Battery Park City residents are governed by an unelected, Governor appointed board.
There has been a trend that that people get appointed to the board by being large donors [See NY Times article for one example] to a Governor. Hence, they tend to not have ties or connections to the local community.
In 2017, legislation passed that required two of the seven board seats be filled by Battery Park City residents. However, it did not stipulate that it has to be their primary residence. In 2022, legislation passed to increase the board to nine members and require five - a majority - to be primary Battery Park City residents. It passed with overwhelming majority.
But, the Authority hired a lobbyist [see 2022-07 BPCNA Letter to Authority on hiring a lobbyist] to stop the Governor from signing the bills and then re-adjusted their contract on October 28, 2022, The Governor then vetoed the bills on November 21, 2022.
Until we, as Battery Park City residents, have an institutionalized voice in how we are governed, we will continue to face issues like #PausetheSaws and Wagner Park.
May 2022
May 2022
May 2022
The Authority's board meetings have long happened behind closed doors. Today, only 10 people are allowed to speak at the meetings for 2 minutes. You must sign up 24 hours in advance and the Authority has the right to choose the 10 people who can speak. Not being able to freely participate in the Authority's Board meetings has been an issue of contention going back decades.
2017 dnainfo Not Allowing the Public to Speak at Meetings is Better for the Public: BPCA
2016 amNY War of words: BPCA called out for banning public comment at meetings
2016 amNY SPEECHLESS: Suggestion box, not soap box for public at BPCA meetings
2016 amNY Towers of Babble: Pols push for public comment at BPCA board meetings
2016 Daniel Squadron Squadron Comments to Battery Park City Authority Board\
2016 Broadsheet Squadron Renews Call for BPCA to Allow Public Comment at Board Meetings
2016 Broadsheet Advice, If Not Consent
2010 State of New York Office of the Inspector General Investigation of Battery Park City
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