to become elected into office. As we have recently witnessed, the latter approach has led to an unprecedented number of firings.

Take a look sometime at the City of Kingston’s charter and read Article IV: “Mayor “General Powers and Duties.”  The executive duties are light at best.

Compare that to municipalities with a City Manager (Oneonta, NY) or City Administrator (Beacon, NY).  Pretty astonishing don’t you think?

What would be in the public’s best interest is to have an ongoing community discussion on the choices that exist for how a city like ours could be run.

Twenty years ago for a hot minute Kingston actually had a city manager form of government. It was a hard earned effort that was forged by a group of active citizens with the support of the chamber of commerce. There is an article written by Tom Benton that the Kingston Times  published describing how it all came to light. Prior to that, the mayor’s role was considered a full time position, but with only part time pay.   More of a role had by a retiree with some clout in the community as I understand it.

City Manager wasn’t long lived here in Kingston – as  T.R. Gallo, who petitioned at the last minute to reverse the ‘City Manager’ outcome before he himself ran for mayor, strengthening its role to what it is today.

If set up correctly, a city manager could diminish the power of party politics by placing more responsibility on a larger body of elected officials and therefore, placing more control in the hands of the people.

I like that.

How about requiring those newly elected council members to take a course in civics and in Kingston government? (new school board trustees get mandatory training.) Furthermore for our council, what about term limits with a maximum of two terms? It should be a common man’s position. Like jury duty. There is no better way to learn how your local government works than by landing a role in it for a short time. If you find that you have a knack for public service?  Run for higher office.

Kingston is in the midst of rewriting its citywide Comprehensive Plan, a process that hasn’t been undertaken since 1961. They are calling it “Kingston 2025” and it’s meant to act as a road map for creating a resilient and sustainable community over the next 12 years. That’s entirely possible given the efforts of a good number of initiatives that have been underway for some time.  Kingston citizens, get in there.  Give your input and ask that once the new plan is in place, that it is looked at again for proper updates under each new executive office term. That’s every four to five years.

City government is ours and as soon as we are afraid of it, we no longer live in a democracy. What is necessary to make things run smoothly in todays climate is organization, cooperation and different points of view. Be inquisitive, stay current and together make the changes that are needed and available to us.

– Rebecca Martin

 

How Kingston Got It’s “Strong Mayor” Form of Government.

by
council-manager
This image was used from the Bainbridge Voter. Click on the image to learn more.

Did you know that in 1993, the City of Kingston  adopted (by a landslide) a City Manager form of government?   This is a great old article that helps us to understand what happened back then and also how we ended up with a strong mayor form of government.

Thanks to Tom Benton and Ulster Publishing for allowing us to repost this article.

 

How Kingston got its ‘strong mayor’
Commentary by Tom Benton
(originally printed in the KINGSTON TIMES)

This is how it actually went down, nearly 20 years ago. I should know; I was there. In fact, in a way I was caught up right in the middle of it all, though that was not my intention.

Some time around 1992, Kingston Mayor John Amarello got to thinking that the city’s charter, which hadn’t been modified since the late 1800s, could use a little updating.  Maybe it was those provisions prohibiting displays of magic and legerdemain (sleight of hand) on city streets that got him thinking, or the ones dealing with where horses could be tied up. In any event, the mayor decided that it would be useful for someone to take a look at the charter to see if some modernizing might be in order.

And so it was that he decided to create a Charter Revision Commission to tackle the task.  John — I knew him well enough to call him by his first name — approached me about acting as chairman of the committee. At the time, I was a young attorney practicing in Kingston, very much involved with various civic groups and friendly with many of the business and governmental figures in town. And best of all from the mayor’s standpoint (or so I believe now), I had no political axe to grind. I have never sought or held elective office (unless you count student council in high school) and had no aspirations to do so then. So I think the mayor felt that I would be somewhat free from the rough-and-tumble of local, partisan politics. If I may say so, they don’t get more fractious anywhere than they do in Kingston (with the possible exception of the recent debt ceiling imbroglio in Washington).

With some reservations about the time commitment it would involve, I signed on, so to speak, along with a half-dozen or so other local appointees. Significantly, one of those original members was then-Alderman T. R. Gallo, who resigned from the commission after several meetings (more about that later). We set about our work at frequent evening sessions, studying the charter of Kingston along with those of other similarly sized small cities. As it happened, I was also then the president of the board of directors of the Ulster County Chamber of Commerce. Some chamber members I knew believed that the “city manager” form of local government was preferable to the traditional model, theoretically being more efficient and business-like, and they encouraged me to introduce that concept into our discussions.

