Aldermen authorize grants to community organizations

City aldermen have authorized $507,400 in federal funding for programs and agencies addressing community needs.

At a meeting Tuesday, the Common Council unanimously voted to distribute $670,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding. The funding is provided to the city each year through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Of this year’s allocation, $162,600 will be spent on program administration and delivery.

Alderman William Carey, D-Ward 5, said he feels privileged to serve on the city’s Community Development Block Grant advisory committee each year, even though some deserving programs have to be turned down for funding.

“It’s also probably one of the more difficult things we have to do because the federal pot of money keeps shrinking and the programs that are applying for this are getting better,” Carey said. He said, though, even those programs and agencies that are turned down support the ones that receive funding.

Alderwoman Andrea Shaut, D-Ward 9, also noted the support the organizations have for one another during the request process. She encouraged people to learn more about the organizations and support them as they are able.

Alderwoman Rita Worthington, D-Ward 4, added that being part of the advisory committee gave her a new perspective on how decisions for the funding are made. She said that while not every program could be funded, she was confident the ones funded would benefit the community.

The approved funding included:

• City of Kingston Community Development, housing rehabilitation and emergency repairs, $250,000.

• TransArt, windows, $35,400.

• City of Kingston Parks and Recreation, Barmann Park, $30,000 and Rondout Neighborhood Center Improvements, $30,000.

• City of Kingston, Creating Opportunities for Youth program, $23,500.

• Family of Woodstock/ Kingston Cares, youth programming and operations at two neighborhood centers and support for summer camps, $23,000.

• Hudson River Maritime Museum, roof replacement, $19,189.

• YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County, bike ports, $15,000.

• Children’s Home of Kingston, Whitehurst room divider, $14,041.

• Read and Write program, $10,000.

• Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, community center outreach program, $9,000.

• The People’s Place, floor replacement, $8,790, community hub, $7,630, and Bag Holiday Hunger program, $4,510.

• Kingston Boys and Girls Club, Teen Supreme program, $7,500, and sprinkler system, $6,900.

• Center for Creative Education, after-school and summer arts technology program, $7,000.

• Ulster Literacy, English for Parents Program, $5,940.

“It’s also probably one of the more difficult things we have to do because the federal pot of money keeps shrinking and the programs that are applying for this are getting better.” — Alderman William Carey, D-Ward 5