Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson - Community Resources & Updates

Dear Neighbor,

Thank you for joining us for another week in review.

January is National Blood Donor Month, and we are experiencing a blood shortage citywide that could impact thousands of New Yorkers. We are urging our neighbors to join us this Monday at Borough Hall for our Blood Drive in partnership with the New York Blood Center to donate blood and potentially save a life.

 

Nervous about donating? Here are the facts:

62% of the U.S. is eligible to donate, yet only 3% do.

Donating blood only takes about an hour.

To make an appointment or if you are unsure, you can donate blood, call 1-800-933-2566 or visit nybc.org.

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 718-590-3500 or email us at webmail@bronxbp.nyc.gov.

 

In partnership,

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson

The Adams administration announced they were restoring funding to the FDNY, NYPD, the NYC Department of Sanitation, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the New York City Department of Education`s Community Schools, and the Summer Rising initiative.

While supporting these restorations, we are calling on the administration to reconsider any proposed cuts to the Department of Buildings. Last week’s collapse of a 150-foot retaining wall in the Mount Hope neighborhood and last month’s partial collapse at 1915 Billingsley Terrace in Morris Heights underscores the importance of our City agencies and why we must not haphazardly reduce their operating budgets.

Any cuts to an agency tasked with the responsibility of overseeing our city’s infrastructure potentially puts our families at risk and is something we cannot afford to do.

Below is the full statement we released last Friday in response to the Mayor`s announcement.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Thank you to Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church, our guest speakers, my colleagues in government, and everyone else who joined us as we celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. King.

Dr. King dreamed of a better world and fought tirelessly to achieve that dream. He was a pioneer and trailblazer whose shoulders we proudly stand on, and over 50 years later, we are continuing his fight for racial equity and justice for all.

In the Bronx, we are doing this by dismantling barriers to care that disproportionately affect New Yorkers of color, fighting for truly affordable housing, increasing access to employment, and creating opportunities for our youth to have pathways to future careers.

It is a new day in the Bronx!

Today, we unveiled new signage for Bally’s Golf Links at Ferry Point. This name change shows the rest of the world that our borough means business and we are ready to chart a new course. Thank you Bally’s for joining us as a community partner and we look forward to building on this relationship in the pursuit of a better Bronx.

In her 2024 State of the State address, Governor Kathy Hochul outlined a bold agenda with initiatives that align with the priorities put forth in our strategic policy statement to build a better and stronger Bronx.

From healthcare to housing discrimination, employment for historically marginalized New Yorkers, public safety, swimming access, and so much more that will help eliminate barriers that have often affected our most at-risk residents.

Some Highlights:

The first-in-the-nation statewide paid prenatal leave and expanding access to doula services.

Incentives for the construction of affordable housing and increased protections for low-income New Yorkers with Section 8 vouchers.

Flood resiliency plans for our homeowners as the prevalence of coastal storms increases.

Investments in gender-affirming care.

Improving health services for our veterans.

January is Scholarship Month in New York City. We are proud to join NYC Kids RISE to promote this important college savings program for eligible public school scholars between Kindergarten and the 2nd Grade. Citywide $30M across 200 schools have already participated. Thanks to Chancellor Banks, NYC Public Schools, NYC Kids RISE, the Gray Foundation, and PS 85 The Great Expectations School in CSD10 for hosting us. $93,000 in college savings alone at PS85. Let’s continue to promote this important program that invests in our scholars' futures! 

UPCOMING EVENTS

RESOURCES

News, updates and more from NYC Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr.

 

DISCUSSION OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WITH STUDENTS OF DR. RICHARD IZQUIERDO HEALTH AND SCIENCE CHARTER SCHOOL

 

Never underestimate the power of Youth! 

Great conversation with the US Government students at Dr. Richard Izquierdo Health & Science Charter School on the importance of Civic Engagement + ways that they can get involved in local Bronx politics.

BALLY’S GOLF LINKS RENAMING CEREMONY!

 

Great morning with my City and State colleagues at the newly-named Bally's Golf Links at Ferry Point - another step towards rebranding a business in the Borough of the Bronx. 

Thank you Bally's Corporation for your continued commitment to investing in the Bronx!

