Friday, August 4, 2017

2800 Bruckner Boulevard What's Happening



  State Senator Jeff Klein called a press conference in front of 2800 Bruckner Boulevard to try to let the community know what was happening at this large three story building. However did this event turn out to be a photo op for the candidates running for the 13th city council district, as you can see five of the six candidates in the photo above. 
  Tenants of 2800 Bruckner Boulevard have been told that they have to leave by September first by Stewart Developers (the new owners) who has said the building is going to be used for other uses, but only rumors fly as beds and other apartment furniture has been delivered to the site. Several former tenants have already left the building including the office of Congressman Joe Crowley. Councilman Jimmy Vacca and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto said that there have been no city or state permits issued or requested for the site, and that the site can not house people according to the Certificate of Occupancy. 
   People living around the building have been told a wellness center for autistic children, a detox center, an Islamic Center, and other rumors about what may replace the empty suites since the building was sold. This was to let those tenants left in the building, and neighbors that the elected officials are looking out for them.


Above and Below - Councilman Jimmy Vacca and Assemblyman Michael Benedetto assure the community that no permits have been requested, nor have any been issued to 2800 Bruckner Blvd. They also urged remaining tenants not to leave. 




Above - Assemblyman (and candidate for the 13th City Council district) Mark Gjonaj speaks to the worried neighbors.
Below - Community Board 10 First- Vice-Chair John Marano also assures that nothing has come to the community board about the building.



Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Comptroller Stringer: DOE Paying Out Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars on Leadership Coaching Without Required Evidence It Happened


98% of sampled payments lacked basic proof that services were provided
Lack of quality controls in $100 million in contracts expose the DOE to waste, fraud, and abuse
  In an alarming new investigation of the New York City Department of Education, Comptroller Scott M. Stringer has found that 98 percent of the New York City Department of Education’s (DOE’s) sampled payments to the New York City Leadership Academy (NYCLA) for teacher and principal “coaching” wasn’t supported by required documentation.
NYCLA, which provides professional development to educators citywide, charges DOE by the hour. To ensure that bills reflect services that were actually provided, the organization should maintain contemporaneous time records to support its tens of millions of dollars in billing. Yet, in a sample of roughly $500,000 in payments made to NYCLA by the DOE, the agency paid out over $385,000 without required evidence of the times and hours when the services were rendered. The lack of that basic information about the services billed for puts the City at risk of waste, fraud, and abuse.
“When it comes to our kids and their educators, every penny counts. Every child deserves a great classroom, and their teachers and principals deserve great professional development. But it’s the DOE’s job to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently – and that’s just not happening. If the DOE can’t be sure whether or when the professional coaching even happened, how do we know it was effective?” New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer said. “This investigation is about delivering basic accountability, about preventing waste, fraud, and abuse. That’s why we’ve called for City Council hearings — since this agency plays by a different set of rules than everyone else. We’re going to keep making noise, because this is about our kids, our teachers, and our principals. They deserve better.”
Between July 2008 and July 2014, the DOE entered into three contracts with the New York City Leadership Academy — a non-profit vendor that coaches teachers, assistant principals, and principals — to purchase training and professional development services. The three contracts were not to exceed a total of $101.4 million. One of the contracts — for up to $41 million — remains active today.
Auditors reviewed $559,667 in DOE’s spending on the NYCLA contracts from 2016, which included $394,007 for “leadership coaching” services and $165,660 for miscellaneous expenses. They found:
Payments Made Without Evidence Services Were Provided – Disregarding the safeguards in its own contracts and procurement rules, DOE spent $385,612 on leadership coaches — 98% of that type of spending — without obtaining records detailing the hours and dates the coaches worked.
Lack of Progress Reports and Contract Violations – The DOE did not request or receive any progress reports from the vendor, despite its contractual right to require them quarterly. Staff from the DOE did not meet with the New York City Leadership Academy monthly, even though the contract required monthly oversight meetings.
Taken together, these failings point to a broken procurement system that allows the DOE to spend freely, with inadequate oversight. The Comptroller’s Office has previously raised concerns about how the DOE contracts and spends differently from other agencies.
In today’s audit the Comptroller’s Office made a series of recommendations, including that the DOE:
  • Ensure that NYCLA maintains and submits contemporaneous time records — as required by the contract — to properly support payments;
  • Determine whether sufficient supporting documents exist for the $385,612 in spending that was flagged in this audit, and recoup any payments for services the DOE is not able to verify;
  • Require the New York City Leadership Academy to provide progress reports, as outlined in the contract; and
  • Hold oversight meetings with Leadership Academy monthly, as called for in the contract.
To read a copy of the audit, click here.

49th Precinct National Night Out



  The commanding officer of the 49th Precinct Captain Alps welcomes the large crowd to the 49th Precinct National Night Out. This had been held in previous years on the northern island of Pelham Parkway but was moved to Bronx Park East at Boston Road and Lydig Avenue. As usual everyone had a good time, and the candidates for the 13th Council District seat were also on hand. 



Above - State Senator Jeff Klein told those in attendance the wonderful job that the NYPD does, and that the officers try their hardest to keep the neighborhood safe.
Below - Senator Klein brought up his SUV (Stamp oUt Violence crew) that has been going around the district talking to those who are bent on violence to try to change their minds as they have changed,




Above - Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark was in hand to add to the hard work that the NYPD does.
Below - Councilman Ritchie Torres was in the house.




Above - Councilman Andy King joined Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj and Senator Klein.
Below - Assemblyman Gjonaj gave out his trademarked Yellow whistles while the ice cream give away reminded me of a past council race.




