Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community.
Seniors have their say at town hall presented in partnership with the Mayor’s office
© Copyright 2016 Co-op City Times
Vol. 51 No. 10
BY BILL STUTTIG
All aspects of senior life in Co-op City, from shopping to transportation to security to affordability and everything in between, were covered during an hour-long town hall meeting Wednesday morning jointly held by the Office of the Mayor, the New York City Council, and the New York Academy of Medicine. Presented under a new city-initiative
Saturday, March 5, 2016
called Age-Friendly Neighborhoods, the town hall meeting offered seniors the chance to discuss all things Co-op City. It was presented in the Bartow Community Center in association with JASA and Riverbay. Caitlin Smith of the Center for Health Policy and Programs of the New (Continued on page 4)
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Riverbay to begin online payment of carrying charges next month BY ROZAAN BOONE
Riverbay Corporation has contracted with PayLease and will begin accepting electronic, paperless payment of monthly carrying charges next month, April 1, in a continued effort to make it easier and more convenient for Co-op City shareholders to conduct business with the housing corporation. Riverbay Board President Cleve Taylor, who has been working with the Riverbay Board to bring the corporation up-to-date in how it conducts business in order to maximize savings for shareholders, said this week: “I’m sure many of our cooperators would agree with me when I say the use of electronic payment systems have long been overdue here in Co-op City. This is another major step forward as we continue our efforts to modernize our corporation and conduct
business in the most cost effective and efficient manner. I would like to thank the Riverbay Board of Directors for helping me to bring Co-op City into the 21st century and I hope our innovation is met with good favor among our cooperators.” The electronic payment option will be added in the coming weeks to the “Home” page of the Riverbay website, www.riverbaycorp.com, and by clicking on the “Pay Online” button, shareholders of record will be able to register for a “new” account which will require their Riverbay account number. Once shareholders have set up and registered their PayLease account, they will then be in a position to process a one-time credit card or Automated (Continued on page 2)
STAR deadline for the 2016/2017 tax year is March 15 BY ROZAAN BOONE Caitlin Smith of the Center for Health Policy and Programs of the New York Academy of Medicine spoke to approximately 100 Co-op City seniors on a variety of important topics affecting the senior population here. Photo by Bill Stuttig
Riverbay Board of Directors Election
The Riverbay Board election petition period is scheduled to begin on Monday, March 21. The annual shareholders’ meeting is to be held on Wednesday, May 18, 2016.
Suspected drunk driver sideswipes parked car with a family inside BY BILL STUTTIG
Public Safety officers detained and arrested a man on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident after the officers observed the vehicle he was driving sideswipe another car that was parked on Hutchinson River Parkway East in front of Building 30A Sunday evening. According to the Public Safety report on the incident, the parked car that was struck was occupied by a family, two adults and a child, at the time of impact. Each of the family members complained of injuries and was taken to Jacobi Medical Center for treatment and further evaluation. According to the report, the driver was questioned by Public Safety offi-
cers who stated in the report that they could smell alcohol. The officers also reported that the driver, a Section 5 resident, admitted to drinking alcohol before he began operating his vehicle. The reporting officer also stated that the same driver is suspected of rearending another vehicle on I-95 moments before and leaving the scene of that accident by taking the exit into Section 5 and then sideswiping the occupied parked car just a few seconds later. Public Safety officers arrested and transported the suspect to the 45th Precinct where he was officially administered a breathalyzer test by an NYPD Highway Patrol Officer, further questioned and then processed.
All Co-op City shareholders are eligible for the New York State School Tax Relief (STAR) Property Tax Exemption, but it is not an automatic exemption; it must be filed for. There are two types of STAR exemptions. Basic STAR is available to any owner of a house, cooperative apartment, condominium or other property as long as at least one owner lives in or
uses the property as their primary residence. Married couples owning more than one property can only have STAR on one property unless they are divorced or legally separated and can provide documentation to support their claim. There is no age limit to receive Basic STAR, however, the combined household income of the owner(s) must be (Continued on page 3)
Bronx Clergy Task Force hosts Interfaith Breakfast in Co-op City
The new Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark addresses the nearly 400 faith leaders who came to Co-op City for the Interfaith Breakfast Thursday morning as the event’s host, Bishop Angel Rosario of the Bronx Clergy Task Force looks on. See page 11 for article. Photo by Bill Stuttig