Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Newburgh public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues with medium priority
Mayor and Council Salary Increase
A draft law would raise the Mayor's pay to $27,000 and council pay to $24,000/$20,000. Critics say the council shouldn't vote on its own raises before the Charter Review Commission weighs in.
Senior program funding questions
Testimony said the proposed aging programs allocation drops from $36,000 to $7,000 — an 80% cut — with a call for a city Commission on the Elderly and Aging.
Fire Department Security Upgrades
Fire Headquarters' front-door camera and intercom is dead and Engine 3 has had repeated vehicle break-ins. The council approved $6,826.98 to fix both.
Property sale dispute at 30 Benkard Avenue
A resident said his son, a city police officer, was cleared to close on the city-owned 30 Benkard Avenue property, only to learn the city was halting the sale. The mayor promised to look into it.
cierre de servicios municipales por el Día de las Elecciones
Newburgh City Hall is closed Tuesday, Nov. 3, for Election Day, and only emergency services will be running. If your trash pickup normally falls that day, check the schedule—it may shift. Plan any city business for another day.
City Club property disposition
Mayor Harvey said the winning developer of the dilapidated City Club property declined the award over a year ago, leaving the building vacant and other bidders frustrated; he asked staff and the council to revisit it.
Lutheran Street Fire Flow Analysis
A $7,500 Arcadis study would check whether water pipes on Lutheran Street can deliver enough flow for firefighting.
June 2026 personnel report
The commission accepted the monthly personnel report covering retirements and promotions in city employment covered by civil service.
NECSD desk audits
The school district wants the Commission to audit the duties and pay grades of Teacher Aide, Data Processing Clerk, and Microcomputer Electronics Technician positions. The results affect how those jobs are classified and what candidates need to qualify.
Upcoming Civil Service Examinations
Exams for clerk, custodian, and account clerk positions run from August through November, plus police officer agility testing on August 8. These are the entry points for anyone seeking city employment.
Security cameras at the Recreation Department
The council approved four cameras at the rec department over objections that they invade privacy for staff and families registering for programs, and possibly violate labor laws. Corporation Counsel said the cameras are covered by the union contract and don't violate the Taylor Law or privacy rights.
City Comptroller Recruitment
After repeated turnover in the comptroller's office, the city is spending up to $28,000 on a professional search firm. Council members cited a public survey where 80% called city finance skills a top concern.
Bulletproof vest grant
A small federal grant covering half the cost of about five police vests, with the city matching from Police funds.
Jobs for local young men and the formerly incarcerated
Councilmembers Shakur and Harvey pushed on DPW hiring: the street sweeper program employs formerly incarcerated residents, and Shakur said three young men were wrongly denied sanitation jobs over licenses. Wade confirmed sanitation only requires a Class D driver's license and 80 people applied for the latest labor posting.
Standardized garbage cans
A longtime council legislative priority: uniform 95-gallon carts with attached lids for every home, like Poughkeepsie and Kingston did. DPW supports it — fewer lids filling with water, less litter — but it's a budget item likely tied into a future bond.
Rental registry trust fund sits untouched at $328K
Councilmember Monteverde flagged a rental registry trust fund with $328,000 sitting unused for years — money collected from rental licenses that was supposed to fund code staff. She asked that it be tapped to avoid hitting the general fund.
Firehouse building repairs
The Grand Street firehouse hasn't been painted or recarpeted in about 20 years and the garage doors are so old that parts aren't available anymore. The chief wants to start a repair and upgrade program, while Engine 3's 1866 Broadway firehouse is also aging.
Scenic Hudson open space purchase at 139 Ellis Avenue
The council is backing Scenic Hudson's county grant application to buy part of the Ellis Avenue property for conservation — another piece of the decades-long waterfront-to-Crystal Lake greenway vision.
Aging water valves and main break risk
The council approved a series of expensive but largely invisible sewer, dam and water contracts, crediting advocacy and staff for recent funding and an engineering award.
ARC public outreach and web presence
The Architectural Review Commission wants business cards and a website so historic-district property owners can find guidelines and access state historic tax credits. Council members floated a shared site for all land-use boards to keep costs down and avoid splintering information.
Conservation Advisory Council tree program
The CAC is asking for about $32,500, mostly for planting 15-25 trees a year focused on 'heat island' neighborhoods that lack shade. The city also wants an updated tree survey to clarify which trees are the city's responsibility versus a homeowner's.
Public Art Installation at 86 Broadway
DMU Music, Inc. was slated to get a license to access City-owned property at 80 Broadway to support a public art installation at 86 Broadway, adding to the city's cultural landscape.
Brownfield Opportunity Area master plan
Grant applications to fund a hillside neighborhood master plan have failed twice; the planning department will reapply this year or could budget city funds. Councilmember Shakur, whose family was impacted, wants legal help for affected residents — the city can't pay for that.
Dutch Reformed Church stabilization
The city has no pathway forward to stabilize the crumbling Dutch Reformed Church, and a preservation group wants a new agreement to do work with its own funding. The mayor recalled the failed 2017 Olympic project as the last serious attempt.
