Park donation would help city, comptroller says
Kingston Comptroller John Tuey says the city would benefit if the lands that make up a park were donated.
A donation of the lands that make up Barmann Park would be financially beneficial to Kingston from a tax perspective, city Comptroller John Tuey said.
“This transfer would help us because currently it’s on the tax roll,” Tuey told the Common Council’s Finance and Audit Committee on Wednesday. “Part of the lease is that the city covers the taxes. What that entails is an out-of-pocket payment to the school district and then a write-off of our own tax.” He said if the city took ownership of the property, it would become tax exempt.
Since 1979, the city has leased the park land for $1 a year from Met Life, paying the property taxes, maintaining the fields and holding the insurance liability.
Tuey said Thursday the last general tax bill written off in 2017 was for $4,178.08. The last school tax bill paid by the city for the 2016-17 fiscal year was for $4,001.11, he said.
Following Tuey’s comments Wednesday, the committee voted to adopt a resolution accepting the donation of the Barmann Park lands from RUPCO, a nonprofit housing agency. The agreement with the city includes replacing and maintaining a fence dividing the park from RUPCO’s neighboring property. The resolution must still go to the full council for a vote. The council meets again May 1.
Earlier during Wednesday’s meeting, aldermen had balked at the idea of accepting the donated property when it was brought to them by city Corporation Counsel Kevin Bryant. The aldermen said they wanted additional information about the tax implications of the donation and information about who currently maintains the property.
When Bryant could not immediately provide that information, aldermen tabled discussion of the donation. Bryant returned later in the meeting to inform aldermen the city has been paying the taxes and maintaining the property, with the exception of the youth baseball field.
The park, at the intersection of Clinton and Greenkill avenues, was purchased by RUPCO as part of its $2 million acquisition in July 2017 of the adjacent former Metropolitan Life Hall of Records building. RUPCO plans to turn the building into a multiuse commercial facility called The Metro, which would include, among other facilities, a television and film production center called Stockade Works.
In late February, RUPCO announced it would donate the park lands, which include a baseball field, playground and bleachers, to the city.
The Metro, at 2 Prospect St., is RUPCO’s first foray into an all-commercial project and is expected to cost $14 million to bring to fruition.
The work is to begin later this year.