In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of contributions to:
The TR Gallo Memorial Scholarship Fund
c/o Rondout Savings Bank
300 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401
King’s Kids
PO Box 1714, Kingston, NY 12401
The TAGS Foundation
53 Albany Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401
YMCA, 507 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401
The city mourns the loss of its Mayor, T.R. Gallo. Mayor Gallo, 41, a dynamic and energetic forward thinker made Kingston a player in economic development, historic tourism and the arts.
In the mid-1990's, when the city felt the effects of IBM's closing nearby, Mayor Gallo lobbied for Kingston to be included in the Kingston-Ulster Empire Zone to provide tax incentives for existing and new businesses. He created the non-profit Kingston Local Development Corporation, a loan assistance program for businesses. Mayor Gallo tirelessly met with state and federal officials for grants to help revitalize the city's waterfront, an ongoing and successful project that is home to museums, shops, restaurants, festivals and boaters who enjoy its beauty and history. He called attention to the arts by establishing what has become a nationally recognized Kingston Biennial Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition that gets critical notice and draws thousands of tourists. Mayor Gallo worked diligently to establish the Ulster Performing Arts Center as an anchor for midtown. He also worked with uptown businesses to add to the area's economic base and to celebrate uptown's historic Stockade area where visitors marvel at the city's original Dutch settlement and the beauty of its historic structures, including the Senate House State Historic Site. Mayor Gallo was always available to discuss new ideas or projects which citizens proposed. If it made the city be competitive in the marketplace, be it through the arts or with the establishment of a new business, the mayor would give it a try. Mayor Gallo made the most of every opportunity.
Kingston was New York State's first capital, framer of its constitution and government. Mayor Gallo took the leadership of this historic city to new heights. He worked to develop its unique legacy to attract visitors and celebrated the contributions of citizens, from children to seniors, with programs that benefited everyone. He cared what happened to Kingston and to its residents. Mayor Gallo hosted an annual New Year's Eve Party for seniors, providing dinner, dancing and music to crowds of 800 or more each year, generating community spirit and great memories. His on-going efforts to increase the city's business base succeeded with several projects from the Rondout Waterfront to the Uptown Historic Stockade District. Just this year, in cooperation with local businessmen, he persuaded on mortgage company to remain in Kingston, retaining 400 jobs in the city. Recently, Lt. Gov. Mary Donohue announced that Kingston would receive a $200,000 in federal funding to help Rosita's Mexican Restaurant relocate on Kingston's Rondout Waterfront. At the same time, the Mayor met with U.S. Senator Charles Schumer to discuss strategies on revitalizing the housing stock of midtown. It was the Mayor's foresight and vision that rallied state and federal attention and financial backing.
It was the same determination that allowed Mayor Gallo to restore Kingston's dilapidated City Hall after years of neglect. The Mayor worked diligently to secure grant funding that offset local expenses, but enabled the restoration project to be completed with respect to the architectural integrity of the building. The Mayor had complete support of the citizen's when he asked for bonding to help fund the nearly $7 million restoration of the majestic structure in midtown. The award-winning restoration, on the State and National Registers of Historic Places, is a testimony to Mayor Gallo's belief in the city and its residents. His goal was always to build for the future and he accomplished that, setting a high standard and instilling civic pride.
Words cannot express the sorrow felt throughout city. May God keep him and bless him and his family. We pray for him and his family and extend our support to his close colleague, James M. Sottile, our new Mayor, who we know will successfully carry us through this difficult time.