Riverbay Board of Directors Election Supplement (see pgs. 27-34)
Vol. 58 No. 18
Saturday, May 6, 2023
Voting in Progress in 2023 Riverbay Board Election Voting period ends Friday, May 26, 2023
BY ROZAAN BOONE
:LWK RI¿FLDO EDOORWV IRU WKH 5LYHUED\ %RDUG RI 'LUHFWRUV HOHFWLRQ DUULYLQJ LQ &R RS &LW\ PDLOER[HV VKDUHKROGHUV KDYH EHJXQ FDVWLQJ WKHLU YRWHV IRU WKH FDQGLGDWHV RI WKHLU FKRLFH LQ WKLV \HDU¶V %RDUG HOHFWLRQ $V RI SUHVV WLPH )ULGD\ 5LYHUED\¶V LQGHSHQGHQW HOHFWLRQ YHQGRU <HV(OHFWLRQV reported receiving 359 electronic ballots in the 2023 Board of Director election VLQFH YRWLQJ RSHQHG RQ 0RQGD\ 0D\ $ FRXQW RI EDOORWV UHWXUQHG E\ PDLO ZDV not yet available. 7KH TXRUXP LV FHUWL¿HG EDOORWV <HV(OHFWLRQV FRQ¿UPHG ODVW ZHHN WKDW WKH FRPSDQ\ EHJDQ PDLOLQJ WKH JUHHQ EDOORW HQYHORSHV WR &R RS &LW\ KRXVHKROGV RQ 7KXUVGD\ $SULO 7KRVH ZKR KDYH QRW \HW UHFHLYHG DQ HOHFWLRQ EDOORW FDQ FRQWDFW <HV(OHFWLRQV DW DURXQG WKH FORFN RU VHQG DQ HPDLO 0 ) D P S P WR help+riverbay@yeselections.com to request a replacement ballot. Shareholders who have questions about their balORW FDQ DOVR FRQWDFW <HV(OHFWLRQV &RPSOHWHG EDOORWV FDQ EH UHWXUQHG E\ PDLO WR <HV(OHFWLRQV LQ WKH SRVWDJH SDLG envelope that accompanied the ballot. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by May WR EH FRXQWHG LQ WKH HOHFWLRQ 6KDUHKROGHUV FDQ DOVR YRWH RQOLQH DW ULYHUED\YRWHV FRP 7R GR VR WKH XQLTXH 3,1 DQG &RGH SULQWHG DW WKH WRS ULJKW RI WKH EDOORW LV UHTXLUHG (DFK 3,1 DQG &RGH LV VSHFL¿F WR WKH UHVLGHQWLDO XQLW WR ZKLFK LW ZDV PDLOHG 7KHUH LV RQO\ RQH YRWH SHU XQLW E\ UHVLGHQWV ZKR DUH VKDUHKROGHUV RI UHFRUG DV RI 0DUFK (Continued on page 2)
BSA Public Hearing Scheduled for 500 Baychester Ave. Developers BY BRANDON ORTIZ
Developers of the property at 500 Baychester Avenue are seeking another appeal to a NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) ruling. 6SHFL¿FDOO\ %D\FKHVWHU 5HWDLO ,,, //& LV seeking an appeal to a DOB ruling that revoked “permits for an advertising sign in a C7 zonLQJ GLVWULFW ´ DV H[SODLQHG LQ D 1<& %RDUG RI Standards and Appeals (BSA) press release. The BSA will hold a hybrid public hearing WKDW LV FXUUHQWO\ VFKHGXOHG IRU 0RQGD\ 0D\ IURP D P WR S P 2QH RI WKH LWHPV on the agenda for that hearing will include the DSSHDO IURP %D\FKHVWHU 5HWDLO ,,, //& $Q H[DFW GDWH RI WKH KHDULQJ ZLOO EH FRQ¿UPHG GXULQJ WKH ZHHN SULRU DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH %6$ 5HJDUGOHVV WKH SXEOLF KHDULQJ ZLOO EH live streamed online at nyc.gov/bsa or on the BSA YouTube channel. Participants can also attend