Kingston Building and Safety Clerk position eliminated

KINGSTON – The vacant position of Kingston city Building and Safety Clerk office has been eliminated by the common council.
The budget switch will move the resources for that job position over to the Civil Service Office, to create a new Benefits Account clerk position, to help with time sheets, accruals, and attendance matters citywide.
Mayor Steven Noble requested the change. Majority leader Rennie Scott-Childress said it would help streamline the government. A part-time replacement for the eliminated position will assist the remaining full-time Building and Safety clerk, he added.
Watchdog Ellen DiFalco urged lawmakers to reconsider.
“It is your responsibility to be stewards of the city budget, and not rubber stamp every wish the mayor presents to you,” DiFalco said, calling the resolution a travesty. “Assigning a new civil service position before the pending budget process is reckless.”

Hank Gross

Hank Gross is the founder of Mid-Hudson News and a veteran journalist with over five decades of experience covering the Hudson Valley. A graduate of SUNY Oneonta, where he began his career in broadcasting, Hank has worked across radio, TV, and print media since 1970. His work has earned him numerous accolades, including an Associated Press “Best Newscast” award and recognition as a “Pillar of the Community” by the Greater Hudson Valley Family Health Center. He lives in Middletown with his wife, Virginia.