New York City Health and Hospital Corporation Bronx Annual Public Meeting

 

The 2023 Bronx Annual Meeting of the New York Health and Hospitals Corporation took place at Jacobi Hospital Tuesday May 16th. The Health and Hospitals Corporation was set up in 1969 by the New York State legislature to replace the city's Department of Hospitals in operating city hospitals and other health care facilities. HHC was formed as a Quasi Public agency to enable it to benefit from private revenues and funding. 

The meeting began a few minutes late as the President of the HHC Dr. Katz was held up in traffic coming to the meeting. Dr. Katz said it was his sixth year as head of the HHC, as he spoke about COVID and Mpox going into taking care of asylum seekers now. The HHC met major goals that were set including fifteen thousand Mpox vaccinations and plant based lunches and dinners as an option. The HHC runs eleven full service hospitals in four boroughs, five Long Term Care facilities in four boroughs, and thirty Gotham Health Centers in all five boroughs. 

After Dr. Katz finished public speakers were called up to speak. The majority of speakers most of whom live in the surrounding area of Jacobi Hospital all spoke against the Just Home proposal to house people currently incarcerated in Rikers Island that may have medical needs as minute as Diabetes live in studio apartments on the Jacobi Hospital campus. Community Board 11 Vice-Chair Al  D'Angelo said that the community board overwhelmingly voted against the Just Home proposal. Other members of the community spoke of the fear of having people and gang members indicted of major crimes currently detained in jail awaiting trial of possibly living next to them without any restraints and being allowed to go into the community as they are. Several nurses at Jacobi and other HHC hospitals spoke about the low wages there are paid, staff shortages of 25% or more which for HHC to pay travel nurses almost twice the salary of HHC nurses to fill the nurse shortage gap, and other staff problems. Only a couple of people spoke in favor of the Just Home proposal at Jacobi Hospital, and they do not live in the surrounding area of Jacobi Hospital.

The Health and Hospitals Corporation Board sat up on the stage of the Jacobi Hospital Rotunda auditorium. (L - R) Colleague Hercules Secretary, Andrea Cohen Senior VP and Counsel, Dr. Melvin Katz President, Jose Pagan Chairman, Bob Nolan Bronx Borough President member, Sally Hernandez Board member, Jackie Rowe Adams Board Member.

Mr. Al D'Angelo President of the Morris Park Community Association and Vice Chair of Community Board 11 said that Community Board 11 overwhelmingly voted against the Just Home proposal at Jacobi Hospital.

Indian Village resident Phyllis Bastelone whose family has lived in the community since 1930 said she is against the Just Home proposal and said that she would like to see senior housing in Building two on the Jacobi Campus. 

Patti Marabello another resident of Indian Village spoke of the lawsuits Jacobi Hospital has had to settle and the need for money by the HHC. She added that the Department of Corrections Commissioner has said the majority of detainees indicted at Rikers Island are gang members that she does not want to see come into the area.

Kristy Marormato another resident of Indian Village and City Council candidate also spoke against the siting of Just Home at Jacobi Hospital and said she had 2951 signatures on a petition against the Just Home proposal on the floor next to her. 

Kristy Marormato holds the 2951 signatures against the Just Home proposal at Jacobi Hospital.

Irene Estrada another City Council candidate took the opportunity to go after the incumbent councilwoman Marjorie Velazquez telling people not to vote for the current councilwoman.

Samantha Zherka another City Council candidate took the opportunity to turn to the audience to go after the Bronx Republican Party chair saying he is not putting up candidates against the Democratic Party. Ms. Zherka was the Republican Party candidate for the 34th State Senate District in 2022, and is involved in a three way Republican primary for the 13th City Council seat. 

Sharlene Jackson-Mendez the current President of the Van Nest Neighborhood Alliance spoke against the Just Home project suggesting other uses for Building #2 at Jacobi Hospital.

Sonia Lawrence RN President of H & H and Mayors Executive Council of Nurses spoke about the staffing shortages and low pay for HHC nurses. She mentioned that there is twenty-five percent of the nurses at HHC hospitals who are Traveling Nurses and are getting paid twice the amount of HHC nurses which has cost one hundred and ninety-seven dollars in the first quarter of 2023.

A nurse from North Central Bronx Hospital echos what Nurse Lawrence had said.