KINGSTON – The City of Kingston’s new mayor, Steve Noble, had his budget amendments approved Tuesday night by the common council. These changes restore various department cuts made by former Mayor Shayne Gallo during his final month in office.
The staffing issues reflected by opposing fiscal viewpoints took the tone of a political tug of war during the transition period between the two administrations, marked by reticence and opposing personalities.
Tuesday’s vote on the common council floor clarified Mayor Noble’s position, reducing the dissenting aldermen’s arguments to ineffective static. Each of Noble’s proposals passed by a margin of six or seven out of nine, or greater – spelling out a weather report of smooth sailing for the next four years.
One of the first amendments, a $5,000 raise for his personal secretary, from $30,000 to $35,000 per year. Combined with a reduction in medical benefits from the mayor’s office budget line, that results in a net $4,121 surplus from previously.
Next, the common council voted to restore Noble’s former position as environmental educator, in a part-time capacity, for $22,557 from contingency, which also includes a promotion of the clerk to administrative assistant. Gallo had axed the job out of his 2015 budget.
Former fire chief Chris Rea, fired by Gallo, has his job back, as assistant chief for a net cost of $654, achieved by eliminating a vacant captain position. The Rea issue has been a controversy mired in nearly four years of litigation under Gallo, and became a promise during Noble’s campaign to reverse.
Collective bargaining agreements will be handled by retaining an outside firm to renegotiate three union contracts due for renewal next year, at a cost of $18,000 out of contingency. Gallo had handled the contracts personally during his tenure, having personal expertise in that field of law. But he slashed the corporation counsel budget before leaving office, a move strongly criticized by Mayor Noble and his supporters.
Further changes are topped off with $30,908 out of contingency for a new position of director of central communications, for outreach and multimedia; $44,531 to merge economic development with community development, featuring a full time grant manager; both out of contingency; plus a shakeup at DPW which saves $4000 positive to the budget.
Alderman-at-Large James Noble, who is the city council president, said the government is working smoother since Gallo’s departure, citing his nephew’s participation in common council committee meetings, something Gallo regularly missed.
New Finance Committee Chairman Douglas Koop thinks this new council will fare better than the previous one.
“I sat in a lot of meetings, when I was an alderman in training, witnessed what went on when they were putting together the budget there were a lot of tugs and pulls there,” Koop said. “I think we’re off to a good start.”
Koop said he was chosen by the council to be chairman of finance as an incoming freshman, not because he is a physics professor, but because he spent 30 years as an industry CEO, and is used to looking at budgets and financial statements. He is also treasurer of the teachers union at SUNY and sits on the statewide finance committee there.
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