A brief overview of the “city manager” form: Traditionally in the U.S., most governments, be they state, county, city, village or town, have followed the federal model, wherein three branches (executive, legislative and judicial) regulate the entity’s affairs. This structure is designed to provide checks and balances on the uses and potential abuses of power. By the beginning of the 20th century, progressives started to wonder whether all that power-balancing was really needed at the smaller and more local levels of government. Couldn’t the legislative body (city council) just hire an executive to conduct the administrative affairs of the community? After all, the council has its own internal checks and balances built in by virtue of its multiple members. It was also thought a hired executive, with specific training and expertise, would provide better and more efficient operation than might be expected from an elected mayor who, well-liked and popular though he or she might be, usually has no real training for the job.

I don’t remember the number of meetings we had, but in the course of many weeks, a consensus began to build in the direction of the “city manager” form. I believe that this was about the time Mr. Gallo bowed out. Be that as it may, after months of meetings and many hours of discussion and debate, the commission ultimately finalized a proposed revised charter for the City of Kingston, incorporating the city manager concept. This was submitted to the city for consideration and potential adoption.

During the spring and summer of 1993, the charter revision commission held a number of public information meetings throughout the city, so residents would have the opportunity to learn about the new proposal. These were well-attended and aroused great interest and passion on both sides. In due course, and in accordance with the required procedure, Kingston’s Common Council approved the submission of the proposed charter revision to the local board of elections so that it could be placed on the ballot as a referendum item to be voted on in the fall of 1993. Supporters of the measure conducted an aggressive grass-roots campaign, handing out flyers door-to-door in Kingston neighborhoods and taking out ads in local newspapers. On Election Day, the revision was approved.

Those of us who had been active in the revision process, including prominent local business figures like Frank Bailey, George Hutton, George Bell and others, were celebratory. But it should be admitted that there was no certainty about how well the “city manager” form of government would work in Kingston. The “city manager” form had been quite successful in some cities — Austin, Texas, for example — but arguably less so in others. And the work of transition still lay ahead, as the new charter structure was to take effect in January 1995.

As it happened, the 1993 vote also brought about the defeat of the incumbent Republican mayor, John Amarello, by the Democratic candidate, T.R. Gallo. It was no secret that T.R. had long dreamed of becoming Kingston’s mayor. His late father was a fixture in Kingston politics two decades earlier. The new charter preserved the office of mayor, but significantly reduced his or her official duties and authority to what might fairly be characterized as “ribbon-cutter in chief.” This was far from what the newly elected mayor had envisioned for himself.

After a few weeks, then-alderman-at-large, James Sottile, responsibly formed an ad hoc committee to work on the transition process and to begin the search for a city manager.  Because of my past involvement with the new charter, I was invited to participate in that group as a citizen member at meetings throughout the winter of 1993-94. Some time in the spring, word began circulating in Kingston about a new proposal which would supplant the recently adopted city manager charter by providing for a so-called “strong mayor” — an elected mayor with greater authority than is traditionally found. The document itself soon surfaced as Mayor Gallo began a public petition campaign to place the new charter revision proposal on the 1994 ballot as a referendum item.

To place a referendum on the ballot (an alternative to the mayoral commission procedure) requires the signatures of certain percentage of the affected voting public. Even for a mayor as popular as T.R. Gallo, this was a large undertaking, particularly in the turbulent wake of the previous year and a half of charter debates. As for the proposal itself, it was rather ingeniously constructed by taking the newly adopted charter and merely replacing the words “city manager” with “mayor” throughout. There were some other modifications, of course, but that was the essence of it. And here was the effect: Under the adopted charter, the city manager was given very broad and powerful executive authority, the governmental check on that authority being control and supervision by the Common Council. Under the new proposal, an elected mayor would have the same broad authority, but would be entirely free from any such control or supervision by the council. Strong mayor, indeed!

By late August, it appeared that the petition campaign would fall short of the required number of signatures. With time was running out to meet the filing deadline for the fall vote, Mayor Gallo hastily created a his own charter revision commission, whose appointed members immediately adopted the new “strong mayor” proposal without discussion or debate. A single public information meeting (a half-hour in duration) was held a few days later at City Hall and in short order, the “strong mayor” charter was submitted to the board of elections for placement on the ballot. As I recall, all of this took place in the space of less than two weeks.

