Kingston Common Council settles on reallocation of grant funding

The Kingston Common Council voted on two more reallocations of Covid-19 Community Development Block Grant funds at the March 2 meeting.

The funds reallocated date back to earlier rounds of community development block grant funds for fiscal year 2019 and 2020. The council first voted to reallocate $95,000, with $62,900 going toward a RUPCO’s rental assistance program and $32,000 toward the City of Kingston administration costs. A second resolution reallocated $87,400 from YMCA’s Y Park and Midtown Rising’s Indoor Basketball Court to phase one of the city’s parks and recreation parking improvements.

The latter changes were made due to Midtown Rising no longer having a basketball court and the YMCA not being able to put together the proper documentation to receive the funding.

Alderman Tony Davis said he was glad the city recognized that “these parks need much more improvement.”

The funds will go toward Block Park on Abeel Street.

“It’s a park that has been in despair and, in my opinion, not looked at for a long time for improvements,” said Davis. “I’m glad some of this money will be used to make improvements for Block Park. I hope in the future we have more money to be dedicated to that park.”

There will be additional discussion and votes on other grant monies in the near future.

An earlier allocation of $256,376 went toward funding 14 organizations to assist with Covid-19-related programming as well as $95,000 for rental relief assistance. With both, there were large administrative costs involved, about 20 percent, which prompted a veto from the mayor. Since then, the council has deliberated and another resolution will be put forward at the April meeting.

The Community Development Advisory Board and Committee met on Tuesday, February 23 to review requests for funding in the amount of $700,000 for the 2021 fiscal year. The distribution allots the four highest amounts to city programs, with $355,000 for phase two of the Midtown sewer project, $140,000 for program administration, $100,00 for housing rehabilitation and $22,430 for an after school program.

Additionally, People’s Place would receive $21,990 for a self-care education center, the Boys’ and Girls’ Club $16,950 for a kitchen club, Family of Woodstock $14,950 for the Hodge Center Children’s program, and Legal Services of the Hudson Valley $11,215 for housing stability for seniors. Three other organizations, TransArt, Read & Write and Midtown Arts District, would all allocated funds under $10,000 as well.

There will be a public hearing on April 5 and a final vote on April 6 regarding these funds.