Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community. © Copyright 2017 Co-op City Times
Vol. 52 No. 4
Saturday, January 28, 2017
25¢
250 Co-op City residents join millions in marching against new administration’s policies BY BILL STUTTIG
More than two hours before sunrise, approximately 250 Co-op City residents ranging in age from seniors to teenagers and younger braved an early morning chill and boarded buses parked outside each of Co-op City’s three shopping centers for a five-hour ride to the nation’s capital to take part in the Women’s March on Washington. The march was held to protest against the new Donald Trump presidential administration’s stated intentions regarding women rights and much, much more. Riverbay President Linda Berk, the driving force behind Co-op City’s participation in the Women’s March on Washington said this week: “It was so
Protestor holds one of the many signs supporting the rights of all women regardless of race, religion or sexual preference. Photo by Shirley Saunders
Many of the 250 Co-op City residents who boarded buses the left from all three community centers early Saturday morning gathered for a group photo while taking part in last Saturday’s historic Women March on Washington, D.C. The Co-op City marchers were joined by millions of others in cities throughout the nation and the world protesting the stated intentions of the recently inaugurated President Donald Trump. Photo by Leandra Peters
heartwarming to see so many people from so many different walks of life gathered together in Washington to speak out on the concerns of all Americans. Every participant on my bus was overwhelmingly thankful that Riverbay made it possible for them to participate in the historic Women’s March on Washington. “The Board leadership, together with our coalition partners — over 2 dozen organizations — and our Riverbay staff successfully helped to organize a Co-op City contingent that filled five buses to join the historic January 21, 2017 one million strong Women’s March in Washington, DC, in addition to the over two million who marched in cities across our nation and the world.
CCPD and NYPD seeking information about shots fired near Building 27 Sunday morning Co-op City’s Public Safety Detective Unit, together with investigators from the NYPD, are seeking the community’s help in the investigation into who was responsible for a confirmed report of several shots fired outside of Building 27 last Sunday, January 22nd, at approximately 4 a.m. Several residents in the area called into Public Safety early last Sunday morning to report hearing the shots. Chief Frank Apollo said that the reports of shots fired were quickly confirmed as investigators uncovered several shell casings in the area. It is believed that no one was hit by any of the shots and no gunshot wounds have been reported by area hospitals and medical facilities. In an attempt to quell any potential follow-up or retaliatory violence, CCPD and the NYPD are asking that residents who have information about the shooting, the reason behind it, and who might be responsible to call Public Safety at (718) 879-6311 or go online at www.ccpd.us to leave a tip. All information provided can and will remain anonymous upon the wishes of the tipster. —Bill Stuttig
“On Saturday, we voiced our community’s moral consciousness and demands — Forward Ever, Backward Never — protect and defend all our hard-earned gains: women’s health and
reproductive rights, civil rights, voter rights, labor rights, Obamacare, Social Security, Medicare, public education, (Continued on page 3)
Annual Budget Analysis In Progress Every two years, Janthat we review the effiuary and February be- President’s Message ciency of how we do busicome very critical time ness. Cost overruns and for Riverbay Manageunnecessary expenses are President ment and the Board of common when a company Directors as manageis not proficient. Riverbay ment proposes their budget management is reviewing and the Board reviews for operations department by approval. As a residential department to improve our board, it is important that we efficiencies and productivity. I take our time and review the can tell you from personal process carefully. experience that we have a lot of work to do to reach a level There are so many issues of excellence, the only acceptto consider and decisions that able quality of work. However, need to be made. In the end, the process of analysis has it is important that we balance between expenses and income. begun, first by our Internal Auditor who has made excellent observations, and Most of Riverbay’s expenses are nondiscretionary, which means we do not secondly by management. have a choice in changing. Non-discreIt is my opinion that we need to tionary expenses are items such as look at income with equal or more energy, insurance, salaries, cost and scrutiny because this is where we can expenses of meeting regulations and find quicker sums of money than cost requirements (Local Law 11, ADA savings, which require observations, compliance, etc.). Riverbay as a housanalysis and implementation. To begin ing company has the main responsibilwith, the business of property manageity of providing services to shareholders. ment is most importantly collecting Therefore, as we look to cut rent. When an apartment is vacant for expenses, we most likely are looking to more than 90 days, we cannot collect cut services, the exception would be carrying charges for that unit. where we can become more efficient. In reviewing our expenses, it is important (Continued on page 2)
Linda Berk