CB1 refuses to move meetings from the offices of the BPCA

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April 24, 2012, By Steven Greer, MD

Community Board 1 Chairperson Julie Menin spoke with me today. We inquired about the status of the BPC community board divisions, and whether Linda Belfer would be returning. She has been ill. Her status and estimated date of return are still unknown.

I also raised the concern that by holding the CB meetings in the same offices of the BPCA major conflicts of interest are created. Recall, many in the community are calling for major organizational changes at the BPCA, including possibly having the city take over the BPCA. Ms. Menin said that she would handle this problem today and immediately instruct the CB meetings to be held at the CB1 offices on Chambers Street.

Update: May 1, 2012

Community Board 1 Chairperson Julie Menin spoke with the temporary leader of the board, Jeff Galloway, about moving the meetings away from the offices of the BPCA to avoid conflicts of interests. Many issues discussed at the CB1 meetings deal with complaints about the management of the BPCA, and the chilling effect of hosting those meetings in the audio-recorded board room of the BPCA are obvious. However, Ms. Menin received pushback from Mr. Galloway who raised numerous hypothetical problems with moving the meetings to a new venue.

One issue Mr. Galloway raised was that the handicapped status of board leader Linda Belfer was the reason the meetings are held at the BPCA offices. When we explained that numerous venues exist within BPC, where Ms. Belfer and her scooter have easily accessed them before, the spokesman for the CB1 did not disagree. He said that the issue will be discussed tonight at the CB1 meeting, still to be held at the same WFC location, offices of the BPCA.