The First Hundred Days

This morning, Mayor Kamal Johnson marked the 100th day of his administration by issuing this letter to the citizens of Hudson.

Dear Hudson, 

Today marks Day 100 of my term. During the course of the campaign I never could have imagined that in my first three months we would be dealing with a global pandemic. I’m impressed with how well the people of Hudson have responded to this crisis and collaborated as a community to address the needs of all of our residents. This is what the soul of our city has always been. In times of crisis, we come together. I have seen the care Hudson has for each other a million times over my lifetime. 

Our Department of Public Works quickly revised their protocols to be aligned with the CDC guidelines and to meet all the recommendations of the Governors Executive Order and the Columbia County Health Department. They continue to keep our necessary services in place including trash and recycling pick-up and ensuring our safe water supply keeps flowing. 

The Hudson Police Department is working with our community to give guidance to people in taking all the safety precautions seriously. They are doing Wellness checks on our Seniors, increasing participation in their Elder Call-in Program, and are even dropping off lifesaving medicine to constituents in need. Our Fire Department remains steady and ready. Their tribute to our first responders and health care professionals was a moment to remember. Our City Hall staff and Treasury Department continue to have keep our city’s systems in place even with information continually be updated from the State. 

The Senior Center has collaborated with the Hudson Area Library to provide their programs virtually and has been able to increase the number of their participants as a result. The outpouring of support from the community and their offers to volunteer has been heartwarming and inspiring. On any given day you will witness the Youth Department staff full of volunteers delivering food to over 400 of our neighbors. This is what community means and this is Hudson. 

I know CO-VID 19 has created fear in each member of our community during this time. Our store fronts are closed but our businesses are still finding ways to help the community and I personally thank you. As your Mayor, I will continue to do everything that I can to save our businesses and to provide relief for those in need. As much as I can speak on behalf of the Common Council and the Hudson Development Corporation, I can tell you they are joining me in this effort and giving their all to the task at hand. 

Personally, the highlight for me was working with Spark of Hudson to deliver over 40 WIFI hotspots to students without internet access as the Hudson City School District transitioned to distance learning. I have been inspired by the dedication of the teachers, the principals, and all the school staff as they continue to provide instruction and necessary meals to their students. They are leaders in our community inspiring our Youth every day. 

What have we done in 100 Days? Through a partnership between my office and the Galvan Foundation, we will bring over 70 units of affordable housing to Hudson. My goal to keep families in Hudson remains the same. This crisis has only strengthened my commitment to our families and all the members of our community. As well as

The Anti-Displacement Team is hard at work Meeting remotely and working innovative initiatives. Plans are underway for our first time Home Buyers’ program and credit recovery initiative. The Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) is under way and we plan on breaking ground on our projects this year. The city also created a Climate Smart task force to pursue certification in the NYS Climate Smart Communities Program. Our team composed of elected officials and Commissioners are scheduled to undergo a complete street training next month. The city website is continually updated and has information about all the programs mentioned. Visit our website and sign up to be notified of any updates.

We will come out of this stronger than ever. Hudson continues to be a thriving city. We coined the term All Hands On Deck during my campaign and it means more now than ever. My wish is that we learn from this pandemic and have a greater sense of empathy for all of our neighbors. That same feeling of financial fear our business community is facing now is the same fear many of our citizens felt long before this crisis. 

Together, we will create opportunities for each of us to grow and to pursue our dreams for ourselves and for our city. This pandemic has taught us that we are all vulnerable and that our ability to survive depends on what each of us does every day. Warren St. faces the same crisis as the rest of the city, together we thrive.

Thank you to our community members who have stepped up as leaders in this time of crisis and offered to support their neighbors in any way they can. Thank you for trusting me to lead our city. Although, when I said let’s make history this isn’t exactly what I had in mind. We are strong and together we can make history that we will all be proud of. We have come far due to a great team that includes The Mayoral Aide Michael Chameides, our city attorneys, and all the department heads and commissioners. The best is yet to come…...

Sincerely 

Honorable Mayor Kamal Johnson