the in-person portion of the public hearLQJ ZKLFK LV KHOG DW 5HDGH 6WUHHW ¿UVW ÀRRU NYC Board of Standards will hear RI 6SHFWRU +DOO 1HZ <RUN 1HZ <RUN another appeal from develop6KDUHKROGHUV ZKR ZLVK WR H[SUHVV WKHLU RSLQ- ers of 500 Baychester Ave. on the LRQ RQ WKH /(' DGYHUWLVLQJ VWUXFWXUH FDQ VXE- DOB’s ruling against LED adversigns at the site. The pubPLW D FRPPHQW RQOLQH DW ZZZ Q\F JRY VLWH tising lic hearing is scheduled for May bsa/contact-bsa/public-comments.page. 22, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Continued on page 2)
Photo by Brandon Ortiz
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Candidates Debate Quality RI /LIH )LQDQFHV DW ¿UVW Candidates’ Forum, April 26 BY ROZAAN BOONE
7KH ¿UVW &DQGLGDWHV¶ )RUXP RI WKH 5LYHUED\ %RDUG of Directors election held on :HGQHVGD\ $SULO DW p.m. at the Dreiser Auditorium was moderated by Board DirecWRU /\QHWWH :ULJKW FKDLU RI WKH (OHFWLRQ &RPPLWWHH 6L[ RI WKH VHYHQ FHUWLILHG candidates were in attendance and each presented a 2-minute The first Candidates’ Forum of the 2023 Board RSHQLQJ VWDWHPHQW /HDK *UD- election cycle took place on April 26 at Dreiser ham had a previously sched- Auditorium. The broadcast is available on the uled assignment. Her opening Riverbay Crawler at 10 a.m., 8 p.m., and 3 a.m., statement was read by her team- daily, and on YouTube. PDWH 6KDQD 0RQWJRPHU\ Photo by Rozaan Boone Opening statements were followed by the question and answer period and each candidate was allowed two PLQXWHV WR UHVSRQG 2QOLQH DQG VXEPLWWHG TXHVWLRQV UHFHLYHG E\ WKH (OHFWLRQ &RPPLWWHH IURP VKDUHKROGHUV ZHUH JLYHQ SULRULW\ DQG VLQFH DW WKDW WLPH QRW D ORW RI TXHVWLRQV ZHUH IRUWKFRPLQJ WKH FRPPLWWHH RSWHG WR DFFHSW D FRXSOH RI TXHVWLRQV IURP WKH ÀRRU (DFK VKDUHKROGHU ZDV DOORZHG RQH TXHVWLRQ 7KH IROORZLQJ LV D VXPPDU\ Q. Our community was conceptualized to be a self-contained utopia. What is your vision for Co-op City? $VNHG E\ 0RQLTXH &ROHPDQ RI %XLOGLQJ $ DQG <YHWWH /LYLQJVWRQ %URZQ RI %XLOGLQJ Shana Montgomery: 7KH YLVLRQ LV FRPPXQLW\ WKH YLVLRQ LV ZKDW LW ZDV ZKHQ , PRYHG KHUH VRPHWKLQJ \HDUV DJR :H DUH D VHOI FRQWDLQHG FLW\ ,W LV WKH UHVSRQsibility of the Board members and Co-op City residents to work together as one to PDNH D JUHDW XWRSLDQ HVWDEOLVKPHQW IRU DOO RI XV :H FDQ¶W FRQWLQXH LQ WKH ZD\ WKDW ZH DUH JRLQJ , VHH WKH GHWHULRUDWLRQ LQ WKH EXLOGLQJV WKH ZD\ WKH\ DUH EHLQJ NHSW :H MXVW UHDOO\ ZDQW WR KDYH D KHDOWK\ ZD\ RI OLYLQJ ZH ZDQW WR KDYH D VXVWDLQDEOH ZD\ RI OLYLQJ :H FDQ¶W WDNH PRUH UHQW KLNHV ZH NHHS VD\LQJ WKDW ZH DUH