Co-op City Times 06/21/14

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Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community.

Board creates committee to start search for new management

© Copyright 2014 Co-op City Times

Vol. 49 No. 25

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Riverbay Board ratifies new labor agreements with Local 32BJ and Local 153 The new Riverbay Board of Directors in its first official business meeting of its 2014-2015 term unanimously ratified two new long-standing, recently negotiated collective bargaining agreements between Riverbay and the labor unions’ respective representation. These new contracts represent longterm agreements with the unions representing the majority of workers for Co-op City and should mean uninterrupted services for the residents for at least the next four years. The first contract unanimously approved and ratified by the Board provides a new four-year CBA between Riverbay and Local 32BJ of the SEIU which represents approximately 500 Co-op City workers, including porters, grounds workers, garage attendants, dispatchers and garbage collectors. Prior to the Board unanimously approving the new CBA Wednesday evening, the union membership overwhelmingly ratified the new four-year contract agreement on June 6th, just

BY BILL STUTTIG

hours after negotiations between Riverbay and union representatives successfully concluded. The second CBA unanimously approved by the Board Wednesday evening provides for a new five-year deal between Riverbay and the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 153 which represents fortyeight of office, secretarial and clerical workers in Co-op City. The previous contract between Local 153 and Riverbay expired on January 31, 2013 and the workers have been working under the terms of the old contract since then. The terms of this new CBA unanimously ratified by both Board and the union membership this week, will be in effect retroactive to February 1, 2013 and remain in effect through January 31, 2018, according to the Memorandum of Agreement signed this week by Local 153 leadership and Scott Trivella, Riverbay’s long-time lead labor attorney. Riverbay Board President Cleve (Continued on page 4)

Former Bingo Hall to be used as a community center for youth/young adults The Riverbay Board of Directors on Wednesday night approved a resolution to utilize the space at the former Bingo Hall on Bartow Avenue as a multi-purpose, not-for-profit youth/young adult community center. Emergency Resolution 14-36, which was introduced by Director Evelyn Turner and seconded by Riverbay’s

BY ROZAAN BOONE

Second Vice President Leah Graham and Director Andrea Leslie, states that whereas Co-op City is a community with over 6,000 young people under the age of 19, with little or no government sponsored after-school programs, there is a need for a state-of-the-art facility for the youth and young adults. (Continued on page 11)

Keeping their pledge to the community to act to change the Management of Co-op City, the newly-elected majority of the Riverbay Board of Directors took the first step by creating a threemember Ad Hoc Search Committee at

BY JIM ROBERTS

the regular Board meeting Wednesday night. At the June 18 meeting, the Board voted 11-2 with two members absent to establish an Ad-Hoc Committee with at (Continued on page 4)

New Board has approved appointment of an Ad Hoc Search Committee for a General Manager or Managing Agent for Co-op City. Photo by Elijah Bernard

SCRIE applications can ONLY be filed when there’s a new carrying charge increase Although the income limit for the city’s Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) increases from $29,000 to $50,000 or less beginning July 1, Co-op City residents cannot file for the exemption this year since they did not receive a carrying charge

BY ROZAAN BOONE

increase in 2014. The Riverbay Finance Department stressed this week that shareholders of the Riverbay Corporation who meet all of the criteria for the SCRIE exemption can only apply in the year that (Continued on page 2)

Two men arrested for assault and robbery near Building 18 lobby Co-op City detectives arrested two men late last week for their alleged involvement in an assault and robbery on another Co-op City man near the vestibule of Building 18 early in the morning of May 31st. According to the detectives, surveillance taken from the lobby cameras of Building 18 shortly after 2 a.m. on May 31 revealed images of the victim being approached by two of his attackers, at first being engaged in conversation and then assaulted as two other men joined

BY BILL STUTTIG

Former Bingo Hall space on Bartow Avenue has been approved by the Riverbay Board to be used as a youth/young adult community center. Photo by Bill Stuttig

25¢

the first two attackers and attempted to remove valuables from the victim by forcibly going into his pockets while striking him repeatedly around the face and head. The victim suffered injuries to his facial area, including a deep cut under his chin that bled heavily and required stitches, detectives said. Following the initial investigation of the crime, Public Safety detectives from the evening shift began reviewing video of the incident and managed to (Continued on page 2)


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