Knapp Will Serve as Interim City Administrator

POUGHKEEPSIE – Mayor-elect Yvonne Flowers announced she will appoint veteran city employee Ron Knapp to serve as interim city administrator beginning in 2024 when she takes office.

Knapp, who has served as the city’s Police Chief and has been working as both an assistant to the mayor’s and city administrator’s offices, was the acting city administrator twice before, most recently under former Mayor Rob Rolison in 2016.

Knapp is a longtime city resident and has been employed by the city for more than 49 years. Most recently, he has been instrumental in the city’s anti-blight initiative that has tracked properties, bolstered code enforcement, secured state funding and has helped reduce the number of vacant properties in the city from more than 600 in 2016 to approximately 150 today.

“Ron has considerable experience to help with what has been a seamless transition from Mayor Marc Nelson’s administration to my pending administration,” said Flowers. “Ron has faithfully served the city for decades, and there is no one better to handle this task as my administration gets started.”

Knapp said, “I am honored to be asked to serve in this capacity as Yvonne Flowers begins her role as mayor of our city. I have always been impressed with how she handled matters as a Common Council member, and the city will continue to be in good hands as a new year, and new era, dawns in 2024.”

Flowers said when she assumes office next year, she will launch a national search to find a permanent city administrator.