With Election Day looming, there ensued an intense period of public debate and a visible war of lawn signs. Things took a turn toward the uncivil. At a public information meeting sponsored by The League of Women Voters, I was loudly and aggressively heckled throughout my presentation by a small group of partisans. Such was the tone and tenor of the time.

Many Kingstonians will remember the outcome. In one of the largest voter turnouts in city history, the “strong mayor” charter revision was passed into law. Although the margin of victory was narrow (around a hundred votes, as I recollect), the city manager charter adopted a year earlier was consigned to history without ever having been tried and the era of the strong mayor was ushered in.

Disappointed as some of us were, we all moved on. But the city manager issue has recently resurfaced in comments by some Kingston mayoral candidates.  Knowledge of historical precedent can be instructive, so perhaps the foregoing will be useful to some. For others, it might merely be an interesting story.  I do note that the county has recently changed to an “executive” structure. If Kingston does decide to revisit the city manager concept, it is hoped that the residents display the political will to give it a fair chance the second time around.

Tom Benton is a retired attorney who owns and operates the Tom Benton School of Music in Woodstock.

Kingston YMCA Farm Project Host Fundraiser on May 18th at 8:00pm.

by

corngirls

 The first fundraiser for the Kingston YMCA Farm Project is planned.  The event will take place on Saturday, May 18th at 8:00pm at the Shirt Factory located at 77 Cornell Street in Kingston. 
 
Kingston, NY –  A new farm project is underway at Kingston’s YMCA located off of Susan Street in Kingston.  Their mission is to educate and empower young people by directly engaging them in sustainable food production on an “urban farm”. Youth will learn and practice the skills needed to produce their own food and to make healthy choices throughout their lifetime, while increasing the community’s access to fresh produce.
 
Led by first generation organic farmer Kaycee Wimbish who is also managing the South Pine Street City Farm in 2013 in Midtown Kingston, the location already hosts 33 community garden plots and a greenhouse on almost 1 acre of land. 
 
The groups first fundraiser party will take place on Saturday, May 18th at 8:00pm located at the Shirt Factory,  77 Cornell Street in Kingston. There will be live music provided by Pocatello and the Rosendale Brass band. DJ Liz will also provide music, and Keegan Ales will provide the beer. A suggested donation of $10 – $20 will be collected, but noone will be turned away. The group encourages all supporters to give what they can. 
 
If you can’t attend but wish to give a donation, you can do so by following this LINK.


For more information, contact KayCee Wimish at: ka************@***il.com  or call  845/332-2927

###

 

About the Kingston YMCA Farm Project:  This fall we will break ground on a quarter acre farm in Midtown Kingston.  The farm will be a place of education and community food production. The Farm Project will engage young people in the magical process of growing food. With planned integration into the YMCA’s on-site afterschool and summer camp programming, the farm will train 200 young farmers each season. Children will be involved in all aspects of food production and garden care: seeding, transplanting, watering, weeding, harvesting, and ultimately preparing and enjoying the harvest. YMCA Farm Project participants will know exactly where their food comes from, how it grows, and the energy and effort it takes to arrive on a plate. Children participating in this program and the wider community will gain access to fresh, healthy, chemical-free food as the result of the YMCA Farm Project.

 

County Executive Sends Release Regarding Sophie Finn Elementary School Transition to SUNY Ulster Satellite Campus.

by

Below is the Press Release issued from UC Executive Mike Hein on a public meeting regarding the transition of the Sophie Finn Elementary School into a SUNY Ulster Satellite Campus.  The details are below.  Is an opportunity to hear a presentation from the key players on the proposal for re-development.
_2_0E2AE2F80E2AE08C005C450D85257B5F

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             
May 2, 2013
Contact:  Ne**@**********ny.us
845.340.3800

ULSTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE MIKE HEIN INVITES COMMUNITY TO DISCUSSION 
OF SUNY ULSTER’S FUTURE SATELLITE CAMPUS AT SOPHIE FINN 
 
Meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 8th at 7 PM at Sophie Finn

Kingston, NY – Ulster County Executive Mike Hein and SUNY Ulster President Donald Katt invite the public to discuss proposed plans for the conversion of the Sophie Finn School into a SUNY Ulster satellite campus.  The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 8 at 7 PM at Sophie Finn: 94 Mary’s Avenue in Kingston. Officials from the County, the City of Kingston, SUNY Ulster and the Kingston City School District are expected to attend.

