POUGHKEEPSIE – When State Senator Rob Rolison first took office as Mayor of Poughkeepsie in 2016, he inherited a multi-million dollar deficit from his predecessor. The city was in such financial ruin that there was no heat on the top floor of city hall. On Tuesday night, in a room where the temperature was 78 degrees and rising, Mayor Yvonne Flowers announced the deficit had been eliminated.
Eradicating the multi-million deficit Rolison inherited was his top priority. With his finance team, including his successor, former Mayor Marc Nelson, the city began making a financial comeback. Flowers, in her third month as mayor after serving on the common council, said “I am elated to report that we have wiped out what once was a $13.2 million general fund deficit and now have developed an approximately $2 million fund balance,” calling it a “major accomplishment for the city.”
When Flowers was on the city council, the police union (PBA) negotiated a contract update with the mayor to bring more officers in while encouraging existing officers eligible to retire, an incentive to stay and help train the new hires. The council has failed to vote on the negotiated agreement for several months, resulting in several retirements, and creating a shortage of available officers.
In Tuesday night’s state of the city address, Flowers addressed the police issue after announcing a positive fund balance. “Without financial solvency, the city is limited to what it can do to address a host of issues, including public safety.” With a deficit of more than 12 officers under the current contract, Flowers says the city is relying on recent Civil Service Law changes to recruit more officers while stressing the department “must continue to work to bring more diversity to the police ranks through these hirings,” failing to note that only eligible candidates can be hired from the Civil Service list, under the law.
Shifting focus to the housing crisis, Flowers announced a new initiative with assistance from Albany. “I’m proud to report that within my first few months in office, the city was designated one of the state’s first “Pro-Housing Communities.” The long-term initiative of Governor Hochul will give participating cities such as Poughkeepsie, priority consideration for discretionary housing funding from the state. Following a failed housing committee chaired by former Councilwoman Debra Long, Flowers announced that a new “Housing Task Force” will be created by mid-June to bring tenants, landlords, developers, and others together “to focus on the housing needs of Poughkeepsie.”
Among the Flowers initiatives is addressing business improvements in the city. Following an RFP process seeking an operator for the Ice House at Waryas Park, the mayor announced the city is in contract with Queens restauranteur Melanie Lemieux to open “The Governess,” an American-style gastropub that follows the setup of her two other establishments in New York City; The Baroness and The Huntress.
The ongoing saga of the DeLaval property was also addressed, again. The last undeveloped waterfront property in Poughkeepsie has been an ongoing issue for more than a decade, with various renditions of the common council stalling plans for development and encouraging litigation. “The site has been dormant for far too long, Flowers said. “Paralysis must no longer persist. We believe compatible uses — including water-related recreational activities, an amphitheater, restaurants, stores, docks — would be key to bring everyone together in support of this once-in-a-lifetime development opportunity.” The development Flowers proposed is very similar to the plan put forth by developer Joe Bonura, who developed the neighboring Shadows and Grandview waterfront. A former city council turned down Bonura’s plan for amenities including an amphitheater.
The open space topic rolled into the city’s parks and recreation department, with Flowers making note of the millions of dollars invested by Rolison and Nelson earmarked for city parks, including major upgrades to Pershing Avenue, Malcolm X and Pulaski Parks. Mayor Flowers thanked some corporate funding mechanisms, including the Dyson Foundation, invigorated through a relationship with the Superintendent of Poughkeepsie Parks, Brian Laffin.
Wrapping up her first speech, just shy of 100 days as mayor, Flowers drew attention to a recently unveiled gateway project, calling it “emblematic” of community efforts; The Corey Ingram Circle and Champions Walk. I want to thank all of those involved in this evolving project. “The Champions Walk currently pays homage to five African American leaders who made remarkable contributions to our city,” Mayor Flowers said. “As the first African American mayor of this city, I stand on their shoulders.”
