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Budget, Education & City Services
Community Board Five Response to the Mayor’s 2020 Preliminary Budget
Dear Mayor de Blasio:
Thank you in advance for considering the advisory opinion of our community board.
Community Board Five is aware of the current fiscal challenges in our city. We are cognizant of revenues and expenses and are frequently in support of efforts to obtain increased funding to support those investments and expenses most vital to our City.
Several months ago, our Board submitted capital and expense budget priorities to your office for consideration in the FY 2020 Preliminary Budget. While agency responses certainly are not fully on board with our desired responses, we are thankful for serious consideration of many of our requests. As the New York City Charter-created institution with some of the keenest insight into local conditions, we look forward to working with the administration in fiscal prioritization.
Our district faces extreme above and below grade congestion, which creates health and safety problems for pedestrians, drivers and residents. At the same time, the city maintains programs and services most vital for our residents, particularly the elderly, homeless, and school-age children who work and spend time in our district. We believe that Manhattan Community District Five's success is critical to all New York City and we believe our budget priorities are suited to ensure that the needs of all within the community are addressed.
Department of Homeless Services
305202001C - CB5 is thankful that DHS is including our request for an upgrade in the Bellevue facilities in the budget and is interested to understand what the timeline for implementation of upgrades might look like.
305202002C - CB5 would like to understand what additional study is needed by the agency and how CB5 may assist the agency in fulfilling the request for additional shelters.
The commercial nature of our area means that CB5 continues to be a frequent destination of those who are homeless and the last several years has seen a surge of people living on our streets. While we thank the agency for the efforts it has made to provide resources for the homeless community, we encourage the agency to continue to direct resources to the issues raised in our budget requests.
Department of Education
305202007C - We appreciate that the agency would like to further study ADA compliance at District 2 schools. In line with this response, CB5 will provide the agency with a list of schools within the district that are not fully ADA compliant and is interested to learn if there is any other information about our schools that we may provide that would be helpful to the Department of Education?
305202005E - CB5 is thrilled that the agency is funding mental health professions in schools but wishes to ensure that these mental health professionals are not guidance counselors or social workers whose main role fulfills purposes other than mental health.
305202007E - CB5 would like to understand why the agency believes this issue is not one of budget, as any study and professional assistance that is required to imagine alternatives to the current CEQR system will require funding.
Department of Transportation
305202008C - CB5 is thrilled that pedestrian ramps are going to be constructed at certain locations and are interested in learning more about where these ramps will be placed and when the further study will be completed for this project. To assist in this project, CB5 will provide photos of the locations where sidewalk widening has been requested.
305202009C - CB5 will direct its resurfacing and milling requests to the respective NYCDOT Borough Directors of Maintenance.
305202010C - While CB5 understands that broken sidewalk grates may be the responsibility of the adjacent property owner, we would encourage the agency to enforce these responsibilities particularly at the addresses provided by CB5.
305202011C - CB5 is grateful that the agency is seeking additional information on the requested repairs and will provide the agency with photos of the sites on 8th avenue and the PAS middle island which require repairs.
305202015C - CB5 will request racks through the City’s Racks Program.
305202016C - CB5 is confused by the agency’s agreement and accommodation for the request for additional street lighting. The response states that standard street lighting can only be replaced if the request is accompanied by funding and other requirements through the BIDS, yet we specifically noted in our request that the locations for which we are requesting this street lighting falls outside of the BIDS and therefore would like to again request action by the agency.
305202023C/305202024C - CB5 is encouraged that the redesign and upgrade of Herald/Greeley Square and the Broadway Pedestrian Plazas is included in the DOT’s ten year plan. CB5 looks forward to evaluating these plans and understanding the timeline for achievement of these goals.
305202025C - CB5 would like to be helpful in any way possible with this study on additional street lighting and would like to understand when a study will be undertaken on this project.
305202028C - CB5 would like to understand if there is a schedule for the completion of the installation of streetlights on Broadway at 34th and 42nd street.
305202034C - CB5 is happy to assist in identifying people/organizations who may help with establishing pollution readers in accordance with agency’s request for further information from CB5
305202022E - CB5 understands that the agency is currently addressing the removal of bicycles at Herald Square and on other plazas throughout the district. Therefore, we would like to better understand the budget response, which indicates that the agency does not give priority to funding this request.
New York Department of Buildings
305202018E - CB5 will contact the agency directly with suspected areas in which code violations (especially POPS) and antiquated Certificates of Occupancy exist so that the agency may proceed with enforcement. New York City Police Department
305202008E - CB5 commends the NYPD for devoting resources to crisis intervention and evaluation and would like to ensure that in the on-going evaluation of the program there is a formal, objective way to determine whether the current curriculum is effective. Transit Authority
305202013C - CB5 has been instructed to contact NYCT directly regarding its request for repair and widening of the train platforms at Grand Central and will do so.
305202029C (Installation of real time bus signs)
305202030C(Electric bus usage/purchase)
305202031C (Repair leaks at either end of #1 train platform at 50th street station)
305202032C (mitigate ponding of rainwater at mezzanine level at bottom of northernmost stair at 44th & 8th Ave stop at A/C/E line)
305202033C(escalators and elevator installation) CB5 will contact NYCT directly regarding these requests.
Economic Development Corporation
305202014C - CB5 recognizes that EDC does not have jurisdiction over this issue and would ask that this
request be directed to DOT.
Department of Environmental Protection
305202037C - In line with the request from the agency, CB5 will provide further information on the
request for storm sewer repair at Madison Square Park.
Department of Sanitation
305202039C - CB5 thanks the agency for its support of waste collection expansion and is interested in
how this issue is being evaluated and addressed.
Removal of bicycles on plazas
305202022E : CB5 is confused by the response that the agency does not give priority to funding this
request when the agency is already addressing the issue with the 34th Street Partnership and has asked for
public input on the redesign of Herald Square.
Conclusion
Community Board Five appreciates the opportunity to comment on the FY 2020 Preliminary Budget. We
look forward to seeing the Executive Budget and are hopeful that we will continue to see community
board input incorporated into the final product.
Sincerely,
Vikki Barbero, Chair
Renee Kinsella
Chair, Budget, Education and City Services Committee