Converting Sophie Finn into a SUNY Ulster satellite campus in midtown Kingston is part of County Executive Hein’s Strategic Taxpayer Relief through Innovative Visions in Education (S.T.R.I.V.E.) Project.  S.T.R.I.V.E is designed to improve educational opportunities for local Kingston area students, support revitalization of midtown Kingston, and provide financial savings for taxpayers. Through the S.T.R.I.V.E. Project, the County Executive is creating the foundation for an educational corridor with a modern community college campus right in the heart of Kingston.

Officials from the City of Kingston, Kingston City School District, and SUNY Ulster will discuss the goals of the S.T.R.I.V.E. Project, and SUNY Ulster’s architectural consultant, CSArch, will explain the design.  The meeting is also intended to provide an opportunity for neighborhood residents to discuss the project with SUNY Ulster, County, Kingston City School District, and City of Kingston officials while the planning and design phase is in its early stages.

S.T.R.I.V.E. related documents can be found at: http://co.ulster.ny.us/strive.html.  For more information, please call Chris White, Ulster County Deputy Director for Planning at 845-340-3338 or cw**@**********ny.us.

# # #

An Ode to Farmer Jesica Clark.

by
Unknown
Photo by Dion Ogust

Over the past seven years, I have had the opportunity to meet and work with some amazing people. But none as dear and few as great as Farmer Jesica Clark.

I met her years ago, when she approached me to help as a consultant to the Kingston City Hall Victory Garden back in 2007, a project that was a 10×10 foot raised bed organic garden on City Hall grounds –  pretty unprecedented  – with the support of then Mayor Jim Sottile and former city clerk Kathy Janeczek who sadly passed in 2009.

Jesica was a young first generation farmer , who was working as the head farmer of Phillies Bridge Farm Project in Gardiner, NY – and I was so pleased to have her support and to pick her brain on how to make this project successful then. Allyson Levy of Stone Ridge also volunteered at that time, who has since become  a master gardener through the Cornell Cooperative Extension program and is co-owner of Hortus Conclusus. With such help, I couldn’t go wrong.

When I took post at the Kingston Land Trust as Executive Director back in 2010, Jesica got in touch with me again – as she was moving to Kingston and was looking for land to farm hoping for 10 acres. All I had then to offer was a small 1/4 acre parcel in the midtown area thanks to Binnewater Ice who had donated the land and a partnership with the wonderful Diane Reeder and the Queens Galley.

The space came with a free water source,  and I convinced her that creating a ‘farm’ on a small parcel could help Kingston to learn the benefits of urban farming.

She ran with it and moved away from her desired farm space and within a few weeks, Jesica had a three year business plan and a fundraising platform on Kickstarter. Very soon after, we negotiated a lease, a sublease – and she raised almost $6,000.00 to make the ‘farm’ concept a reality. The South Pine Street City Farm was born.

…and it was completely Jesica’s invention.  A space that grew over 150 varieties of vegetables with an educational component. In addition, she took on the task of developing ‘The Dig Kids – an Urban Farm Program” with me that in the past two years has successfully worked to transform the Everette Hodge Center garden and new garden plots at the Van Buren Street playground that not only educated each of us, but also dozens of children and their families in farming practices with the invaluable help of Megan Weiss of Kingston Cares who is someone else I hold in the highest esteem.  She started a farm stand (that Hugh Cummings built for free) selling her beautiful produce to the community three days a week at the farm, got involved with the Kingston’s Farmers market’s in uptown and midtown – and also developed a farm to table program providing vegetables to local businesses all over Kingston.

Jesica is one of the most hardworking people I know. But on top of it all, she has a deep understanding of how things work and is a savvy business woman. What’s more is her ‘can-do’ attitude that makes the impossible possible, with a personality that all of us have simply fallen in love with.

But her vision in being completely sustainable through farming a larger parcel is her dream – and she found such a space across the river. Although I am very happy for her, it is also with great sadness for me to see her leave Kingston.  She and her husband Daniel Clark (of Prime Print Shop in Poughkeepsie, who has also been essential and generous to our efforts) are the kind of residents that you  lose with a heavy heart.

