The evening of March 26, City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Yvonne Flowers delivered her third State of the City Address in Poughkeepsie High School’s brand-new auditorium.
The city’s high school was a fitting location, as Flowers focused on “building a better Poughkeepsie” for current residents and the future generations who will call Poughkeepsie home, including its children.
“If we want a stronger, safer, and more united Poughkeepsie tomorrow, then we must commit to our young people today,” Flowers said. “That is how we rise above the uncertainty of tomorrow, not just by managing the present, but by preparing the next generation of leaders.”
Support for the city’s youth
“Working for our youth means more than programs or promises. It means creating safe spaces, real opportunities, and clear pathways to success,” Flowers said. “It means listening to them, investing in them, and addressing their needs through our actions as a city. This is how we break generational cycles that have held our families back for far too long.”
One of those youth-centered spaces is the city’s Youth Leadership in Government program, bringing high school-age residents into government and civic engagement opportunities locally, to build their confidence and leadership skills.
Students in the program have worked as city interns and are “stepping up for their community and investing in the place they call home,” Flowers said, as volunteers.
Recently, students took trips to the capitals in Albany and Washington D.C., meeting with leaders, asking questions and seeing firsthand how government works.
City development: DeLaval, Spratt Pool House
Looking at the city’s southern waterfront, Flowers plans to advance development at the DeLaval site, the last large city-owned parcel.
This summer, the city will form a steering committee so community feedback is at the core of development, which will focus on public open space and water-dependent recreational activities to create a “landmark destination,” Flowers said.
Renovations to Spratt Park Pool House are “officially moving forward,” Flowers said, in 2026. According to previous reporting on last year’s address, the pool house was planned for fall 2025.
Also, the city’s Business Improvement District, or BID, was launched. Find out more about the nonprofit and city partner at https://www.dtpk.org/.
“Together, we are ensuring the city of Poughkeepsie isn’t just thriving, it’s expanding in all the right places with a purpose,” Flowers said.
Poughkeepsie’s financial progress
Flowers said she’s “proud” of the progress the city has made toward strengthening its fiscal health and has “committed” to proposing balanced budgets weaving a vision of revitalization and fiscal responsibility and sustainability.
Currently, the city is maintaining Standard & Poor’s, now S&P Global, BBB+ credit rating, with a positive outlook, according to Flowers.
Additionally, she highlighted financial reporting is “back on track” and “completed on time,” including the Annual Financial Reports, and federal, state and Joint Water audits.
“The final draft audit for late 2025 reflects a positive General Fund balance, marking an important milestone as the city continues strengthening accountability and long-term stability,” Flowers said.
Poughkeepsie Police: New technology for public safety
The city of Poughkeepsie Police Department, under Police Chief Richard Wilson’s leadership, is using an approach “rooted in evidence-based, community-focused policing,” Flowers said, allowing law enforcement and residents to work together.
Flowers also claimed the city’s “neighborhoods are safer than they have been in decades,” due to their collaborative method, and Poughkeepsie has seen “double digit decreases in crime across the board,” along with “a record low of citizen complaints.”
Yet, even with decreases in crime, call volumes are high, with city police responding to over 16,000 calls for assistance in 2025.
To enhance the city’s approach to policing, Flowers highlighted they’ve implemented Patrol Finder, a patrol management platform allowing them to monitor city neighborhoods and have a 25% increase in patrol presence citywide, and ensure visible, accessible and ready-to-respond officers.
Additionally, drones have been newly deployed, dubbed Unmanned Aerial Systems, which Flowers stated have already assisted with “averting potential suicides, recovering evidence in gun-related cases and safely locating suspects.”
Plus, there will be expansion of their Falcon Fixed License Plate Readers in high-traffic areas, to more efficiently solve crimes, and there has been recent implementation of Project Lifesaver, utilizing radio-frequency transmitting bracelets to locate residents with specialized needs.
To connect officers and community members, particularly children, the Police Athletic League has officers who serve as mentors for young residents, from coaching football to hosting community events.
Restoring the Hooker Avenue Firehouse
In early August 2025, a fire broke out in the Hooker Avenue Firehouse as the city’s firefighters were out responding to an emergency call.
“It was a heartbreaking moment because the building was a second home, a place of trust and readiness, built over generations of dedicated service,” Flowers said.
