Roosevelt Islander Online: Roosevelt Island NY Public Library Technology Enhancements Among Projects On NYC Council Member Julie Menin’s District 5 Participatory Budget Funding Ballot

Roosevelt Islander Online: Roosevelt Island NY Public Library Technology Enhancements Among Projects On NYC Council Member Julie Menin’s District 5 Participatory Budget Funding Ballot

As reported last January 18, according to Roosevelt Island’s NYC Council Member Julie Menin:

…I’m very excited as we begin this Participatory Budgeting cycle.
Participatory budgeting is a great way to get the pulse of the community and
formulate the best use of city dollars. Participatory Budgeting shows the
power and importance of this grassroots fueled process and I look forward to
engaging the community…. Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget.

It’s now time for residents of Ms Menin’s NYC Council District 5 to vote on projects to be funded through Participatory Budgeting.

Earlier today, staff members from
Ms Menin’s office
joined with
Roosevelt Island NYPL
branch manager Carlos Chavez to let the Roosevelt Island community know that participatory budget voting has begun and that all
residents 11 years and older can pick up a ballot and vote in person at the
Roosevelt Island library or
vote online through through April 10.

Among the items on the District 5 ballot are funding for technology
enhancements to the Roosevelt Island NYPL branch (Item #9).

According to this March 29 Press Release from
Julie Menin’s office:

In January 2022, Council Member Julie Menin announced that her office was
allocating one million dollars of capital funding to continue participatory
budgeting for the residents of New York City Council District 5.
Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a democratic process in which community
members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. Over 40
project proposals were submitted and vetted by City agencies to ensure
compliance and feasibility. Ballot items must be a physical infrastructure
project that benefits the public and on City-owned property, have an
estimated cost of at least $50,000 but not more than $550,000, and have a
lifespan of at least 5 years.

 

Council Member Julie Menin is pleased to announce a list of 9 items—each
ranging in cost from $64,000 to $550,000—that will be put for a vote
between April 2 through April 10. The projects with the most votes up
until $1 million has been accounted for will be funded.

 

The ballot is as follows:

Participatory Budgeting Vote Week will kick off on Saturday, April 2, and
run until Sunday, April 10. This year, residents age 11 and older of Council
District 5 (Yorkville, Lenox Hill, Carnegie Hill, Roosevelt Island, Midtown
East, Sutton Place, and El Barrio in East Harlem) will be able to vote
online at
https://www.participate.nyc.gov/processes/ccdistrict5. For more details or to request a paper ballot, please contact the Office
of Council Member Julie Menin at 212-860-1950 or email
[email protected]. 

Winning projects will be announced in late April and included in the City’s
budget at adoption in June 2022.  

“I have been a longtime proponent of Participatory Budgeting since I’ve
served on the Board of Citizens Union. Civil engagement is so important to
improve our district, because we can ensure that our community has a voice
in these important budgeting decisions. As we continue through this process
of the Participatory Budget, filling out a ballot is an integral part of
civic engagement and impacting your community,” said Council Member Julie
Menin.  

“We would love community support for our schoolyard surface rehab. The old,
degraded mats no longer drain well, and have become a hazard. The residue
coats our sports equipment and the hands of our students in a black, oily
patina. The slick and buckled surface limits school activities and is unsafe
for any use by our co-located special needs school, PS138,” said David Getz,
the Principal of East Side Middle School.  

“Civic engagement is vital to the success of our communities and deeply
rooted in the mission of The New York Public Library, which provides
resources and services for all New Yorkers,” said Sumie Ota, The New York
Public Library’s Associate Director for the East Manhattan Neighborhood
Library Network. “We are grateful to be considered for this important
funding to upgrade technology at Roosevelt Island, Webster, and 67th Street
libraries. Thank you to Council Member Menin and the residents of the Upper
East Side and Roosevelt Island for recognizing your local libraries as a
community partner worthy of such support.”

More info on
Participatory Budget voting here.



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