Above - 13th City Council Candidate Marjorie Velazquez was on hand also, as were candidates John Doyle and Egidio Sementilli.
Below - A proud dad with his two daughters, and not a candidate for the 13th city council.


Bronx Chamber of Commerce invites you to join us for our SummerFest MEET UP Membership Networking Mixer and Food Tasting


BBQ Event for Gjonaj


MAYOR DE BLASIO, COMMISSIONER O’NEILL AND CHANCELLOR FARIÑA ANNOUNCE SAFEST SCHOOL YEAR ON RECORD


18 percent decline in major crime in schools since 2014-15 school year

  Mayor Bill de Blasio, Police Commissioner James O’Neill and Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced that the 2016-17 school year was the safest school year on record, with an 18 percent decrease in major crime since the 2014-15 school year. The NYPD also shared safety data showing that the number of school-based arrests and summons in schools has continued to decrease.

“All students need a safe and supportive learning environment to succeed in the classroom and make a positive impact in the community. Thanks to the hard work of the NYPD and the Department of Education, families can rest assured that our school buildings are safe places,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The impacts of our investments in school climate and mental health programs are clear: crime is at an all-time low and graduation is at an all-time high.”

As a result of strengthened collaboration between the NYPD and the NYC Department of Education, this administration’s school climate reforms have improved safety in schools while using school discipline programs that are fairer and more effective. There has been a large decline in schools designated by the State Education Department as "persistently dangerous." When comparing the 2015 to 2017 school year, only two NYC public schools retaining that designation down from 27.

This data demonstrates an 8 percent decrease in school-related arrests and a 11 percent decrease in the number of summonses issued by the School Safety Division during the 2016-17 school year compared to the 2015-2016 school year.

"This school year set a new record in safety. We are proud of the joint efforts between the Department of Education and the New York City Police Department, in keeping our young people safe," said Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill. "The work that is evident in our schools today is also being realized across this City with significant reductions in crime and violence." 

“Our schools are the safest they’ve ever been and the continued decrease in crime, school-related arrests and summonses shows that our investments in proactive and positive school discipline interventions are making a significant impact,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña.

“Ensuring students and staff are safe always comes first and our work to build on this progress and promote inclusive learning environments is ongoing – we are increasing training and providing schools with resources to hold students accountable while still getting at the underlying cause of conflicts.”

As part of the administration’s commitment to providing a safe, supportive, inclusive and equitable learning environment in every school building, the City is investing $47 million annually to support the expansion of school climate resources and mental health programs. This includes additional training on restorative practices, de-escalation techniques and crisis intervention procedures.

The NYPD and DOE continue to work in close partnership to ensure the safety of students, staff and families, and have focused on referring more minor incidents to school administrators in lieu of criminal justice responses. By holding youth accountable and implementing school-based interventions, the City is minimizing their court involvement and giving students resources and opportunities to stay on the path toward college and careers.  


EDITOR'S NOTE:

Why is this school crime not included in the precinct Com Stat reports where it happens?

CONGRESSMAN ADRIANO ESPAILLAT STATEMENT ON REPUBLICAN PROPOSED RAISE ACT


  Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) released the following statement in response to the Raise Act, proposed earlier today by Republican Senators Tom Cotton (AR) and David Perdue (GA).

“The anti-immigration bill introduced earlier today by Donald Trump and Republican Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue essentially targets immigrants not only by their race but based on their ability to pay,” said Rep. Adriano Espaillat. “America is the land of opportunity, not based on a person’s wealth or some preconceived notion of their ability to achieve.

“This is the same hateful, profiling and divisive rhetoric we have witnessed repeatedly from Donald Trump since his taking office – no surprise here, but shame on Senator Cotton of Arkansas and Senator David Perdue of Georgia and relative of Perdue Farms, whose respective states rely heavily on an immigrant workforce that drives their state agriculture industry accounting for billions to their state economies on an annual basis.

“In a report previously released by the USDA, more than 70 percent of America’s farm workers are foreign-born and half of those individuals are undocumented. The parameters that would be established by this senseless piece of legislation would block immigrant farm laborers, low-income immigrants, as well as immigrants with family members in the United States, from a legal pathway to citizenship.

“The Raise Act is not the RIGHT answer, and I implore my Republican colleagues to work with Democrats once and for all to find better solutions to address immigration in our country.”   

50th Precinct National Night Out



   Deputy Inspector O'Toole is with Assemblyman Jeffery Dinowitz, and State Senator Jeff Klein. Councilman Fernando Cabrera, one of his primary opponents Randy Abreau, and lots of people filled West 234th Street where the 50th Precinct held their National Night Out. Photos are below.


Above - Former Councilwoman June Eisland os with Councilman Andrew Cohen, as they stand in front of the NYCEPA table. 
Below - Two new members of Community Board 8 Myra Joyce and Eric Dinowitz are with CB 8 members Karen Pesce, Joe O.Brien, and Marvin Goodman who is on the phone calling people to come to the event.




Above - Those hard working folks at KRVC were on hand with lots of information and goodies for the kids.
Below - Captain Molina of the 50th Precinct Auxiliary police was looking for involved community residents to join the 50th Precinct Auxiliary force.




Above - Staff from the nearby Burger King gave out toys that come in their children's meals, and yes that is traffic from the Major Deegan Highway which you can see is bumper to bumper at 5 PM.
Below - There was a live band on this side while a DJ was at the other side of this event.