MEETINGS IN THE DISTRICT
 

In the District:

 Conducted a walkthrough with a constituent regarding sanitation and public safety issues

 Met with Staff from The HOPE Program regarding ways to better serve the South Bronx community and how we can work together to build a sustainable future

 Held an introductory meeting with Captain Ashraf, the new NYPD 41 Precinct Captain

REMEMBERING LUCIEL BOLES-WILSON
 

REMEMBERING LUCIEL BOLES-WILSONThe Bronx has lost one of its most passionate daughters. I am deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Luciel Boles-Wilson - a powerful force within our community. Rain or shine, I could always be certain that Luciel would show up at one of my events, dressed to the nines and ready to dance the night away. To know her was to know pure joy and an unquenchable zest for life. 

Dear Luciel, thank you for all of the laughs and wonderful memories. Rest in power 

 

The Bronx has lost one of its most passionate daughters. I am deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Luciel Boles-Wilson - a powerful force within our community. Rain or shine, I could always be certain that Luciel would show up at one of my events, dressed to the nines and ready to dance the night away. To know her was to know pure joy and an unquenchable zest for life. 

Dear Luciel, thank you for all of the laughs and wonderful memories. Rest in power 

REMEMBERING SARAH B. WYNN
 

The losses felt in our community will never be forgotten. It is with a heavy heart that I share news of the passing of another daughter of the Bronx, Sarah B. Wynn. As we pause to honor Sarah’s legacy, we also send deepest condolences to all of her loved ones mourning her loss.

A memorial of her life will be held at Fellowship Covenant Church this Tuesday, January 16th at 11am, preceded by a viewing from 9:30-11am.

Rest in power, Sarah 

Visit our District Office at: 
1070 Southern Boulevard
Bronx, New York 10459
(718) 402-6130
salamanca@council.nyc.gov

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE URGES MAYOR TO READ THE ‘HOW MANY STOPS’ ACT AND THE NYPD PATROL GUIDE AMID MISINFORMATION

 

As misinformation continues to circulate about the ‘How Many Stops’ Act to provide basic policing transparency, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams today urged Mayor Adams and detractors of the legislation to read the text of the bill, which runs counter to the claims made in opposition. “The bill which the mayor and others have spoken out against bears no resemblance to the bill we actually passed,” said Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “This may be the most flagrant misinformation campaign I have seen from any administration in my time in office, misleading both the public and the police. I urge both the mayor and the public to read the actual text of the bill, which should correct what are at best misconceptions and at worst lies, which, unlike this basic transparency bill, will undermine public safety.” In particular, the Public Advocate highlighted specific language from the bill excluding the kind of casual interactions with the public from reporting requirements, contrary to the bad-faith attacks on the legislation. The bill reads: “Investigative encounter. The term “investigative encounter” means an interaction between a member of the department and a member of the public for a law enforcement or investigative purpose. The term does not include a casual conversation or interaction between a member of the department and a member of the public unless such conversation or interaction is based on or, in the course of such conversation or interaction, an officer develops: an objective credible reason to approach; a founded suspicion that such member of the public has engaged in or will engage in criminal activity; a reasonable suspicion that such member of the public has committed, is committing, or is about to commit a crime; or a reasonable cause to believe that an offense is being or has been committed.” Additionally, the Public Advocate pointed to language from the NYPD patrol guide which  indicates that officers should already be logging some information on Level 1 and 2 stops related to Body-Worn-Camera recordings, contradicting the hyperbolic statements about this level of reporting. The guide reads:

Intro 586-A and the other component of the ‘How Many Stops’ Act passed the City Council with a veto-proof majority last month. The information documented. through this bill is critical to prevent the practices that led to the abuse of stop, question, and frisk prior to passage of the Community Safety Act in 2013. The Public Advocate has repeatedly responded to the administration’s misinformation about the bill and its impact, while emphasizing that the priority should be collaborating on implementing this essential legislation.

DiNapoli Urges New Yorkers to Spend Holiday Gift Cards

 

Over $27 Million in Unused Gift Cards Recovered by DiNapoli’s Office in 2023

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli is urging New Yorkers to keep track of the gift cards they received during the holidays. Unused gift card balances can be turned over to the Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds (OUF) after five years of inactivity. In 2023, the Office recovered over $27 million from gift cards. For this reason, everyone should check for unclaimed funds.