Jesica Clark has put Kingston on the map on the Urban Agriculture front – something that is critical for us in this current climate. She has helped to remind us all something that our grandparents knew but has been lost in only two generations. We must grow our own food, help one another and do so with grace, beauty – and simplicity.

Her additional gift to our city is that she attracted another first generation farmer to Kingston – Kaycee Wimbish and her family – who will take over the South Pine Street City Farm, the Dig Kids Program and work towards a new and larger farm at the YMCA.  Because of Jesica, we will continue to pursue urban agriculture to benefit our community and continue to be a model for other Hudson River cities.

Thank you, Jesica.  For all of your hard work and in helping to make us more healthy and thoughtful citizens.

Rebecca Martin

“Hutton Brick Works Kingston, NY Threatened” in Society for Industrial Archeology

by
Society for Industrial Archeology
Click on image for newsletter piece “Hutton Brick Works, Kingston NY Threatened”

 

An interesting piece on the Hutton Brickyard in this month’s Society for Industrial Archeology Newsletter.  “Hutton Brick Works Threatened, Kingston NY”

“The future for a rare surviving example of a type of industrial operation once common along the Hudson River is in question pending the outcome of development plans for the site. The surviving structures of the Hutton Company Brick Works in Kingston, N.Y., including rare surviving kiln sheds, currently face the threat of demolition….”  READ ON:  “Hutton Brick Works Threatened, Kingston NY”

 

 

91st Sojourners – BPSA Scout Group Info Meeting February 8th

by
773755_147048298785978_1037233612_o
In this day and age,  fewer families are spending time out-of-doors in their natural environments. Given this unfortunate trend, options have diminished, too that are accessible and affordable. Under the leadership of the accomplished husband and wife team of Andy Bicking and Jenny Lee Fowler however, some of that is about to change in our area.
Andy is a 5th generation scout and serves as director of Public Policy at Scenic Hudson.  Jenny is an educator of 20 years and a professional artist.  The two are launching a local  branch of a the Baden Powell Service Association (BPSA) that will offer opportunities “to develop character, improve resourcefulness, learn responsibility and skills in public service through participation in the traditional game of scouting.”
An informational meeting is scheduled for February 8th from 7:00pm – 8:00pm at the Center for Creative Education in Kingston, NY.
We sat down with Andy for a minute to learn more about his background and effort.   – RM
###
KingstonCitizens.org:   Can you share your history with the Boy Scouts of America organization? What inspired you to create the 91st Sojourners Scout Group?

Andy Bicking: My family has a 5 generation history with scouting programs that began in the early 1900s.  The skills and values that I learned as an Eagle Scout are important to me and ones we’ve worked to pass on to our children and the kids in our lives.  My wife, Jenny Lee Fowler, and I learned about the Baden-Powell Service Association (BPSA) this summer when searching for scouting programs with inclusive membership policies.  BPSA was more than we had hoped for.  It focuses on developing proficiency in traditional outdoor skills (in the spirit of pioneers and explorers) and serving your community. Anyone can join – youth or adult, boys or girls, and you can do it as a family.
BPSA is a national organization and part of the World Federation of Independent Scouts (active in over 40 countries).  We’re creating the first BPSA group in the Hudson Valley, the 91st Sojourners.  “91st” is for Hudson River Mile 91, our mile mark on the river.  “Sojourners” honors of Sojourner Truth. Born in Ulster County, she overcame many challenges in her life and brought her message of freedom and equality to the world.
 
KC.org: Can you describe how you are organizing age groups, and how do you intend to organize them?
AB: Groups are organized by age as follows:
Otters (5-7)
Timberwolves (8-10)
Pathfinders (11-17)
Rovers (18+)
Our programs offer opportunities to develop character, improve resourcefulness, learn responsibility through serving our community and participating in the traditional game of scouting.  Kids are organized in small groups and learn by doing, usually in the outdoors. For example, younger scouts take short hikes, learn to tie basic knots and may care for garden planters in public spaces.  Older scouts camp overnight in the Catskills, learn wilderness first aid, craft pioneer-style structures, and may help build trails in our community.  Each age section has two adult volunteers who provide guidance appropriate to ages and skill levels, and mentor kids in the leadership of the program.  As scouts mature they move from observing skills in action to doing them and teaching them on their own.
KC.org: Are there any associated costs with becoming involved?

