POUGHKEEPSIE – The city’s youth and opportunities afforded to them were a centerpiece of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison’s state of the city address Thursday evening. Rolison was introduced by Common Council Vice-Chair, Natasha Cherry, a Democrat.
Council Chairperson Sarah Salem, embroiled in her pending DWI trial was absent, as was Evan Menist, the council’s Majority Leader. Democrats Debra Long, Nedra Patterson-Thompson, and Megan Deichler were also absent. Council members Lorraine Johnson and Yvonne Flowers were in the room and spent time before and after the address talking with city residents.
It was the first one he delivered in person since the pandemic hit in 2019.
Rolison talked of a new Division of Youth Opportunity and Development at city hall and announced that demolition of the former YMCA building will begin shortly to make way for a modern facility to serve the children in the community.
“This state-of-the-art facility will be called The YOU – the Youth Opportunity Union, and this new facility will propel this city and the entire county into the forefront of modern programming and support for our youth,” he said.
The mayor also touted the city’s Children’s Cabinet, a collaboration with the school district. Superintendent Dr. Eric Rosser joined him on the stage to discuss it and honor the Poughkeepsie Pioneer’s basketball team that finished a winning season.
Rolison also noted that when he took office, the city faced a $13.2 million deficit. In 2020, Poughkeepsie ended the year with a $6.2 million surplus, cutting that deficit in half.
A new sales tax sharing agreement that the cities of Poughkeepsie and Beacon have with Dutchess County will also mean additional funds in their respective coffers.
The mayor had high praise for Poughkeepsie’s workforce that worked throughout the pandemic to keep city services going and he said the police department continues to fight crime on a daily basis.
He said the city’s successes in recent years have come as a result of cooperation across the political aisle, nothing he is a Republican working with a nine-person Democratic common council.
