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November 4, 2013- By Steven E. Greer
BatteryPark.TV previously reported that Bob Townley was making a play for the Stuyvesant community center, possibly as a way to angle his way in to getting back the large grants from the BPCA that recently were cut off. Recall, his Manhattan Youth was receiving at least $250,000 a year in free money from the BPCA even though his community center is in Tribeca, not BPC.
In the top video at the 1:40 mark, watch Mr. Townley claim, “I can tell you that Manhattan Youth serves more people in Battery Park City than any other organization.”. Of course, that is an absurd statement.
Mr. Townley deserves credit for at least being honest. At the 40-second mark, he states, “I didn’t know that the BPCA even gave out money. For 20 years I am working down here, and then all of a sudden, they are giving money out to people, so I showed them my demographics (and got the free handout).”.
Bob Townely should not be on the Community Board. His monopoly over after school programs is unfair to smaller organizations trying to give to the community. The fact that he has a part in the decisions of CB1 is an atrocity.
How do others feel about Tom’s comments above? Post your views.
Editor
First of all, “serving the community” implies he is doing this for free, which is not the case. With regard to after-school programs, the parents pay MY/DCC for them and NYC also pays him per student enrolled in his after-school programs. Townley runs a business, he has customers.
By regulation, any member with a potential financial stake based on the results of a given vote must recuse themselves from that item.
To Anne:
Good point. For Townley to say that he “serves BPC” is like Gristedes saying they “serve” BPC and expecting to be thanked and praised for selling us bad overpriced food.
Mariama:
Additionally, Bob Townley should not be allowed to serve on the CB1 youth and sports subcommittee and he financially profits from both Youth and Sports Activities. Has anyone ever brought that up?
It’s time to end the after school monopoly. When I tried to enroll my son in the after school program, I was told, “We don’t do childcare, we do classes.”
It’s clearly a business for him, and there is no service to the community. The prices charged for the most basic of after school care is outrageous.
We’ve been over served. The $750,000 shocker sobered everybody up.
Bob Townley refused to give my disabled child a financial discount for swimming lessons and after-school programs despite the fact that we were in documented financial straits. He is interested in squeezing out every penny he can get from his wealthy neighbors. Do not be fooled by this man’s agenda which is not about community.
Editor, exactly on point with the comparison to Gristedes. This is precisely the problem with Manhattan Youth: Second rate instruction and second rate instructors operating under a monopoly. And what does Bob Townley say? ” We serve more people in BPC than any other organization.”
Yeah, that’s the problem, Bob.
Clarification: My child could not attend the after-school program every afternoon because of a weekly therapy schedule. We asked to be part of classes once or twice a week at a reduced rate and were told “No” and that we could only receive financial aid if we chose 5 days per week. I can only assume that is because the 5 day per week program is funded and requires full attendance, something that was impossible for us. There was absolutely no leeway given considering our child’s real, medical and financial circumstances. I do not believe that this man should serve on the Community Board. There are too may conflicts of interest and he has proven himself to be greedy, not community-minded.
Bob Townely has been pulling the wool over the eyes of our communities for too long. Why should he be the only one allowed to advertise within the schools. He is not working for the schools but many of them will only allow him to set up tables in the entry as he has at PS 89 or be the only one to be able to put his flyers up in the schools as at the Spruce school. Then to also be on CB1 where he and his cronies continue to make decisions that only benefit Manhattan Youth and more importantly Bob Townely. How did he get to stay on the board for so long. I went to one where he and the head of the committee. Peter somebody. sat and ate nuts from a single bag and joked together when people were presenting their views. It does not matter to them since they will only do what is good for them. He is disgusting