AB: The membership fee is $20 a year.  Since BPSA is a volunteer organization, costs and overhead are very low.  The group is responsible for earning funds to pay for its own program.  We’ll be using our traditional scouting skills to raise funds to support the group’s activities.
 
KC.org: You have an informational meeting scheduled on February 8th. What do you expect to cover that evening?
AB: There’ll be an overview of the BPSA program and information about future activities.  You can meet the volunteer leaders, ask questions, and find out how you can get involved and support the group.  We’ll have registration packets available at the meeting for all who want to join.
In the meantime, interested families are encouraged to check out the Baden-Powell Service Association’s website at www.bpsa-us.org.  The 91st Sojourners also have a Facebook page.  For more information, I can be reached at:  91************@***il.com

Special Notice: Educate NY Now Schedules Bus Pick-Up to Albany From Kingston, NY December 5th.

by

Educate Now! Kingston Bus Pick-Up Flyer

Bus tour Itinerary subject to change

scroll project- A dream deferred is a dream denied

 

WHO: Parents, students, teachers, administrators, school board members, and community members

WHAT: A 3’ x 6’ scroll, created by each district which is participating, highlighting what educational opportunities districts have been forced to cut due to reduced state aid for education in New York.
The theme for these scrolls is “A dream deferred is a dream denied”. All scrolls should have the name of the district, school, or organization displayed.
Participants should be creative in creating a scroll to bring to Albany. Using student artwork, essays, or any other appropriate creative idea, create a design that is unique for your school! If you can’t make it to a bus stop, but would like to submit a scroll, please contact a NYS United Teachers regional office near you. To find the nearest regional office check this link. http://www.nysut.org/about_offices.htm

WHEN: On December 5, 2012, In every corner of the state, school buses representing thousands of students from rural, suburban, and urban schools will journey to Albany demanding that The governor and the legislature provide each student a sound, basic education that is guaranteed by the New York State Constitution.

WHERE: From your local school district to the Capitol in Albany, Educate NY Now endorsers will hold local press events in various locations along the way to Albany. At each event, local districts will load their scroll and any participants on the bus. In Albany, the scrolls will be joined together and presented to our elected officials

WHY: In the past few budgets, there have been $2.7 billion in cuts made to state education aid. At the same time, the State has enacted a limit on state aid and the property tax cap. These two state policies combined ensure that our schools will be made to cut from their already devastated programs year in and year out. We must demand that the Governor and the legislature comply with the state Constitution that they swore to uphold, and provide a Sound, Basic Education to all children in New York state regardless of zip code!!

KingstonCitizens.org Blog Retires: 2007 – 2011

by

They say that things move in seven year cycles. Although the blog has been in existence since 2007,  KingstonCitizens.org has been at it now for just about that long.

…and so,  it is time now to move along. To pass the baton and to witness future new and exciting citizen initiatives in the city of Kingston.

It’s been a full, rich experience with so much to be grateful for. I leave you with this blog, filled with wonderful writings by citizens since 2007.   The Ward Yahoo! Groups will remain open for citizens to participate and to encourage ward-centric dialogue throughout the city with their elected Alderman.

A very special thanks to all of the citizens who lent a hand, had a innovative idea or shared their personal vision for the city of Kingston.

Below are some of KC.org’s “Best of”  accomplishments. Enjoy, and keep the fire burning Kingston citizens.

Rebecca Martin

***

Ward 9 Community Meetings
Where it all began.  With a  public meeting to collect petition signatures asking the Citgo Station on Broadway and W. Chester Street to stop  selling dangerous knives  to minors in Ward 9,  a monthly meeting on a relevant topic in the city of Kingston was organized for over a year.  With experts as special guests, residents learned about Mandatory Leaf Bagging, GAR Associates and the reval, Comprehensive Planning and much, much more. Many great resident ideas became programs and even businesses, including the current Organic Buying Club organized by Jennifer McKinley-Rakov.

***

PlanKingston.org
PlanKingston.org was a website completely dedicated to encouraging a comprehensive plan in the city of Kingston. Established in 2009, this citizen initiative created “Kingston2020”  (get it?) that led to the City of Kingston applying for $50,000 from the CDBG for monies to go toward a consultant and some visioning.  Low and behold, they won for a Comprehensive Plan back then. Through the grapevine, though – we heard that our planning department learned that the funds were now not available to be used for a CP (I have never quite understood how a grant application could be submitted, won, awarded then taken back on grounds that the idea didn’t qualify. Kind of strange, right?). Instead, they had decided to use the grant award twoard hiring what was to be an “Uptown Manager”.  Business districts in the Midtown and Downtown area were unhappy to not be included – and eventually, the idea expanded to include all three business districts. The city applied for an additional $50,000 to create the “Main Street Manager” position filled by Nancy Donskoj.