“Many people don’t realize that after 5 years, unused gift card balances are turned over to the Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds,” DiNapoli said. “Now is a great time to check for unclaimed funds and use those gift cards you received over the holidays to avoid possible inactivity fees or having the money turned over to my office.”

Statewide, New York City residents are owed the most in unclaimed funds stemming from gift cards, totaling nearly $40 million, followed by Long Island residents at $10.8 million and Hudson Valley residents at $7.4 million.

DiNapoli’s office returns an average of $1.5 million in unclaimed funds every day and works with retailers to identify the owners of unused gift cards. Retailers can provide OUF with a name if the person registers the gift card online, if they have been issued a refund, or if the card was purchased with an existing store account. If the owner’s information is not known to a New York retailer, it will report the card details, such as card number and balance, which can be used by the recipient to claim the balance. The Comptroller’s office also sends letters to newly reported owners of unclaimed funds.

DiNapoli reminds gift card recipients to read the fine print on the card for details about any fees and expiration dates, and to consider registering the card with the retailer.

DiNapoli’s office has more than $18.4 billion in unclaimed funds.

The Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Join Us Tomorrow For Our Emerging Professionals Mixer: Navigating Financial Literacy

 

Join The Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Councilmember Pierina Sanchez District 14, TD Banks, and the NYC Department of Small Business Services for an evening on financial literacy and tips on how you can make smart decisions to benefit your bottom line.

Reserve Your Spot - Click Here

MAYOR ADAMS, DC 37 LAUNCH COMPRESSED WORKWEEK PILOT FOR NEW YORK CITY EMPLOYEES WHO CANNOT WORK REMOTELY

 

New Option to Allow Agencies to Schedule Eligible Employees for Four-Day Workweeks as Long as Employees Still Work Same Number of Hours as Five-Day Workweek 

  

Flexible Work Is Critical Tool for Recruiting and Retaining Top Talent, Providing High-Quality Services for New Yorkers 

  

New Pilot Launches After Successful Rollout of Remote Work 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and District Council 37 (DC 37) Executive Director Henry Garrido today announced a new pilot program offering DC 37 members work flexibility as the Adams administration continues its efforts to support and retain top-level talent providing services to New Yorkers. The pilot was created in collaboration with the flexible work committee established in the DC 37 contract agreement, reached in February 2023 and ratified on March 31, 2023. Under this pilot program, New York City agencies can offer a four-day workweek — or a schedule of working four days one week and five days the next week — to DC 37-represented employees who cannot work remotely but can work a compressed workweek that still meets the operational needs of their agencies. Daily hours worked will be increased so employees still work the same number of total hours over a two-week period. 

  

“As we’re entering into a new era of work, I have always been clear that we must put equity at the heart of the discussion — and with this new compressed workweek pilot for those who do not have a remote work option, we are doing just that,” said Mayor Adams. “Now, city workers whose job responsibilities don’t allow them to work remotely will have the flexibility they deserve, all while ensuring that the best municipal workforce in the world can continue to deliver every day for New Yorkers. I’m grateful to Henry Garrido of DC 37 for his partnership, and we’re looking forward to seeing this pilot program begin.” 

  

“After successfully working together to launch a remote work pilot, I am pleased we and DC 37 were able to work collaboratively on another pilot that will offer potential flexibility opportunities to eligible DC 37 members who can't work remotely,” said New York City Office of Labor Relations Commissioner Renee Campion. “Thank you to Henry Garrido for his partnership, and the city and union representatives on the work flexibility committee for the work they put into this agreement.” 

  

“We have said all along that the world of work has changed. Our commitment during contract negotiations was to offer flexible arrangements for as many of our members as possible, the majority of whom are in positions that can’t be carried out remotely due to the nature of their work,” said DC 37 Executive Director Henry Garrido. “Immense credit goes to the Flexible Work Committee, who took time to listen and develop recommendations that respond to the demands of city workers’ varied job requirements.” 

 

Over 20,000 DC 37 employees are already working remotely as part of the remote work pilot program negotiated last year. This new pilot will allow agencies to potentially offer flexible work opportunities to the remaining DC 37 members who have roles where it is operationally not feasible to work remotely. The pilot will run through May 2025, with the option of renewing for an additional year. 

