Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community. © Copyright 2011 Co-op City Times
Vol. 46 No. 21
Saturday, May 21, 2011
25¢
Rev. Calvin Owens emerges as the top vote getter in 2011 Board election BY BILL STUTTIG
Rev. Calvin E. Owens
Rev. Calvin E. Owens was the big winner in this year’s annual Riverbay Board election, placing first out of 13 candidates running for five seats on the 15-resident Riverbay Board of Directors. From the beginning of the election tally, it was clear Rev. Owens, the top vote getter with 2,403 votes, was going to win a seat in a race in which a number of candidates jockeyed back and forth before the final unofficial count was called. “I’m extremely grateful and want to thank everyone who voted for me to continue representing you on the Riverbay Board,” said Rev. Owens. “Now that the heat of the election is behind us, it’s time
Leah Graham
Tony Illis
to work in a positive manner to face the challenges ahead and do what’s best for Co-op City.” Owens, who will be heading back to the Board for a third consecutive threeyear term, received 130 votes more than his closest competitor, Leah Graham, who came in second with 2,273 votes in the unofficial tally taken Wednesday night after the polls in each building lobby closed at 9 p.m. “I am honored to have been elected as a Riverbay Board Director,” said Graham. “During my term, I will respectfully represent what is important to shareholders and in their best interest. Being elected was a team effort and I
Eleanor G. Bailey
would like to thank the Team for Change campaign, Harriet Tubman Independent Democratic Club, and most importantly, the shareholders who participated in this year’s election. I look forward to increase transparency, collaborating with Board Directors and advocating many issues on behalf of the shareholders in Co-op City.” Based on the results of the unofficial tally, Owens and Graham, each of whom were part of the two major opposing slates in this year’s election, will be joined by Tony Illis, Eleanor G. Bailey and Daryl Johnson in serving new three year terms on the Riverbay Board of Directors. After all the votes are re-canvassed and certified by the New York City Board of
Daryl Johnson
Elections on Thursday, May 26th, the top five vote getters will win the five available three year terms on the Board. Each of the five apparent winners belonged to one of the two major slates facing off against each other throughout this year’s election period which began with the official certification of the thirteen candidates on April 12th and ended with Wednesday’s election. Owens, the top vote getter, and Bailey, were members of the Progress in Motion slate; Graham, Illis and Johnson were members of the Team for Change slate. None of the independent candidates were successful in (Continued on page 2)
Extension of Riverbay’s Bookkeeping window hours continue BY ROZAAN BOONE Shareholders who work outside of the community and may need to utilize the Finance Department’s Bookkeeping window before leaving for work can continue to stop by at 8 a.m., one hour earlier than normal, during the two busiest days of the month. The Bookkeeping window, located in the Riverbay administrative reception area in the Bartow Community Center, 2049 Bartow Avenue, will continue to open at 8 a.m., instead of 9 a.m., on the two busiest days of the month for the Finance Department — the 10th of the month which is the last day for shareholders to pay their maintenance charges without the $50 late fee, and the last business day of the month when maintenance charges must be paid before legal action commences and a $200 legal fee is assessed. Riverbay’s Finance Director, Peter Merola, said: “We are happy to be able to provide the extra hour for the shareholders to remit their payments during the two busiest days of the month. This added service comes at no additional cost to the corporation’s shareholders because the Bookkeeping employees agreed to change
their work schedule to accommodate the extended hours.” The next extended-hour day for the Bookkeeping window is Tuesday, May 31. In June, the Bookkeeping window will be open for extended hours on Friday, June 10 and Thursday, June 30. In July, extended hours will take place on Monday, July 11 and Friday, July 29; followed by Wednesday, August 10 and Wednesday, August 31, and Monday, Sept. 12 and Friday, Sept. 30. Extended hours have also been scheduled for Monday, Oct. 10 and Monday, Oct. 31. Primarily, shareholders pay their monthly carrying charges by placing their payments in one of the three drop boxes located in each community center, but some also pay at the bookkeeping window. Prior to the extended hours being implemented, shareholders waited in the reception area for the window to open at 9 a.m., usually resulting in a crowded waiting room and sometimes with the line stretching out into the corridor. Many shareholders, including seniors and those who are disabled, have been (Continued on page 5)
Welcome back to an old friend… Carol Felton, better known by many as D.J Carol, was honored on Thursday by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and Deputy Borough President Aurelia Greene (right) for her decades of providing great music for Bronx senior events. Carol, who has provided the music for hundreds of parties staged in Co-op City over the decades, was making her first public appearance in more than a year as she recovers from an illness. The Borough President fittingly chose his Sock Hop for Bronx seniors presented in Dreiser Center as the occasion to welcome Carol back. The Dreiser Retirees also presented Carol with a bouquet of roses. The staff of DJ Carol Productions, Inc., including her daughter, continues to provide great music for events throughout the area while Carol continues her work towards a full recovery. Photo by Bill Stuttig