***

Ward 9 Is Mine!  Visioning on Broadway
Frustrated by the lack of response by the city of Kingston to initiate a Comprehensive Plan, KingstonCitizens.org hosted a visioning session to show how simple it really would be,  titled “Ward 9 is Mine!”  to focus on Broadway between Brewster and W. Chester Streets.  This successful event was moderated, citizens envisioned the changes and it was all documented both with text and a mural painted by two local artists. The mural now hangs in the conference room at the Kingston Land Trust.

***

Stop CVS and Replan/Revitalize Uptown Kingston!
Several years back, CVS proposed to build a new location in uptown Kingston.  Residents all over the city were upset by the lack of vision of our city government at that time, and some pointed out their concern of potentially losing our local pharmacy Nekos-Dedricks on North Front Street with what would be three corporate pharmacies within a 1/2 mile radius.  We saw it as another opportunity to illustrate the need for an updated comprehensive plan.  A petition was drawn asking the city for a six month moratorium on any new development on a section of Washington Ave.  By utilizing a Greenway Grant that the city had acquired, we asked for this along with a request that our planning department organize visioning sessions as an excercise (if nothing else) for the said location.  Led by several of our alderman, we had made quite a bit of positive headway. In a turn of disappointing events, the same public officials collaborating with our citizen effort at the last moment during the council vote, requested a moratorium excluding CVS which of course, passed unanimously.   Although the process strained many relationships between citizens and their elected officials, it was an excellent illustration of a well orchestrated citizen movement.

***
Stop, Shop and Get to Know
One of the things that came out of the CVS disappointment was an initiative by KC.org called “Stop, Shop and Get to Know”. Here, we could highlight local business (and we began with Nekos Pharmacy) to encourage residents to shop local. One of the great things about each week’s featured business is that they would provide us with an incentive for shoppers (10% off of this or that) that was really great for citizens.   When the Main Street Manager blog and newsletter came about, Nancy Donskoj picked up the idea and ran with it which we were very pleased by. Today, a featured business or person in the “People who make Kingston special” section of her weekly is shared with a growing mailing list.

***

The Kingston Victory Garden Project
Years ago, the Kingston Victory Garden Project took hold in Kingston that created a resurgence of gardens for both homes and schools.  Gardens in Kingston is now common place with gardens now in almost all of our schools, an Urban Farm in Midtown (South Pine Street City Farm) and other initiatives and programs that followed such as Healthy Kingston for Kids.  We’re very proud of the great success we’ve had here.

***

Annual Bluestone Festival to take place on October 2nd, 2011

by

The 2011 Annual Kingston Historic Bluestone Festival is October 2, Sunday, at The Hudson River Maritime Museum  Grounds, HRMM, free.  There will be music and events, no admission charge.  There will be speakers at the Rondout Heritage Center, across the street from HRMM.  Artists may exhibit at no entry fee and no commission. To register, contact Ed Pell, Director at bl***************@***oo.com

 

 

 

 

Get to know the GW Elementary/Montessori Program in Kingston

by

By Rebecca Martin

The current articles in our local papers on test scores being “low” in the higher grade levels at The GW Elementary/Montessori program concerned me in that one might jump to the conclusion that the recent implementation of the Montessori program was unsuccessful.

Over the years, I have come to find that what makes something great or not is typically due to its leadership. In the case of The GW Elementary/Montessori program, a unique opportunity is underway for our youth in the hands of Valerie Hannum, one of the more capable leaders I have come across in my time living in Kingston or anywhere.

Valerie came to Kingston a little over a decade ago with her family as principal of the Robert Graves Elementary school. As a former Montessori child, teacher and administrator from the Pennsylvania area, she brought her rich background into our public educational system. After ten successful years there, Valerie wrote a proposal for funding to create a ‘Public Montessori’ in Kingston making Kingston 1 in just over 300 in the nation. In what the Legislature reported as being ‘one of the best educational proposals they had ever read’, the monies were approved for a $350,000 start-up in 2008/2009 – just three short years ago!  Superintendent Gerard Gretzinger had the foresight to select the GW Elementary School as the pilot for the program. It’s a legacy that he can be most proud of as he reaches his retirement in the new year.