DIIRUGDEOH DQG ZH DUH WKH EHVW EHW LQ WRZQ ZHOO ZKDW JRRG LV EHLQJ WKH EHVW EHW LQ WRZQ LI WKH FRQGLWLRQV DUH QRW XS WR SDU :H QHHG WR PDNH VXUH ZH FDQQRW FRQWLQXH ZH ZRQ¶W EH WKH FKHDSHVW ZH ZRQ¶W EH WKH EHVW DQG ZH¶UH UHDOO\ QRW DW WKLV SRLQW LI ZH FRQWLQXH WR JHW UHQW KLNHV« 7KH WKDW VHQLRUV MXVW UHFHLYHG IURP 6RFLDO 6HFXULW\ that makes no sense that that was supposed to go to food. How long are we going to DOORZ WKH IRRG OLQH WR H[SDQG KRZ IDU DUH ZH JRLQJ WR OHW WKRVH OLQHV H[WHQG EHIRUH we realize that people are choosing between food and paying their rent? The lines DUH JHWWLQJ ODUJHU DQG ZH FDQ DOO SUHWHQG WKDW LW¶V QRQ H[LVWHQW DQG ,¶P QRW VXUH ZKDW RXU %RDUG PHPEHUV DUH GRLQJ RU QRW GRLQJ EXW , VHH $QG ZKDW ZH DOO ZDQW IRU WKH FRPPXQLW\ LV ZH ZDQW VDIHW\ ZH ZDQW KHDOWK ZH ZDQW SURVSHULW\ LQ RXU FRPPXnity and we want to be able to afford to live here…We want to be able to sustain the affordability as well as maintain the conditions. Sonia Feliciano: ,¶P D UHVLGHQW IRU WKH SDVW \HDUV , UDLVHG P\ WZR GDXJKWHUV KHUH DQG WKH\ DUH DGXOWV OLYLQJ KHUH DQG , KDYH WZR JUDQGFKLOGUHQ 0\ FRPPXQLW\ YLVLRQ LV WR IRFXV RQ SHRSOH DQG TXDOLW\ RI OLIH , KDYH IRXU &¶V RI &R RS &LW\ 2QH LV FRPPXQLW\ ± LPSURYH WKH KRXVLQJ DQG TXDOLW\ RI OLIH IRU SHRSOH ZH VHUYH seeking funding sources for our environment. Collaboration – build upon a comPLWPHQW RI VWURQJ SDUWQHUVKLS ZLWK HDFK RWKHU DQG VHOI VXI¿FLHQF\ &XVWRPHU VHUYLFH ± LQFUHDVH HI¿FLHQFLHV UHVSRQVLYHQHVV DQG DFFRXQWDELOLW\ LQ WKH VHUYLFHV ZH provide to our shareholders and residents. And communications – clear and conFLVH DQG FRQVLVWHQW FRPPXQLFDWLRQV :H DUH D FRPPXQLW\ RI PDQ\ EXW , ¿QG WKDW VRPHWLPHV ZH GRQ¶W FRQQHFW :H RQO\ FRQQHFW ZKHQ WKHUH¶V D FRQFHUQ RU SUREOHP , WKLQN ZH QHHG WR EXLOG PRUH HQJDJHPHQW RI FRPPXQLW\ $QG ,¶P D SURSRQHQW RI FRPPLWWHHV ,¶P D SURSRQHQW RI EXLOGLQJ DVVRFLDWLRQV ,¶P D SURSRQHQW RI MXVW EXLOGing a connection with the residents of this community and we have to do that better. Bishop Angelo Rosario: ,¶P WU\LQJ WR WKLQN ZKDW XWRSLD ORRNV OLNH DQG , JXHVV it looks like some place called a paradise. And if we are living in a place called parDGLVH WKDW PHDQV ZH KDYH WR EH DEOH WR ZRUN WRJHWKHU WR PDLQWDLQ WKH SDUDGLVH WKDW we have and that means we have to invest in our paradise. We have to buy fertilizer to keep everything going so that we could develop together and we could grow our community. We live in a real world; this is a business that we live in and everything continues to climb and skyrocket every which way (Continued on page 3)