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New Human Resources Director excited by current and future “opportunities”
Elevators pass city safety inspections, return to service
© Copyright 2015 Co-op City Times
Vol. 50 No. 45
Saturday, November 7, 2015
BY BILL STUTTIG
you will really go for it; you will strateInelle T. M. Cooper, Riverbay’s new gize how to get to a positive end when Human Resources Director, said she you say ‘opportunity’ as opposed to sayprefers not to use the word “problem” – ing ‘problem’.” not on the job and not in And based on her initial life – but to use “improveexperiences with the empment opportunities.” loyees and residents of The recently hired HuCo-op City during this first man Resources Director week, Ms. Cooper said she said in an interview with sees nothing but opportunithe Co-op City Times durties. “I am excited about ing her first week on the this opportunity and what excites me the most is job: “My language is differthat this is good soil in ent because I don’t like to this community,” she said. use the word ‘problem’. I “There are lots of opportubelieve the words that we Inelle T. M. Cooper nities to plant good seeds use create our experiences, and see fabulous things grow both so I like to call them ‘opportunities’ instead. I believe that when you think (Continued on page 2) of circumstances as opportunities, then
One of two major shutdowns at power plant to tie-in new boiler BY ROZAAN BOONE
Last night, the first of two major shutdowns took place campus-wide as the steam systems were turned off to allow the power plant contractor to install new feed water connections for the recently delivered 150-ton new high pressure boiler that was custom manufactured for Co-op City by Victory Energy in Oklahoma. The shutdown began at 11 p.m. last night and was completed at approximately 7 a.m. this morning, Saturday, Nov. 7. Bill May, Riverbay’s power plant executive, said: “The reason for the outage is to secure the plant while several important high energy piping tie-ins and piping adjustments are made to accommodate the new high pressure boiler that was just received and is being installed. The importance of the outage at this point is to take advantage of the nice weather and avoid scheduling the outage during winter weather.”
Riverbay’s Power Plant Director Brian Reardon reported that the decision was made to do this first of two scheduled major shutdowns required to tie-in the new boiler now because of the warmer than expected temperatures forecasted for Friday into Saturday. “In addition to minimizing inconvenience to the shareholders and business owners of Co-op City, we also had to take into consideration the effect of the shutdown on the school complex,” said Reardon. “With the winter coming on fast, it is in Riverbay’s best interest that we complete these shutdowns before the winter is in full force.” Reardon explained that during the overnight hours and into this morning, Boilermatic, the boiler contractor, conducted work on the main feed water header which is the main pipe that comes from the DA storage tanks and (Continued on page 4)
RIVERBAY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON VETERANS’ DAY, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11th, AS WE HONOR OUR VETERANS. EMERGENCY SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE.
BY JIM ROBERTS
Elevators in four building are back in operation after New York City safety inspectors deemed them safe to operate at slightly reduced speeds. The four buildings - Building 10B, 29A, 28B and 22A – have complete elevator service restored following extended disruptions due to concerns about excessive vibrations occurring in one elevator in each building. The elevators will have their speeds reduced from 350 feet per minute to 275 feet per minute and operate under a 120-day temporary permit issued by the New York City Department of Buildings. “The elevators themselves are safe, it’s the quality of the ride that is at issue,” said Joe Boiko, Riverbay’s Director of Elevator Services and Special Projects. “Even though they are a brand new machine, they continue to have excessive vibrations and that should not be. We are meeting with consultants and coming up with plans to replace these machines as needed. Riverbay will not hesitate to take any legal action as may be necessary against the previous company once again.” An additional elevator in Building 28A was approved by city inspectors and returned to normal service with no restrictions yesterday morning, Nov. 6. One elevator in Building 30A was shutdown by city inspectors this week because of excessive vibration. The elevator company, TKE, has acknowledged a new machine is necessary, but has none in stock right now, and cus-
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tom building a replacement will take several weeks, Boiko said. Problems surfaced with the machinery that was replaced during the modernization of the community’s elevators by the previous elevator contractor, MAINCO, whose parent company is ThyssenKrupp Elevators (TKE). Early last year, Riverbay took legal action against TKE in Bronx Supreme Court regarding TKE’s failure to honor 25-year warranties on the machine they installed, which they claimed was equal to what Riverbay had in its bid specifications. However, when some of the TKE-installed machines began to vibrate and fail, TKE refused to honor that warranty. Last year’s court settlement resulted in TKE having to replace the machines as needed with a standard one-year warranty on the replaced machinery. As TKE proceeded to replace the failing machines, those replaced machines failed inspection by the New York City Buildings Department inspectors, citing excessive vibration in the cars. Riverbay is now working with its own consultants and TKE and to review the issues involved and seek a permanent solution. “We are working aggressively and as quickly as we can to make repairs and modifications, including replacing the elevators and the machines, but it’s a long process,” Boiko said. “We feel the cooperators’ frustrations and anger, and are equally frustrated and angry and are working hard to resolve all these issues.”
Co-op City launches social media presence Corporation that enhance the quality of life of our shareholders,” said Noel Co-op City has segued into the 21st Ellison, Riverbay’s interim General century with the launch of its social media Manager. “Now that the Riverbay presence, thanks to Riverbay’s new Corporation and Communications Manager, Zandra Co-op City have Kubota. a more distinct Two weeks ago, the Co-op City and organized Times announced that “Co-op City – presence on Riverbay Corporation” was now on social media, we Twitter and Instagram at https:// will be better instagram.com/co.op.city/ and https:/ able to efficiently twitter. com/Co-opcity. Last week, the communicate community’s official Co-op City – with cooperators, Riverbay Corporation Facebook page and to issue alerts was activated as well. and notifications Simultaneously, work is being that could have completed by Riverbay’s website an impact on contractor and it is anticipated that a their daily schednew, more comprehensive official Zandra Kubota ules in a more Riverbay Corporation website will go timely manner so as to minimize inconlive later this month. venience. “We are always excited when we can add new features to the portfolio of (Continued on page 4) services offered by the Riverbay BY ROZAAN BOONE