Experienced educators, respected and trusted in our community, enthusiastically stepped up to the plate for the rigorous training. To become a certified Montessori teacher is an enormous commitment of time and resources. Pre-K teachers (The Childrens House) requires 1,800 hours of study, while Elementary certification is a whopping 3,600 hours. Pre-school staff have by now successfully become certified, and come November all of the Elementary staff will be fully certified too.

With the upper grades having only just begun their transition from public to Montessori last fall, it is obvious that it will require time to implement what is a long term solution to the dilemma of education.  In addition, 80% of the children attending the GW Montessori School are eligible for free or reduced school lunches, illustrating that many of the students are at or near the poverty line. With the demographic of the upper grades heavily populated by the poorest of all in the city of Kingston and given the recent economic hardships, it’s unfair to expect that the children “perform” to meet mainstream test requirements. I’m not letting them off the hook by saying so. It’s just that it is far more complicated then simply basing a child’s development on something as one dimensional as test scores in this case.

The Montessori method is about making a long term impact. Studies show that Montessori children are well prepared for later life academically, socially, and emotionally.  They are ranked above average on such criteria as following directions, turning in work on time, listening attentively, using basic skills, showing responsibility, asking provocative questions, showing enthusiasm for learning, and adapting to new situations. But if it’s test scores that we’re particularly distracted by, missing from these recent articles was that The GW Elementary/Montessori program’s 4th graders scored 87.5% overall in Science. It’s an impressive piece of data proving that the new Montessori materials are making an early impact.

One of the primary reasons families choose to live in any community is on the basis of the quality of its schools, and the GW Elementary/Montessori program is the only school in the city with a waiting list.  In fact, numerous parents can attest to having chosen this particular neighborhood specifically because of GW’s outstanding reputation far beyond Kingston.  Demand was so great last year that another classroom was added to make room in the first weeks of enrollment. An added benefit is that the classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse. Children are exposed to all different nationalities, languages and socio-economic backgrounds. Mixed age classrooms give the older children a chance to act as ‘mentors’ while the younger children benefit to learn from their older classmates.

This kind of quality eduction in midtown Kingston brings something that generally is only afforded to children who have the monetary means, as a Montessori education can cost upwards to $10,000 – $15,000 per year, more in larger cities. In Kingston, the school tax is a very large portion of the community’s burden, and it behooves the Kingston School District to heed this trend by not only supporting the GW program for our own children’s sake, but in proudly promoting its asset to attract families to the city as is critical to our overall economic stability.

I encourage you to call Valerie who will happily take you on a tour of the school.  Better yet,  meet her out front of the school on  any given morning of the school year where she greets students one by one with a hug or a handshake. You will be amazed at the overall quiet and calm of the students throughout the day that is not imposed by an adult.  Instead, you’ll witness the students engaged in their work activities, supported and encouraged to be the very best that they can be.

…and listen. Don’t take the Daily Freeman’s word.  If you are curious or have concerns – go to the source and get information that way. You – and everyone else – will be far better off.
Additional Reading:

* Harvard Business Review:  Montessori Builds Innovators

* The Wall Street Journal: The Montessori Mafia

* University of Virginia:  Montessori Education Provides Better Outcomes Than Traditional Methods, Study Indicates.

* Science Magazine:  Evaluating Montessori Education

Clean-up Squad Concept Identifies Needs and Helps to Organize Kingston Youth. It’s Really That Simple.

by

By Rebecca Martin

Talk about putting your money where your mouth is. Here is a fine and welcomed example of it.

I am so impressed with the recent effort made by Ward 9 Alderman Hayes Clement and Ward 4 Alderwoman Shirley Whitlock. With the support and guidance of Kingston Cares (A program of Family of Woodstock)  up to 25  youth have been organized to perform public service work while in return, having a hand in making their neighborhood more beautiful, making a positive impact in the community overall  and earning a most valuable $50 gift card for back to school supplies.

It’s that simple. Correctly identifying what is needed coupled with little bit of common sense and organization goes a very long way in the short and long term.

Below are photos taken from Kingston Care’s website – and the PRESS RELEASE  announcing the effort.

The Clean-up Squad works on Van Buren Park.
Graffiti and grit no more.

What's next?