Mohonk Consultations honors Kitt Potter, City of Kingston director of arts and cultural affairs 

Mohonk Consultations has announced Kitt Potter, City of Kingston’s director of arts and cultural affairs, as its 2025 Distinguished Achievement Award recipient. The award will be presented at a public event held at the Mohonk Mountain House pavilion on Sunday, June 8, at 4 p.m. 

Through its annual Distinguished Achievement Award, Mohonk Consultations recognizes the efforts of people and organizations that show an extraordinary level of commitment in making the Hudson Valley more habitable, healthy and participatory. 

Potter has greatly enriched the culture of the region. “Kitt is a passionate believer in the unifying power of the arts,” said Kitty Brown, Mohonk Consultations board member. “We saw a theme in her work: how the arts connect us as we broaden our understanding of how we hurt, how we help, how we heal. She has done so much to celebrate local artists, local history and local culture that we felt it was time to celebrate her.” 

As the City of Kingston’s director of arts and cultural affairs, Potter has enriched the community through concerts, cultural events, public art installations and exhibitions, and celebrations of deeply powerful moments in our local history. 

Some examples of the powerful work she is doing include: 

• Kingston Revealed, City of Kingston 150th anniversary celebration of local artists. 

• First-ever Native American Wiping Away the Tears-Winter Solstice ceremony in partnership with the Association of Native Americans of the Hudson Valley and members of the Munsee, Esopus and Ramapough Lenape nations. 

• Municipal art plan, featuring many new public art installations. 

• Long-delayed unveiling of Sojourner Truth “First Steps to Freedom” statue at Kingston City Hall. 

The Mohonk Consultations 2025 Distinguished Achievement Award event will celebrate the arts and culture of our region and lift our spirits through music and dance performances, tributes from distinguished speakers, and a buffet dinner prepared by Mohonk Chef Jim Palmeri. 

Tickets are $65 general admission ($32.50 for currently enrolled students) and include access to the Mohonk Mountain House grounds. Visit mohonk-consultations.org/award2025 for ticket purchase. 

June 5 candidates forum for Democratic primary race for UC Legislature District 19

A primary for the Democratic line for Ulster County Legislature District 19 will take place on Tuesday, June 24. The Rosendale and Marbletown Democratic Committees will co-host a public forum for the three primary race candidates on Thursday, June 5 at the Rosendale Recreation Center. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and the moderated forum will start promptly at 7 p.m. The forum will end by 8:30 p.m., followed by informal conversation with candidates.

The candidates are the incumbent, legislator Manna Jo Greene, Ulster County Democratic Committee endorsed candidate Lindsey Grossman and Rosendale resident Cheryl Schneider. 

The forum will be moderated by Scott Minkoff, SUNY New Paltz professor of political science and incoming director of the Benjamin Center for Public Policy. Professor Minkoff will draw from questions submitted by the public. Nobody else will know the questions in advance. Questions can be submitted until June 1 through the Rosendale Democratic Committee website at rosendaledemocrats.com. 

District 19 includes all of the Town of Rosendale, the hamlet of High Falls and part of the Town of Marbletown.