Enthusiastic Residents Sign Up for Community Action Teams in City

Mayor Judy Kennedy invited the public to share a dream of a better Newburgh. Photo by Ann Kuzmik.

By Nancy Peckenham

An overflow crowd of people who want to get involved in the future of the city of Newburgh came to the Newburgh Armory Unity Center on Thursday evening to add their ideas and pledge their efforts as part of Community Action Teams.

The city’s new mayor, Judy Kennedy, drew on her experience as a life coach as she spoke to the 175 or so people gathered in the gymnasium, telling them that if they have a a clear vision, progress is possible. “If we get the vision clear and get the people behind it,” she said, “the money will appear/”

Kennedy was talking about the financial resources that will be required to achieve some of the ideas that were discussed in smaller groups after her presentation. From creating safer and cleaner streets, to developing programs to engage the city’s youth or to create better cooperation between landlords and tenants, people spent an hour discussing the issues that face the city, and possible solutions.

This group had an animated discussion about marketing the city.

The mayor said the idea of creating and harnessing positive energy is a dream, but it is one that she believes can become the new Newburgh reality. She urged those in attendance to be patient and realize that they will face roadblocks on the road to success. “You might as well go through it and feel pain then stay where you are and still feel pain,” she told the crowd.

The energy was palpable as people divided up into 14 groups to talk about their ideas. At the Adopt-a-Block discussion table, the focus was not just on cleaning up litter, but Pastor Donie Murphy shared her vision of a block watch that would look out for the children who come home to empty apartments. “Make blocks safe for children who are home alone,” she proposed to the group.

At another table, three landlords sparred with Pat O’Dwyer, the Democratic activist who shared her experience empowering tenants to care for blocks of housing in New York City. George Garrison, the head of the city’s Department of Public Works, waded into a discussion of how to clean and beautify the city and tried to explain the many obstacles he faces in getting messy property owners to comply with the law.

George Garrison, head of the DPW, explained some of the problems he faces in cleaning up the city.

The largest group of people joined a spirited discussion of programs that could appeal to youth and keep them off the streets and away from drugs and gang activities. Father Bill Scafidi led the group, which came up with a lot of suggestions, but no agreement on which alternatives could actually work. Abdullah Rahaman, a liaison with homeless students in the Newburgh City school district, challenged the group to involve and empower children to come up with their own programs, noting that not a single kid was in the room with 27 adults deciding their future.

Each of the groups at the launch of the Community Actions Teams is expected to meet again to explore how to realize plans like those for a Heritage and Art Festival in 2013, a walkway along a cleaned-up Quassaick Creek, and a revitalized program for seniors. Mayor Kennedy gave everyone three months to kickstart their work before returning in early April to see how they’ve progressed.

“We have people power,” said Yaakov Sullivan, who was part of the beautification discussion, “that’s what we have tonight to begin changing things.”