A recently minted activist group is calling on the Kingston Common Council to hold off approval for any new police contract that fails to include new language governing drug and alcohol testing for officers, and indemnification for cops’ off-duty actions.
The Kingston Common Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve a non-binding resolution calling on state and federal officials to enact tougher regulations on firearms.
A memorializing resolution calling on state and federal lawmakers to enact stricter gun laws and refuse donations from gun rights groups will go before the Common Council after receiving unanimous support in a committee vote last week.
In his own state of the city address Tuesday evening, Common Council Majority Leader Rennie Scott-Childress (D-Ward 3) offered up a ringing defense of Mayor Steve Noble’s progressive “One Kingston” agenda and called on Kingstonians to embrace local government as a force for positive change and economic growth.
When the previous vote was taken, aldermen believed a supermajority of seven votes was required for passage. The measure received five votes, but a court later ruled that was enough. Now, three aldermen are saying if the council had known a simple majority would be sufficient, the outcome may have been different.
The Washington Avenue sinkhole may have been filled in but it continues to drain city finances. The latest project involves clearing a blocked sewer line caused by earlier work at the site.
The party faithful say last week’s election drubbing had nothing to do with it.
For what it’s worth, the unofficial returns indicate Republicans will (barely) hold their majority in the county legislature, regardless of which caucus John Parete of Olive chooses to rest his ailing left shoulder.
In November, all nine Kingston Common Council seats will go up for grabs, along with the city’s three seats on the county legislature. Democratic primaries for one legislative seat and single council seat will take place on Sept. 12.
There were some tight races and there’ll be some new faces on Kingston’s Common Council come 2014. According to unofficial