  

The Adams administration has made significant progress in reaching contract agreements with its unionized workforce and has included work flexibility pilots in many of those agreements. In two years, and less than a year after its first agreement with DC 37, the Adams administration has successfully negotiated contracts with unions representing approximately 93 percent of the city’s workforce and 100 percent of the city’s uniformed workforce — the quickest any mayoral administration has reached that milestone in modern city history. Other than with DC 37, contracts have been negotiated with the Police Benevolent Association, the United Federation of Teachers, the Uniformed Officers Coalition, Teamsters Local 237, Communications Workers of America Local 1180, the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, the Uniformed Sanitation Workers, and the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators. The Adams administration is currently in collective bargaining discussions with unions representing the city’s remaining unionized workforce. 

  

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE RESPONDS TO THE ADAMS ADMINISTRATION'S DEFENSE OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AND THE STATUS QUO ON RIKERS

 

"We are eager to review the federal monitor's input -- input we requested before passage of the bill. It appears that the separation strategy the monitor is reportedly requesting is exactly what Intro 549-A does. Our bill does not prevent separation into alternative restrictive housing, it prevents the harm of isolation through solitary confinement.

"The administration, which routinely undermines and ignores the federal monitor, cannot credibly use the monitor's condemnation of its long-standing failures and deceptions around running Rikers Island in order to condemn an effort to actually fix it. It is not our job to create laws that conform to failing systems, it is our job to create laws to change them, and if you want something different to happen, you have to do something different. The administration can no longer stand by a status quo that is indefensible and a practice that is unacceptable."

Governor Hochul Announces New Effort to Get More School Bus Drivers on the Road

 

DMV Adopts “Under the Hood” Exemption” for Commercial Driver License Road Test

Allows New Bus Drivers to Take Road Test Without Engine Compartment Portion

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a plan to remove barriers for prospective school bus drivers applying for a commercial driver license. At the Governor’s direction, the DMV has implemented a federal waiver that allows school bus driver applicants to skip the engine compartment component, also called the “under the hood” component of the commercial driver license road test. This waiver, secured through advocacy from Representative Joe Morelle, will make it easier to get a commercial license at a time when school bus drivers are desperately needed and is the latest in a series of actions directed by Governor Hochul to address the critical shortage of truck and bus drivers.

“The job of transporting and caring for our children is so important, and the need for more drivers throughout New York State is very real,” Governor Hochul said. “This simple change will encourage more New Yorkers to become school bus drivers – a chance for many to be a positive influence and help support our students, without sacrificing safety.”

DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “Bus drivers are such an important part of our school system. Not only do they have the incredible responsibility of getting our children to and from school safely, but they’re also often the first friendly face a student sees outside of their family as they begin their day. New York State values and appreciates our school bus drivers and hopes this step will help more people qualify to take these jobs and help shape the future of New York’s children.”

The "under the hood" exemption is allowed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to help States hire more bus drivers without sacrificing safety, as existing school bus inspection and maintenance standards continue to apply. During the road test, applicants are still required to perform the remaining elements of the Commercial Driver License (CDL) vehicle inspection skills test. This new CDL classification, which is set to expire November 27, 2024, will restrict licensees to driving only school buses and only in New York State.

The steps interested New Yorkers should take to get a School Bus Only CDL are as follows:

• First, you must have a New York State driver license (Class D, Class E, or Non-CDL C);
• Study the New York State Commercial Driver’s Manual;
• Apply for a commercial learner permit (CLP) at a DMV office. You must pass a written knowledge test to receive a CDL permit with the school bus and passenger endorsements;
• Schedule entry level driver training. Read the Entry Level Driver Training (ELDT) FAQ for more information;
• Prepare for your road test and practice with a supervising driver;
• Schedule your “Limited School Bus" road test (online or by calling the DMV Contact Center);
• Pass your “Limited School Bus” road test;
• Go to a DMV office to amend your license to reflect “S1” (school bus only) and “K” (intrastate only) restrictions. 

At the Governor’s direction, in 2022, the DMV launched a program authorizing third parties to conduct commercial road tests, which has significantly increased the capacity for these types of road tests statewide. There are currently 27 third-party entities conducting commercial driver license road tests throughout the State. In addition, through cooperation with county-operated DMV offices, the State also increased testing capacity for written commercial permit exams across the State.

Learn more about how to become a school bus driver. Read a step-by-step guide to get a CDL.