Flowers took time to mention the work being done to restore the second-floor living quarters at the firehouse, and their commitment to rebuild it better before summer, including reconfigured bedrooms and bathrooms to support a more diverse firefighting workforce.
With the help of Congressman Pat Ryan, the city has secured funds to fully restore the firehouse and improve the original foundation’s structural integrity.
The city acquired the neighboring property to house firefighters in the meantime, but additional staff will be relocated there once the firehouse is fully restored.
Besides the Hooker Avenue Firehouse, city residents will see new fire trucks across Poughkeepsie in a few months.
As well, Flowers acknowledged Fire Chief Joe Franco, who is “courageously battling cancer,” she said, and recognized Acting Fire Chief Vincent “Vinny” Parisi, who has stepped up during this time.
City infrastructure updates: Improving water quality, bridges, new app
Flowers said to improve water quality, the city is “confronting the reality of aging infrastructure” and replacing Poughkeepsie’s lead service lines.
External support has helped the city bolster this effort, with $33 million in dedicated funding.
Flowers also noted a strategic, comprehensive fiscal plan to address this citywide issue — a project totaling almost $150 million.
Additionally, infrastructure-wise, the Garden Street Bridge will be completed this spring, Flowers announced, and the city will immediately transition to the replacement of the bridge on Washington Street. U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand helped the city of Poughkeepsie secure $3.4 million for this project.
A new service called SeeClickFix will also be rolled out by mid-2026, a platform and mobile app to report non-emergency concerns like potholes, streetlight outages and sanitation issues.
Lastly, Flowers announced Poughkeepsie is moving forward with the demolition of the Transfer Station at 26 Howard St. while the city partners with Royal Carting on waste storage initiatives.
Poughkeepsie’s Northside: Area revitalization plan
The city’s northside has plans for revitalization through the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, a program helping communities redevelop distressed public housing, invest in surrounding neighborhoods and improve quality of life, Flowers said.
In fall 2024, the city received a $500,000 planning grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, to develop a plan and vision for the northside.
The city’s planning division, alongside the Children’s Cabinet and the Poughkeepsie Housing Authority, is leading the resident-driven plan, and Flowers announced a Draft Transformation Plan will be sent to HUD in September.
The final plan is due March 2027, and the city will soon be looking for a development partner through a soon-to-be-released Request for Expression of Interest.
Oakley Street shelter update and homelessness
“Addressing homelessness remains a top priority, and our approach is rooted in compassion,” Flowers said.
The city formed a Street Outreach Taskforce which meets on a monthly to discuss how the city can work to help those in need.
However, the more pressing issue is the 26 Oakley Street facility, which Flowers stated has been a years-long fight against the county, most recently culminating in litigation.
Flowers noted the shelter had formerly operated in the Town of Poughkeepsie for over 25 years before being “temporarily” moved to the city due to COVID-19.
The county wants to keep it in the city, “without discussion or support from the city,” Flowers said, as the location is a “densely populated marginalized neighborhood that is already struggling with the concentration of poverty and the challenges that come with that.”
“We hope to come to a reasonable compromise but whatever the outcome may be, the residents of this city will know we refuse to back down, and we will continue to do whatever we can to protect the interest of our city,” Flowers said. “We deserve to thrive like the rest of the cities, towns and villages in Dutchess County.”
How you can stay connected with city updates
To stay up to date on the happening in the City of Poughkeepsie, including topics mentioned in Flowers State of the City Address, residents can subscribe to the city’s newsletter “The Buzz,” at https://www.cityofpoughkeepsie.gov/, or visit their social media pages: @City of Poughkeepsie on Facebook and @cityofpoughkeepsie on Instagram.
“If we remain united, focused and disciplined, there is no limit to what the city can achieve,” Flowers concluded. “The city’s best days are still ahead.”
Nickie Hayes is Breaking & Trending News Reporter for the Poughkeepsie Journal. See her most recent articles here. Contact reporter Nickie Hayes: NHayes@poughkee.gannett.com, 845-863-3518 and @nickieehayess on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: State of Poughkeepsie Address | ‘The city’s best days are still ahead’
Reporting by Nickie Hayes, Poughkeepsie Journal / Poughkeepsie Journal
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