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District 45 Participatory Budgeting volunteers met beginning last fall to discuss local priorities and suggest capital projects to address the needs of the community. The projects announced today will be funded as part of this process.
(R-L) PB volunteers, including: Janis Pinkney, District Leader Melba Brown, Hassan Bakridiin, Joan Bakradiin, Monique Waterman, Anita Lewis, Michelle Sealey, Genesis and Taja Dixon.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ernest Skinner, NYC COUNCIL |
BROOKLYN, NY: Today, Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (D-Brooklyn), Deputy Leader and Chair of the Council's Housing and Buildings Committee, announced that seven capital projects have won the 45th District's Participatory Budgeting (PB) vote, after a week-long election and 1,047 ballots cast at sites throughout the community. The projects, which totaled $738,025 in cost, will be submitted for allocation by Council Member Williams for the upcoming fiscal year.
"I am excited that the people of District 45 have continued to show their support for participatory budgeting, as this empowering form of open democracy has not only gained momentum within our own neighborhood, but has continued to expand citywide," said Council Member Williams. "I would additionally like to thank East Flatbush Village, Inc. for working with the District 45 PB Chair and volunteers to ensure a seamless process. The winning projects reflect the views of more than 1,000 East Flatbush residents, and will improve our community in very real ways."
Under PB, voters in participating districts directly decide how to spend millions of their own tax dollars, only the second such initiative in the United States. Council Member Williams joined Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito (D-Manhattan), Council Members Brad Lander (D-Brooklyn), and Eric Ulrich (R-Queens) in the bipartisan pilot initiative in 2010. A total of 24 districts across the five boroughs have become a part of the process since its inception.
In the 45th District, residents came together in public meetings beginning in the fall to discuss local priorities and suggest capital projects to address the needs of the community. In partnership with representatives of East Flatbush Village, Inc., volunteer budget delegates worked with the district committee to refine and prioritize nine proposals for the final ballot. Beginning on April 13th and ending on April 17th, voting took place at seven sites across District 45, including parks, senior centers, housing complexes and Council Member Williams' district office. Anyone over the age of fourteen who is a resident of the district was eligible to vote for up to five projects.
"As this year's PB District 45 Chair, I would like to thank all of the members of District 45's PB Budget Delegate Committee who worked tirelessly to put together our project proposals that were on this year's ballot. From education, community development and job readiness, I am excited that so many great projects will be funded through this truly open, democratic process. It has been a true pleasure working with those who helped make this year-long process possible, including our PB Committee members, various youth organizations and volunteers. I look forward to seeing these projects implemented to meet the needs of our neighborhood,"said Taja Dixon, PB District 45 Chair.
"After four years of being a part of the Participatory Budgeting process in District 45, I am proud that East Flatbush Village, Inc. was able to play such an instrumental role in the success of this cycle.
I would like to thank Council Member Williams, PB District 45 Chair Dixon and all of the volunteers who made this year possible.
We have the power to make change in our community, which is clear from the projects that will be funded this year,
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Joan Bakiriddin, Executive Director of East Flatbush Village, Inc.
2015 WINNING PB PROJECTS:
1. A Room With a View
VOTES: 654
COST: $342,000
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Improve experience for 534 youth & adults at P.S. 208. Replace 50 year old seats, which are in poor condition, add seating for disabled and people in wheelchairs and replace curtains on the stage and windows.
2. Improve Our Restrooms
VOTES: 648
COST: $150,000
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Repair 4 adult and 4 youth bathrooms in P.S. 208. Repair these 8 spaces and move the radiator in the 4 youth bathrooms to make it less accessible to children. This will increase the safety of 468 children.
3. Computers for Job Readiness & Placement
VOTES: 481
COST: $36,025
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This Job Readiness and Job Placement Program will help reduce unemployment and underemployment in the 45th District for 20 neighbors at a time via these desktop computers.
4. Safe Neighborhood Streets
VOTES: 457
COST: $40,000
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: There is a safety concern on East 59th Street and Glenwood Road in the form of a damaged sidewalk. Help us to protect the humans and animals who travel down the street
5. Technology & Media Space Rugby Library
VOTES: 453
COST: $35,000
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Technology space to be incorporated into the schematic of the youth section of the branch renovation plan. Includes computers, printers/3D printer, and wiring for technology.
6. Tech Upgrade- I.S. 285
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Installing computers will address the lack of access to innovative learning resources at I.S. 285. Computers will be accessible to all students and benefit their learning experience.
7. Smart Boards for Smart Children
VOTES: 321
COST: $100,000
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Install Smart Boards to the Kurt Hahn School in Tilden High School Campus to decrease the digital divide for 338 students and increase their chances for success.
Click here to view last year's winning PB Projects in District 45.
