Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Four Freedoms Park President defends Katz gift

From Roosevelt Islander:

I asked FDR Four Freedoms Park Conservancy President Sally Minard:

Do you think it appropriate for a NY State park located in the Manhattan jurisdiction on Roosevelt Island to receive funds from the Queens Borough President discretionary capital budget earmarked for Queens parks?

Will FDR Park return the money to the Queens Borough President's Office for use in Queens parks?...

Ms. Minard replied:
Less than 1% of the Borough President’s appropriation is designated for FDR Four Freedoms Park. The funds, combined with funding from Manhattan, New York State and private sources will support installation of new lighting to illuminate the exterior of the memorial park. This lighting installation will make the remarkable Louis Kahn design, a sculpture in the New York landscape, visible from the Queens and Manhattan shorelines after dark. The beauty of the illuminated Kahn design will be a new experience that will be shared equally by residents of Queens and Manhattan.

Every month, thousands of Queens residents already share the free educational and public programming, commemorative events, musical performances, and health and fitness sessions offered to visitors at FDR Four Freedoms Park. They come to enjoy the Park’s lush lawn, tree shaded allees and peaceful waterfront promenades with spectacular Queens and Manhattan skyline views.
Well I didn't expect this lady to look a gift horse in the mouth, but by her logic, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer should be allocating funding toward Gantry Park in LIC because Manhattanites can see it and on occasion take the ferry over to use it. (Somehow I don't see that happening.)

How about we just keep it simple and require that the BPs spend their pots of money in the boroughs they represent? Is that really too much to ask? Or is helping developers sell real estate now the primary function of elected officials?

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wake up people

Anonymous said...

Some have said that Katz "canoodled" with Alan Hevesi. Others have said that she loves ladies. Then there is Curtis Sliwa.
Does Katz even have a firm stand on her own sexual orientation let alone be able to difrentiate between Queens' and Manhattan's borders?
What a f----g joke on us that we have a Queens borough president that doesn't know her ass from her elbow.

She knows damn well enough who butters her toast. It is all the developers who she takes campaign contributions from.
Just look up her record at the Board of Elections site. She is owned by the NYC real estate industry.
Do you really think she represents her constituents?

Anonymous said...

And to think it's going for lighting... just what NYC needs to do - blow more money on electricity. Who came up with this idea, Con Ed?

Joe Moretti said...

Another bullshit answer that does not actually answer the question as it skirts the issue.

"This lighting installation will make the remarkable Louis Kahn design, a sculpture in the New York landscape, visible from the Queens and Manhattan shorelines after dark."

Well, form that logic, I cannot see it from Jamaica, so maybe we should spend money to make it bigger so that people out in Jamaica can see it too.

Just fucking political bullshit. This sounds like some logic from Fox News.

georgetheatheist said...

Why not have Katz and Brewer meet half-way? Brewer spends $300G's on Gantry and Katz $300G's on 4 Freedoms? On second thought, an exercise in unnecessary futility, no?

Anonymous said...

We thought she was doing such a good job kicking the head of the Queens Library to the curb and fighting for het constituents.She figured we wouldn't notice her indiscretion with the parks allocation. This is how she works. Get rid of the Boro President position. It's a waste of taxpayer money!

JQ said...

This executive as well as the Queens Steamer are displaying sociopath symptoms, like when spouses murder their lovers by claiming they were exorcising demons, when its speaking about their ongoing smiley-face justifications for spending money that does not belong to waste electricity keeping a section illuminated for big and frivolous spending tenants of those blade runner glass dildos.

Speaking of keeping the lights on to enhance views and promoting freedom madams, how about enhancing the views of Myrtle Avenue in Forest Park>>>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h_KUOe5ocg


Anonymous said...

What is the surprise here?

Cultural institutions in Queens, that is those that are not owned by the developer lobby as Rufus King, Noguchi, etc, are starved for funds - especially when you see what the same organizations that are in other boroughs are getting.

Now take a look at someone like, say, Jimmy Van Bramer, and the money he gives to institutions in other boroughs while groups in his back yard starve.

I think if you start to look at the political elite in Queens, you would be shocked to see the money they give to groups outside of their district if not the borough. That is what happens when you let these clowns right roughshod over everyone.

Anonymous said...

She is not kicking the library at all - she was forced to do SOMETHING to give the borough a scrap of self respect.

Now the issue is blown over she is telling everyone that the library is now 'cured.'

Bullshit. Nothing has changed the culture of this borough. We want to see its board brought to justice!

Anonymous said...