Rising sludge disposal costs
Getting rid of wastewater sludge now costs $1.5 million a year and could nearly double if New York bans land application of sludge. A newly awarded state biosolids study grant is the first step toward cutting costs and odors.
NECSD Senior Data Processing Clerk title classification
The school district asked the commission to adopt and classify a new Senior Data Processing Clerk title, which affects how that position is filled and paid under civil service rules.
Johnston Street one-way designation
The stretch of South Johnston Street between Ann and Broadway goes one-way northbound to squeeze in downtown parking, and the Ann Street stop sign comes out as part of the Broadway project.
Sale of 252 Liberty Street
The city was set to consider selling the city-owned property at 252 Liberty Street to Wesley Laidlaw for $180,000 in a private sale, returning it to the tax rolls.
Natural Resources Inventory for Newburgh
The city now has a full catalog of its trees, water and environmental risks — showing Ward 3's Crystal Lake area is the most environmentally stressed. Council wants a community workshop to share it.
Recreation director appointment (Maritza Wilson)
Multiple speakers urged the council to promote 22-year veteran Maritza Wilson to recreation director, citing a 325-signature petition. McLymore said the appointment question is being looked into.
183 Prospect Street tax foreclosure settlement
Owner Charmaine Burns asked the council for a chance to pay off back taxes and save her 23-year family home, supported by former tenants. The mayor had Corporation Counsel explain the roughly 22-month tax foreclosure process and pledged to work with her and the legal team.
Crystal Lake Blueblocks Floating Gardens
A resident asked the city to extend the same algae cleanup it gave Downing Park to Crystal Lake, the city's largest green space, which is being choked by algae blooms.
FY2025 CDBG performance report public hearing
At the CDBG hearing, residents asked for a detailed list of completed accessibility projects, more youth programming, and rebalancing — noting the city spends $8 on tax-foreclosure management for every $1 on homeowner repair assistance.
17 Johnston Street Redevelopment Agreement
A third addendum to the site development agreement with The Newburgh Ministry was proposed for the transfer and redevelopment of the 17 Johnston Street property.
NYCLU FLOCK/ALPR Presentation
The NYCLU was scheduled to present on FLOCK automated license plate readers. These cameras raise privacy questions about how long location data is kept and who can access it.
Purchasing Agent eligible list
The Commission was asked to declare the Purchasing Agent eligible list appropriate for use, which lets the city start hiring from it.
Upcoming civil service examinations for police and city positions
A busy exam season is ahead: three exams on April 18 (school office manager and labor supervisor roles), police officer exams May 9, police sergeant June 13, and fire captain June 26. These tests fill city and school district jobs from clerical to public safety.
Water Department bilingual service and technology
A new bilingual account clerk position was added after two longtime retirements, plus new meters and a planned app to track household water use.
Sale of 60 Hasbrouck Street
The city was scheduled to consider selling a property at 60 Hasbrouck Street to Ramon Garcia for $50,000 in a private sale.
Hometown Heroes banner program
A new program will hang military banners for $375 per two years; Monteverde voted no over the fee and liability, and the council discussed hardship sponsorships and fee adjustments.
Firefighter Training and Grant
The fire department seeks a $50,000 grant to replace 20-year-old extrication tools no longer supported by their manufacturer, plus a state agreement to send six new firefighters to the academy. The mayor also floated a CTE-to-fire-service career pipeline with the school district.
Human Rights Commission appointments
Four of seven seats are open, including one member up for reappointment. Without a full board, the commission can't fully hear complaints or run its human rights hero program.
Payment of claims
Three claim payments totaling about $164,000 were scheduled for a vote, including a $150,000 settlement to Rajohine Johnson.
Event permitting process frustrations
A nonprofit director described state permit headaches and city permit resistance for her summer park program, asking the city to smooth the process. Councilmember Stewart asked the city manager for a report at the next work session.
Modernized utility bill payment
A resident asked the city to modernize water/sewer/sanitation bill payment — credit card surcharges are steep and online options are lacking. Councilmember Stewart asked staff to explain and possibly reduce the surcharges.
Street camera system condition
Only 22 of 38 street cameras work; 16 are mostly irreparable. IT proposed budgeting replacements in September and an interim cellular connectivity fix, and members asked about a dormant DCJS grant for 30 new cameras.
Bayview Terrace bluff maintenance
A longtime resident says the city-owned bluff on Bayview Terrace is overgrown and neglected while nearby properties are well-maintained. McLymore got it cleaned once but upkeep lapsed.
Youth summer employment
A resident charged the city's Activity Center only hired three Newburgh kids this summer; the mayor and city manager pushed back, saying more youth are working across the pool, camps, and county summer youth program, with exact numbers to come.
Streaming and recording land-use boards
Council members want planning and zoning meetings live-streamed and recorded like council meetings, citing residents who can't attend — but costs are unknown and budget season is tight.
Human Resources Generalist job description amendment (NECSD)
The Newburgh Enlarged City School District asked to add a promotional component to the HR Generalist job description — requiring two years of permanent district status in principal titles — which would limit the candidate pool to internal district employees for advancement.