Geez guys, pick your battles. Yeah it is technically part of Manhattan, but I always thought and still think of Roosevelt Island as part of Queens. I live in Queens and will continue to enjoy Roosevelt Island. Guess who won't? My family and friends who live in Manhattan. Talk about about habitual complainers.

Queens Crapper said...

"It is technically part of Manhattan". There is nothing technical about it. It's Manhattan, not Queens and I enjoy Central Park on occasion but don't expect Katz to allocate money toward its upkeep.

Anonymous said...

When is someone going to put some money into the Motor parkway in AlleyPond Park.

Anonymous said...

No one in Manhattan considers Roosevelt Island Manhattan. Feel free to use it all you want, Queens.

Joe Moretti said...

Anonymous said...

We thought she was doing such a good job kicking the head of the Queens Library to the curb and fighting for her constituents.

NO, no one really thought she did a good job about that. That whole firestorm blew up in her face and she was backed into a corner to do something (even though she knew this was going for some time).

AND

Anonymous said...

Geez guys, pick your battles. Yeah it is technically part of Manhattan, but I always thought and still think of Roosevelt Island as part of Queens. I live in Queens and will continue to enjoy Roosevelt Island.

You are an IDIOT. Pick your fucking brain. Roosevelt Island is MANHATTAN, hence it is technically Manhattan NOT technically Queens. And not everyone in Queens enjoys Roosevelt Island or goes to it and most of Queens does not even see it. You should run for political office, you already are good at bullshit. And you seem to represent the majority of Queens people, dumb & gullible.



Anonymous said...

"Or is helping developers sell real estate now the primary function of elected officials?"

crappy u dummy it's always been like that
-somethingstructural

Anonymous said...

Just out of curiosity, how much money does the United States Tennis Association pay to the Parks Department for using FMCP as their personal parking lot during the US Open tournament? Does the Parks department get to keep all parking fees or do they just get to wet their beak?

Anonymous said...

"President" of the park? What the hell does that mean?

Anonymous said...

looks like she is positioning to be the next mayor

Anonymous said...

Roosevelt Island uses and has always used 212 area codes. They are the jurisdiction of Manhattan. Manhattan's problem and responsibility. Period.

Anonymous said...


She would be the best choice for moderate voters when they dump Billy Boy.

Just think through the alternatives. She is the least of all those evils.

Anonymous said...

Anon 15:
the USTA has a 99-year lease signed by former mayor Dinkins on his last day in office some in 1993, which provide the City $300K a year plus one percent of the gate. The $$ is supposed to benefit the entire FMCP, but most of it is spent on the north side of the park, where the stadiums are located. Vehicles are not supposed to park on grass.
One problematic issue of the lease that Dinkins signed calls for the City to pay a penalty to the USTA if airplanes to and from LGA fly over the stadiums during the USTA games.

Anonymous said...

What ever happened to that old Maspeth church these ditzy politicians said they were going to work out for a community center ?
1-Well, they got elected why not a peep ?
2-Why is it still sitting in boxes in Maspeth ?
3-Why is focus across the river on some bumble f_uck to reach pile'o-rocks nobody gives a shit about? Hell, You could drive and park in Atlantic City or Catskill in the time, money and effort it takes to get to Roosevelt Island from most of Queens

I swear Katz and Crowley really need mental evaluations, are they coming up with this stupid shit themselves or is special interest seeding their empty heads and pulling strings ?

Anonymous said...

Dumb ass Dinkins !!
It must cost the city $300K A DAY in payrolls, overtime and mobile remote equipment for that park during the US OPEN. Millions over 2 weeks !!! The only people that benefit are the USTA, Manhattan hotels and transportation company's.
Everybody else suffers !!

Oh--This year they are going to start jailing and confiscating the gear of people who dont have a USTA/Parks sanctioned professional photography or tripod permits. The USTA continues to get away with more Hitler like bullshit every year. Now they own the rights to anything they wish to call professional photography in a PUBLIC park.
How many local politicians& friends will be hushed into rear service entrance and given "all access" lanyards so all can pretend no tickets exchanged hands this year ?

Anonymous said...

And why doesn't anyone question the attendance and revenue for the US Open event? 700,000 attendees includes those who attend more then one day. And the $300 million in revenue? Where does that go?

Anonymous said...

SALLY MINARD (COTES MINARD PATTON MCIRER), (Zip code: 10021) $500 to FRIENDS OF MELINDA KATZ on 12/03/97

Sally Mnard Democratic Fundraiser and Distrct Leader. Follow the $$$.